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“I think it’s a great idea,” Callie said before Trent or another of his cousins who hadn’t chimed in yet could give him a hard time too. “Let me know if I can help.”
“You’re serious,” Curt said.
“I already have a list of potential campaign managers from Uncle Warren and Dad.”
Trent and Dylan, Callie’s husband, exchanged a look. “If Marty Phillips is on the list, ignore him and keep looking,” Trent said.
“Trent’s right,” Dylan added.
He’d scanned the list quickly but didn’t recall if the man had been mentioned or not. But he trusted Trent’s and Dylan’s judgment. If his cousin and his friend thought he should avoid Marty Phillips, he would. There were plenty of names on the list anyway.
“Anyone you recommend, Trent?” Brett asked.
Prior to his marriage, Trent had planned to run for the US Senate himself. According to Curt, their cousin had even hired a campaign manager. Before any serious campaigning could get underway, Trent had changed his mind and soon after announced his engagement. However, it wasn’t a secret Trent still planned to enter politics someday.
Trent reached down and grabbed the pink plastic pig his son had sent flying under his chair. “I’d go with anyone Uncle Warren suggested except Marty Phillips,” he answered, handing the toy back to Kendrick, who walked back to the farmhouse he was playing with.
He’d look over the list, talk to Dad and maybe his uncles too, and do some research. It wasn’t like he had to make a decision this week or anything.
***
Although he found spending time with his family enjoyable, he was anxious to get home. So when Callie invited him to spend the night, he turned down her offer. Pulling over for a second time since leaving her house, he wished he hadn’t. The rain had started the moment he crossed the Connecticut–Massachusetts border. At first it had been little more than a soft drizzle. It had quickly changed to a downpour as the winds picked up. A dazzling lightning storm soon followed. He’d been forced to pull over into the breakdown lane the first time visibility became nonexistent, outside of Grafton. He’d sat there for a solid ten minutes before the rain let up enough to see again.
Brett switched on the car’s hazard lights, although considering the visibility out there, he didn’t think any approaching vehicles would even see them. Picking up his cell phone, he opened the weather app. He didn’t like what he saw. According to the screen, the storm was moving toward North Salem rather than away from it. He’d be dealing with it the rest of his trip home.
He’d heard his cell phone beep while driving. Pulled over for the moment anyway, he checked the text message.
Call me as soon as you get a chance. The message from Dad immediately sent up red flags.
Dad never asked him to call, and they already had plans to meet this week. If Dad was requesting a call tonight, something must be wrong. He’d seen Nana less than two months ago at his cousin’s wedding. She’d looked as healthy and energetic as always despite her advanced years. Had something happened to her or Mom?
Before calling, he checked his watch. It was close to one in the morning. If he called back now, he risked
waking his parents. Instead he hit reply and typed back a message. If Dad remained awake, he’d answer, and if not, he’d try again later in the morning. Brett held the phone and waited.
The rain pounding the windshield gradually subsided, and Brett could once again see the road. Tossing the cell phone onto the passenger seat, he got back underway. No reply from Dad either meant the man was asleep or too busy. He’d have to wait to find out what was going on and hope everyone he cared about was okay.
Chapter Two
He flipped up the switch on the wall, but the bedroom light remained off. He’d expected as much this morning. It’d been out last night when he got here too. Considering all the downed trees and power lines he passed on his way through town, he assumed it’d be some time before he had power back. Perhaps having an empty refrigerator this morning wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
Before leaving the bedroom, he grabbed his cell phone off the nightstand and checked for any new messages. He’d never heard back from Dad or received any message from anyone else before falling asleep.
Nothing. Damn. Brett looked at his watch. He’d wait a little longer before he called Dad. Until then he’d check the property for any damage. Something big had been hit last night. It had woken him. When no large tree landed in his bedroom or any other part of the house, he dismissed it as something to look into when the sun came up.
Brett entered the empty living room. Tomorrow the little furniture he did own would arrive, but at some point he’d need more. The condo he’d lived in for the past couple years was much smaller than this place. When his younger sister had visited during his last stay here, she’d offered to do all the furniture shopping and decorating for him. He hadn’t even considered Leah’s offer before turning it down. While he appreciated the gesture, he’d seen the museum she called a home. He didn’t need or want her turning this place into its duplicate, no matter how convenient it would be to let her handle it all.
Opening the door, he stepped outside and swore. Something big had come down all right, and now it was lying across his driveway. Until he got rid of the tree, he wouldn’t be getting his car out of the garage.
Be happy it didn’t land on your car, he reminded himself. With no power, he’d been forced to fight with the manual release on the garage door when he arrived. The evidence blocking his driveway proved the extra effort had been worth it despite the aggravation.
He moved off the porch so he could get a better look at what he was dealing with. The front yard was covered with branches and leaves from the many trees in his yard and perhaps his neighbors’ yards too. However, he didn’t think the tree currently taking a nap in his driveway was actually one of his. He had a decent idea of where his property line was, and he had a feeling this tree belonged to his neighbor. Not that it made much of a difference if the tree belonged to him or not at the moment. It was still residing in his yard and complicating his life.
Thanks to Mother Nature, it appeared as though he’d be meeting his neighbors sooner than he expected. Before he went over to talk to them about it, he’d check out the rest of his property and see if he had any other major problems to deal with this morning.
Brett walked around the right side of the house and through the gate into the backyard. Several large limbs littered this part of the property, but with a chainsaw, all could be cut into smaller pieces. Later in the winter he could burn the wood in the fireplace. He passed by the in-ground pool. He’d considered having it opened earlier in the month so it’d be ready when he moved in. Considering the debris filling his yard, he was glad he’d never gotten around to finding a pool company to do it. With the summer more than half over anyway, he might not even bother now.
Pleased the property hadn’t suffered any significant damage, he exited the backyard through the gate by the garage and found a man around his age standing in the driveway and examining the downed tree. When the stranger glanced up, he waved at Brett.
