by Rebecca Rode
She signed her name on the lines Jake indicated, then handed him the paperwork.
It was almost two o’clock . . . Tanner’s class should just be starting. She hadn’t heard from him since he’d dropped her off at Jake’s a week ago. Was he still angry, or had his anger turned into apathy? Her heart squeezed as she thought of him hating her all over again.
“We’re all done here,” Jake said, taking the stack of papers from Lauren. “I’ll stick the papers in the mail tomorrow morning. If you haven’t heard from the insurance company in a week or two, let me know and I’ll resubmit my report. Oh.” He reached under the counter and grabbed a box. “Here you go. There wasn’t much in the car to salvage.”
Lauren took the box, looking down at the collection of papers from the dashboard, as well as a few stray pens and a cell phone charger. “Thanks,” she said.
“No problem. Sorry again about the car.”
Lauren waved and left, Shannon on her heels. The sky had darkened while they were inside, turning from overcast to dark. Wind whipped dust into the air from the gravel parking lot.
“He’s cute,” Shannon said as she unlocked the car. “Are all the guys like that in Sunset Plains, or just him?”
Tanner’s shaggy brown hair and adorable grin flashed in Lauren’s mind. “Jake’s definitely cute, but he’s not the only one.”
“Ah. You’re thinking of Tanner, the ex you’re so close-lipped about.”
Lauren opened her mouth to disagree, but her phone started ringing. “Hold on a sec,” she said, setting the box on the back seat of Shannon’s car. “It’s Doyle.”
“Crap,” Shannon said. “It’ll take us an hour to get back to Tulsa.”
“He knows we’re here today.” Lauren swiped her finger across the screen and put it on speaker so Shannon could hear as well. “Hello?”
“Lauren,” Doyle said, his deep voice filled with excitement. “So glad you answered.”
“What can I do for you?” Lauren asked as Shannon raised an eyebrow, mouthing what? Lauren shrugged.
“How would you like the chance to air another weather story on the ten o’clock news?” Doyle asked.
Lauren’s mouth dropped open and Shannon pumped a fist into the air. “We’d love to cover another weather story,” Lauren said. “What have you got?”
“Are you still in Sunset Plains with Shannon?”
“Yes, but we can leave right now,” Lauren said. Shannon nodded vigorously.
“No. I want you to stay,” Doyle said. “A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Sunset Plains, and our scans indicate it might turn into a pretty big tornado.”
Shannon jumped up and down, nodding vigorously.
“Just how big a tornado are we talking?” Lauren asked. She waited for the fear and exhilaration to bubble up inside her, but she felt strangely empty.
“Not sure. Maybe an F3 or F4.”
Lauren inhaled sharply. She’d only chased one F4, and it had been terrifying. That night at the hotel, she’d huddled under the blankets and watched reruns of Gilligan’s Island, pretending she was back in Sunset Plains with her parents.
“The Doppler’s changing so fast we can’t keep up with it,” Doyle continued. “I’m guessing the storm will hit in about an hour. How do the skies look there?”
Lauren glanced up at the gray clouds, cold fingers of fear skittering down her spine. “It’s pretty windy, but no rain yet.”
“Well, keep an eye on it,” Doyle said. “I know you have limited resources, but do your best with what you have. I wish we could get the satellite van and Doppler equipment to you in time for a live broadcast. Oh well. You’ll have to track this storm the old fashioned way.”
“We can do that,” Lauren said.
“Does Shannon have her good equipment on hand?”
“Yes, sir,” Shannon said, speaking for the first time. “I never leave home without my camera.”
Doyle chuckled. “I knew I could count on you ladies. Keep me posted. And Lauren?”
“Yes?” Lauren said.
“Don’t let this tornado get you, okay? I’d hate to have to groom another rookie to take over the roving reporter spot next year.”
Shannon’s mouth fell open, and Lauren held up her hand for a silent high-five. But the motion felt automatic. Hollow. What was wrong with her? This was the break she’d been waiting for.
