Page 27 of Always a Roommate
He nodded. “Just have to get my keys from inside the Hut.”
“Okay, I’ll take Rae.” I didn’t want to be separated from her right now. “Everyone is gathering at Mom and Dad’s.” Their house was on higher ground, away from the sea-level beach roads in the neighborhoods nearest the water.
Rae and I couldn’t be in our own house.
If there’d been a warning, half the town would have cleared out, evacuating somewhere north. But as it stood, we were all here. “We’ll meet you there, Tanner.”
I nudged Rae, and she came without argument for once, heading straight for my passenger door.
“Is Finley going to be there?”
I smiled at the fact that her first thought was of my sister, but then I let the smile drop as the downpour smacked me in the face. Yanking open my door, I climbed into the truck, grateful for the respite from the rain.
Rae got in more slowly. “I need to call her.” She said the words more to herself than to me as she brought the phone to her ear. After a few moments, I heard my sister answer.
“Finley?” Rae yelled. “Are you at your parents’ house?” She paused, listening. “Yeah, Shane found me. We’re heading over along with Tanner.” She nodded at something Finley said. “Okay, see you soon.”
Hanging up, she shot me a relieved smile. “She’s there with Knox, Johnny, and my dad.” Her head tipped back against the seat. “She’s going to have a pot of tea and an electric blanket ready. Apparently, your grandma has already commandeered the TV for a rom-com.”
Sounded like Grandma. My dad probably argued, but not too much. No one won arguments with her.
I started the engine and blasted the heat.
The moment we pulled out of the parking lot, I knew we wouldn’t make it.
A sheet of water blocked the dark road from view, and no amount of rapid windshield wiper movement made it any better.
“Shane.” From the tone of her voice, I knew she knew it too.
“We have to go back.” Take shelter, get out of the storm.
Even if that shelter was a ramshackle shop on the beach. It was better than driving blindly.
When I’d parked outside the Hut again, we sat in silence for a long moment, and I tried to read what she was thinking. Was she scared? I’d been through this before, during college in Miami when we got shellacked with a cat four.
Living in Florida, it was hard to avoid hurricanes, but we were usually able to hunker down and ride out the bands that hit us. This time, I could already tell it was different.
“We need to get inside before it gets worse.”
I wasn’t sure she heard me over the thumping of the rain, but she slowly unbuckled herself and opened the door before darting into the downpour.
I followed, not slowing until I was inside the Hut with the door slammed shut behind me.
Tanner looked up from where he sat on the floor. “I thought you two left.”
I realized my brother had lied to me. He had no intention of following us to Mom’s. “And I thought you were just getting your keys.”
“It’s his business, Shane.” Rae slid to sit beside my brother, her entire body shaking. “He couldn’t just leave it.”
Tanner pointed to her in agreement, as if she understood him and I couldn’t possibly. It was true, I’d never owned my own business, been responsible for my own livelihood, but I liked to believe I wouldn’t be an idiot if I had.
Tanner leaned in close to Rae, but he didn’t lower his voice. “Right now, big bro is thinking I’ve lost my mind.”
“That would mean I assume you had one in the first place.” I crossed my arms. “Do you have any clothes that will fit me? I’m freezing.”
Rae jumped to her feet. “That’s a great idea.”
Tanner just waved a hand. “Sure, go ahead. My merchandise is at your disposal.” There was a dry sarcasm in his voice, but he didn’t really look upset.
