Page 40 of Crossroads of Love

Her head is already down as she scrolls through her phone. Within minutes, we are parked and walking into my office at city hall.

“Generators are going, Mayor,” our maintenance guy, Jack, informs me.

“Thanks!”

Tatum is rushing around my office as we walk inside. The phone is ringing off the hook, and Jayla immediately goes to an empty desk and answers one of the lines.

You can tell this isn’t her first rodeo.

“I guess our phone lines aren’t down?” I joke.

“Unfortunately not.” Tatum laughs.

Pride beams through me as I grin, watching Jayla speak calmly and courteously to whoever is on the other end.

“Thank goodness.” Tatum smiles. “It’s a madhouse. Principal Dane just called to let us know that the custodial team also got the generators going, and they are setting up the gym with cots and whatever else is needed to house people tonight. Some of the churches are getting food together to feed everyone.”

“Man, this town really bands together, don’t they?”

“Always has.”

For the next hour, everything is a whirlwind.Phones ring off the hook, and people rush in and out, but despite the scariness of the storm, people are grateful and helpful. It really wasn’t as bad as it could have been, mostly bad roofs and broken windows. The power outage is the biggest problem for most of us.

I run between desks, barely keeping up with the endless stream of questions. Tatum and I are both trying to handle it all while Jayla, God bless her, bounces around helping direct people to the designated safe zones like the little busybody she is.

“Lena, do we have the final list of the families who need emergency housing?” Tatum calls from the other side of the room, eyes wide as she shuffles through papers.

“Not yet! I think Mrs. Harris is hoarding all the answers again.”

Tatum groans and smacks a pile of folders onto her desk with a dramatic flair. “Of course she is. Does she ever give anyone a straight answer?”

“Not unless it's about her casserole recipes,” I mutter, fighting the urge to roll my eyes as I take another call.

Jayla flits past, her curly hair bouncing behind her like a trail of energy. She’s talking to someone on her walkie-talkie, a look of intense focus on her little face as she relays instructions from one side of the building to the other.

“Jayla, honey, slow down!” I call after her, but she just waves me off.

“Can’t, Mom! Gotta help Mr. Jim get the seniors to the van. Be right back!”

She darts out the door, and I just shake my head with a grin.

“She’s going to run herself ragged,” I say to myself, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

Tatum snorts from her desk. “She’s a miniature of you. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“She’s been on-site for these emergencies practically since she was born. I guess she’s been paying attention.”

“Hey, Lena!” Hank calls out as he walks into the office. “I came to offer my services.”

“Hank, I…I don’t really have time.”

Damn if he doesn’t just pop out of nowhere all the time.

The door swings open, and the smell of greasy, glorious takeout wafts into the room. My head snaps up, and Gavin stands in the doorway holding two large brown bags from Betty’s Diner. His presence fills the room the moment he steps in like it always does.

How does he do that? How does he always look larger than life while also making my stomach do that stupid flutter thing?

Ope, there’s the warmth between my thighs, too.

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