Summer In Stanton (Stanton Falls #3) by Kaci Hart Page B

town, he’d
have lost this place back then.”

 
    “I never would have
guessed.”

 
    “Yeah.  It’s not as
bad as it was then but that’s not really saying much.”

 
    “Good point.  So do
you think he will really sell?”

 
    “Connor?  No.
 As easy as it might be to do so, he’s never been the one to take the easy
route.  He’ll stick it out but--”

 
    Tessa wasn’t sure what
scared her more, the way that Libby stopped and her eyes shot open in concern
or the loud alarm that she heard coming from outside.  She saw Connor run
from the back and she only heard one word that he was shouting.

 
    “Tornado!”

 
    Then the lights went
out.

 
    ***

 
    It seemed like forever
before the sirens stopped, and Tessa was scared beyond measure.  She’d
never been through something like that before.  In New York City,
tornadoes were extremely rare.  Tessa was no fool though.  She had
seen enough of the before and after shots on the television news to know
that she’d be better off listening to everything Connor told her to do, so she
did.  Actually she huddled as closely to him as possible.

 
    That didn’t make it one
bit less scary.  It was just like what she’d heard.  The loud winds,
the hail hitting the roof, and all the rest.   When it was over, she
was so glad that it was done.  It was the longest minute or so of her
life.  She heard Connor’s soft whisper to her.

 
    “You ok?”

 
    “F-fine, if you don’t
count the fact that I’m scared out of my mind.”

 
    “I understand.  I promise
to get back to you but I need to make sure everyone else is okay.  Can I
leave you here for a second?”

 
    She wanted to say no and
ask him to stay but there were people that could be hurt.  

 
    “Go.”

 
    Seconds later she felt
him pull away from her before she heard his concerned voice call out in the
darkness.

 
    “Is everybody okay?
 Anybody hurt?”

 
    There were only a few
guests in the hotel and it was a relief when everyone responded.  She
heard shuffling in the dark and then the door opened.  She saw Connor’s
silhouette in the door.

 
    “Everybody come this
way.”

 
    When she got outside,
she was shocked.  Tessa brushed dirt off of the steps and sat on them,
looking around in disbelief at how quickly nature could revolt.  She
smiled when Libby walked over and sat beside her, and put her arm around
her shoulder.

 
    “I know you’re shaken
up.  They don’t ever get any less terrifying.  Thank God it was a
small one.”

 
    Tessa was amazed at the
statement.

 
    “ That was a small
one?”

 
    “Yeah.  You gauge
‘em in part by how much damage was done.  Sure, we lost power but that was
the worst of it.  Just a little paneling torn off and some shrubbery
uprooted.”   

 
    Tessa saw what the other
woman meant.  She didn’t see the same level of devastation that she expected
but then again, she was expecting pure catastrophe.  

 
    “I see.  It was
just the way you said it.”

 
    “Well it’s true.
 Trust me that everyone is relieved.  A bigger one could tear this
place up.  You’re happy when everyone lives and you are grateful when your
property gets spared as well.  The bigger problem here might be him.”

 
    Libby was pointing to
Connor.  He had his hands on his waist and was looking around.  There
was something about the look in his eyes that said it was too much.  He
already had trials. Now this might just be the straw that broke the
camel’s back.   

 
    Tessa didn’t know what
to do.  It wasn’t like it was her responsibility but she just couldn’t let
it end like that.  Sure, she had no real stake in how things turned out
with Connor and the bed and breakfast, but she was starting to care about him.
 There had to be something she could do to help him save the place.
 She just had to figure out how.  

 

Chapter Eight

 
 
    Connor was startled from
his sleep