Page 18 of Storm Bound
“No. He looked so happy when he built it. I didn’t want to disappoint him. Besides, he and Dad are so busy with the renovations at the bar.”
“Wait, they’re still going ahead with that?” I asked, looking up at Luke and Yaya.
“Of course,” Yaya said. “There's a lot to do.”
“What if the tropical storm comes through? Wouldn’t they have to rebuild and start all over again?” I said.
“Let’s just pray to God it doesn’t get to that then,” Yaya said and got up from her chair, retreating to the kitchen.
“I wouldn’t mention it to Andy when you see him. He’s really stressed about it. Every time he turns the weather report on, he gets all... breathy and angry,” Luke said.
“Oh, so usual Andy?”
Luke laughed. Summer, on the other hand, didn’t.
“Hey. Daddy isn’t angry. He’s finally happy again,” she said.
“Sorry,” I said to my young niece. She really was growing up. I had to remember that. “So… who else is here? I take it Maya and Nathan are at college,” I said, referring to Summer’s older siblings.
“Yup. But Nathan keeps going back and forth now that he and Hudson are an item,” Luke said. “Dad is here, but he’s still in bed. Andy and Kyle are at the bar already. Melody is staying at the B&B until she has to close, and I’m working as normal, but we’re keeping an eye on the tropical storm down in Florida.”
So, all in all, a hectic life. And I was starting a new job amidst all this. What a score!
Yaya fed me and then I excused myself and went back to my childhood room, even though Yaya didn’t want to let me out of her sight. I showered, reapplied adhesive to my bag, and slipped into my onesie that I’d snatched a few years back during Super Con. It had little chibis of Waleb, as the Cursed Hearts couple were known by in fandom, and since it was a limited edition, I took extra care of it.
There might be loads to do, but for today, at least, I wasn’t moving from my bed even if all hell broke loose.
As I lay back in bed and the storms outside calmed a little, my mind drifted back to my dinner date with Adam. Bless his heart, he was from Michigan. He was new to New Harlow, probably had no clue about storms, and he was all alone.
He didn’t have to be.
I took my cell phone out and found his number.
“Hey, doctor! How are you getting on with your day?” I asked him.
I watched my screen until it went black and then it flashed when he replied.
“Next question?” it read.
“Uh-oh. What happened? Are you okay? Do I need to come over there and kick some serious ass?”
“That’s sweet of you, but unless you can dash to the airport and kick my uncle all the way to Mars, I don’t think so.”
His uncle?I thought he’d said he was new to Virginia.
I shook my head and dismissed the whispers in my mind telling me he’d lied to me. He was probably new but had family here. Right?
“What did he do?”
“Nothing much. Just abandoned me in his house in the middle of nowhere and left me to take care of his patients in the middle of all these storms while he jets off to a cruise. Sorry. Rant alert.”
I hugged my phone since I couldn’t hug him before I replied.
“I wish I was there to give you a big hug,” I said.
“Me, too,” came his reply almost instantly.
I knew I’d said I’d spend all day in bed, but maybe… I could make an exception and drive back to New Harlow for him.
