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What was wrong with him? As if he didn't have enough to do without also feeling like a mopey sap on top of it?
"Uh, I've got some stuff to do around here," he said, realizing he hadn't answered her yet. "I'll be around for a bit if you need anything that they can't help you with."
"Thanks, Tommy," she purred, her eyes lingering on him for a moment longer before she sauntered off toward the fireplace.
"Hey, baby brother," Sofia called out, rushing toward him. She wrinkled her nose at him when he winced, seeming not to care at all that several heads turned in their direction. "Hush. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Actually, yes. Make sure all the windows are locked and curtains drawn. Every room, upstairs and down."
He braced himself for her to argue with him, saying she wanted to go with him when he left the inn rather than doing something that would keep her safe and occupied within these walls. He had enough on his plate. The last thing he needed was a fight with his big sister—that he might wind up losing—over her safety.
"You got it, boss," she said, her easy agreement putting him at ease. But before she could turn away, she grabbed his arm. "Also, hey, I'm sorry about what happened between you and Grace."
Tommy raised an eyebrow. "What do you know?"
"Nothing specific, but she hasn't been herself all day. I doubt it's just because of the storm."
Tommy sighed, eager to push anything and everything having to do with Grace out of his mind. "Just worry about helping out around here and don't worry about my love life, okay?"
"Fine, but it's more fun to worry about yours than mine," Sofia retorted, rolling her eyes.
Tommy paused, surprised by her comment. "Aren't you and Ethan… I don't know, a thing?"
"A thing?"
"Whatever. Seeing each other. Dating. I don't have time for this, Sar."
She chuckled at his rising impatience. "Yeah, yeah. My big, important little brother, I get it."
Tommy shoved down the urge to stick his tongue out at her. There was nothing like being around his sisters to make him revert to his ten-year-old self. "Out with it, then go do the windows."
"Ugh, all right. He pulled the 'it's not you, it's me' thing this morning. So, no, we're nota thinganymore," Sofia admitted. "But it's fine. I'm not really in a good headspace for a relationship right now anyway."
Tommy ground his teeth. "Listen, this conversation isn't over. Let's deal with the storm, and then if we're still standing after, you better be ready to tell me what's been going on with you."
She blinked innocently. "Whatever do you mean?"
Tommy groaned, stalking away before he lost his dang mind.
Sisters.
As Tommy made his way through the inn, having just barely enough self-control not to stop into the kitchen for coffee before getting to work, he noticed Mrs. P and Nick discussing something in the hallway. He approached them, intent on finding out about their plans for weathering the storm. "Hey, guys. What's the situation with the provisions?"
"Oh, honey, we have enough food and supplies to last for a few days at least," Mrs. P assured him. "We're well-prepared. Ida's in the kitchen making coffee if you want some."
"You read my mind," Tommy said, relieved about the permission to warm up his insidesandthat at least one aspect of the storm prep was under control.
Just before he turned for the kitchen, Tommy caught sight of Grace standing alone in the hallway, away from the other guests. A surge of concern for her safety washed over him.
Yes, even if their relationship was in limbo and even though she'd been pestering him all day without even knowing it.
It wasn't her fault she'd hooked him from the start. She hadn't asked for this. In fact, she'd point-blank asked for the opposite.
And yet... here they were.
As if drawn into her orbit, he started to make his way toward her. But then he spotted Ethan approaching from the opposite direction, and a brief, silent confrontation ensued as they saw each other and realized they were headed in the same direction.
Tommy's eyes narrowed, making sure his face sent a clear message to Ethan. If this not-so-nice-after-all computer whiz thought he could mess with Sofia's heart and then move in on Tommy's woman... he was dead wrong.
