Page 66 of Worth the Vow

I’m glad Dominic took a power nap in the car, because when we get back to the house, it’s absolute bedlam.

“Why is there water coming down the driveway?” Aspen asks, and Dominic sits up comically fast.

“What?” he asks.

Pulling around the bend of his driveway, we see his parents with buckets. Dominic rolls down his window. “What’s going on?”

“Your basement flooded,” his mom shouts. “We had a crazy storm overnight that dumped rain. A window well must have filled up, because your basement is full of water, and the basement drain is backed up.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” Dominic asks.

“We just got here. We knew you were on your way home. No sense in telling you when you’re driving,” his father says.

The basement flooded. That means my room flooded. Oh my God. “No!”

I slam the car into park and jump out. I hear Dominic calling for me, but I can’t stop. Flying into the house and down the stairs, I come to a halt when I see the water. I gingerly step onto what should be carpet, but is now three inches of water. Tears fill my eyes as I think about how many of my things are ruined, including some incredibly special mementos from my mom.

Opening my door, I see the reason why the basement flooded. My window is fully open, and I know I didn’t leave it open. I’m thankful I took my laptop with me to Matt’s, as I’d definitely not be able to replace that. I cry out as I stumble toward the closet, hoping against hope that the two boxes of pictures I have from my childhood were on a shelf, and not on the floor like I usually have them.

I force open the door and immediately see one box on the floor, soaked through, and let out a cry of anguish. The second box is safe on a shelf. I carefully grab the soaked box, sobbing, as I walk to my bed.

“Katharine!” Dominic shouts as he stomps down the stairs. He stops when he reaches the bedroom. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

I open the box, and stare at a piece of artwork I made as a child. The markers used have blended together on the paper, so much so that I can’t begin to make out what the picture is of. Beneath that, a soaked photograph of my mom holding me as an infant.

“Baby,” Dominic whispers as he sits next to me on the bed.

I turn to him, my eyes so full of tears I can’t fully see his profile. “It’s all I have left of her, and now it’s all ruined.”

As I begin to sob earnestly, Dominic wraps his arms around me as my head rests on his shoulder. He doesn’t say a word, he just lets me cry while slowly stroking my head.

When I finally stop crying, he speaks. “It’s my fault.”

“What?” I stammer, raising my head from his shoulder to look at him.

“I left the window open. I was cleaning out the window wells when Matt called, and I just ran out of here. I’m so sorry, Katharine.” His eyes are full of remorse.

“Where am I supposed to sleep?” I whisper, looking around the room.

“In my room, Katharine.”

“That’s your space. Then I’ll definitely get hair everywhere,” I joke bitterly.

I feel Dominic’s lips on my temple in a feather-like kiss. “I couldn’t care less about your hair. I was grasping at straws for why I was upset, and it was one of the first things I thought of.”

“This weekend can suck it,” I blurt out miserably.

“That it can,” Dominic answers. “Come on, baby. Let’s go upstairs and get you settled in bed for a little rest.”

“But … the mess!”

“I’ll handle it, Katharine. Right now, you need some sleep. It’ll help you gain some energy and allow you to recharge.”

“Okay,” I whisper. I think I’m too emotionally exhausted to recognize that Dominic also needs to sleep. Climbing the stairs, Dominic leads me to the second floor, calmly passing by Sienna and Carter, and into his room. Closing the door, he gestures for me to get into the bed. “Which is your side?”

“Closest to the door,” Dominic replies. Not thinking anything of his answer, I walk around the bed to the far side.

“But all your stuff is on this nightstand,” I comment.

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