Page 34 of Renewal After Dark

He parked in front of Tiffany’s store, Naughty & Nice, where mannequins in lingerie filled the windows. “Are you sure Tiff is planning to open today?”

“Nope, but I figured I’d come in and see if she needs help.”

He reached for his phone and found her contact. “You want to give her a call?”

“Probably should’ve done that before I asked you to drive me into town.”

“It’s no problem. I needed to come in anyway.”

McKenzie called Tiffany and put it on speaker. “Hi, it’s McKenzie, calling on Duke’s phone. I wanted to check on you and see if you need help at the store today.”

“Thank you so much for calling, but I think we’ll stay closed today, since I didn’t sleep much last night.”

“Is there any word?”

“Nothing yet.”

“I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“I think we’re good. Blaine is working this morning, but he’ll be home after lunch. We’re going to my sister’s house for a bit this afternoon so the kids can play.”

“If there’s anything you need, please call me. I’ll text you my number.”

“Please do, and I’ll keep you posted on when we’re reopening.”

“Sounds good. I’ll talk to you soon.”

McKenzie finished the call and handed the phone back to Duke. “Welp, I guess I’ve got the day off.”

“Want to see my studio?”

“I’d love to.”

Duke’s callabout McKenzie’s cabin was the fourth of the day that Mac received from island residents in need of construction help after the storm. Ethel had upended his plans for the off-season, which he’d planned to spend mostly at the family’s alpaca farm, finishing the renovations so they could be ready for the first of the weddings booked there for late May.

Now he had a single mom with a wrecked cabin to consider, as well as his friends Slim and Erin Jackson, whose island home had also sustained serious damage.

Mac was exhausted, and the day hadn’t even begun yet.

Maddie returned to their room after tending to the twins and got back into bed. Sometimes they went back to sleep after an early wakeup. He hoped today was one of those days, because he could use a few minutes with his love before another day of madness began for both of them.

She curled up to him and rested her head on his chest. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, why?”

“You looked worried when I came in.”

“Just thinking about all the new work that’s coming from the storm and how I’ll fit it in with the other stuff I’ve already committed to, especially now that Jeff is out for the foreseeable future. I’ve gotten four calls already today, including one about the cabin owned by the single mom Blaine rescued in the storm.”

“Well, you have to take care of that one right away.”

He smiled. “I told Duke when he called that she’d be a high priority. She’s Rosemary Enders’s granddaughter.”

“Oh, I loved her. She worked at the summer camp I went to when I was in elementary school. Such a sweet lady.”

“Are there pictures of you as a summer camper?”

“Somewhere.”

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