“Aren’t you a little old to be running away?”
“What?” Maybe too many questions, she looked confused.
“Sorry, we can stop talking if you want. I just wanted to make sure you were thinking straight.”
“Oh, no it’s okay. I’m just worried. It looks bad outside. I don’t want to be out in this weather anymore.”
“I don’t blame you there. Tornadoes aren’t really my favorite. I’m driving as fast as I can, and we’ll be at my place soon.”
“What did you say your name is?”
“I’m not sure I did actually, sorry about that. I’m Boone.”
She gave him a shy smile.
“I like that, Boone. I’ve never met anyone by that name.”
“Thanks, my mom believed in unique, unfamiliar names. But then your name is rare in my part of the country too. I’ve never run across a Kelsey before either.”
“I’d like to say my parents named me after someone special but sadly, not the case. My dad wished I was a boy so mom scrambled to find the first girl name she could. I didn’t make a very good Robert I guess.”
“Ha, Robert, really?”
“Yeah, sad, isn’t it? Very political name for a child of an attorney who served in the state legislature and a step up to Lieutenant Governor before being the Governor of the state.”
“Whew, powerful. No wonder you ran away.” He laughed, shaking his head.
“I know, right? So that means I’m not crazy?”
“Let me guess, he picked your school, which was the one he went to, then pulled a few strings to get you a job?”
“Have you been spying on my life?”
“Nice. Okay, here we are.”
Boone pulled in the driveway, stopped out by the barn and jumped out of the truck. As if forgetting for a second he had a passenger, he turned around and held up a finger toward the truck and mouthed that he’d be one second.
“I think we’ll park in the barn just in case we get any harsher weather coming this way.”
“Do you think we will? Did you mean another tornado?”
“I don’t really know but I hope not. Either way, we’ll be safe, I have a basement that has a sealed storm shelter so don’t worry okay?”
He jumped out of the truck again but went around to her side and swung open the door.
“Okay, ready milady?”
***
Ready for what?
As Boone scooped her up in his arms she got her answer.
“Oh, okay.”
“I’ll get you in the house and come back for your things if that’s okay?”
“Uh sure, that’s fine.”
