Page 21 of Cherishing Happily Ever After

Travis ran through the map of Lynx Creek in his head. The cabinsshouldbe high enough. Never in his life had he heard about any of them flooding. But anything could happen. “I’ll take whatever you’ve got.”

Brett nodded. “Bring your truck around back and I’ll load up what I have. If your truck can handle it, I’ll give you what I have left of the sand in the back. It’s not ideal, but—”

“I’ll take it.”

Brett nodded and moved at once to head toward the back of the store and the loading dock.

Travis once more headed out into the rain that was coming down even harder than before. With his head down, he moved as quickly as he could to where he’d parked his truck and almost ran straight into Georgia out front of Sweetie Pies.

He pulled up short and looked at the woman, who was completely soaked to the skin and was struggling with a broom, of all things. “What on earth are you doing out here?”

She jabbed the broom head upward into the awning that covered the seating area in front of the bakery. “I need to get this water off the awning before it tears.” She pushed the broom up and managed to get a trickle of water off the side of the cloth awning, but the sagging center told Travis it was literally a drop in the bucket.

“Leave it,” he said. “You need to get inside and stay dry. It’s—”

“It can’t tear!” Her eyes were wild. Her soaked hair hung in stringy strands around her face. “I can’t afford to fix it if it tears and it’s stuck. I can’t pull it in. I need to get the water off. If I don’t, I’ll—”

“Hey.” Travis put his hand on her arm to still her. “It’s okay.” But he could see in her eyes that it was far from okay. He knew vaguely that she was dealing with a lot when it came to the bakery she’d taken over as her grandmother’s health began to fail, but he didn’t know any of the details, because he’d never asked. He felt a flash of guilt run through his body. He’d never wanted to know details. It was always so much easier to stay at a distance.With Georgia…with everyone.

Travis shook off the thought. There was no time to get sentimental. Not when there was a potential flood on the way. He grabbed the broom from her. “Let me help. Go grab me a stepladder or a chair or something.”

Georgia stared at him in shock for a moment, but ultimately disappeared into the bakery to fetch what he needed, while Travis set to work on the awning.

The water was heavy and it strained the cloth. She’d been right. It was going to tear if they didn’t get the water out. Working from the side, he was able to lift the water-soaked awning enough to spill the contents, but it wouldn’t be enough. Not if it kept raining so heavily. Georgia appeared at the door with a stool and he pointed to where he wanted it. The fixtures were stuck, but with some brute force, he was able to get the mechanism to work and reluctantly, the awning folded up and against the building.

“There.” He handed back the broom and grabbed the stool. “Your awning will be safe now. You need to get inside and—”

“Thank you so much.” She looked like she might cry. “Let me give you some baking before you go.”

Travis was about to shake his head and refuse, but the look on her face stopped him.

“Please,” Georgia insisted. “It’s the least I can do and with this weather, it’s all going to go to waste anyway.”

She had a point. Besides, if he was going to be up at Lynx Creek for a while, a little baking to supplement the basic groceries he’d bought would be a welcome addition. “Okay,” he finally relented. “But I really do have to hurry. I need to get some sandbags filled.”

And the bridge.

He hadn’t been able to take his mind off the small, largely unsubstantial bridge that connected Lynx Creek from the rest of the town. If the river was really rising the way Remington said it was, the bridge would be in trouble.

Travis followed Georgia into the bakery and waited by the door. He pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Are you at the cabin?

He waited for Stephanie’s response. If she was in town already, that was different. But he didn’t want her to chance the bridge. Not when it might not be safe.

I am. Why?

He responded immediately.

Don’t go anywhere. The rain is getting worse. I’m on my way back.

He’d just tucked his phone back into his dry pocket when Georgia reappeared with a huge pastry box. “Thank you, Travis,” she said. “Really. I appreciate it so much.”

“You know I’m here,” he said. “Anytime you need help. You don’t have to do it all alone.” He dipped his cowboy hat. “And thank you for this. It won’t go to waste.”

She smiled and he was pretty sure she’d started to say something else, but he was already out the door to his truck. He was running out of time to get back to Lynx Creek and Stephanie, before it was too late.

“Who was the text from?”

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