by Lee Rose
“Hey buddy, didn’t see you there. I was distracted by my beautiful wife.” Adam walked up to him and shook his hand. “I hear it’s going to be a bad storm. We’re all on call. Noah says there is a tornado watch in this county.”
Drake nodded. “We’re on call as well. We’re patrolling the streets and making sure people know to stay home and not decide they need to make a quick run to the grocery store during the worst of it.”
Adam nodded and kept his eye on his daughter, who explored the empty shop on her short legs. She found a shiny penny on the floor but Faith picked it up before she could grab it. Hope sat down on the floor, looking like she was going to cry.
Faith handed her a piece of bread to occupy her. She came over to Drake with a large white box. “Take these sweets to the station with you, Drake. I am ready to close and head home.”
Drake took the box and took a sniff. “Mmm. I hope they make it to the station. If Noah is there, he will eat them all. I might have to sneak one in on the ride over.”
He introduced Jasmine to Adam. “This is Jasmine, Kate’s niece. Kate is on her way over to pick her up.”
Adam gave Jasmine a polite look. “Welcome to Red Hook. Sorry you arrived during this big storm. Usually the town is filled with people and activity.”
Adam turned back to Drake. “Noah was taking Alana to her parents’ house. Now that she is pregnant he doesn’t like her being alone. Especially in this weather. She was grouchy, but she went along with him.”
Drake nodded with understanding. Noah, Adam’s brother, was the town sheriff and also Drake’s friend since high school. His wife Alana was expecting their first child and Noah was being very protective of her.
Faith picked up her tiny daughter, who giggled when her mama kissed her neck.
“Thank God she looks like you, Faith, and not Adam.” Drake teased, punching Adam lightly in the arm.
Adam chuckled, not at all offended. “Can’t argue there.”
“She is adorable. What’s her name?” Jasmine asked softly. Her voice was so light and feminine and affected Drake more than it should. He had to ignore his racing pulse and heart. It had been a while since he dated, that was all. He had been so busy working. This weekend he needed to go to the bar and just relax and find himself a woman. Soon he would forget all about Kate’s niece.
“Hope,” Faith answered. “She is almost two and a handful. She might look like me but she has her daddy’s stubborn personality when she wants something.”
“I see your aunt’s truck, Jasmine,” Drake said, looking out the window. The thunder was getting louder. It rattled the windows. “I think this storm is arriving early. I’ll walk you out.”
He turned to Adam and Faith. “Be careful out there, Adam. I’ll probably see you around town.”
“You too,” Adam replied, picking up his daughter. “See you around, Jasmine.”
Drake walked Jasmine out of the coffee shop. He carried the box of sweets in his hand. He had to hold on to them tightly or the wind would have stolen them right out of his hands.
“Oh my God. This is going to be bad, isn’t it?” Jasmine looked so worried he was tempted to hold on to her. He ignored the temptation and walked toward her aunt’s pick-up truck.
“If you need anything call the station and ask for me,” he told her. “Your aunt has the number.”
Jasmine nodded and gave him such a sweet smile that he almost leaned down and kissed her lips. He caught himself just in time and shook his head to clear it. What was wrong with him?
He knew nothing about her or her personality.
Jasmine walked around to the passenger side of her aunt’s truck. “Thanks, Drake. I’m glad you stopped and helped me.”
He nodded and waved to Kate. Kate gave him a friendly wave back. He watched them drive away until the red taillights faded into the darkness. Kate lived on the outskirts of town. She and her husband used to run a cotton farm. After Dale passed away she just rented the land to some neighbors and tried to concentrate on running the store but she had been so depressed her business had suffered. Drake was glad Jasmine was in town.
As soon as he got in the car the rain started pouring out of the sky as if the clouds could no longer hold the drops in.
Drake turned his wipers on high and headed for the station. For some odd reason he was hoping to see Jasmine again.
