Page 55 of Bryce

“Then let’sget to work.” She said briskly.

*****

She stayed longerthan she expected. The cleanup crew were on the road seeing to thedamages and fixing what they could.

The storm had rippedout posts and street signs, reminding Zahra of a child throwing aparticular awful tantrum. Leaves and branches dotted the streets.Several buildings had pieces of roof torn off. It made her gratefulthat the damage at the inn was not that bad after all.

She had contactedNed, but he had his hands full and promised he would get to her assoon as he could. Which could be in a couple of days. The cafes wereopen and doing brisk businesses. Swinging by one, she bought two gocups of coffee and some doughnuts to take back home with her.

She was coming out ofthe shop when she almost collided with William. Feeling the guiltswamping her she forced a smile and stopped when he placed a hand onher arm and guided her out of the way.

“I have beenmeaning to call you. Everything okay with the inn?” He askedher

“Not really.Some leakages and flooding.”

He glanced at thecups of coffee. “I suppose Jessica is there helping you.”

She shifted from onefoot to another. “I suppose she would be.” She clearedher throat. “Bryce Whitlock is still around.”

His brows lifted. “Ithought he had left.”

“I thought sotoo.” She did not feel comfortable discussing her personalbusiness in the doorway of Sally’s and just wanted to be on herway. “I have to go.”

“If you want, Ican swing by…”

“No need.”She said swiftly. “I am sure you have your own thing dealingwith. Look, I really have to go.” She escaped before he couldsay anything else and cursed herself for being a coward.

He deserved thetruth, and she was going to have to tell him. But tell him what? Shemused darkly, practically wrenching the door open and dumping thepackages on the seat.

That she was involvedwith Bryce for now? What the hell was she doing? This was a smalltown and news travel fast. Very soon it would be known that she wassleeping with Bryce. And when he left…. Shaking her head, sheslid in behind the wheel and sat there tapping her fingers on thesteering, expression troubled.

*****

Her misgivings anddoubts dissolved as soon as she got to the inn. To her surprise, shenoticed that the branches and leaves had been cleared off thedriveway and placed in a tidy heap in a clearing near the sturdy oaktree.

Slamming out of thecar, she made her way inside where more surprises awaited her. Thefloors had been mopped dry.

“Bryce?”

“Upstairs.”

Shrugging out of herjacket, she hung it on the newel post and made her way up, noticingthat the floors were dry up here as well.

He was stripped downto skin, wearing only a pair of baggy jogging pants. Sweat wasgleaming on his tanned skin, and he had tied a bandana around hisforehead to keep the moisture from his eyes.

“What are youdoing?”

“Is thatcoffee? Remind me to kiss you as soon as I am finished. Gimme.”He reached for the cup and practically inhaled the brew.

“Careful.”She warned with a laugh. “It’s hot.”

“I stopped bySandra and was looking at the damage everywhere.” She took asip of her own brew and stared at him puzzled. “You cleanedup.”

“I cannot takeall the credit.” His devastating grin flashed. “Jessicawas here, and she did considerable work. I mostly did the outside,while she tackled indoors. Oh, and several guys came and patched theroof.”

Her eyes widened.“How? I spoke to Ned, and he said he would not be getting to meright now. Has his hands full.”

Putting away the cup,he continued working on the walls where the water had drained fromthe roof. “Jessica made some calls, and they came. A bunch ofthem.” Putting away the washcloth, he came forward and hauledher against him. “You have some very good people here.”

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