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The cars ahead skated on a skihts bobbed in the endless black of night, the only sign that they weren’t alone in this storm Sheets of rain fell sideways as it hammered down on the roof, a persistent drumbeat that even the radio couldn’t quite drown out

Despite the late hour, despite the treacherous conditions, going somewhere special made it worth the risk of travel For Tessa Sullivan, it was an upscale spa and resort two states over from the si forward to this trip for ages A splash of rain wasn’t going to stop her now

It just made her a little worried

Okay Maybe more than a little

As she prayed she would survive her husband’s driving, she was re she couldn’t control: everybody else It was a hard-earned lesson, going back fifteen years to when she was ten and her father was sideswiped in a stor a seatbelt, it wouldn't have saved him

The SUV to their right suddenly cut over into their lane, spitting water up at the windshield, blinding her Tess gulped, fervently wishing she hadn't let that last thought cross her mind

She fidgeted restlessly in her seat, tugging on the strap by her neck as she checked its fit onefor close to seven hours without anything more than an early supper and a bathroo, and his lead foot, heavy against the gas pedal, did nothing to help her nerves

Not that he noticed Or that she bothered to complain

With the exception of the radio, he preferred silence when he drove if they were going somewhere new She learned about that quirk on their honeyled to keep quiet It was a sad state of their e that she found it much easier this time around There wasn’t much she wanted to say to him

Squeaky wipers slid across the windshield, but the rain fell so hard and so fast, there was always a constant river streaking down the glass She et the sound was grating on her nerves

The music didn’t help Jack kept the dial tuned to whatever classic rock station he could find If she heard oneabout lost love, she thought she ht open the car door and pitch herself out into the storm

She looked around, trying to find so else to occupy her

There On the opposite side of the highway, Tess could just h the rain It had one hite eye The other headlight was blown

Her response was autorained in her froa, she leaned over and punched Jack in his upper arm

“Padiddle!”

She knew right away that she made a mistake

With all of his concentration on the road, he wasn’t expecting the hit His arm jolted which meant that his hand on the wheel yanked He pulled suddenly to the left The front wheels skid, hydroplaning on the slick road as the car slid to the other side Jack struggled to right the vehicle, breathing heavily when he finally had it back under control