AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If you can keep making me come like that.”
He pulls back just enough to look into my eyes. “Always,” he says before laughing.
“Violet, are you home?” I hear my mom calling from the living room. Jay and I both look at each other and scramble for our clothes, giggling like children. So much for making the moment last. It’s time to get back to taking care of my mother. I can think about Jay naked later.
CHAPTER 21
JAY
Iglance up at the TV mounted on the wall of The Rusty Oak and catch the tail end of a severe weather warning. A severe storm is heading our way, expected to make landfall by evening.
I frown. I pull my phone out of my pocket and google the warning so I can get more information.
Apparently, from seven p.m. to ten p.m. will be the most severe.
The usually calm town of Maplewood isn’t prepared for this kind of weather, and I can’t help feeling a little worried. The Rusty Oak is more than just a business to me; it’s my second home.
As the news turns to a feel-good story about dogs being adopted from shelters, I turn down the volume and look around. It’s been a while since I prepped The Rusty Oak for a big storm, but I know what needs to be done.
I head to the back room to see if the wooden boards I used to cover the windows last time are still there. I find most of what I need in the storeroom and decide to get started.
As I begin hammering wood over the windows, I wonder if I should go ahead and close the bar for tonight or if I should stay open. People might come and end up sheltering in place during the worst of the storm.
I imagine selling double my usual number of drinks for a Wednesday night, and I decide to leave it open. Besides, my employees are counting on the income, and the storm might not even be that bad.
I’ve been working on the building for a good hour when I hear my name from the parking lot.
I turn around and see Fiona, one of my waitresses. She’s standing in the parking lot, a few feet away from the bottom of my ladder. She crosses her arms and cranes her neck to look up at me. “Did you hear about the storm?”
“Yeah, I just saw the warning.” I climb down the ladder, being careful. The last thing I need is a broken ankle so I can’t finish securing the bar.
“So, am I still working tonight? I wasn’t sure, and you weren’t answering your phone. I was downtown anyway, so I just decided to stop by and see.”
“I’m still planning on being open. After I go through this storm prep list, The Rusty Oak might be a safer place than a lot of the homes here. Do you mind starting your shift now?”
“Now? It’s only two. We don’t open until four.”
“I know, but we need to start securing everything. I don’t want to take any chances. I’ll pay you time and a half to help me get this place ready for the storm.”
Fiona doesn’t take long to think it over, and I’m grateful for someone to help me. I want the preparation done by the time the bar is supposed to open so I can focus on the customers who do come.
“What do you need me to do?”
“I’m almost done with this window. But then, I want to bring in the outdoor furniture. I think there is enough space in the storage room, or even part of the kitchen. If something doesn’t fit there, I’ll take it upstairs to the loft. Then, I want to make a list of supplies just in case.”
“Good luck. I was just at the grocery store, and there was no bread left.”
I wave that away. “Who needs bread? I’ll take canned beans instead, healthier for you anyway. Canned chicken and tortillas. That could keep me alive for a good week.”
“I hope it’s not that serious,” Fiona comments as she stacks two of the outside chairs and heads toward the doorway of the bar.
I finish up the last window, then climb down the ladder and put it away behind the bar. Then I help Fiona gather the furniture from the patio.
The sky is already turning a threatening shade of gray, and the wind is picking up, making our task all the more urgent. Fiona and I work quickly. She brings the furniture inside, and I take it up to the loft.
“Thanks for helping. I don’t think I could’ve done this alone. Do you mind if I send you to the store with a list of things to buy. I’ll give you the bar’s credit card.”
“A store and plastic?” Fiona asks, laughing despite the gravity of the situation. “Sure, go ahead.”