“You’ve got it,” Lauren said. They said their goodbyes, and she hung up the phone.
“Holy crap!” Shannon let out a whoop. “He pretty much just promised us the roving reporter spot.”
“I know. But how are we going to track the storm?” Lauren held up her phone. “All I have is that stupid app.”
“Well, how did you track the last one?”
Lauren climbed inside the car, her heart pounding with anticipation and dread. She glanced back at Jake’s Garage, the warm glow of happy memories now completely gone. Tanner wouldn’t be pleased if she asked to use the equipment for another storm.
Shannon turned the key in the ignition, then turned to face Lauren. “Okay, what aren’t you telling me?”
Lauren chewed on her nail, then sighed. “Okay. There’s a weather station with Doppler equipment at the satellite campus across town.”
“You don’t seem that enthusiastic. Is it running on an outdated system or something?”
“No, it’s great. Even better than what we have at the station.”
“So what’s the problem?” Shannon asked.
“Tanner—you know, my ex—is the one in charge of it. He’s not too happy with me these days.” Was Lauren really using storms as a way to run away from feelings she still couldn’t process? She wasn’t eighteen anymore, a child devastated by her parents’ deaths.
Was she using storms to push Tanner away?
“Wait, you mean broke-his-heart Tanner?” Shannon asked.
“I didn’t break his heart.”
Shannon rolled her eyes. “You told me you left without even breaking up with him. He was devastated, promise.”
“Yeah, well, now he’s pissed. He teaches intro to meteorology at the campus, which means he’s the one in charge of the lab, and the one with the keys.”
“Did you guys have a fight or something?”
Could you fight if you were no longer a couple, and barely even friends? “Let’s just say he was less than happy with my decision to chase that last tornado. We didn’t part on the best of terms.”
“Well, he’s going to have to get over that,” Shannon said. “Because if we want the best possible shots of this storm, we need up-to-date—and specific—information.” She pointed at the darkening sky. “Right now, I wouldn’t even know which direction to head. We need to see where the cell is forming. This is our chance, Laur. We’ve got to come through for Doyle.”
“Yeah, okay.” Lauren sighed, running a hand through her hair. “He’s probably at the campus right now. We can head over there and ask him to let us use the equipment. Maybe if you’re with me, he won’t say no.”
“It’s worth a shot.” Shannon turned on the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot of Jake’s.
Is Tanner worth a shot? Lauren wondered. In high school, she’d definitely thought he was. And even after four years, those emotions hadn’t dimmed. She might even still love him. Being back in Sunset Plains reminded her starkly of just how much she’d given up when she ran.
But thinking about Tanner like that was ridiculous. Too much time had passed.
“So this is where you grew up, huh?” Shannon said, breaking into Lauren’s thoughts.
“Yeah.” Lauren let her eyes drift to the tall prairie grasses lining the road. She could almost see her parents laughing as they picnicked on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the green grasses blowing in a gentle breeze.
“And how has it been being back?”
“Hard,” Lauren admitted. “The funeral was really challenging.” But it also had been healing somehow. The memories no longer hurt so badly
.
“Did you get the closure you were looking for?” Shannon asked.
“Not yet.” But hopefully she would very soon.
Chapter Ten
LAUREN’S STOMACH KNOTTED AS THEY pulled into the parking lot of the satellite campus. She chewed on a nail, searching for Tanner’s rusting green truck. She quickly located it near the back of the lot, the Texas A&M window sticker a dead giveaway it was his. Wind billowed through the trees and branches thrashed about as leaves tumbled across the blacktop. Lauren could totally relate to those trees right about now.
“So, is this Tanner guy going to kick us out of the building once we get inside or what?” Shannon asked as she unclicked her seat belt.
“Tanner is always a gentleman.” Even if he had no problem scolding Lauren for what he considered bad decisions.
