Page 14 of Against the Wind

The pen pressed hard enough into the paper to leave impressions on the pages beneath.

My phone buzzed again. With a sigh, I pulled it from the pocket of my lab coat.

Hoyt

Did the Coast Guard team finish boarding up the clinic windows?

Gabi

They did.

Hoyt

Need anything else?

Gabi

No. I’m good.

Hoyt

Sure?

Gabi

Yes, Dad.

I didn’t mention that one of those Coast Guard members was my ex. My ex who was supposed to be in Seattle. Who was very clearlynotat the posting he’d thought so very fucking important three months ago.

My hand fisted around the pen I held. God, I wanted to call Willa. She’d know exactly what to say, how to untangle the mess of emotions churning in my stomach. Or maybe not. But she’d listen in that quiet, attentive way she had, and that would make me feel better. Probably.

But she and Sawyer were probably neck-deep in their own storm prep up at Sutter House on the north end of the island. Besides, what would I even tell her? That the man who chose Seattle over me suddenly decided to transfer to the Outer Banks? Had he transferred? Or was he somehow on loan for some weird reason? Hell, she didn’t even know any of the details about Daniel to begin with, so I’d have to give backstory, and there was simply no time for that. Not that I wanted to relive that backstory to begin with. It was too painful.

The wind picked up outside, rattling the newly boarded windows. The storm was coming, whether I had my personal life sorted out or not. My phone buzzed with a weather alert. Projected landfall in less than thirty hours. The time for personaldrama had passed. And I had to admit that I’d done every damned thing that could be done to prepare the clinic for the storm. All the supplies were ready for transfer to the community center. There was nothing left to distract me here.

I didn’t want to go home to my sister. She’d take one look at me and know something was wrong, then she’d nag me in the most loving way possible until I spilled my guts about everything.

I wasn’t ready to spill my guts. I wasn’t sure I ever would be. There was a reason I hadn’t told her about Daniel while we’d been together. Caroline and Hoyt were rock solid as a couple, and she believed everyone deserved the same. Deep down, so did I, but I knew not everyone was as lucky in finding their person as easily as the two of them had. She’d have had Opinions I didn’t want to hear about the situationship. And given how things had turned out, she’d have probably been right. I didn’t want to hear that. Or her creative notions of punishment for his putting his job ahead of me, as well intentioned as they might be.

I thought about Bree. The Brewhouse might still be open. At least for the night. I could use a friend, and frankly, another drink. With that in mind, I stepped out of the clinic’s back door, keys jingling as I locked up. I wished there’d been time to replace the lock, but nothing could be done about it now. I just had to hope that whoever had been by last night wouldn’t try again.

The evening sun peeked through the building clouds, stretching my shadow long across the quiet employee parking lot. I took a half-dozen steps before something made the hair on my neck stand up. My fingers tightened around my keys. I scanned the area, searching for whatever had triggered my internal alarm.

A gull wheeled overhead. Out on the street, Mr. Mills walked his ancient golden retriever. A few cars rolled past. Nothing seemed out of place, but the sensation of being watchedpersisted. Maybe it was all the blank-faced buildings, their windows covered for the coming storm. It gave the whole area a feeling of abandonment. Vaguely apocalyptic. As if zombies or raiders were prepared to leap out of the shadows at any moment.

Foolishness. You’re just stressed over Daniel and what’s coming.

I forced myself to breathe slow and steady. To think rationally. The lot was empty except for my car. Another sweep of the area revealed nothing suspicious, but my skin wouldn’t stop crawling. I picked up my pace, clicking the key fob twice to unlock the doors. The beep seemed too loud in the quiet lot.

I slid behind the wheel and locked the doors immediately. Through the windshield, I kept watching, but still saw nothing concrete to justify this creeping unease. Only the wind beginning to whip the trees and the lengthening shadows of early evening. I’d get out of here and get that drink, and then I’d feel better.

The Brewhouse’s neon signs were dark when I arrived, and I thought I was too late. But I spotted Bree’s car parked around back. Gravel crunched under my tires as I pulled up next to it. The front door was still unlocked, and I ducked inside.

She glanced up from wiping down tables, clearly about to announce, “We’re closed,” but she took one look at my face and straightened. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. You okay?”

“Just left the clinic. Gave myself a case of the creeps.”

“I heard about the attempted break in.”

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