One Night

Chapter 4, One Night

Chapter 4

"What the fuck?" he cried. Even before it registered in his overtired brain, he was moving. The fact was that some idiot had just crashed up his friend's restaurant-and who knew how many people had been injured? The good-looking broad in the red dress, he feared, was most likely dead. He stepped over broken glass and slipped on something gooey on the floor. In an instant, he assessed the dust and debris. A man on the floor was crawling, a cut on his head, helping up a woman who had lettuce in her hair.

"Are you hurt?" Walker demanded as he touched the man, who looked shocked. Hell, everyone had to be. They had all been out for a nice dinner and then wham-some idiot had driven a car through the front of the restaurant. He guessed no one would be paying their tabs that night.

"I'm okay, just-what the fuck happened...?" the woman screeched, reaching for her purse.

One of the waiters appeared, and then someone else, to help the woman. More waiters and staff raced out from the back, helping people up. Those who could stand began heading around the debris to the door.

"Oh my God, my restaurant!" Jean cried out behind him. He could only imagine her horror.

"Get everyone outside," he shouted. He could hear the sirens in the distance, coming closer. He stepped around the car, hoping to hell no one was under it. He helped patrons as they staggered from the once fine restaurant, which now resembled a war zone. But he still didn't see the blonde.

A tabletop shuddered in the corner, and Walker lifted it off a man: oh, yeah, the slick, smiling dude who'd been sitting with the girl in the red dress. "Are you hurt?" Walker asked.

The man was covered in dust and debris as he brushed off his coat and coughed, then struggled to stand. "Holy crap, what the hell?" He was looking around.

Walker heard a cough, then saw the blonde crawling again on her knees from the corner and around an overturned table.

"Kate, are you okay?" the slick dude asked-but Walker got to her first.

She was a mess. Her knee was cut, her dress torn at the shoulder, and she was wearing one shoe.

"Are you all right?" He touched her arm and helped her up, taking in the shock on her face the moment she saw him. Why hadn't he noticed before how lovely her eyes were, a smoky brown, big and bold? She held on to his arm as if needing support. He could feel how shaky she was.

"What happened? I saw the car..." She stopped and pointed. The way her eyes widened had Walker turning as he heard the squeal of the car door. There was shouting, and others crowded around, helping a woman out of the vehicle. She was dark haired, a little dazed. Walker could feel the woman Slick had called Kate as she dug her fingers into his arm.

"Oh, my dress," she cried. She grabbed the drooping strap that had slipped to show black lace and the rounded curve of her breast. And a nice breast it was, too-especially in the fancy bra responsible for all that generous cleavage.

He was about to slip off his jacket and offer it when he realized she was with Slick. He should have been shedding his coat and handing it over, but instead he was looking the other way. Walker glanced over to the dude, who was staring open mouthed at the woman getting out of the car.

"Cindy?" he said.

"Ryder, do you know her?" Kate asked, holding up the strap of her dress.

"That would be Cindy, remember? I was just telling you about her."