Page 20 of Taming Waves

“Good plan. Hurry, man. This storm is going to hit land at any minute,” he says.

I click off the call and catch Audrey’s eyes in the rearview mirror.

“We need to get to Northwest First Street.”

“You’re not seriously going to get on an ATV, are you?” she asks.

“If I don’t, floodwaters are going to carry it off,” I say.

“If you do, this storm could carry you off,” she grits out.

I smile. “Worried about me?”

Her reflection scowls back at me. “Worried I’ll lose another employee,” she retorts.

“I’ll be fine, baby. It’s not far, but we need to go.”

She shakes her head, throws the car into drive, and races out of the parking lot.

When we make it to Sebastian’s Bronco, I jump out.

I step to Audrey’s driver’s window and knock, and she lowers the window a crack.

“Switch places with Anson,” I command.

“No way. This is my baby,” she says.

“We don’t have time to argue, Tiger. Let Anson drive.”

“I have this,” she says.

Sebastian flashes his headlights.

Fuck. Stubborn woman.

“Fine. When I start rolling, tuck in between me and the Bronco. Slow and steady.”

“Slow and steady,” she repeats as she clutches the steering wheel nervously with both hands.

I sprint to meet Sebastian on the sidewalk, where the ATV belonging to the rescue sits. He hands me the keys and tells me to be careful. Then, he hops back into the Bronco. I start the engine and pull out onto the road. Audrey falls in behind me and is followed by Seb. We form a tight caravan as I lead us toward home.

By the time we reach our block, the wind is so strong that I can barely control the steering. Audrey’s car flies past me, and I see her stop in front of the condo. Anson exits the back passenger door and races to the keypad to open the garage door. He waits by the door as I finally make it and pull the machine as close to the rear wall as possible. Then, he waves for Audrey to back her car in.

She and Heather get out, and the four of us head upstairs just as Sebastian parks under the house and leads Avie up behind us.

Once we’re all safely herded into the living room, I let out the breath I was holding.

Audrey

“Power’s out,” Anson says as everyone huddles in the kitchen. “I’ll get us some towels.”

He removes his shoes and drops his rain-soaked jacket on the tiled floor. Then, he heads down the hallway to the linen closet while we all start peeling off our outer layers.

He returns with a stack of bath towels and sets them on the kitchen island. Parker grabs one and runs it over his head.

“We need to call Sabel,” Avie says.

Sebastian pulls his phone out, and the two of them place a call to check in on his grandparents and their daughter.

---