Page 27 of Tucker

BADWEATHERROLLEDinto the area, keeping Kady busy, forestalling the family gathering and putting a general damper on the vacationers who wanted to use the lake.

The daily Convective Outlook, supplied by the Storm Prediction Center, highlighted the potential for severe weather. The ingredients were there for bad storms, or even tornadoes.

Twice Tucker had to confront pontoon boaters. They were determined to enjoy their vacations, so they ignored the lightning flashing overhead, dropped an anchor and whooped it up, as if risking life and limb was loads of fun. One group even had kids in the water.

When they dismissed warnings from the lake security, Tucker rode out in a boat to get them moving. With the skies getting ever darker, Kady worried for him, but he handled the matter in short order.

Watching through the window of the store her cousin Lisa, and her husband Gray, owned at the marina, Kady waited. She could see the boaters packing it in, and Tucker’s boat cutting through the rising waves as he headed back to the docks.

“He’ll be fine, you know,” Lisa said behind her. It had been a busy day in the store as restless vacationers milled in and out, hoping the weather would clear.

“I know.” The rain started, first as a drizzle but steadily growing heavy. The gray sky made it look more like evening than afternoon. “It’s just that this weather is so unpredictable, I don’t think anyone should be out on the lake right now.”

One of the tall warning sirens situated around Buckhorn sat at the very back of the marina property, an imposing tower against the landscape. Routine tests sent the sound reverberating over the surface of the water, causing dogs to howl and people to wince.

As the resident weather expert, she helped to decide when to use those sirens.

Lisa leaned against a shelf of water toys and floats. “You two were together when I called about the boaters?”

“We were at lunch, yes.”

“Amber said you two have spent the whole week together.”

Kady smiled despite her worry, watching Tucker dock the boat, tie it off to grommets, then hastily pull up the hood of the slicker he wore. “He said we’re getting to know each other on different terms.”

“As more than mere friends?”

Dreamily thinking of the past week, how wonderful—and how frustrating—it had been, Kady nodded. “When our schedules coordinated, we did breakfast, lunch or dinner together. One night he took me to the diner, then yesterday, on his night off, we went just out of town to a fancier restaurant. We’ve been to a couple of movies, grocery shopped together and then grilled out at his house, and when he could, he’s accompanied me to local shoots.” All in all, the time together had been blissful.

It’d be more than that, though, if he didn’t restrict their contact to kisses.

She said to Lisa, “He got the sling off a few days ago, but the bruises on his shoulder are still there.” She knew because she’d checked on him directly after his follow-up appointment. “The doctor wants him to do a little PT, so he set up some equipment in his basement.” Wrinkling her nose, she explained, “It’s cooler down there, but also a little dank.”

“Not a place you’d choose to exercise?”

“Men are sometimes odd.”

With a grin in her voice, Lisa said, “Odd...and pretty wonderful.”

“I agree.” The sigh escaped her. “Tucker is especially awesome.”

This time Lisa laughed. “Spoken like a satisfied woman.”

Oh, if only that were true. But Tucker, on top of being a calm, in-command sheriff, apparently possessed unending patience.

The door dinged as he stepped inside. Standing on the mat, he removed the dripping slicker, then his gaze sought Kady. “You were right about the storm. It’s getting nasty out there.”

With a lull in customers, Gray came over and, draping his arm around Lisa’s shoulders, looked out the window. “It’s a pain whenever we lose power, but I still enjoy the lake during a storm.”

“It’s a sight to see,” Lisa concurred. “After the rain, it’s always easier to catch fish.”

Leaving the slicker by the door, Tucker came over and gave Kady a brief kiss. “Sorry that took so long.”

“I’m glad you got them off the water.” She turned to Lisa. “If you’re thinking of fishing, give it plenty of time after the storm ends, okay? All indications are that the weather will get even more unstable.”

Gray asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Maybe.” She looked again at the dark clouds rolling over each other. If she and Tucker didn’t leave soon, they’d be stuck in a deluge. She gave Gray a level look. “Since you were working, I’ll let you off the hook for not hearing my forecast.”

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