Page 3 of Love in the Storm

The howling of the wind was growing stronger. She’d heard they were expecting snow, but it looked like more than a few flurries rushing past the floor-to-ceiling windows in the main room.

Great. Lyric couldn’t risk messing up the work she’d just done. The owner, Brenda, would get bad reviews if the place wasn’t immaculate when the renters showed up tomorrow afternoon.

“Come on. Where did I leave it?” Lyric lifted one couch pillow, then another. Still no phone.

She stood and looked around the luxury cabin. She could leave without the phone, but what if sheran into trouble on the road? The storm was amping up as if warning her that trouble was waiting just past the door.

Lyric huffed and stomped toward the kitchen where she’d left her purse. She could come back for the phone in the morning before the guests arrived. Preferably after the mountain roads had been treated.

The chime of the phone stopped her in her tracks. She closed her eyes as if shutting out the light would help her listen for the next sound. A few seconds later, the ring chimed to her right.

It was in the kitchen. She jogged into the room and stopped to listen again. After a few more steps, she heard it again.

In the pantry? Really?

She opened the door, picked up the phone from the top shelf, and read the name. Wendy.

Lyric loved her neighbor, and she prayed this was just a friendly call. She didn’t have time for any of the bad news that seemed to follow Wendy around.

“Hello.”

“Hey, are you okay? I just knocked on your door and realized you weren’t home. The weather is getting nasty.”

As if summoned by Wendy’s words, the wind howled, and something thumped against the side of the cabin.

“I’m finishing up cleaning a rental, and I’m walking out the door now.” Lyric braced the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she grabbed her purse from the counter.

“I think you’d better stay put,” Wendy said. “There are already headlines on the news about downed trees and cars in ravines.”

Nope, not today, Satan. She wasn’t getting stuck on this mountain overnight. “Thanks, but I have to work tomorrow morning. I can’t afford to be late.”

Wendy knew exactly what Lyric was talking about. They’d met at an AA meeting over a year ago, and they’d been looking out for each other ever since. If you could get someone to take a chance and hire a recovering alcoholic, you didnotstep out of line.

When everyone is looking for a reason to write you off, don’t let them have it.Kendra’s words echoed in Lyric’s head as clear as the day she’d heard them.

Wendy’s tone was grave now, as if she wanted to press further. “If you say so. I’m sure your boss would understand, considering the crazy weather this evening.”

That was probably true. Brenda gave Lyric the job cleaning rentals, and Camille was her boss at Blackwater Restoration. They were both great to work for, and as much as Lyric knew they’d understand if she couldn’t show up for a shift, she didn’t want to find out.

“I know, but I have to at least try to make it.” Lyric paused with a hand on the doorknob. “Wait, why were you knocking on my door?”

There was a slight hesitation on Wendy’s end of the call. It was so tiny, Lyric almost thought she’d imagined it at first.

“Oh, don’t worry about it now. It can wait,” Wendy said.

Lyric peeked out the window beside the front door and sighed. Snow was swirling so hard she couldn’t see her car parked fifteen feet away.

Well, there went any chance of leaving here tonight. This snow was coming on much faster than the meteorologists predicted.

A heavy lump of dread settled in her stomach like a boulder. “Looks like I have time to chat right now. This storm is worse than I thought.”

“I’m really sorry,” Wendy whispered.

“It’s okay. Nothing I can do now. Tell me what’s up.” Lyric settled onto a barstool and propped her elbows on the counter.

“Well, I saw a note on your door, and I didn’t think it should stay there, so I was going to knock and let you know about it.”

“What kind of note?”

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