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“Just the barbeque, which will be perfect if we lose power.”
“I have a generator at the pub,” Connor said. “So, if we do lose power, feel free to stop by to charge up or get a meal.”
“The entire town will probably be there then,” Milo said.
Connor tossed the basketball between his hands. “We’ll have an after-hurricane party then. Jasper, you can bring all the lifeguards if they’re still functioning.”
“We’ll have to see.” With the extra hours we’ve been putting in because of the riptides, I’m sure they’ll be taking advantage of the downtime while the storm blows out of here.”
“The door is open, even if you stumble through it.”
Connor, having to get back to the pub, said goodbye and headed out. Nolan walked to the parking lot with Milo and Jasper.
“Have you decided what you’re going to do about work?” Jasper asked.
“Not yet. I’m giving myself the summer, then I’ll start sending out my resume.”
“Good for you. The summer’s the perfect time to unwind a little.”
“The professional should know,” Milo said.
“Everybody needs time to have a little fun, or you’ll become old and miserable and be left wondering what the hell happened to you. Having a job you’re passionate about is great, but you still need time away from work, time to relax.”
“I’m starting to realize that.”
“But are you really relaxing?” Milo asked. “You’ve helped me assemble more pieces of furniture than I want to remember at Harper’s studio, and you’ve also been Isla’s Mr. Handyman.”
“I’m helping her out, and you know you’d do the same,” Nolan said.
Jasper laughed. “He’s got a point. How many times did you go out of your way to help Harper out?”
“That was different; I had a crush on her that I’d been suppressing for years.”
Jasper’s eyes widened as if he was trying to emphasize Milo’s point.
“Oh!” Milo exclaimed. “Yup, totally makes sense.”
“I don’t have a crush on my ex-girlfriend.”
“No,” Milo said. “You’re just still in love with her.” Milo didn’t say anything else, just gave a wave, and he and Jasper got in the car, leaving Nolan in the parking lot with his thoughts.
Chapter 20
Isla wanted to be a strong independent woman, but the way the wind whipped outside, she was more like a scared pathetic child who wanted a hug from her mommy. She should have gone home and rode out the storm there with her parents, who had been through several hurricanes before. But no, she wanted to prove she was capable of weathering it on her own. She had been wrong. Very, very wrong. Now she was cursing herself for being so damn stubborn.
The lights flickered, and she gasped. “Please don’t go out.” She moved to her stockpile of candles and flashlights, ready if her prayers went unanswered.
She checked her cellphone’s battery and immediately plugged it in when she realized it was at ninety percent. She needed to keep it at a hundred percent in case she did lose power. She couldn’t be cut off from everyone. What if there was an emergency and someone needed to get in touch with her? Oh God. She hoped there wouldn’t be an emergency.
She shook the morbid thoughts from her head, grabbed a flashlight—just in case—and headed to the closet she started going through yesterday. She just needed to keep her mind occupied until this was over. She turned the television off and streamed her favorite Taylor Swift album.
Focusing on the lyrics, letting the music consume her, her shoulders began to loosen. She swayed her hips to the beat before sitting in front of the closet. The lights flickered again, but she wouldn’t let the fear takeover.
A loud bang reverberated through the house, and Isla let out a scream as she jumped up. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to find some comfort, but she knew it was pointless. She was scared because she was alone.
Her eyes drifted out the window to the house next door. The light in the living room was on, and she knew Nolan was home. They hadn’t really spoken since the beach, but she was desperate. He wouldn’t turn her around and send her home if she went over there, would he?
There was only one way to find out. She shut all the lights off, grabbed a bag and filled it with her previsions. If anything, maybe Nolan would be in need of a flashlight or three. She opened the door, and the wind grabbed it, slamming it against the siding. The loud bang was lost to the strong gusts of wind that whipped through the tree branches and slammed into the side of the house.
