Page 36 of There’s Trouble Brewing

“Dave?” she croaked out in disbelief. “You fought Dave because of me?” Emily’s heart swelled and sank at the same time. She wasn’t sure if she should be touched or worried.

Mark chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, well, he was out of line, acting crazy outside your hotel room…” his voice trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish the thought.

She could imagine what happened next. Dave had always been a hot-head, and it would be just like him to start a fight, even after she told him a dozen times it was over.

Emily sighed and shook her head slightly, her smile returning. “It seems you were my knight in soaking armor twice tonight.” She teased lightly, but her heart was filled with a mix of affection and concern.

“I’ll always have your back, Emily.” Mark’s voice was firm, his gaze locking with hers in a silent promise.

“Thank you,” she whispered, biting her lip as she mustered the courage to continue. “So, listen, when you said you loved me right after you dramatically rescued me, did you mean it?” She watched him blink, his mouth opening and closing. “If it was one of those heat of the moment, life or death declarations, I understand. I won’t hold you to it. You can?—”

“Emily,” he laughed as he nodded his head. “Yes, I meant it. I love you. I wanted to say it before it got to be life or death, but I got in my own way. I’m never going tolet that happen again. I’m going to tell you every day for the rest of our lives if you’ll let me.”

She sat quietly for a moment, looking at him sitting next to her. She was glad they were there together, even if it took a massive storm to make it happen. She poked him in the side with her good hand and grinned. “That’s a good thing to hear because I love you back.”

This time, he did cry just a little, and she pretended not to see as she kissed him, the hospital bed alarm going off because he put his full weight down on it to lean closer.

“I’m sorry,” he said to a passing nurse, who gave them a suspicious look.

“Don’t be.” Emily laughed before kissing him again.

“Does this mean that you’re staying in Faith Valley?” he asked, holding her as tightly as the IV line allowed.

“Looks that way.” She flashed him a mischievous smile. “Assuming they let me out of this place. Sounds like the world’s coming to an end out there.”

“I’ll make sure they let you out. We got a whole life to live together.” He was still looking at her, that same wide-eyed relief, as a young man in scrubs stuck his head through the curtain.

“Sorry, folks,” he said with an awkward grin. “The storm’s got the hospital full up. We’re going to have to let some of the not-dying people out sooner than expected.”

Mark’s smile stretched as wide as Emily’s did.

“Think you can handle the discharge paperwork?” the man asked. “Normally, we’d have you wait it out a day or two, but…”

“She’ll be fine,” Mark assured him.

“She’ll be great,” Emily teased with a wink. “She just wants out of here as soon as possible.”

“Then I guess you’re getting your wish,” the youngman said before handing them the paperwork and taking off.

Papers were signed, Emily kissed her soaked, happy boyfriend again; the storm was getting worse outside, but her head was dizzy and light with joy that she’d worked everything out with Mark.

As the raindrops continued their relentless dance against the town, they stepped outside, feeling the world shift around them. Faith Valley had turned into a strange theme park ride, with flooded streets and sidewalks everywhere. From one wet mess to the next, the entire town spun in crazy coordinated circles of trucks and sandbags and people hauling what little they had left from all they’d lost.

Volunteers spread like ants across sidewalks and parking lots. A crew was shoveling mud near the corner; more were patching up a damaged wall, water dripping through cracked seams.

One heavy lift at a time, she watched as Mark helped the townsfolk work to save what they could from the town. He smiled over at her, one side of his mouth tilting up as he pushed an old tire and half a wooden crate toward the pile of trash on the side of Main Street.

“Hey, you might need this.” She threw a sandbag at him with her good arm and stuck out her tongue.

“Thanks,” he told her as he placed the bag at the base of the doors in front of the diner.

They hauled driftwood and trash away from the park and Town Square, braced broken windows with plywood, and added additional sandbags where they were needed.

Mark looked over, and a concerned expression crossed his face. He put his hand over hers, noticing her hand quivering from exhaustion. “Let me do the heavy lifting for a while. Looks like you’re wearing out.”

“Wearing out?” she asked, reaching for a small piece of wood. She looked over her shoulder, pretending it was too heavy for her to move alone.

He raised an eyebrow, pretended to walk in the other direction, then turned back as they both gave it one last push toward the street, laughing.

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