St1

Stranded

I can not believe this is happening, Raven thought as she erratically pulled off to the side of the road.

Shutting off the ignition, she opened the door and stepped out. One look was all it took to set her into hysterics.

�Great, just freakin� great,� she mumbled under her breath.

She shoved her hand into her pocket and produced a Koosh ball key chain, keys jangling wildly. She walked to the trunk of the car, vehemently sticking a silver key into the lock. The latch popped open and the trunk door flew up. Sticking her head in, she searched frantically, throwing stray items out of her way.

�Damn it!� she cursed when her search did not provide the item she was looking for.

Walking back to the front of the car, she swung the front door open and launched herself inside. Seizing the tiny cream purse off the passenger seat, she extracted a small cell phone and started punching numbers. She put the phone up to her ear and listened intently.

When, after about three minutes, she was still greeted by silence she pushed the little off button. Looking at the front screen, she noticed the message that said �No Service�.

�Well, gee, that figures,� she grumbled, throwing the phone back into the car.
She went back around to the front of the car and examined the flat tire that had put her in this predicament.

The highway department of Utah desperately needs to do something about the monstrous potholes cluttering the streets, Raven thought as she looked down the road a few feet to see the crater that caused the flat tire.

Raising her gaze a little she glanced up and down the highway.

It looked as deserted then as it did the whole time she had been driving.

Absently, she checked her watch.

Isabelle is going to be going ballistic if I don�t get there soon, she groaned inwardly. A small smile crept across her face, though, as she though of her best friend pacing the church, her wedding gown on, hair half done and putting a run in her pantyhose.

�I would pay to see the look on her face when she realizes I�m not there,� Raven said to herself.

She looked back down the road again on the off chance that there was someone coming.

Definitely not.

She glanced at her watch again.

I knew I shouldn�t have stopped at Starbuck�s for that latte, she cursed as she realized she was now almost forty-five minutes late.

And Raven was someone who was never late. Isabelle was more then likely to be having a conniption by now.

She couldn�t possibly have picked a more isolated place for this wedding if she tried, Raven thought as she took in the dense forests that lined both sides of the highway.

She was sitting in her car, fiddling with the miniature Koosh, when she noticed something gleaming in the distance. Dropping the Koosh, she opened the door and, sure enough, got a clear view of the car speeding on its way towards her.
In her excitement she almost jumped into the road, flailing her arms about wildly in an attempt to catch the driver�s attention.

It worked.

The black Honda Civic pulled onto the shoulder just past her own silver Chevy Malibu.

The driver stepped out and made his way over to Raven.

He was very attractive, standing over six feet tall with spiky, blond hair and amazing blue eyes.

Talk about your knight in shining armor, Raven thought as she watched him walk over.

The stranger looked over Raven as he got closer.

Howie may kill me for being late, but damn, this is a good reason, he thought taking in her small frame, large, green eyes and jet-black hair.

�Having car troubles?� he asked when he had reached her.

�Car troubles as well as time management issues, but I think the car trouble is a bit more of a pressing matter right now,� she joked.

The young man smiled as he looked over the front of her car.

�Well you have a flat tire,� he said after checking out the damage.

Cute, but not to bright, Raven thought, shaking her head.

�Really? Damn, I thought it was the carburetor,� she said sarcastically.

The young man went a little red, but ignored the comment.

�Do you have a spare?� he asked.

�No. Believe me, if I had one, I would definitely not still be here.�

�How about Triple A?�

�Cell has no service out here.�

He looked at the car again and then back at Raven.

�Hmm. Looks like you have a real problem here.�

�It would appear that way, wouldn�t it?� she replied.

He stole a glance at her distressed face and couldn�t help thinking how beautiful she was.

�Um, my name�s Nick, by the way. Nick Carter,� he said, extending his hand.

�Raven. Raven Sanchez,� she replied, placing her hand in his.

Nick held her gaze for a moment before turning away quickly, a blush creeping over his cheeks.