They were bad decisions, a voice that sounded suspiciously like her mother’s whispered. Chasing this tornado now is a very bad decision. It’s too dangerous.
Lauren pulled up on the door handle, and the wind yanked it from her hand. It slammed open before whipping back toward her foot, poised halfway out of the car. Lauren caught it just in time. Her hair tore from her pony tail and flew around her face, the strands hitting her with enough force to make her eyes water.
Lauren and Shannon stumbled across the parking lot and toward the building. Grit filled the air, and Lauren spit, trying to clear it from her mouth.
Chasing the tornado won’t bring us back, the voice that sounded like her mother’s said again. In four years, has chasing storms ever once made you truly happy?
Lauren focused on the wind rushing through the trees, trying to drown out the thoughts. She grabbed the front door, but the wind kept it firmly shut. Shannon added her strength to Lauren’s, and together they pried it open an inch. That was all the wind needed. It caught the door, flinging it against the wall with a loud crack. Lauren and Shannon raced inside, narrowly missing the slam as the door shut again, flung closed by the wind.
“It’s going to be a big one,” Shannon said, her eyes glowing with excitement. Her auburn hair was a ratted mess around her face. “Where do we find Tanner? I’m dying to see this storm on radar.”
“He’ll either be in his classroom or the lab.” Lauren pointed down the eerily quiet hallway. “It’s the second to last door on the right.”
“Are you sure this place is open?” Shannon asked.
“There were multiple classes going on when I visited at this time a few days ago. Maybe they were canceled for the storm warning.”
“When did they have time to cancel?”
Lauren shrugged. “It’s a small campus, and word gets around fast. Most students could be home in minutes.” Her flip-flops echoed in the empty hallway with each step. Each room they passed was dark, the door shut tight, and Tanner’s was no different.
Shannon turned the knob. “Locked. They all look locked.”
“Maybe he’s not here.” On the one hand, Lauren wouldn’t have to deal with her swooping stomach and Tanner’s disapproving scowl. But on the other hand, she and Shannon really needed to know where the storm was headed so they could get the shot and impress Doyle. Lauren wouldn’t let a few conversations with Tanner change her goals.
But what was the point of chasing storms if it only made her feel more empty inside?
“Maybe he’s in the lab, watching the storm like we want to,” Shannon said. “That’s where I’d be.”
If Lauren told Tanner they were chasing this storm, it would be as good as severing all ties. Forever. But the thought of giving up that tenuous link to her parents was terrifying.
Sunset Plains is a link to us, her mother’s voice said again. Come home.
Lauren ground her teeth. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” she told Shannon. “The lab’s upstairs.”
They climbed the stairs to the second floor, and Lauren led them down the quiet hallway. She knew immediately that they’d found Tanner. The lab door was propped open by a doorstop, and light spilled into the hallway.
“What do I do?” Lauren whispered.
“Knock,” Shannon said.
Such a simple action, but it felt significant—a step Lauren wasn’t sure she should take.
She closed her eyes, a headache throbbing at the back of her skull. Tanner acted like he wanted to put the past behind them and not only move on, but move forward—together. But was that what she wanted?
Lauren rapped sharply on the door. “Tanner? Are you in there?”
Wheels squeaked as though a chair rolled back, and then the door swung wide, revealing Tanner in jeans and a button-down shirt, glasses sliding down the slope of his nose. Lauren’s heart pounded, and she placed a hand on the door to steady herself.
“Lauren?” he said, an eyebrow raised in surprise. Was it a good surprise, or a bad one?
“Hi.” She cleared her throat, then grabbed Shannon’s arm, pulling her forward. “Tanner, this is Shannon, my camera gal at the station. Shannon, meet Tanner.”
Shannon stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too,” Tanner murmured, taking her hand. He looked back and forth between them. “Can I help you with something?”
“Yes,” Shannon said. “We’re hoping you’ll let us use your equipment.”