Chapter 3
Jasmine woke up in the middle of the night to a loud siren blaring. Luckily she slept in sweatpants and a loose shirt. She got out of bed, feeling anxious in the dark unfamiliar bedroom. The rain and thunder had stopped and it was quiet except for the loud sirens. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest. She opened the guest bedroom door and saw her aunt right away. She was wrapped in a pink robe. She looked frightened too. Her short black hair was pulled back with a barrette.
“The sirens means a funnel was sighted,” Kate informed Jasmine, taking her arm. “We don’t get many tornadoes but just the possibility terrifies me.”
“Is there a cellar?” Jasmine asked, going down the stairs quickly. After a quick dinner she had gone straight to the guest room. She had been so exhausted and had fallen asleep to the sound of the rain hitting the windows.
Kate nodded and stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a small black radio sitting on the counter.
“Dale insisted we built one.” Kate pointed to a door on the floor. “It’s small but safe.”
Jasmine opened it. It was dark but she could see the steps going down. She went down first so she could make sure her aunt didn’t trip on the steep stairs.
As soon as they reached the bottom and closed the door, Kate turned on a flashlight and sat on a wooden bench. She tuned the radio to the weather station. A funnel had been spotted headed toward Red Hook. Everyone was asked to take immediate cover. The words brought a tension to the small room.
Jasmine sat next to her and held her aunt’s hand. “We’re safe, Aunt Kate, thanks to Uncle Dale.”
Kate made a small sobbing sound but stifled it with her hand. “I miss him so much, Jazz.”
Kate had the same blue eyes as Jasmine and Jasmine’s mother Hilary. Hilary had lost her battle with cancer years ago and Kate was Jasmine’s last living relative. “He was raised in Nebraska and they had plenty of tornadoes. He always knew what to do. I leaned on him to take care of me and now I feel so lost without him.”
“I know they say time heals all wounds. We have to believe the pain will dull somewhat, Aunt Kate.” Jasmine wasn’t sure what else to say but she was glad she had arrived early. She’d hate to think of her aunt going through this moment all alone and frightened.
Kate and Dale had a strong love between them. It had been the only relationship Jasmine had ever seen succeed and be happy. It gave her hope. Her own mother had been single, never marrying the man who fathered Jasmine. She had men drift in and out of her life until she got sick. Jasmine’s biggest fear was that she would end up like her mother and never find anyone who could love her and be faithful. Grant’s unfaithfulness only confirmed her fears. She tried not to think of that right now. She put Grant and her sadness out of her mind.
“You’re not alone anymore. I’m here now, Aunt Kate,” Jasmine said firmly. “We need to keep busy and active. I have so many exciting ideas. It’s all I have thought about since I knew I was moving here.”
Jasmine looked around the dim room. There was a shelf filled with water and crackers. A few flashlights, batteries, and blankets sat on the second shelf. Jasmine grabbed one and put it around her aunt’s shoulders.
The wind howled loudly and it was scary but Jasmine tried to be strong for her aunt’s sake. They sat close together and waited, listening to the broadcast coming from the small battery-operated radio. It helped drown out the sounds of the storm outside their walls.
Jasmine put her arm around her aunt’s shoulder. Her stomach was tight with tension. Thank God she had arrived here ahead of the storm. What if she had still been on the road? Her poor car was
still out there. She loved her small red car. It was temperamental and old, but she’d had it for a long time. She had two suitcases filled with clothes. Would she lose those too? Luckily she had mailed a few things ahead of time.
* * * *
Drake and Noah hunkered down at the sheriff station. According to the Weather Channel, a funnel had been spotted at the edge of town. Drake was worried about Jasmine and Kate. They had some pretty strong winds outside. Hail was falling and hitting the windows and roof. It echoed in the quietness of the room. The wind howled angrily outside and they could hear loud noises outside. Drake prayed people were smart and ran for cover. The phone lines were down and Drake could see Noah was worried but trying his best to hide it. If Noah had a choice he would want to be with his family. Drake had checked on his parents, who were taking shelter with Eva and Dylan. Eva’s and Dylan’s house was larger and sturdier than his parents’ small cottage-style house. The kids would help distract them.
