Kurt’s place and make sure all the storm shutters were in place before he headed over to the bar to assist Roxi and Frank with their efforts. If they had to board the windows, they’d need help. The wind was almost too strong to allow them to position sheets of plywood over the windows.
Decker drove around to the secluded beach cottage Kurt used when he was at the cape. He found the key Kurt had hidden beneath a flower pot on the front deck and went from room to room on the inside, making certain everything was shut down, locked up and put away. Kurt had stored all the outside patio furniture in a shed before he’d left and closed the storm shutters. The cottage was ready for the coming storm.
By the time Decker drove the short distance through town to the Dream Spinner Bar and Grill, the residents of the little town were up and moving, packing their vehicles with their belongings and closing shutters. The business owners hung large sheets of plywood in their windows, boarding up in case the winds sent objects flying through the air.
Outside the Dream Spinner, Frank, Saul and Roxi struggled to get a sheet of plywood in place, the wind wreaking havoc with their efforts.
Decker parked his SUV and climbed out. Otis ran to greet him. His tail wagged and he nuzzled Decker’s hand. “Hey, Otis. Are you helping Roxi hang plywood?”
The dog pressed his nose into Decker’s palm, then turned to lope back toward the bar as if saying follow me .
“You’re just in time,” Frank called out. “We’ve been working at this since first light, but it’s only getting harder.”
“I can do this,” Roxi insisted.
“Maybe you can, but I can’t,” Frank said.
“I’m here, you might as well let me help.” Decker grabbed the corner of the heavy plywood from Roxi’s hands.
Frank winked at her. “He’s a keeper.”
She frowned and grumbled, “I could have done it myself.”
“I know.” Decker nodded, his lips curling into a gentle smile. “But there are a lot of sheets to do and if we want to get off the peninsula before dark, we’d better get cracking.”
With a nod, she stepped back. “Saul and I will start moving the outside tables and chairs inside.”
The four of them worked all day, with the weather getting worse each passing hour.
A line of cars with the residual vacationers and locals formed on the road, headed inland. Still, the team worked, boarding, storing and locking things down to keep them from being carried off by what Frank called a stiff brisk ocean breeze .
Once the boards were all in place and the outside furniture had been stowed, Roxi turned to Frank. “Do you need help at your place?”
“No. I closed it up before I came over here, and my vehicle is packed to the gills.”
“Good.” Roxi tilted her head toward Frank’s vehicle. “Take Saul and get going. At least the line of cars has thinned.”
Frank shook his head. “I’m not leaving without you.”
She hugged the older man. “I’ll be fine. Decker will make sure I get out on time.” She turned to him and grinned. “Won’t you?”
Roxi’s smile nearly floored Decker. He’d never seen this side of her. The more dangerous the situation, the more she threw herself at the work involved, and the more animated she became. The woman obviously loved a challenge, and Mother Nature was sending one her way. With the wind whipping her hair around her face and not a stitch of make up on, Roxi looked happier and more alive and beautiful than ever.
Decker’s heart squeezed tightly and he found himself falling even deeper for this incredible woman.
“I’ll make sure she’s safe,” he promised. He dragged his gaze from Roxi and shook the older man’s hand. “Go. We’ll be right behind you.”
Frank frowned at Roxi. “I’m counting on it.”
Roxi and Decker watched as Frank and Saul climbed into Frank’s vehicle and slid into the slowly moving traffic.
“What’s left?” Decker asked.
“I have a couple boxes I
Decker drove around to the secluded beach cottage Kurt used when he was at the cape. He found the key Kurt had hidden beneath a flower pot on the front deck and went from room to room on the inside, making certain everything was shut down, locked up and put away. Kurt had stored all the outside patio furniture in a shed before he’d left and closed the storm shutters. The cottage was ready for the coming storm.
By the time Decker drove the short distance through town to the Dream Spinner Bar and Grill, the residents of the little town were up and moving, packing their vehicles with their belongings and closing shutters. The business owners hung large sheets of plywood in their windows, boarding up in case the winds sent objects flying through the air.
Outside the Dream Spinner, Frank, Saul and Roxi struggled to get a sheet of plywood in place, the wind wreaking havoc with their efforts.
Decker parked his SUV and climbed out. Otis ran to greet him. His tail wagged and he nuzzled Decker’s hand. “Hey, Otis. Are you helping Roxi hang plywood?”
The dog pressed his nose into Decker’s palm, then turned to lope back toward the bar as if saying follow me .
“You’re just in time,” Frank called out. “We’ve been working at this since first light, but it’s only getting harder.”
“I can do this,” Roxi insisted.
“Maybe you can, but I can’t,” Frank said.
“I’m here, you might as well let me help.” Decker grabbed the corner of the heavy plywood from Roxi’s hands.
Frank winked at her. “He’s a keeper.”
She frowned and grumbled, “I could have done it myself.”
“I know.” Decker nodded, his lips curling into a gentle smile. “But there are a lot of sheets to do and if we want to get off the peninsula before dark, we’d better get cracking.”
With a nod, she stepped back. “Saul and I will start moving the outside tables and chairs inside.”
The four of them worked all day, with the weather getting worse each passing hour.
A line of cars with the residual vacationers and locals formed on the road, headed inland. Still, the team worked, boarding, storing and locking things down to keep them from being carried off by what Frank called a stiff brisk ocean breeze .
Once the boards were all in place and the outside furniture had been stowed, Roxi turned to Frank. “Do you need help at your place?”
“No. I closed it up before I came over here, and my vehicle is packed to the gills.”
“Good.” Roxi tilted her head toward Frank’s vehicle. “Take Saul and get going. At least the line of cars has thinned.”
Frank shook his head. “I’m not leaving without you.”
She hugged the older man. “I’ll be fine. Decker will make sure I get out on time.” She turned to him and grinned. “Won’t you?”
Roxi’s smile nearly floored Decker. He’d never seen this side of her. The more dangerous the situation, the more she threw herself at the work involved, and the more animated she became. The woman obviously loved a challenge, and Mother Nature was sending one her way. With the wind whipping her hair around her face and not a stitch of make up on, Roxi looked happier and more alive and beautiful than ever.
Decker’s heart squeezed tightly and he found himself falling even deeper for this incredible woman.
“I’ll make sure she’s safe,” he promised. He dragged his gaze from Roxi and shook the older man’s hand. “Go. We’ll be right behind you.”
Frank frowned at Roxi. “I’m counting on it.”
Roxi and Decker watched as Frank and Saul climbed into Frank’s vehicle and slid into the slowly moving traffic.
“What’s left?” Decker asked.
“I have a couple boxes I
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