“Of course you do.”
“It’s in the truck.”
She wipes her face. Her cheeks are pink withcold,and her glasseshave slid down her nose.She’swearing my flannel under her coat, and all I want to do is stand here andlook at her.
I drag my gaze away and grab thechainsaw from the truck.
We worktogether; mecuttingthe tree off the cabin in chunks, and Tess stacking them in piles.
Tess calls June Vega, andtwenty minutes later,a tow truck and a flatbedarrive, along with two men.Mason introduces himself as the volunteer fire chief, and Elitells ushe’swithmountainrescue.Within an hour,Tess’s wreck of a cabin hasbeen competentlyrenderedinto a wreck of a cabin under tarps.Theworst of the treehas beenpulled clear, andshe has alist of every contractor in town who can be at her cabinonTuesday morning.
Mae shows up at noon with sandwiches.Shedoesn’tsay a word about the fact that Tess is wearing my flannel.She does not have to. Her eyessendan entire telegram,and I get it loud and clear.
“Sweetheart,”Mae says to Tess, taking her face inherhands.“Cabin’sa cabin. People are people. You have all your fingers?”
“All my fingers.”
“All your toes?”
“Yep.”
“All your dignity?”
Tess grins.“Most of it.”
“Good enough.” Mae kisses her forehead. “You’re staying with Sullivan?”
“For a few days.”
“For a few days,”Maerepeats,as if she already knowsit willbe much longer than that.
She turnsandlooks at me. Mae Whitlock is a foot shorter than I am,and I would walk three blocks out of my way to avoid her gaze.
“Sullivan.”
“Mae.”
“I expect to see you at the cafésoon.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You can bring her with you,or you can come alone, but I expect to see you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Eat the sandwiches.”
I nod.
She drives off. June follows behind her, hand out the window in salute.
“We’llbe on standby for the next storm, Mercer. Keep your radio on, brother,”Mason says as he leaves.
Eliis the last to leave. Heleans out of his window and says,“You’re one ofHenry Sutton’s, aren’t you?”
I look at him.“Yeah.”
He nods. “Thought so when you said you mentioned Havenridge. Heard about the great work they’re doing with the veteran’s program there. Anything I can do,I’min town.Don’tbe a stranger.”
