Page 18 of Clumsy in Love

The landline was old school, but she puzzled out how to dial a long-distance call from the hotel room’s phone. Alex managed abunch of cabins by the lake, and Holly figured that was as good a place as any to start looking for somewhere to stay.

“If this is a telemarketer, lose my number.”

“Alex, it’s me. I’m calling from a new hotel.”

“Holly! We got your text and have been worried sick. What the hell’s going on down there?”

Holly had used Officer Robinson’s phone to let her friends know she was phoneless, but hadn’t had time for any details. She gave Alex a quick rundown on everything that had happened since they’d talked yesterday. Then filled her in on the plan to send someone to Green Valley Falls to babysit her.

“I only have a second—who knows how much long-distance fees cost. But we need a place to stay. Any cabins open?”

“Holls, it’s Fourth of July week. We’re totally booked up. The whole town is. I don’t know of anything that’s vacant. You could stay with me, but it would be crowded. Especially if you’re bringing some beefy cop along.”

“I figured. Just thought I’d check in case there were any last-minute cancellations. I’ll call Max and see if he can spare a couple of rooms.”

“Why don’t you let me call around and find something,” Alex said. “It’ll save you fees. Plus, without your phone, you probably don’t have any numbers.”

“That’s true. You’re the best, Al. I appreciate it.”

Her next call was to the cell company, where she arranged to have a new phone overnighted to Alex’s house. She just had to get through a brutal, phone-free twenty-four hours.

The waning adrenaline left her drained and exhausted. When she finally laid down, she crashed hard. And didn’t wake until the following morning.

She got up, showered, packed, called Alex, and ordered room service. By the time Cole knocked, she was rarin’ to go home.

“You ready?” he asked. He had a whole I’m-a-hostage-here-against-my-will vibe goin’ on. She could relate.

“Oh, yeah.” She grabbed the handle of her suitcase. “New York was nothing like what I thought it would be. Let’s get out of here.”

“Your ankle better?”

“I can put weight on it, and my limp is barely noticeable. Almost good as new.”

On the ride to the airport, she explained the lodging situation. “After the Fourth, things will die down, and I’m sure we can get a cabin at my friend’s place. But until then, I sort of hit rock bottom finding us a place to crash.”

“Define ‘rock bottom,’” he said.

“My neighbor, Farmer Jen, was kind enough to offer us some space at her place.”

“FarmerJen?”

Holly raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to be all snooty, are you?”

“’Course not,” he said. “But if she’s your neighbor, how does that get you far enough away to be out of danger?”

“Neighbor doesn’t mean the same to you as it does to me. I live on ten acres, and Jen lives on twenty. Her driveway is off a different road than mine. And quite frankly, it’s all we could find. Also, by ‘some space,’ I mean, I get a room. You can sleep on the couch or in the barn.”

He took a deep breath, as if summoning patience. “We’ll make it work.”

“Speaking of work,” Holly said. “I go back to my job tomorrow. Do you plan to follow me everywhere?”

“Ten-four.”

She moaned. “This is gonna be awkward. I leave as a jilted bride and come home withyouin tow? The town’ll have a field day.”

“I’ll be invisible. You won’t even know I’m there.”

Holly rolled her eyes. Fat chance of that. Cole would stick out in Green Vally Falls like hunter’s orange in the woods. He didn’t understand the reason for her hesitancy, but she’d deal with that later.

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