Page 44 of Love in the Storm

He turned and headed to get his coat. Maybe the shock of the cold outside would take his mind off Lyric.

16

LYRIC

Slipping into one of the bedrooms, Lyric turned her phone on and looked up Wendy’s number. Last they’d talked, Lyric was coming to the realization she would be snowed in at the cabin.

Really, she wasn’t giving her neighbor an update. Lyric was the one who wanted the update. Russell might be stuck at the apartment complex with nothing to do but wait around to throw that eviction notice in her face.

Wendy answered on the third ring, laughing as she said, “Hello.”

“Hey. How’s everything?”

“Fine. Just trying to survive. Jaycee is here, and I think we’ve eaten everything in the apartment.”

Lyric rubbed a hand over her chest, trying to massage out the ache. If she’d been snowed in at theapartment, she’d be out of food by now too. “You can grab something from my place. I know I have a jar of peanut butter and some bread.”

Wendy laughed again. “Thanks. We might do that.” She gasped. “How are you? I’ve been so worried.”

“I’m fine. My boss said we could eat the food here since the renters wouldn’t be coming.”

“We?” Wendy asked. “Who’s with you?”

Why did Lyric’s throat close? It should be so easy to say his name, but giving air to the words would take the private life she’d been living with Asa and make it public.

Why did she want to keep it all to herself?

“A man had a wreck near the cabin, and he’s been staying here too.”

“Girl! Please be careful. Men are pigs.”

Not this man. Asa had been nothing but kind and courteous to her. “I know. I’ll keep my guard up, but so far, he’s been very nice.”

“I can’t believe you’re stranded with a stranger. How scary is that?”

Not a stranger exactly.

“Is this his phone you’re calling from?” Wendy asked.

“Yeah. I’m out of minutes.”

“Do you have any idea how worried I was when you weren’t answering my calls?”

“Sorry, but it’s hard to keep everything floating.”

Wendy sighed. “I know. Sorry, girl. If it helps, Russell hasn’t been by looking for you again.”

A breath that had been trapped in Lyric’s chest escaped with a rush. “Thanks. I was hoping that was the case.”

“I’ve got your back. We’ll take you up on that peanut butter offer and hold down the fort here.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it. I should be back tomorrow.”

“Stay safe. Bye.”

Lyric cradled the phone in her hands and sat on the side of the bed. She’d been terrified to be stuck here, but now she didn’t want to leave. The real world was waiting for her with a daunting eviction notice, but things here were straight out of a fairy tale.

She and Asa had formed an understanding team. They helped each other out, shared the workload, and encouraged each other through everything.

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