CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Ben
I kicked a log over with my foot as the flames rushed toward the stars. The work at the store was easy, but at the end of the day, all I wanted to do was sit outside with a cold beer, listen to my favorite music, and see how big a fire I could build. Somewhere on that list, I wanted to add spending time with the girl who had pretty blue eyes, but it seemed best to keep things light with Chelsea. I wasn’t here for all the strings that came with getting attached to a girl like her.
I couldn’t do that to her. She didn’t deserve to get wrapped up in the baggage that came along with the Ben Baldwin package.
I tipped my bottle back. I knew she was waiting for me to ask her out. The hints were there. I also knew spending time with her could only lead to one thing, and if we both were willing… I shook my head, imagining a night alone with her. It would complicate things. Light was best. No drama.
I smiled thinking about how her nose crinkled when I threw out suggestions for her songs. She was damn cute. Every time I saw he spitfire side, I had to fight the urge to pull her close and kiss her. That wasn’t good.
Today was her day off from the store. It didn’t feel the same when she wasn’t there. Whenever I had a break, I found himself wandering to the register to see what words had popped in her head. Instead I’d find Bertie waiting with a to-do list.
I imagined Chelsea spending the entire day cocooned in her hammock, hatching song ideas. There was no doubt she was talented. I couldn’t write a greeting card, much less a song. But I knew she had that special something. When she sang her words, it was like witnessing someone who had figured out how to trap lightning shards in a bottle. The words never left me—they stuck in my head. I was afraid they weren’t going anywhere.
I tossed another piece of driftwood on the flames. If I helped her, it would mean calling in a few favors. They would be small favors, but it involved reaching into the pit. Why did she have to have dreams that took her in that world?
The bottle was empty. I walked into the Sand Dollar to grab another. I had the next two days off in a row, and I planned to finish the case I brought home with me. I wished it didn’t bother me so much that I was going to go three days without seeing her. Three days was way too long. I considered stopping by the store tomorrow to say hey. I could pick up some more beer and steal a smile.
The wind had picked up and every once in a while, instead of reaching high, the flames from the fire whipped sideways. One of the customers at the store had mentioned a storm was off the coast, but everyone had their fingers crossed it would blow on by and miss the island.
I made a mental note to check the radar in the morning. Maybe it meant bigger waves. I might be hitting the surf again tomorrow.
***
I woke up to Silver Sand Dollar rocking every few minutes from a big gust of wind. It howled at the corners. I rubbed my eyes and strolled to the bay window.
I had never seen anything like it. The white caps were wide and high. I wasn’t the only one who had thought about surfing. The ocean was dotted with daredevils.
I scratched my head, considering plans for the day.
The camper door sounded with heavy pounding. “Jake! You in there?”
I pulled on the lever. “Good morning, Carl. How are you?”
The old man steadied himself on the door and climbed up the stairs. “Not too good. Look’s like we’re going to have to evacuate the campground.” His pale eyes filled with concern.
“What?” The skies were gray, but it didn’t look that bad.
“Yep, weatherman’s calling for her to hit tomorrow night. I can’t take a chance with people getting blown away out here. You’ll have to leave the island and come back when she’s all gone.” He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his front pocket and offered me one.
“No, no thanks. I don’t smoke.” I hoped to God he didn’t light up inside the camper. “Does that mean everyone on the island is leaving? How did it get so bad so fast?” I had overheard one of the clerks at the store yesterday making jokes about the bread and milk rations, but I didn’t think much of it until now.
“She must have hit some warm water. Changed over from a tropical storm to a hurricane overnight. Now she’s coming straight for us so it’s best if you pack up and head inland. As long as the bridge doesn’t get wiped out on the other side, you can come back over when the ferry service is up and running again.” He patted me on the back.
I tried to think through my options. I didn’t want to leave Brees Island, but I had never been in a hurricane. I still knew enough to understand that the Sand Dollar wouldn’t be a safe place to stay.
“When do I have to leave?” I had no interest in packing my things in the duffle bag and driving west.
“Mandatory evacuation for nonresidents through tomorrow morning. My guess is they’ll run the ferry all night to get people off the island.” Carl had a hand on the door. “I’ve got to get the word out to everyone else, and then start securing the place.”
“Do you need some help?” I offered.
“I don’t want to keep you. You need to get moving.” He wasn’t convincing.
“I can leave later. Let me help you, please.” I didn’t know what storm prep entailed, but I figured Carl and Flora couldn’t do everything alone.
He paused in the doorway for a minute. “All right, but I want you to make the ferry tonight.”
“No problem. I can do that.” I hoped that sometime in the next twelve hours the storm would change course and I could stay. I would help as long as I could, and buy some time in the process.
Carl smiled. “Get some clothes on and meet me at the office. Flora will have plenty for you to do.” He turned. “Thank you.”
I looked down and realized I had opened the door half-dressed. I laughed. “Will do. Tell Flora I’ll be down soon.”
He hobbled out of Silver Sand Dollar.
