Love At First Crash

Chapter 1

"Lina, I understand that you want me to go out and have fun, but I can't just forget about my husband's death," I argued over the phone, my voice filled with sadness.

"Come on, girl! It's been four years already. Going out with someone new might actually help you in your healing process. Plus, you deserve to have some fun," Lina tried to persuade me, her tone enthusiastic.

Gripping the steering wheel tightly, I took a deep breath. It had been four years, three months, and sixteen days since I lost him.

"Lina..." I hesitated, searching for the right words.

"Bella, before you cut me off, just think about meeting someone young and attractive," Lina interjected.

"Fresh out of the womb, you mean?" I replied sarcastically.

"God, Bella, you're no fun! You're only 30, and you married Chris at a young age. You wasted most of your twenties with him," Lina remarked.

I let out a sigh. "Lina, I'm just afraid I'll end up hurting someone again."

"Boo, you've got this. And you never hurt Chris," Lina reassured me.

"Yeah, but the note..." I trailed off, the painful memories resurfacing.

"The note was bullshit!" Lina exclaimed, her voice filled with frustration.

"Listen, he was still my husband, and I loved him no matter what. The way he was found... it still makes me feel sick to my stomach," I admitted, tears welling up in my eyes. The pain was still raw, even after all these years.

"I'm going to set you up with Blake, Will's co-worker," Lina suddenly declared.

"No, I've already said no," I replied firmly, not wanting to entertain the idea.

"Come on, he's really attractive!" Lina insisted.

There was a moment of silence on the call.

"Lina? Hello?" I called out, but there was no response.

"Sorry about that, I had to make sure Will didn't hear that," Lina apologized, her voice returning.

I chuckled softly, wiping away the tears from my eyes.

Suddenly, a truck driver zoomed past me, narrowly missing my car.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed, startled by the near-accident.

"Bella, are you okay?" Lina asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'll have to let you go. There's a reckless truck driver on the highway. I think they might be drunk," I explained, my heart still racing.

"Alright, bye, girl. Stay safe. Text me later. Goodnight!" Lina said.

"Thanks, I will," I replied, ending the call.

As I continued driving, I scanned the surroundings, but the truck driver was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they had been pulled over by a police officer. Just then, a notification chimed on my phone, diverting my attention. It was a text from Lina.

"You + Blake @ Carl's Diner on Wednesday at 7," the message read. I smiled to myself, finding it amusing. Was I really going on a blind date? Oh, God. Maybe it could be a part of my healing process.

But suddenly, without any warning, there was a loud thud on the back of my car. Frustration overwhelmed me as I pulled over to the side of the road and stepped out, trying to assess the damage. It was dark outside, making it difficult to see anything clearly. Just then, a pair of headlights illuminated my face. At first, I couldn't make out the shape of the car, but as it drew closer, I recognized it as the same truck from earlier. The driver stepped out silently.