�Well, Miss Sanchez,� he started, �I�d hate to leave you here by yourself. Would you like me to give you a ride to an auto shop so you can have someone come out here and fix your car?�

As much as Raven wanted to get her car fixed, she knew missing or holding up Isabelle�s wedding any longer was out of the question.

�I really appreciate the offer Nick, but I�m afraid I really don�t have the time to go get someone to come out here and fix my car,� she responded. �If you want to help, you can take me somewhere where I can call a cab. I�ll worry about my car later.�

�You mean you just want to leave your car sitting here on the highway?� he asked incredulously.

Raven looked up and down the empty stretch of road.

�I doubt there will be many people passing by here,� she said.

Nick glanced up and down the highway and realized she was probably right. She had been the only other car he had seen on this road, almost the whole time he had been driving.

�Alright,� he said. �Let�s go.�

She reached into her car, grabbed her purse and followed him over to his. He opened the passenger door for her and let her in. Nick pulled out onto the highway and they drove in relative silence, the radio on in the background the only noise.

A few minutes passed before Nick made an attempt at conversation.

�You know, I couldn�t help notice that you�re really dressed up,� he commented.

�As are you,� she replied, noticing for the first time the black suit he was wearing.

�Yeah, I was on my way to,� he started, but wasn�t sure if he should mention Howie�s wedding. It was supposed to be private, the media wasn�t aware of it yet and he didn�t want it to get leaked out. Taking note that she didn�t seem to recognize him or didn�t care if she did, he figured it was safe. �I was on my way to my friends wedding. I suppose I can be a little late if I was helping out a beautiful woman.�

Raven blushed at the comment before she fully took it in.

�Wait. Did you say you�re going to your friends wedding?� she asked, unbelievingly.

�Yeah, why?� he asked, suddenly getting nervous.

�I was on my way to my friends wedding,� she exclaimed.

�Who�s your friend?� Nick asked cautiously.

�Isabelle Crane. Who�s yours?� Raven countered.

�Howie Dorough,� he replied, realizing the woman Raven had mentioned was, indeed, his friends bride to be.

�Well, well, it is a small world after all,� she said with a demure smile. �Looks like we�re heading to the same place.�

�Looks like it,� Nick said, smiling back.

They arrived at the wedding a good two hours late. Seeing as how Nick and Raven were both crucial members of the wedding party, the rest of the wedding party had to pull out some fancy distractions.

Isabelle was furious with Raven until she had fully explained what happened. Then, Isabelle had screamed at her for leaving her car on the side of the road.
Howie had been worried sick about Nick, but was relieved to know that he had only been playing rescuer.

Once everyone was finally situated the wedding went off without a hitch. Seeing as how neither Nick or Raven had dates they decided to be each others. The ceremony was beautiful, there wasn�t a dry eye in the house. The reception was turning out to be a blast until Isabelle announced the throwing of the bouquet.

Raven sat in her seat next to Nick and watched as all the single women cluttered around Isabelle.

�Aren�t you going up there?� Nick asked.

�I�ve had enough craziness for one day. I don�t want to be thrown into that,� she said pointing at the group of women, now pushing and shoving each other to get a better spot.

Nick was about to protest when a young blond girl came over and grabbed Raven by the arm.

�Come on Raven. You have to be part of the bouquet toss,� she insisted.

�No, that�s quite alright Nealla. I can pass,� Raven replied.

�Please Raven? Do it for Isabelle,� Nealla persisted, going all out with the puppy dog face.

�Yeah Raven. Do it for Isabelle,� Nick chimed in.

Raven looked from one pleading face to the next.

�Oh I hate you both,� she sighed, getting up and following Nealla into the crowd.

�Is everyone ready?� Isabelle shouted once she saw all the women had joined the fray. �On three. One. Two. Three!�

She launched the flowers over her head and into the sea of eager women. Not quite knowing her own strength, Isabelle had sent the bouquet right to the back of the group.

She had sent it, right into Raven�s arms.

Everyone cheered and clapped while Raven stood there looking astonished.

�Nice catch,� Nick said, coming up behind her and giving her a charming smile.

She looked him over once before replying, �I think so too.