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Authors: Valerie Hansen
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a little…”
“No—no road.”
“Sorry. I don’t understand.” Concerned, he approached her desk. “Take it easy. Whatever it is, it can’t be as bad as what’s already happened.”
“Yes, it can.” Recovering from her shock, she stared at him. “The people at the Realtor’s office say there’s no road. Not anymore. The stretch between here and Serenity was washed out by the storm. Nobody can go to town and nobody can get up here to rescue us. We’re stranded.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Oh, yeah?” Bree held out the phone. “Here. Call somebody and ask them yourself.”
Apparently, she was serious. “I don’t believe this.”
“You don’t believe it?” Bree snapped. “It’s my worst nightmare.”
“Well, thanks a lot.”
Thunderstruck at first, Mitch quickly began to consider alternatives. Finally he said, “Look. This can’t be as serious as you make it sound. I’m sure we’ll be able cope for a little while longer.”
“How?”
“By using our heads. All we have to do is set up some sensible rules and make sure everybody abides by them. You’ll see. It won’t be so bad.”
Bree was tempted to throttle him, especially when he picked up a pencil from her desk, handed it to her and said, “Here. Make some notes. Where shall we start?”
That was an easy question for her. “With the muddy dog. It stays outside. Period.” She focused on Mitch, and her scowl deepened. “Where did you leave it this time?”
“In the guest bathroom, like before.”
The resolute look on the man’s face dared her to challenge him. Bree stared back with the same rigid resolve.
Mitch yielded first. “Look. Barney is terrified of storms. He was shaking all over when I brought him in. I wouldn’t dream of leaving him outside, alone, in weather like this. The poor little guy hasn’t hurt a thing, and he’s scared to death.”
“Well, you don’t have to act like I was trying to be mean,” she countered. “I simply want my house to stay reasonably clean. If you’ll be responsible for Barney, I suppose he can live in that bathroom for a little while longer.”
“You’re all heart.”
“Remember, I am the one who invited you in out of the rain in the first place.”
“And I’m grateful. Just keep in mind that you’re also the reason I have no home. I wouldn’t be here if I had any other choice, you know.”
“I know.” Being reminded of her part in their current dilemma helped Bree gain control of her temper. “I am glad you came to me for help. Now, what other rules can we jot down? How about, everybody takes his shoes off at the door? I imagine little boys love to run in and out of the house. If there’s a mud puddle within miles they’re sure to find it.”
“You’ve got that right,” Mitch said. It was going to be a real challenge to keep this woman satisfied about the condition of her fancy house, rules or no rules. How sad that she gave material possessions such undue importance.
Mitch’s conscience kicked him in the gut. It couldn’t be easy for her having his family underfoot. And as long as the bad weather persisted there wasn’t a thing he could do about leaving, although he found it hard to believe they were stranded. The Ozarks weren’t that primitive. There had to be options they were overlooking.
He held out his hand. “Give me that cell phone.”
“The battery’s almost dead.”
“What about the other phone?”
“The regular one isn’t working. I imagine the line is down. Why? What are you going to do?”
“Call the fire department and tell them we need rescuing.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Brianne said. “I won’t let you report a false emergency. If things are as bad as I think, the police and fire departments have their hands full already.”
“I never said I was going to claim this is an emergency,” Mitch insisted. “I just want to explain the situation up here and get put on their waiting list.” One eyebrow lifted. “You
“No—no road.”
“Sorry. I don’t understand.” Concerned, he approached her desk. “Take it easy. Whatever it is, it can’t be as bad as what’s already happened.”
“Yes, it can.” Recovering from her shock, she stared at him. “The people at the Realtor’s office say there’s no road. Not anymore. The stretch between here and Serenity was washed out by the storm. Nobody can go to town and nobody can get up here to rescue us. We’re stranded.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Oh, yeah?” Bree held out the phone. “Here. Call somebody and ask them yourself.”
Apparently, she was serious. “I don’t believe this.”
“You don’t believe it?” Bree snapped. “It’s my worst nightmare.”
“Well, thanks a lot.”
Thunderstruck at first, Mitch quickly began to consider alternatives. Finally he said, “Look. This can’t be as serious as you make it sound. I’m sure we’ll be able cope for a little while longer.”
“How?”
“By using our heads. All we have to do is set up some sensible rules and make sure everybody abides by them. You’ll see. It won’t be so bad.”
Bree was tempted to throttle him, especially when he picked up a pencil from her desk, handed it to her and said, “Here. Make some notes. Where shall we start?”
That was an easy question for her. “With the muddy dog. It stays outside. Period.” She focused on Mitch, and her scowl deepened. “Where did you leave it this time?”
“In the guest bathroom, like before.”
The resolute look on the man’s face dared her to challenge him. Bree stared back with the same rigid resolve.
Mitch yielded first. “Look. Barney is terrified of storms. He was shaking all over when I brought him in. I wouldn’t dream of leaving him outside, alone, in weather like this. The poor little guy hasn’t hurt a thing, and he’s scared to death.”
“Well, you don’t have to act like I was trying to be mean,” she countered. “I simply want my house to stay reasonably clean. If you’ll be responsible for Barney, I suppose he can live in that bathroom for a little while longer.”
“You’re all heart.”
“Remember, I am the one who invited you in out of the rain in the first place.”
“And I’m grateful. Just keep in mind that you’re also the reason I have no home. I wouldn’t be here if I had any other choice, you know.”
“I know.” Being reminded of her part in their current dilemma helped Bree gain control of her temper. “I am glad you came to me for help. Now, what other rules can we jot down? How about, everybody takes his shoes off at the door? I imagine little boys love to run in and out of the house. If there’s a mud puddle within miles they’re sure to find it.”
“You’ve got that right,” Mitch said. It was going to be a real challenge to keep this woman satisfied about the condition of her fancy house, rules or no rules. How sad that she gave material possessions such undue importance.
Mitch’s conscience kicked him in the gut. It couldn’t be easy for her having his family underfoot. And as long as the bad weather persisted there wasn’t a thing he could do about leaving, although he found it hard to believe they were stranded. The Ozarks weren’t that primitive. There had to be options they were overlooking.
He held out his hand. “Give me that cell phone.”
“The battery’s almost dead.”
“What about the other phone?”
“The regular one isn’t working. I imagine the line is down. Why? What are you going to do?”
“Call the fire department and tell them we need rescuing.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Brianne said. “I won’t let you report a false emergency. If things are as bad as I think, the police and fire departments have their hands full already.”
“I never said I was going to claim this is an emergency,” Mitch insisted. “I just want to explain the situation up here and get put on their waiting list.” One eyebrow lifted. “You
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