the outside, but internally, she was
calculating Marilyn’s age. It wasn’t unusual for someone to have a
moment of forgetfulness, but the way it happened sent up warning
flags. She’d have to remember to mention it to the guys and see if it
was a regularly occurring thing.
83
Lori King
Parting ways, Marilyn headed for the kitchen, and Lauren ran up
the stairs to check in on Destiny. She’d settled into the Lilac room
comfortably enough after Hawke and Vin had gone and collected her
clothes. Lauren felt bad for the woman, because she had so little, and
apparently nothing had been kept when she’d gone missing. The idea
of being torn from her entire world and forced into prostitution was
too much for Lauren to even consider, and she tried to push it from
her head when she knocked on the bedroom door.
Smiling as the door swung open, she was surprised to find
Jeanette in the room as well. “Hey there! I was coming to find you
next. There’s some flooding in the pastures, and I wanted to make
sure you guys were all right.”
“We’re fine,” Jeanette gave her a look of concern, “Maybe I
should go get some things in case I have to stay here at the main
house tonight?”
“You’re in the Huck Finn, right? That cabin’s on high ground
with the main house, so I think you should be all right, but if you feel
more comfortable staying here, there’s plenty of room. I’m sure no
one would mind. The room right next door is empty.” Lauren said
with a shrug.
“Do you mind if I run to get some things?” Jeanette asked
Destiny, “We can continue our conversation when I get back.”
“Of course.” Destiny agreed, “Do you need a hand?”
“Nope, I’ve got it. Thanks.”
With that, Jeanette disappeared out the door leaving Lauren
alone with Destiny. Awkward tension filled the room because neither
knew what to say.
“So, um, I was going to go downstairs and have a piece of the
leftover wedding cake. Wanna join me?” Lauren asked cautiously.
Destiny brightened. “Sure. I’d like that.”
They made their way to the kitchen where Marilyn was just
hanging up the phone.
“Bran’s on his way out to see the pasture. Apparently there’s
flooding all over the area.”
84
Claiming His Cowgirl
Lauren laughed, “I’m not surprised; the rain hasn’t stopped. It’s
like Mother Nature didn’t want me to come back to North Dakota
without a welcoming party.”
“He said they had to evacuate the Motel 8 down the highway
when the sewer system backed up because of the high water, and
they’re sandbagging the Blue,” Marilyn said solemnly.
“What’s the Blue?” Destiny asked, as Lauren made a sound of
disbelief.
“The river to our west. It runs through the Turtle Mountains. If
they’re sandbagging it, then the flooding is very serious.”
“Should we call Romeo and Hawke? Maybe they can turn
around and come back in case we need their help here,” Lauren
asked. “If the flood waters keep rising—”
“There’s nothing they can do that we can’t,” Marilyn insisted.
“We’re not going to worry about things until they come to pass. At
the moment we’re right where we should be, and that’s where we’re
going to stay.”
“There’s at least one thing I can do,” Lauren said firmly, digging
her cell phone from her pocket and scrolling through the contacts.
“Being in emergency management gives me a leg up on getting
assistance out here.”
She made a quick phone call to her office and explained the
situation to Jesse. He agreed to call the main office for Fast-Aid and
request a team be sent out to help the local authorities. If she hadn’t
been on vacation, she’d most likely be manning the team herself, but
that was against company rules while using paid time off. Instead,
she’d just have to be the emergency coordinator for Crawley Creek.
85
Lori King
86
Chapter 10
August 9 – Five rain soaked days and counting…
Sunday
calculating Marilyn’s age. It wasn’t unusual for someone to have a
moment of forgetfulness, but the way it happened sent up warning
flags. She’d have to remember to mention it to the guys and see if it
was a regularly occurring thing.
83
Lori King
Parting ways, Marilyn headed for the kitchen, and Lauren ran up
the stairs to check in on Destiny. She’d settled into the Lilac room
comfortably enough after Hawke and Vin had gone and collected her
clothes. Lauren felt bad for the woman, because she had so little, and
apparently nothing had been kept when she’d gone missing. The idea
of being torn from her entire world and forced into prostitution was
too much for Lauren to even consider, and she tried to push it from
her head when she knocked on the bedroom door.
Smiling as the door swung open, she was surprised to find
Jeanette in the room as well. “Hey there! I was coming to find you
next. There’s some flooding in the pastures, and I wanted to make
sure you guys were all right.”
“We’re fine,” Jeanette gave her a look of concern, “Maybe I
should go get some things in case I have to stay here at the main
house tonight?”
“You’re in the Huck Finn, right? That cabin’s on high ground
with the main house, so I think you should be all right, but if you feel
more comfortable staying here, there’s plenty of room. I’m sure no
one would mind. The room right next door is empty.” Lauren said
with a shrug.
“Do you mind if I run to get some things?” Jeanette asked
Destiny, “We can continue our conversation when I get back.”
“Of course.” Destiny agreed, “Do you need a hand?”
“Nope, I’ve got it. Thanks.”
With that, Jeanette disappeared out the door leaving Lauren
alone with Destiny. Awkward tension filled the room because neither
knew what to say.
“So, um, I was going to go downstairs and have a piece of the
leftover wedding cake. Wanna join me?” Lauren asked cautiously.
Destiny brightened. “Sure. I’d like that.”
They made their way to the kitchen where Marilyn was just
hanging up the phone.
“Bran’s on his way out to see the pasture. Apparently there’s
flooding all over the area.”
84
Claiming His Cowgirl
Lauren laughed, “I’m not surprised; the rain hasn’t stopped. It’s
like Mother Nature didn’t want me to come back to North Dakota
without a welcoming party.”
“He said they had to evacuate the Motel 8 down the highway
when the sewer system backed up because of the high water, and
they’re sandbagging the Blue,” Marilyn said solemnly.
“What’s the Blue?” Destiny asked, as Lauren made a sound of
disbelief.
“The river to our west. It runs through the Turtle Mountains. If
they’re sandbagging it, then the flooding is very serious.”
“Should we call Romeo and Hawke? Maybe they can turn
around and come back in case we need their help here,” Lauren
asked. “If the flood waters keep rising—”
“There’s nothing they can do that we can’t,” Marilyn insisted.
“We’re not going to worry about things until they come to pass. At
the moment we’re right where we should be, and that’s where we’re
going to stay.”
“There’s at least one thing I can do,” Lauren said firmly, digging
her cell phone from her pocket and scrolling through the contacts.
“Being in emergency management gives me a leg up on getting
assistance out here.”
She made a quick phone call to her office and explained the
situation to Jesse. He agreed to call the main office for Fast-Aid and
request a team be sent out to help the local authorities. If she hadn’t
been on vacation, she’d most likely be manning the team herself, but
that was against company rules while using paid time off. Instead,
she’d just have to be the emergency coordinator for Crawley Creek.
85
Lori King
86
Chapter 10
August 9 – Five rain soaked days and counting…
Sunday
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