Evie hesitates. “Yes,” she finally says. “But you’re stranded, Megan. That’s a good enough reason to wake someone up.”
I drop my head onto the steering wheel and let out a groan. “This is the sister who’s married to Flint?”
“Audrey,” Evie says. “Yeah. That’s her.”
“Okay, cool. I’ll just be totally chill thinking about Flint Hawthorne waking up in the middle of the night to have a conversation about my poor planning.”
“The snowstorm came out of nowhere, Meg,” Alec says. “This isn’t your fault. I was checking the weather, and I would have made you leave earlier had I thought you’d run into trouble.”
“For real, don’t worry about it,” Evie adds. “Summer says the Hawthornes are all really good people. Oh wait, hang on. She’s texting something else.” She’s quiet for a beat before she lets out a little chuckle. “Okay, she says I should warn you about something before Noah shows up.”
“Warn me?” I ask, sitting up a little taller. “About what?”
I can practicallyhearEvie’s grin when she says, “Summer says Noah might only be a cousin, but you should brace yourself because he is still Hawthorne-brother handsome.”
“What does that mean?” I ask. “There are brothers?”
“Four of them,” Evie says. “Flint is the youngest, and Summer says the handsome gene isstrong.Hang on. She sent me a picture. It’s just of the brothers, but it’ll still give you an idea. I’m sending it to you.”
Seconds later, my phone buzzes in my hand, and a picture pops into my text thread with Evie.
“Oh, geez,” I say as I look at the picture. I immediately recognize Flint, since I’ve seen him in a dozen different movies, but Evie wasn’t wrong. His brothers are just as pretty as he is.
I swallow against the sudden knot of nerves making my throat tight. “So the cousin…Noah. He’s this handsome?”
“So Summer says,” Evie says.
“The point is,” Alec interjects, like he’s annoyed we’re wasting precious conversation time talking about a group of handsome men that doesn’t include him, “he’s coming for you. So keep your eyes open and pay attention. Do you have a charger in your car?”
“Yeah, I do. My phone is plugged in right now.”
“Good. Keep it plugged in. And keep the car on until Noah gets there.”
“What if he doesn’t show?” I ask.
“He will,” Evie says. “He already responded to Flint. You shouldn’t have to wait long.”
“Oh, great. So happy it was Flint who texted. I hope he always remembers me as the woman who drove into a ditch. Maybe he could text Taylor Swift so they can laugh about my poor planning. Or—he’s friends with Freddie Ridgefield, isn’t he? Maybe he’d like to know that I’m the only graduate from my nursing program who still hasn’t found a job.”
Those last words take me by surprise—or at least the note of irrationality in my tone is surprising. I’m well aware I still haven’t found a job, but I’m not sure I realized my feelings about it were so close to the surface.
“Hey,” Alec says, his tone gentle. “You’re going to find a job. You know you will.”
I breathe out a sigh. “I know.”
Idoknow. But it probably won’t be the kind of job I want, and that’s something I’m still struggling to accept.
“What if he can’t find me?” I ask, ready to change the subject. My brother gives great pep talks, but he’s already given me a billion of them. I don’t need another one right now. At least, not about work.
“There’s only one road that leads to Stonebrook Farm,” Alec says. “If you’re on it, he’ll find you.”
“I’m on it,” I say.
“So just stay put. I’m sure he’ll be there soon.”
“And look on the bright side,” Evie adds. “If youhaveto be rescued, getting rescued by a Hawthorne seems like a pretty sweet deal.”
Alec grumbles. “I don’t think they’rethathandsome.”
