of
different fruits and vegetables. It would be absolutely incredible.
A pinging noise drew her attention to the
window over the sink. “Is that hail?”
“Sounds like it.”
The pinging turned into a deafening roar as
hail pounded the house. Dax motioned with his finger for Kelcey to follow him.
He led her to the patio door in the dining room that opened to the backyard.
Light flooded the area when he flipped a switch.
“Wow.” Kelcey couldn’t believe how quickly
the ground turned white with pea-sized hail. “It’s really coming down.”
She couldn’t ask Dax to take her home now.
Even though Alaina and Rye lived only a mile away, the hail would cause all
kinds of damage to Dax’s pickup. The same with Alaina’s and Emma’s vehicles.
She didn’t want anything to happen to her friends’ cars. She had no choice but
to stay here with Dax.
The buzzer on the stove went off at the
same time the phone rang. “I’ll get the biscuits,” Kelcey said, “while you
answer the phone.”
“Good plan.”
She removed the pan from the oven as Dax
picked up the receiver from the wall phone. “Hello?” He looked at Kelcey.
“Yeah, she’s right here.” He held out the receiver to her. “Change of jobs.
It’s Alaina.”
Kelcey traded places with Dax so he could
butter the biscuits. “Hi.”
“Are you okay? I was so worried when Rye
and I got home and you weren’t here.”
“Yes, I’m okay. I had a little accident in
my car and—”
“You had an accident ?” Alaina’s
voice rose in pitch with each word. “Where? When?”
“Luckily right in front of Dax’s house. I
hit a puddle and ran into a tree.”
Alaina gasped. “Ohmi god , are you okay ?
I’ll be right there.”
“I told you I’m okay and no, you won’t be
right here. It’s horrible outside. There’s no reason for you to get out in this
weather.”
“Didn’t Dax take you to the hospital?”
“He tried to, but I wouldn’t let him.
Lainy, I’m fine , I promise. Dax has taken excellent care of me. In fact,
we’re about to eat supper.”
“Are you sure ? Are you really sure you’re okay?”
“I’m really sure I’m okay.”
“Let me talk to Dax.”
Shaking her head, Kelcey held the phone out
to Dax. “She wants to talk to you. She doesn’t believe I’m not hurt.”
She couldn’t help hearing his end of the
conversation while she searched through cabinets and drawers for bowls, plates
and utensils so she could set the table.
“Hey, Alaina… She refused to let me call an
ambulance or take her to the ER… She seems to be fine. She says she is.” Kelcey
glanced at Dax to find him watching her. “I think that would be best. There’s
no reason for anyone to get out in this weather… Sounds good. See y’all in the
morning.”
He replaced the receiver in its cradle.
“Rye said he’d let Griff and Emma know what happened. They’ll all be here in
the morning.”
In the morning. That meant Dax intended for
her to spend the night. “I’m sorry. I know you didn’t expect to have a
houseguest tonight.”
“It isn’t a problem. You know I have plenty
of room.”
Including a bedroom where she’d slept alone
Saturday night after she’d almost made love with Dax.
He gestured toward the table. “Sit down.
Your clothes will probably be dry by the time we finish supper.”
Conversation with Dax had been easy so far.
But now, realizing she would spend the night in his house, she didn’t know what
to say. She took a bite of stew and washed it down with wine while trying to
think of something that didn’t sound lame or boring.
“You got quiet,” Dax said.
“I’m eating.”
“If you’re uncomfortable spending the night
here, I’ll take you back to Rye’s house.”
“The hail will destroy your pickup.”
“The hail won’t last much longer. Besides,
that pickup is a work truck. It already has lots of pings and dings in it. A
few more won’t hurt it.” The corners of his lips lifted in a grin.
different fruits and vegetables. It would be absolutely incredible.
A pinging noise drew her attention to the
window over the sink. “Is that hail?”
“Sounds like it.”
The pinging turned into a deafening roar as
hail pounded the house. Dax motioned with his finger for Kelcey to follow him.
He led her to the patio door in the dining room that opened to the backyard.
Light flooded the area when he flipped a switch.
“Wow.” Kelcey couldn’t believe how quickly
the ground turned white with pea-sized hail. “It’s really coming down.”
She couldn’t ask Dax to take her home now.
Even though Alaina and Rye lived only a mile away, the hail would cause all
kinds of damage to Dax’s pickup. The same with Alaina’s and Emma’s vehicles.
She didn’t want anything to happen to her friends’ cars. She had no choice but
to stay here with Dax.
The buzzer on the stove went off at the
same time the phone rang. “I’ll get the biscuits,” Kelcey said, “while you
answer the phone.”
“Good plan.”
She removed the pan from the oven as Dax
picked up the receiver from the wall phone. “Hello?” He looked at Kelcey.
“Yeah, she’s right here.” He held out the receiver to her. “Change of jobs.
It’s Alaina.”
Kelcey traded places with Dax so he could
butter the biscuits. “Hi.”
“Are you okay? I was so worried when Rye
and I got home and you weren’t here.”
“Yes, I’m okay. I had a little accident in
my car and—”
“You had an accident ?” Alaina’s
voice rose in pitch with each word. “Where? When?”
“Luckily right in front of Dax’s house. I
hit a puddle and ran into a tree.”
Alaina gasped. “Ohmi god , are you okay ?
I’ll be right there.”
“I told you I’m okay and no, you won’t be
right here. It’s horrible outside. There’s no reason for you to get out in this
weather.”
“Didn’t Dax take you to the hospital?”
“He tried to, but I wouldn’t let him.
Lainy, I’m fine , I promise. Dax has taken excellent care of me. In fact,
we’re about to eat supper.”
“Are you sure ? Are you really sure you’re okay?”
“I’m really sure I’m okay.”
“Let me talk to Dax.”
Shaking her head, Kelcey held the phone out
to Dax. “She wants to talk to you. She doesn’t believe I’m not hurt.”
She couldn’t help hearing his end of the
conversation while she searched through cabinets and drawers for bowls, plates
and utensils so she could set the table.
“Hey, Alaina… She refused to let me call an
ambulance or take her to the ER… She seems to be fine. She says she is.” Kelcey
glanced at Dax to find him watching her. “I think that would be best. There’s
no reason for anyone to get out in this weather… Sounds good. See y’all in the
morning.”
He replaced the receiver in its cradle.
“Rye said he’d let Griff and Emma know what happened. They’ll all be here in
the morning.”
In the morning. That meant Dax intended for
her to spend the night. “I’m sorry. I know you didn’t expect to have a
houseguest tonight.”
“It isn’t a problem. You know I have plenty
of room.”
Including a bedroom where she’d slept alone
Saturday night after she’d almost made love with Dax.
He gestured toward the table. “Sit down.
Your clothes will probably be dry by the time we finish supper.”
Conversation with Dax had been easy so far.
But now, realizing she would spend the night in his house, she didn’t know what
to say. She took a bite of stew and washed it down with wine while trying to
think of something that didn’t sound lame or boring.
“You got quiet,” Dax said.
“I’m eating.”
“If you’re uncomfortable spending the night
here, I’ll take you back to Rye’s house.”
“The hail will destroy your pickup.”
“The hail won’t last much longer. Besides,
that pickup is a work truck. It already has lots of pings and dings in it. A
few more won’t hurt it.” The corners of his lips lifted in a grin.