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Lizzy is still dead to the world under the covers, the stress of the night having taken a huge toll on her. Alexis sits up straight and stretches.
“Should we go out there and see what’s left?” Her voice is low, and I want to pull her into my arms and force her to stay with me in that bathroom. Forever, if possible.
I stand up and groan, stretching out the knots that are burning like hot pokers in my back. Alexis takes my hand when I hold it out, and I pull her up.
“I guess we have to.” I turn away, not wanting to see her shutting down now that the storm is over.
“Lucas, wait.” Her hand gripping my arm stops me in my tracks, and I turn to face her. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being here for us. For coming for us.” She looks down, chewing her lip, before looking back up at me. “I owe you an apology. I was a bitch for denying you when you asked to come over. You’re Lizzy’s dad, and you have just as much right to be there for her as I do.”
“It wasn’t just for her, Alexis. I wanted to be there for both of you.”
Her throat works, and it takes a bit for her to answer. “Thank you. I truly do appreciate it. I was so damn scared, and then you came, and it all just felt…better.”
It looks like it pains her to admit that, so I decide not to push it further. Baby steps.
“You’re welcome.” I hold out my hand once again, hoping like hell she will extend my lifeline just a little bit longer. I want to beat my chest in victory when she takes it, but that would require me to let go, and no way in hell am I doing that.
By some miracle, the inside of the house is virtually unscathed. The outside isn’t that fortunate. The sound of the loud crash quickly becomes apparent. A large tree in our backyard had toppled over, caving under the force of the wind, and hit the side of the house. Two windows are cracked and one broken, the dining room floor covered in water from where the rain has pelted inside. We’re very fortunate because it could have been significantly worse.
The roof has taken some damage, shingles littering the yard, the backyard covered in water deep enough to obscure the pool. The garage door has buckled under the force of the wind. Other than that and the garden being destroyed, there’s not much more damage that we can see. I wasn’t holding out much hope for my car.
“There’s no reception.”
“It will take a few days for everything to be restored.”
She sighs, running her hand through her hair. “Mom’s going to be seriously stressed if she doesn’t hear from me.”
I reach out, pulling her in for a quick hug, and my heart wants to burst in my chest when she doesn’t resist.
“She’ll be worried, yes, but she knows you’ll contact her as soon as you can,” I murmur into her hair, taking a deep breath. She smells like home.
It’s hard, but I pull away, knowing that our temporary truce is almost at an end.
“I need to go see if my car survived.” I really hope it has. It will be a long walk back to Eric’s place.
“You can stay here.” My eyes shoot to her, but her eyes won’t meet mine. “Only until things are back to normal.”
My heart feels like it’s beating out of my chest, and I want to shout okay! before she can change her mind, but this is about her and what she needs. “Are you sure?”
She nods. “Yes. We’ll feel safer with you here. You can stay in the spare room.”
It’s both more and less than I could hope for.