“Ray is at the house with Alana, too. You know he will take care of them,” he assured Noah. Ray was Alana’s older brother. Noah and Drake were sitting in Noah’s office since it was the middle room of the sheriff’s station. Drake thought the building was sturdy since it had been around for a long time.
They were the only two on duty. Noah had sent Helen and the rest of the deputies home to be with their families. There was nothing they could do until the danger was over. Then it would be a busy night and morning, calculating the damage the storm caused. Drake’s only hope was for no deaths or serious injuries.
“I know Ray will be level headed and keep them safe. They were prepared. I just don’t want her to be scared. You know Alana. She will be sitting there worried about me. She knows Adam and Liam are with Faith and the baby,” Noah answered. He glanced at a picture on his desk of his dark-haired wife. Her dark hair was loose and her brown eyes were filled with happiness. Drake had grown up with Ray Garcia and his two sisters, Alana and Alicia. He thought of them as family. Alana and Noah had a rough road to happiness, but now they had been married for more than two years and expecting their first baby. Drake was happy for them and wondered if maybe he was being stubborn in not wanting to settle down. It was lonely but he filled the hours with his job. He liked his job but maybe it would be nice to have someone waiting at home for him instead of going to an empty house. An image of Jasmine popped into his head. He dated occasionally, but never with any serious intention. He thought of Jasmine and said a silent prayer for her safety along with Kate. Maybe he should get to know her. It could be that their personalities would not fit at all.
“Kate lives on the edge of town. Her niece Jasmine arrived in town a few hours ago,” Drake told Noah. He opened the box of sweets Faith had given him. He picked out a raspberry tart and handed the box to Noah. Drake bit into the soft bread and munched the sweet treat.
“Well, at least Kate is not alone. She has been so lost without her husband.” Noah looked at all the choices and finally settled on a banana muffin. He took a bite. “Faith sure can bake.”
Drake laughed. “Good thing. Adam couldn’t bake or cook to save his life.”
Noah agreed with a laugh. “It’s good to see him finally happy. After he lost Josie in that car accident with our parents I worried about him. Now I only have to worry about Liam. He takes nothing seriously.”
“Give him time. He is young still.” Drake sighed, realizing he was thirty-three years old and had never taken any relationship seriously either. He didn’t even have Liam’s excuse of youth. Liam was still in his mid-twenties and had no interest in family life or marriage.
“I suppose,” Noah agreed, finishing his muffin and ignoring the sounds of the storm. It sounded loud and scary. There was no way they could go out there until it was over.
“So what is this Jasmine like? I have heard Kate mention her but I’m not sure I remember her. She was at the funeral but I missed meeting her,” Noah said. He winced when they heard a window break in the other room.
Drake shrugged, trying to sound casual. He pictured Jasmine’s pretty bright eyes and sweet smile. She was tall and slim but still had womanly curves. He was not going to tell Noah all of that, of course. “Not what I expected. Kate said she was highest in her class in high school and college and loves to study. I expected someone studious with thick glasses and dark suits.”
“I take it that is the wrong image.” Noah ignored the rattling of the windows outside the room. They had closed the office door and placed the heavy wooden desk against it. They had placed their chairs in the middle of the room.
“She is in her twenties with long black hair. She has this piercing over her eyebrow and a huge-ass tattoo down her arm. At first I thought she was a teen just hanging out in the street until she got closer. She seems really nice, though. Adam and Faith met her.” He explained how he had given her a ride to Faith’s place to make a call to her aunt. Her car had broken down a mile out of town.
“Kate needs the company. Dale has been gone a year and she is very lonely,” Noah remarked. The lights went out and it took a few minutes for the generator to kick in. It left the room in a dim glow. They sat still, listening for clues as to what was happening out there. It sounded quiet but they both stayed put, waiting for the all clear.
