AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not really.”
“Critter,” Mags said as she turned to her partner, “we need to do something for him. The poor man is going to think Cooper Springs is the worst town ever.” She paused thoughtfully. “Maybe after the storm passes, I’ll put together a seafood pie and one of us will drop it over.”
Full or not, Nick’s mouth started to water at the mention of Mags’s seafood pie. But almost as if Mother Nature had been eavesdropping on their conversation, the pendant lights overhead flickered and went out. A second later, they came back on. The din of conversation rose as just about everyone stood up and started to help Magnus and Garth clear tables and return dishes to the kitchen.
Thirty minutes later, Magnus and Rufus were shooing them out the door and telling everyone they’d take care of the rest and to please stay safe.
“If it gets bad overnight or tomorrow and you need shelter, we’ll be here. This building has withstood a lot more than a pokey winter storm.” Magnus said something else as he stood at the pub’s door, but his words were snatched away by the wind.
Outside, Nick couldn’t believe the difference in the weather in only a few hours. He had grown up in Cooper Springs and experienced the late fall weather shifts before, but it still surprised him, even if living so close to the ocean meant there was always wind at this time of year.
It was gusting now, maybe twenty miles an hour or more, causing the power lines to swing back and forth. One hundred yards to the south, the town’s single stoplight bounced and swayed like a yo-yo. The red light reflected in the watery pavement, changing to green and then yellow again as Nick stood still, entranced by the gale.
“I had no idea a storm was heading our way.” Purdy’s deep voice at his ear shocked Nick. “Makes me extra glad I had that generator installed. But also feeling like an idiot for not paying attention to the forecast.” He flicked up his hood and tugged the zipper on his jacket up to his neck. “And it makes me wish I’d driven. We’re going to be soaking by the time we get back.” He glanced at Nick. “We might as well get going.”
He stepped away from the semi-protection the brick wall of the Steam Donkey provided. The wind immediately began pushing against his strong form, tugging at Martin’s parka and defining his broad shoulders and biceps. Nick grunted, irritated that Martin just expected him to follow.
Where else would you go?
On the other hand, Purdy’s solid body would provide a bit of a windbreak.
Gritting his teeth, Nick followed Martin Purdy into the storm, jogging to catch up with him. They finally arrived at Martin’s cabin ten minutes later. Nick was freezing and soaked, regardless of his rain gear, and Martin probably was too, but Nick didn’t ask him. He kept moving, eager to get inside his own cabin and away from the frustrating temptation of Martin Purdy.
“Nick!”
Nick slowed but didn’t turn back around.
“If you need anything, you know where I am,” Martin called to his back.
MARTIN - FRIDAY
Fact: Rocks aren’t always solid. Sand and mud are also rocks. No matter where you are, you can’t escape rocks.
Martin sat back on the couch with a glass of whiskey in his hand, listening as the wind howled and lamented outside. A flash of lightning illuminated the living room for half a second, then thunder boomed and crashed less than a second later, sounding like it was directly over the cabin. Goose bumps formed on his arms and Martin realized he was smiling. Helovedstorms.
It would have been nice if this one hadn’t taken him by surprise; he felt unprepared. After jogging back from the pub—not so muchwithasat the same timeasNick—he’d done what he could to plan for the storm he hadn’t known was coming.
“What an idiot,” he grumbled.
He wasn’t in the city anymore, with convenience stores and everything they had to offer, so he needed to be mindful of the elements. It was reckless and he’d been caught unawares. And he was damn lucky the electrician had been able to hook up the generator.
Water was the only thing he was truly concerned about. After getting home, he’d dug out several coolers and the container he used when he went camping, then filled them up. The house didn’t have a bathtub, so the coolers would have to do. Might be a good idea to see if he could source a tub that would fit in the small bathroom, one that he would fit in as well.
The gale buffeted the cabin, testing the windows and trying to creep inside through gaps in the siding. Drinking the last of his whiskey, Martin forced himself up off the couch and headed into his bedroom to change into sleep pants, a thick sweatshirt, and wool socks. If worse came to worst and the roof blew off, he didn’t want to be mostly naked.
Fingers crossed, it didn’t come to that. Simon and Charley would never let him forget it. He plucked his phone off the bedside table. As he suspected, there was no service. He still had internet though. Thank god; the generator was paying off in more ways than one.
Big storm tonight but all’s well, he typed. Then he felt like a teenager checking in with his parents and erased it. He’d call them in the morning.
He’d also been tempted to check on Waugh and reiterate his offer of help if he needed anything, but Martin predicted he would not be receptive. He just had to trust that, if something did happen in the night, Nick would come to him.
For reasons he hadn’t tried to understand, Martin felt protective of the younger man, an inexplicable instinct to keep him safe.
From what, Martin?
That was an unanswerable question. Maybe just the world in general. He reminded Martin of a feral animal, a cat or dog who’d never received or expected kindness.
He shook his head. Definitely a cat.
