the barn, all shifting uncomfortably as the storm hit full tilt and the fire continued to grow.
“You’re just agitated because he’s inside,” Ally countered. “They’ll be out any second. I … they’ll be out any second.”
Mandy didn’t know which one of them Ally was trying to convince. “I don’t like this,” she said, taking a step toward the barn. “How long does it take to grab three horses? There’s nothing else in there, right?”
Mary bit her lip and shook her head. She was worried, too. She didn’t want to give Mandy and Ally any reason to panic, though. They were barely hanging on as it was. “I’m sure they’ll be out any second. I … .” Mary didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence because something hissed in the night – like a fuse being lit – and before she could grasp what was happening the roof blew off the barn, raining chunks of wood in every direction.
The women ducked, covering their faces as small flying objects whipped past them and dotted the sky. Mandy was the first back on her feet, her heart flopping painfully as she took in the shattered remnants of the barn.
“James!”
“OH, HOLY crap,” James moaned, rolling to his side and running a hand over the side of his face. “The barn just blew up.”
“I noticed,” Jake replied dryly, struggling to a sitting position. He glanced around, frowning when he realized all three horses were gone. “Where … ?”
“They took off,” Ben said, his face grave under the flickering lightning. “They’re out in the fields. Don’t worry, the baby went with his mama. I saw them together. We’ll have to go and collect them in the morning, but they should be okay for the night. There are trees out there, and if they’re really desperate they can wander into the auxiliary barn out back.”
“So much for all of our security measures this afternoon,” Jake lamented, rubbing his lower back. “Man, that hurts! I think I landed on something when I was thrown away from the barn.”
“You did,” James replied, shoving a rake toward Jake. “You landed on that.”
“Yup. That’s about how I feel.”
“Let me see,” James ordered, staggering to his feet.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine if you have an open wound!”
“Will you two stop with the bickering?” Ben ordered. “You sound like little, old ladies fighting over who gets the extra sugar lump for their tea.”
“It’s kind of funny that you put it that way,” Jake said. “I feel like a little, old lady right now. Ow! Will you be careful?”
James ignored Jake’s complaint as he lifted his friend’s shirt and studied his back. “You don’t have anything bleeding or anything. You should be fine … unless you think you have internal injuries.”
“The only thing truly injured is my pride,” Jake said. “I can’t believe we didn’t realize that the place was doused in gasoline before we walked into the raging fire.”
“Yeah, well, we weren’t thinking thanks to worrying about the girls,” James said. “I … .” James and Jake exchanged a frightened look. “The girls.”
They started moving around the remnants of the building, fear for Mandy and Ally’s safety plaguing them. That’s when James heard it. Mandy was screaming his name. He broke into a run, rounding the corner to find Mandy moving toward the burning building even as the downpour worked overtime to put it out.
“Don’t you even think about it,” James said, snagging her around the waist and taking her by surprise. She hadn’t heard his approach. “Everyone is out.”
Mandy’s face slackened when she saw him, and before he had a chance to say anything else, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. James caught her, pressing her close as he held her.
“I love you, James,” Mandy sobbed. “I … should’ve told you that before you went into the fire. I thought … I thought … .” She couldn’t finish. It was too horrible to even
“You’re just agitated because he’s inside,” Ally countered. “They’ll be out any second. I … they’ll be out any second.”
Mandy didn’t know which one of them Ally was trying to convince. “I don’t like this,” she said, taking a step toward the barn. “How long does it take to grab three horses? There’s nothing else in there, right?”
Mary bit her lip and shook her head. She was worried, too. She didn’t want to give Mandy and Ally any reason to panic, though. They were barely hanging on as it was. “I’m sure they’ll be out any second. I … .” Mary didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence because something hissed in the night – like a fuse being lit – and before she could grasp what was happening the roof blew off the barn, raining chunks of wood in every direction.
The women ducked, covering their faces as small flying objects whipped past them and dotted the sky. Mandy was the first back on her feet, her heart flopping painfully as she took in the shattered remnants of the barn.
“James!”
“OH, HOLY crap,” James moaned, rolling to his side and running a hand over the side of his face. “The barn just blew up.”
“I noticed,” Jake replied dryly, struggling to a sitting position. He glanced around, frowning when he realized all three horses were gone. “Where … ?”
“They took off,” Ben said, his face grave under the flickering lightning. “They’re out in the fields. Don’t worry, the baby went with his mama. I saw them together. We’ll have to go and collect them in the morning, but they should be okay for the night. There are trees out there, and if they’re really desperate they can wander into the auxiliary barn out back.”
“So much for all of our security measures this afternoon,” Jake lamented, rubbing his lower back. “Man, that hurts! I think I landed on something when I was thrown away from the barn.”
“You did,” James replied, shoving a rake toward Jake. “You landed on that.”
“Yup. That’s about how I feel.”
“Let me see,” James ordered, staggering to his feet.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine if you have an open wound!”
“Will you two stop with the bickering?” Ben ordered. “You sound like little, old ladies fighting over who gets the extra sugar lump for their tea.”
“It’s kind of funny that you put it that way,” Jake said. “I feel like a little, old lady right now. Ow! Will you be careful?”
James ignored Jake’s complaint as he lifted his friend’s shirt and studied his back. “You don’t have anything bleeding or anything. You should be fine … unless you think you have internal injuries.”
“The only thing truly injured is my pride,” Jake said. “I can’t believe we didn’t realize that the place was doused in gasoline before we walked into the raging fire.”
“Yeah, well, we weren’t thinking thanks to worrying about the girls,” James said. “I … .” James and Jake exchanged a frightened look. “The girls.”
They started moving around the remnants of the building, fear for Mandy and Ally’s safety plaguing them. That’s when James heard it. Mandy was screaming his name. He broke into a run, rounding the corner to find Mandy moving toward the burning building even as the downpour worked overtime to put it out.
“Don’t you even think about it,” James said, snagging her around the waist and taking her by surprise. She hadn’t heard his approach. “Everyone is out.”
Mandy’s face slackened when she saw him, and before he had a chance to say anything else, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. James caught her, pressing her close as he held her.
“I love you, James,” Mandy sobbed. “I … should’ve told you that before you went into the fire. I thought … I thought … .” She couldn’t finish. It was too horrible to even
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