“Probably just the wind in the trees or it’s making the wires sing a bit.”
“No… that’s not it.” She walked out on the back steps and climbed down the stairs.
He followed her out, still not hearing anything.
She stood outside, then suddenly, bending down low, she peeked under the steps. “Ah, ha!” She reached under and came out with a tiny kitten in her hands. “Hello little guy. What are you doing out all alone? Don’t you know a storm is coming?” She petted the frightened kitten and talked soothingly to it until it started to purr.
Jay climbed down the stairs and stood beside her. “Kitten, this is your lucky day. You don’t want to be out here right now.”
“Doesn’t look to be more than six or eight weeks old, does it?” She glanced up at him.
He shrugged. “I’m not the expert on kittens. I just got my first dog, remember?”
“I’m taking him home with us. He can’t stay out here.”
“Not sure how that will go over with Barney…” Jay shook his head, not that he’d ever refuse Robin anything. “But you’re right, we can’t just leave the little guy out in the storm to fend for himself.”
Jay closed the door, pulled the hurricane protection across it, and they headed back to his house. They passed by the inn and Jay frowned. “Is that Dana? What’s she doing here?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll go check.” He jogged toward the side of the inn. “Dana,” he called out as he got close.
She whirled around to face him. A look of what he could only describe as panic or fear crossed her face.
“You okay?”
“Uh… Yes.”
She didn’t look okay.
“I thought you left and went home.”
“I did… I just… forgot something. I’m, um, leaving now.” Dana looked back at the door to the kitchen.
“You sure you’re okay?”
Dana looked right at him. “It’s just— I—” She stopped abruptly and shrugged. “Storm just has me jumpy, I guess.”
“I’ll lock up again.” He nodded to her. “You go home. Wind is picking up.”
Dana nodded slowly, then turned and walked away. He didn’t see her carrying anything. Wonder what she forgot? He shook his head and locked the door—one of the few hurricane doors on the inn so it needed no extra protection—and trotted back to where Robin and the kitten waited for him.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, she just forgot something. All locked up again.”
They hurried along the streets and ran into Mrs. Peabody closing the pet shop. “Hey, Mrs. Peabody. Could we grab a bag of kitten food?” Jay asked. “Robin found this little guy hiding under the stairs.”
Mrs. Peabody reached out and petted the kitten. “Glad you found her before the storm. I’ve got the register all shut down, but I’ll grab you a bag.”
“It’s a her?” Robin asked.
“Let me look.” Mrs. Peabody gently picked up the kitten and looked at it. “Yes, you have a female.”
“Thank you, so much.” Robin took the kitten back. “Now I can name her properly.
Jay eyed her. So, it was looking like the kitten was getting to be more a permanent resident with Robin. He wasn’t surprised. She had the kindest heart of anyone he knew. Wonder how Barney was going to handle this new addition?
Mrs. Peabody returned with a small bag of kitten food. “Here, you’ll want to moisten it.”
“Thanks, appreciate this.” Jay took the bag as Mrs. Peabody locked up the door again.
“Stay safe,” Mrs. Peabody said.
“You, too.” Robin said as they turned away and headed down the sidewalk.
Jay wrapped his arm protectively around Robin while she cradled the kitten snuggled up against her.
This? Just this walking down the sidewalk with Robin next to him? It felt… well, it just felt right.
Chapter 8
Zoe had to admit every muscle in her body ached from the work they’d done the last few days at the community center. Lugging things around. Putting up the hurricane protection. On her feet almost all day long. She was a regular at her gym back home, but this work had exhausted her. Maybe it was the work plus stress of worrying about the approaching storm. She’d never quite gotten used to the stress of the waiting.
She knew Noah was torn between glad she was here and wishing she’d headed back inland. And he hadn’t been pleased to hear she was staying at the inn instead of coming to stay at his house with him and Sara. But she was glad she’d convinced him that Lillian might need her help.
She sat on the edge of her bed at the inn, trying to get up the energy to get dressed after her shower. The shower she’d hoped would not only wash off the grime of the day but revitalize her.
So far, no dice.
She and Mason had been invited for a light dinner at The Nest with Lillian and Gary. She really needed to get dressed. Like right now. Mason would be here in minutes. She pushed off the bed and shrugged on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops. Good enough.
She answered the door at the first knock. Mason stood there looking refreshed, snappily dressed in khaki shorts and a knitted collared shirt, and not a bit tired.
“You ready?” Mason stepped inside her room.
She looked down at her old shorts and faded Lighthouse Point t-shirt. Then she glanced around, wishing she’d picked things up. The clothes she’d been wearing earlier today were in a pile near the bathroom. Clothes spilled out of her suitcase. Three pairs of shoes created a line from the suitcase to the closet. The closet where she’d only hung up a few things and the closet door stood wide open.
“Uh, yes, let’s go.” They should leave and close the door on this mess. She’d clean it all up when she got back to the room tonight. Maybe he hadn’t really noticed, but she doubted that. Mason was… neat. And dressed much nicer than she was. Well, nothing she could do about that now. She couldn’t
