“I’ve got it,” she said.

Lovey nodded.

By now, business inside the dining room and the kitchen had come to a complete halt. Waitresses and customers alike were all trying to wedge their way into the small lobby to hear and see.

Sully was assessing the woman’s condition, checking out the small cut on her forehead, then checking to see if there were others.

“Ma’am, show me where the pain is worst,” he said.

Melissa’s eyes were burning so badly that she wouldn’t open them, but she was locked in on the sound of her rescuer’s voice, responding to everything he was asking.

“My head and my neck, I think.”

“Try not to move or turn your head, okay?” he said.

Melissa’s heart skipped in sudden fear. Head and neck injuries often led to bigger problems, and there had been no time to immobilize her before he pulled her out of the car.

“Can you move your legs?” he asked.

Melissa responded again.

“Good job,” he said, then began feeling up and down the length of her arms and legs for signs of broken bones.

“My eyes burn so bad,” she whispered.

“Can someone bring a wet cloth for her eyes?” he asked.

Lovey pointed. “Wendy, go get one from the kitchen.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the waitress said. She ran out of the lobby and returned carrying a wet linen dinner napkin. “Here you go,” she said, handing it to Sully.

“Thank you,” he said, then reached for the injured woman’s hand. “Melissa. Your name is Melissa, right?”

“Yes.”

“Feel this? I’m going to put it across your eyes.”

The soft tone of his voice was as gentle as the touch of his hand as he unfolded part of the napkin and laid it across her face. A soft moan was all she was capable of making, but it was one of relief.

Melissa wanted to see him—the man that went with the voice—and after patting the wet cloth against her eyelids, and letting the cold water seep beneath the lids, she was finally able to open her eyes. Her vision was still a little blurry, but what she did see was a good-looking man with very black hair and kind eyes.

For a few timeless seconds, their gazes locked.

Greenest eyes I’ve ever seen, Sully thought, and then knelt beside the bench because his head was spinning. His throat burned, likely from smoke inhalation, and the pain in his shoulder was increasing.

“Are you okay?” Lovey asked.

“Yes, ma’am. Just feeling the smoke,” he said.

Before Lovey could respond, the door opened, and a couple of firemen stepped inside.

“Miss Lovey, we’re going up on your roof to make sure none of that falling debris caught anything up there on fire.”

“Oh my goodness,” Lovey said, and ran outside with them to look. When she came back inside, two EMTs pushing a gurney were right behind her.

After making a cursory check of Melissa’s condition and applying a neck brace, they loaded her onto the gurney and wheeled her out to the waiting ambulance.