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He started to answer, but was interrupted by a brand-new sound from outside. A horrible ripping sound, then a loud, solidthumpthat made the house shudder. Mike slid his arm around her waist. “Pretty sure that was a tree coming down. Or at least part of one.”
“Damn it. I love my trees.” It came from the front of the house, so it had to be one of the beautiful maples or the big ash.
“The good news is I don’t think it hit the house. I didn’t hear anything breaking up there.”
They both listened, carefully avoiding going any further with that tiptoeing-toward-temptation conversation before the crash.
What if...?
Mike stepped back. “It sounds like it might be letting up.” He opened his phone screen and pulled up his weather map, showing it to Zoey. The dark red line along the front, filled with warning cones, was moving south and east of Rendezvous Falls now.
They headed up the stairs, led by the light of the lantern Zoey was holding. She took another from the kitchen cabinet and set it on the table, then handed a long black flashlight to Mike.
“This was Dad’s, and he swore by it. It’s got eight batteries in it, so it weighs a ton, but that thing is bright.”
Mike held it up with a grin. “This could double as a weapon. Let’s go see the damage out there.”
His SUV was safe—covered with leaves and twigs, but no damage. In the darkness and soft rain, it seemed the entire yard and driveway were carpeted in leaves stripped from the trees. A few larger branches were down, with one big limb leaning against the end of the barn. They walked over to look, but it didn’t seem to have hurt anything. Zoey let out a gasp when they turned to look down the driveway.
The ash tree was down. It lay across the driveway at an angle, with the top of the tall tree brushing against the front porch. Tears sprang to Zoey’s eyes. It was like looking at the remains of a giant old friend. While she mourned, Mike was more practical. He walked down to inspect the tree, the driveway, and finally back up to look at the porch. She caught up with him there. He shook his head in her direction.
“You lost a piece of railing and a section of the rain gutter, but nothing that can’t be fixed. It fell at just the right angle to miss the house and most of your dad’s sculptures. I can’t tell if it missed them all, but this is the top of the tree, so it may not have hurt them too much.”
“Losing Dad’s artwork would really make Karen Schiff’s day, wouldn’t it?” She glared into the darkness in the direction of the cement house. Looked like power was out over there, too, because everything was pitch-black. In fact... She looked down into the valley. “Wow—the whole town lost power.” Where Rendezvous Falls usually glowed with streetlights and houselights, there was nothing but darkness. The only light around the lake was the flickering lightning from the quickly receding storm.
Mike pointed. “You can tell who has generators.” Here and there, tiny points of light were appearing in a scattered pattern. “I don’t suppose you...?”
She shook her head. “No such luck. Dad never saw the need. The power doesn’t usually go out for long up here. We have a gas stove for cooking, a fireplace for heat and windows to open in the summer to stay cool.”
“Sounds like Rob’s logic.” He shone the flashlight along the tree trunk. “I hope you can cook breakfast on that stove, ’cuz I’m not going anywhere until that tree is moved, and that’s not happening until daylight.”
It took her a moment to realize what he was saying. The driveway was impassable, with no way to get around the tree, at least not in a vehicle. Mike was going to be spending the night. All night. With her. Well...notwithher, but under the same roof. All. Night. Long.
She took a deep breath. “Uh...sure. No problem. You can use Dad’s old room.” Her mind was doing its best to avoid considering the opportunities this would present.Take your mind off Mike. Think about anything else. Like...
“Hazel.” She reached for her phone. “Oh, my God. I need to check on her. And Vickie. And...”
Mike took her arm and led her toward the back door. “I need to check on my family, too. Let’s get inside.” He held the door open. “I may have to charge my phone in the car later.”
“I always keep a couple of solar phone chargers in the kitchen window. They should take care of it if you want to keep your phone handy.”
Mike chuckled. “Why am I not surprised?”
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing. It’s just...” He turned off the flashlight and grabbed the spare lantern from the table. “You’re the type to be prepared for things. The lanterns. The flashlight. The chargers. Other than a generator, you’re ready for anything.” He headed out of the kitchen. “I’ll make my calls in the living room so we’re not talking over each other. Got any whiskey in the house?”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course. Ready for anything, remember?”
He laughed as he headed down the hallway.
The only thing shewasn’tready for was Mike McKinnon spending the night in her house.
MIKEPINCHEDTHEbridge of his nose and closed his eyes. He should have just texted his twin sister instead of calling. She was having entirely too much fun on his behalf.
“So you’re saying you’restuckat Zoey’s all night? How...convenient.”
“Mary, I doubt Zoey finds anythingconvenientabout a giant tree across her driveway. She can’t get out, either, remember?”
