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The storm got worse, so I’m stuck listening to and watching Adeline baby the dog like he’s going to crumple up into a ball and die.

The dog is fine.

A little on the leery side, but that’s to be expected. Every time Adeline makes this baby voice, he glances over at me as if silently telling me not to let him go with her.

He’ll get used to it.

If anyone would make sure he’s taken care of, it’s Adeline. He just needs to get used to being around folks and having a meal every day.

Which he’ll quickly come around to.

We didn’t make it to Adeline’s house because I couldn’t see outside my windshield anymore and the storm worsened. Her house is a bit outside of town, and I’m on the edge, so she’s shacked up with me because she thought chasing a dog in the middle of a monsoon was one of her best ideas.

This woman is either going to stroke me out or make me have to hire someone else to deal with all her shenanigans.

I’ve received personal calls and text messages from her father, sister, brother, Layla Jean, Fallon, Bobbie Jo, Maebelle Mitchelle, Agnes Campbell, Doctor Reese, Mrs. Dalton, and others to make sure I got her out of the storm and safe.

She’ll be town news tomorrow, along with what kind of damage folks suffered during the storm, because what she did can only be described as psychopathic energy.

BRIGGS: Tell her to answer her phone.

“Adeline,” I interrupt her in the middle of cooing at the dog. “Call your brother.”

“Can’t,” she replies. “My phone’s dead.”

Sighing, I hand over my cell. “He’s worried, as well as everyone else in this town, over your behavior. If ya don’t start actin’ right, people are gonna want ya committed.”

Her eyes narrow into small slits as she walks over and takes my phone, still in her soaking-wet clothes. Still looking like the most beautiful mess I have ever seen.

Her skin is paler than it normally is, which means she’s cold and needs to get out of her clothes. I’ve already told Adeline three different times to go change into the ones I brought out for her because it’s not helping me steal stares.

So, when she gets closer, my breathing slows, and it doesn’t help matters when her small, cool fingers slide against my heated skin. Because I’m not freezing, I’m on fire.

I’m on fire because she raised my blood pressure.

I’m on fire because I was worried she got hurt when I went out looking for her.

I’m on fire because when she looked up at me underneath those long eyelashes, rain hitting her face and body unforgivably, I was grateful that she wasn’t wearing white because I would’ve fucked her in the middle of the street for acting so stupid.

Adeline hits something on my screen and brings the phone up to her ear.

“Change, AK,” I order for the fourth time. “You’re gonna catch yourself sick.”

She waves a dismissive hand at me. “I’m fine—hey, Briggs…no, no, I’m fine, relax…why are ya yellin’? I said I was fine. It’s just a little bit of rain…well, Layla was always an overexaggerator, Briggs, I don’t know what to tell ya…first of all, you’re not gonna start hollerin’ at me on the other side of the phone within the first minute…oh, no, I wasn’t done yet.”

Walking to my kitchen counter, I pick up the shirt and pair of sweatpants I brought out for her to wear while she still goes at it with Briggs.

“Second, Briggs, I’m a big girl. If somethin’ would’ve happened, Dodger would’ve let ya know. Third—…I am not…Says the man who wanted to save all the fish in Willowmere Pond when he was eight…Don’t ya have somethin’ better to do like go hit a ball or somethin’?”

I can’t help but smirk at that, even though Briggs’s concern over Adeline is valid. I know it bothers him that he’s not in town during spring training, and he’s bogged down with practices, endorsements, and whatever else comes with being a pro baseball player.

“Remind me to bust your butt when ya get home,” Adeline threatens. “’Cause ya ain’t gonna be talkin’ to me like that.”

“Clothes,” I prompt, shoving them lightly into her chest. “Now.”

She mindlessly takes them, her stare on the dog like he’s going to disappear out of thin air while she listens to Briggs bitch about what she did. I can hear his stern voice on the other end.

He’s giving her shit; she deserves it, but in moderation.