Page 94 of First Chance
A harmless kiss wouldn’t be destroying me if I simply had something to offer the woman asking for it.
“Hey, boss. Did you hear?” Ryker asks as I meet them all down by the bunkhouse. We’ve been attempting to lay down dry bedding and add some semblance of natural shelter for the bears all day, so they have a dry place to sleep, but we’re all exhausted andcovered in mud.
“Hear, what?”
“There’s a tornado watch in effect.”
“I’m not surprised.” What else could go wrong?
“It’s supposed to escalate within the hour.”
Tornadoes aren’t a common occurrence in the mountains, but it’s not unheard of. Normally, flooding is the worst part, but the homes in this area aren’t built to withstand damaging winds.
“Alright, let’s get things wrapped up, and we can hunker down for the rest of the night. The bears will hole up where they can, and we can assess the damage tomorrow.”
I don’t know what makes me look, an itch on the back of my neck or a feeling in my gut, but I turn around, eyeing the guesthouse.
“Where’s Jo?” Her car isn’t here.
Everyone looks at me with wide eyes like they’re afraid to answer. “I know she did not get through her day without chit-chatting with one of you fuckers.” I’m past the point of being annoyed by her socializing with them; I’ve come to expect it. However, I don’t accept anyone lying about it.
“She had a meeting at school with one of her professors,” Jordy admits.
“When?”
“She left about an hour ago, and said the office hours started at six.”
“Dammit,” I mutter to no one. “Dammit!”
How am I supposed to keep her safe when she’s a magnet for danger?
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jo
Two weeks from now, I have to present my thesis to my entire class, and my professor just ripped my project to shreds. I’ve heard that it’s to be expected.
The real test is the pressure they put on you in the final weeks to succeed, but it brought down my confidence significantly.
It’s my fault. I haven’t gone the extra mile to research my topic. With all of my personal drama this summer, I haven’t been brave enough to ask Lochlan for another favor.
I reach the vestibule of the engineering building, and my steps turn sluggish. It’s pouring rain.
It’s at least a quarter mile walk to my car, and I’m wearing heels, of course.
I checked the weather, I knew to expect rain and brought my umbrella, but it’s coming down hard and blowing sideways.
Oh well, I’ll get drenched and have to drive the 45 minutes back to the sanctuary in wet clothes.
One more deep breath, then I’ll walk as fast as I can and accept the misery.
Howling wind bursts my eardrums as I struggle to push the door open, hardly creating enough space to get my body through before I’m taking off down the sidewalk.
I can’t jog, not with how wet the rain makes my feet, but even if I could, I can’t outrun this weather. The heavy rain pelts the side of my face, soaking my hair down my neck.
I’m not watching where I’m going, but I know I’m almost to the parking lot, and unfortunately, student parking is way out in the back.
The water rushing along the curb is more like a river than drain water, and deep enough that it will soak my foot to my ankle. I’m preparing to leap when headlights sweep over me and someone honks.
