Page 26 of Quietly Falling

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Shit.

Pulling my phone from my purse in the back, I tap out a text to Rhea.

ELLA: We hit bad weather and Bodhi has a migraine so we’re going to sleep here tonight

RHEA: Are you both okay? Where’s here?

ELLA: A town outside Hill Valley

RHEA: Sorren wants to know if his truck is okay

ELLA: I avoided an accident

RHEA: He wants me to give you a raise

I snortas Bodhi walks back across the parking lot, his movements easy and graceful, but there’s a new kind of tension in the set of his shoulders that has my heart beating faster.

ELLA: You already give me more raises than most people’s bosses do

RHEA: You work hard and your success has made the Poppy Seed a success

Pride swellsin my chest at the compliment.

The recognition.

At knowing that she’d taken a chance on me when I was a teenager, and with her patience and guidance, I’d blossomed—finding a job that I love more than I could have ever imagined.

RHEA: Send me your location

ELLA: Yes, mom

RHEA: Brat

ELLA: (send location)

RHEA: You’re really okay?

ELLA: Yes, there’s a little diner across the road and we’ll just get settled tonight and see what the weather does.

RHEA: Keep me posted and thank you again for doing this. I know it’s a lot—for both of you.

ELLA: You know I’m happy to do it but I think Bodhi might be here under duress

RHEA: I can neither confirm nor deny that statement

ELLA: Figured. I’ll text you later.

“Doyou want the good news or the bad news?” Bodhi says as he shakes off the sleet and climbs back into the truck.

“Um, good?”

“We have a room.”

“Bad news?”

“It’s only one. Apparently everyone else wanted to hide out and let the weather pass too.”

I shrug. “We can manage.”

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