Page 62 of Married With Lies

“I’m fine. We lost the power. But you probably already figured that out. You should put on some clothes.”

Cale releases my arms. I think I hear him chuckle but the sound is muted by another clap of thunder. On instinct I flinch and let out a strangled yelp.

Cale switches on his phone flashlight. “Do you have any real flashlights around here?”

“Top drawer in the entryway table.” I’m really trying not to be excessively aware of how close I’m standing to his naked skin.

With Cale’s phone lighting the way, I’ve just located two large flashlights when Peggy floats into view, holding a lit pillar candle and looking very ghostly.

“I heard a scream,” she says. “Who screamed?”

“That was me.” I switch on the overly bright flashlight. “Thunderstorms are not my favorite thing.”

Peggy sweeps her candle from side to side. “Where is he?”

“Cale?” I shine the flashlight all over the immediate area and see only furniture. “He was just here a second ago.”

Peggy sniffs with annoyance. “I really hope he is not stumbling around in the darkness. He’s not quite recovered from his last misadventure.” Peggy, as usual, manages to blend indignation with worry. It’s her most charming quality.

“Cale Connelly is not likely to be defeated by a power outage. I’ll go check on the hospital.” I shine the light at the hallway and try not to shudder over another rumble of thunder.

The newest patients in the hospital are housed against the far wall. I still can’t get over the way Cale saved the day earlier this week and forced James Foster to hand the dogs over.

Around here, the Foster brothers are known for two things; drunken fights in public and mistreatment of all living creatures. Gus went to high school with them and spits their names like a curse. I want to throw up when I think about what might have become of this sweet little mama and her two babies if Cale hadn’t come to the rescue.

We’ve started calling the mother Tinkerbell. Gus confirmed she’s barely old enough to have puppies and she had a few other choice comments about the disgusting Foster brothers. From the looks of Tinkerbell, she’s a mix of chihuahua and dachshund. Her two puppies have been named Peter and Wendy. They all suffered from obvious neglect but Gus found no major medical issues and believes they’ll be all right.

Tinkerbell, still skittish and feeling protective of her babies, growls at the sound of my footsteps.

“It’s me. It’s just me.” I bend down beside the pen and put my hand against the mesh. The puppies are curled up together in loveable little balls. Tinkerbell trembles for a few more seconds, then relents and sniffs my hand. Moving slowly, I reach inside and tenderly pet her behind the ears.

Once I’ve confirmed that the rest of the occupants are comfortably resting, I return to the front of the house. Peggy is still there with her pillar candle. And Cale has returned. Evidently he found some clothes.

That’s good. And bad.

“I’ll be back soon.” I flip the hood of my jacket up. Outside, the wind picks up. The rain is so loud I’m wondering if there’s hail.

“You’re not going out in this,” Peggy says in her best ‘Don’t You Dare’ tone.

In truth, I’d rather not. Every crack of thunder leaves me ready to jump out of my skin. But there are things to be done. “I need to confirm that the barn door is staying closed. I’m not sure what the horses will do in this weather. I should check on the rest of the buildings too.”

“You’ll stay here. I’ll do it.” Peggy prepares to march into a semi-hurricane with nothing but her crocheted shawl and her pillar candle.

Two months ago Peggy had pneumonia. She recovered but she is eighty years old. Next time we might not be so lucky.

Giving Peggy orders would never work. I’ll have to scrape up some diplomatic skills.

“Actually,” I say, “I was hoping you’d keep the hospital patients company. Tinkerbell and her pups are still uneasy. The storm noise must be terrifying to them.”

“I’ll go with Sadie,” Cale says.

Peggy points her candle at him. “You?”

“Sure.”

“Why?”

He shrugs. “I really like being out in the rain.”

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