“Thank God I talked Carlos into buying that generator last summer. I feel better knowing they aren’t sitting in the dark,” Noah muttered. Drake knew Noah was wishing he was there. Carlos was his father-in-law. Noah’s parents had died years ago along with Adam’s high school sweetheart in a car accident. Noah was very close with Alana’s family.
They sat silently for another ten minutes and the radio declared the storm had passed them and moved north.
“I’m nervous about seeing all the damage.” Noah sighed, standing up and trying the phone. He shook his head and put it back down. “It’s going to be a long-ass night. We need caffeine, lots of caffeine.”
Drake nodded. “I’ll use my cell and call the Smith boys in first. Then Greg and Sam.”
“I’ll check in with Alana and Adam,” Noah said, getting right to business. “We might need Hugh Wilson and Kyle Sands to help out.”
Hugh and Kyle worked parttime for Noah. Crime was pretty low-key in Red Hook, but Noah liked having them on the payroll for times like this.
Drake wanted to call Kate’s house and make sure they were okay, but he knew business came first. First chance he got, he was going to check on them. Hopefully he would find them safe and sound.
Chapter 4
Jasmine and her aunt held hands as the house shook and rattled. They heard glass break and loud sounds. Hail fell loudly on the roof and the sides of the house. It was a scary moment. Kate looked pale and had tears running down her cheek. Jasmine jumped in fright a few times herself. She had never been in a tornado before and she hoped this was her last one.
“I wish Dale was here. He was only fifty-seven. He should have had many years left,” Kate cried, leaning her head on Jasmine shoulders. “We were supposed to grow old together.”
“I know, Aunt Kate. Life is so unfair.” Jasmine sighed. Dale had been driving home from taking a friend to a neighboring town when a drunk driver ran him off the road. His injuries had been serious and he passed away the same night. Jasmine had come for the funeral but had rushed back to Fort Worth. She had been so much under Grant’s thumb and hadn’t even realized it. Now she was ashamed she had let herself be taken over so much by Grant’s wishes. Kate and Dale had been so kind to her after her mother passed away from cancer four years ago. She should have stuck around and helped Kate more. She was determined to make up for it now, though.
“I should have stuck around longer, Aunt Kate. I let Grant boss me around and I couldn’t even see it,” she said bitterly. “I wasted three years of my life with him and it was all for nothing. He could throw it all down the drain, chasing women behind my back. Boy, was I dumb.”
Kate patted her hand. “Oh darling, the main thing is your eyes are ope
n now. I am so proud of you for making a clean break away from that jerk. I never liked him and neither did Dale, but you are an adult and we hesitated to interfere. Maybe we should have.”
Jasmine smiled at her aunt. Her aunt and uncle had not been impressed with him the few times they met. They did their best to be supportive despite their reservations. Grant had taken over her whole life. She worked but if she worked late, he questioned her and checked her cell phone messages. Yet if she questioned him he would get mad and storm out of their apartment. He picked out her friends and she thought it was because he cared about her so much. She had ignored that small voice that told her it wasn’t right or healthy to live that way. Three months ago she had found out he had been cheating on her. The woman showed up at her work and told Jasmine she was tired of being the “other” woman. She claimed Grant loved her and was embarrassed by Jasmine’s grubby appearance. She said she worked with Grant and had been sleeping with him for months now.
Jasmine had been devastated and went right to Grant, hoping he would tell her it was a lie.
He told her it was true but it was just a casual fling that meant nothing to him, just a bit of excitement. He claimed the woman was lying about it going on for months. He promised to end it, but Jasmine had been heartbroken and moved out. A friend from work let her stay on her couch. Being away from him had allowed her to realize she had been the only one to compromise. She changed for him and he did whatever he wanted. He harassed her constantly, blowing up her cell phone with texts and calls, demanding she come home. He showed up at her work until she got fired. He found out where she was staying and showed up there too, demanding she quit throwing a fit since his affair was over. Finally she took her aunt up on her offer and headed for Red Hook.
“I probably wouldn’t have listened.” Jasmine sighed. “From now on I am concentrating on my career. Maybe I will be successful and rich and just forget about men.”