I turned on the television overhead, and my eyes widened as I saw the circular shape of the storm hovering in the Atlantic Ocean. What in the hell? Across the screen in big letters was the name of the storm: Hurricane Campbell. I shook my head and turned for the shower.
***
Flo had given me specific instructions for tying the campers down. It was a useless effort if the winds were going to be as strong as predicted. But Carl wasn’t going down without a fight. There were a few scrubby oaks along the backside of the campers, and I looped the heavy rope through the branches before hooking it to each carriage. I had a feeling a wind that strong would rip these poor trees right out of the sand, but there weren’t a lot of options out on the beach like this.
I looked down the shore and watched the surfers congregate. This was paradise to them. The highest waves of the year. They could ride for what seemed like miles.
“Baby, you’re not staying are you?” Alice had a suitcase in her hand.
“No, I’m helping Carl and Flo out before I hit the road.” I walked over and reached for her suitcase. “Let me get that for you.” She looked panic-stricken.
“Oh, thank you. I’m a bundle of nerves with the storm on the way. I hate to leave Pirate’s Booty like this.” She fiddled with her keys until she finally popped the trunk for me.
“I think you’ll be ok, Alice. You’ll make the ferry and you’ll be on your way to clear skies.” I smiled at her and shoved the bag into the car.
“These storms make me so nervous. What if Pirate’s Booty doesn’t make it? This entire beach could be wiped out.” A gust of wind blew her bleach blond hair across her face. “It’s time for me to go.” She threw her arms around my neck. “Don’t stay too much longer. Get on the ferry before tomorrow, ok?” She slid into the driver’s side and rolled down the window.
I didn’t want to give her false hope. There was no way to predict Campbell’s severity. This could be a devastating storm for such a small piece of land.
“I’ll be fine. You be safe.”
“If I don’t see you again, it was nice having you as a neighbor, Jake.”
I smiled. I had waited all summer for Alice to move on, but I had to admit I felt bad parting like this. She was clearly a nervous wreck. I tapped the top of her car and watched as my wacky summer neighbor rolled along the campground drive.
I had one last camper to secure, and then I would shower before packing my bag. The sky was dark but the rain held off. I still hoped that the storm would turn.
I grabbed the rope and attacked another tree.
***
My shoulders ached and my neck throbbed. I had pulled something. The football injuries had a way of resurfacing when my body wanted me to slow down. No time for that. Carl needed help getting the plywood on the office windows. It wasn’t something Flora could handle. I wondered if I would be pushing my luck by spending another night in the Sand Dollar. According to the latest projections, there was still another twenty-four hours before Hurricane Campbell was supposed to make landfall.
The campground was empty. Every one of my neighbors had made it onto one of the ferries. The vessels were all running in one direction, trying to deliver tourists to safer territory as quickly as possible.
I wondered if there was mass chaos at the store. Would Chelsea be there all night selling bottled water and batteries to the locals who stayed behind to face the storm? She was still stuck in my head, and I knew that part of my reluctance to leave the island was tied to her. But she had her parents, her family—she would be fine.
However, technically I was supposed to be at work on Sunday. I hadn’t called the store yet to tell her I was being evacuated. I owed her a phone call before I left.
I pulled up the number to the store and hit send.
“Davis,” Bertie answered on the other end.
“Hey, Bertie, it’s, uh, it’s Jake. Is Chelsea around?” I kicked himself for forgetting who I was supposed to be.
“Jake! We have been worried about you, honey. No one has your number—” She was cut off.
“Jake?” Chelsea must have grabbed the phone from the nosey clerk.
“Yeah. Thought I would check in. How are things going down there?” I leaned against the counter.
“We’re getting ready to close. What about you? I don’t have your number and I feel like an idiot for not having you fill out any paperwork.”
“Close?” I figured they would stay open until the power went out.
“Yeah, we’re cleaned out. The shelves are empty except for some gum and a few rafts.”
“Wow. I guess people take these storms seriously.” I tried to get a visual on an empty store.
“Yeah, it’s crazy. Now we just have to sit and wait for her to hit.” She lowered her voice. “Do you have somewhere to go?”
The question hit me in the center of my chest. It was the tone in her voice. “Uh, no, not really. I packed my bag. I was going to hop the next ferry, but—”
“No, don’t!” She paused. “I meant, don’t leave if you want to stay and feel like trying a hurricane.” She exhaled and her voice was even softer. I knew there had to be a ton of people near the register. It sounded noisy. “You can stay with me. I have room.”
I looked at the bag sitting on the checkered quilt, and then out to the sea that had turned a dark, murky shade.
She sounded remorseful. “Sorry, I thought you might want to stay. Just forget it. Be careful, and will you call when you get back?” She backtracked quickly, and I couldn’t handle disappointing her or the pang her words shot through my chest.
“I’ll meet you at your place.” I closed my eyes, knowing I had just lost it. But I couldn’t stand making a pretty girl sad, not this one.
I grabbed my bag, closed the door, and threw my belongings in the back of the Jeep. I jammed it in reverse before heading straight to Chelsea—before I had a chance to talk myself out of running toward a storm.