Tanner folded his arms, and his eyes hardened. “You’re chasing another storm?”
Lauren lifted a shoulder, looking away. “Boss’s orders.” Why did chasing the tornado feel like telling Tanner goodbye forever?
“It would be awesome if we could get a look at the Doppler before we go out there,” Shannon said. “We’re kind of blind here. No equipment or anything. Our boss really wants this footage, and it’d go a long way toward convincing him we should replace the roving reporter when she retires.”
“Yeah, I guess that would be okay.” Tanner stepped aside, motioning them into the small space. Lauren tried to read his body language, but he gave nothing away. Was he upset she was chasing another storm? Did he care at all? Did he want her out of his life completely?
Did she want him out of hers?
“Wow.” Shannon bent down, peering at the computer that Tanner had obviously been working on. A Doppler image filled the screen, the greens, blues, and yellows hard to miss. “The detailing on this image is incredible.”
“We’re really lucky to have it at such a small campus. Have a seat.” Tanner turned to Lauren. “You know how to work the program.”
“Thanks.” Lauren sank into the chair and started clicking, searching for the images she wanted.
She couldn’t make a decision about Tanner—or tornadoes—right now. The hollow feeling in her chest that even a storm couldn’t fill might mean nothing. But maybe Tanner was right, and chasing storms was just a way to cover up the pain. And maybe Sunset Plains was a much better healing agent.
Her eyes widened as an image filled the screen. Dark blue was surrounded by purple, which bled into red, then yellow. The storm hadn’t quite formed an eye, but it would very soon. Lauren clicked, zooming in to take measurements.
“It’s beautiful,” Shannon breathed. “Textbook perfect.”
“I’ve been watching it for almost an hour,” Tanner said. “In fact, I was on the phone with the fire department right before you arrived, letting them know to sound the tornado sirens. It’s moving fairly quickly and headed right toward town. A lot of people will be in big trouble if it hits.”
Fear for her former neighbors swept through Lauren. She leaned forward, studying the image. “I don’t think it’ll quite make it to town.”
“It could turn,” Tanner said, the words thick with underlying meaning.
What if the tornado destroyed the town that held so many memories of her parents? I don’t want to go, she realized. Lauren blinked, focusing on the screen again. She was being ridiculous. Storm chasing had been all she wanted for the last four years.
“That cell will be huge and looks ready to form any moment,” Laur
en said. “It’s still at least five miles outside of town.”
“The sirens should encourage most to get to safety,” Tanner said.
“This might be an F5,” Shannon said, awe in her voice. “I’ve never tracked one this big.”
“F4 at least,” Lauren agreed, her knees trembling. She wouldn’t forget what it felt like to be picked up by the twister and thrown into a field anytime soon.
You don’t have to chase it, her mother’s voice whispered. The shaking in Lauren’s knees increased. Could she really return to her old life? To Sunset Plains? It seemed crazy.
Lauren grabbed a piece of scratch paper and scribbled down some notes. Now was not the time to make this decision.
“I wish we could take the equipment with us,” Shannon said with a sigh. “Even the station’s portable equipment would be better than the crappy phone app.”
“This will have to do.” Lauren folded the paper and tucked it in her pocket. “Thanks for letting us use the equipment, Tanner.”
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.
“I’ll, uh, go check on the camera,” Shannon said, and slipped from the room.
Tanner stared down at Lauren, his eyes searching. “You’re not seriously going to chase after that storm,” he said, his voice incredulous.
She swallowed, conflicting emotions battling within her. “It’s my job.”
“The last one nearly killed you. It threw your car across a field!”
“I’ll be more careful this time.”
“Careful.” He gave a disbelieving laugh. “Have you ever chased something that big?”
“No.”
“Then don’t chase this.” His voice was tinged with desperation. “I know you’re still grieving, but there has to be another way. Please, Laur. I’m begging you. Don’t do this. Don’t leave. Let’s figure out something else.”
