Ainsley tears ass across the floor, pumping her arms and legs like it’s a race and she has to finish first. Too funny.
I hear a loud crack outside and rush to the window. A branch, heavy from the icy buildup, snapped and fell in Amy’s yard. More branches looked ripe for a similar fate, and two of them dangled over my truck. Shit.
“Hey, darlin’. We’ve got to go. Now!”
Chapter 9 Torque
Noelle must hear the urgency in my voice because she runs into the living room, holding a suitcase, while Amy follows, pulling two more.
Another loud crack rips through the air, and I grab a thick blanket, wrap it around Ainsley, and scoop her up. “The ice is too heavy. It’s snapping branches all over out there.”
“Oh, no,” Amy blurts. “Can we still leave?”
“That’s the plan. I’m going to get the little one to the truck. You two follow. Be careful.”
“We will,” Noelle promises.
I manage to make it to the truck without falling and place Ainsley inside. She watches as I shut the door in case of falling ice, then go to help her mom and aunt. The two women are sliding around as they try to pull the luggage, only succeeding in bumping into one another.
I reach Noelle and pick her up. “Stay put. I’ll come back for you,” I promise Amy.
She nods.
“We need the luggage!” Noelle shouts.
“I know, baby. Let me get the two of you safely inside first.”
Once I secure the women, I go back for the luggage. It takes a lot longer than I anticipate to get everything loaded, and I’m almost winded as I slip behind the wheel. I hear a third crack and back down the driveway, not risking the chance that the truck could be damaged.
As I’m backing up, I see an enormous tree limb crash to the ground. If we stayed in that house any longer, we would have been stuck. My truck might have been totaled.
I blow out a breath and turn to Noelle as we creep along the slick roads. “You all okay? Warm enough?”
“Yes, thanks.”
Noelle pours hot cocoa from a thermos and hands a small cup to Ainsley and another to her sister. They drink in silence, but I can tell by their expressions that it’s helping warm them up. The house had been cold, and I wasn’t sure how long they had gone without power.
“It’s crazy how fast the heat seemed to disappear. It’s only been a few hours since the power went out.”
“Do you catch which neighborhoods are affected?” Noelle asks.
“More than half the city. Your neighborhood, too.”
Mr. Warner. His name pops into my head. The grumpy old fucker is probably warmed by his pleasant personality. Still, I feel the urge to check in on him.
“We’re going to take a detour,” I announce.
It takes another half hour to reach Noelle’s street. There’s a telephone pole down and more fallen branches. The ice is thick. Travel is hazardous, and I know I need to get the women to the clubhouse soon.
When I park in Mr. Warner’s driveway, Noelle smiles.
“It’s thoughtful, Torque.”
“Probably more than he deserves, but I can’t shake the thought he’s too old and unequipped for this storm.”
There aren’t any trees near the driveway on his property, so I don’t worry about leaving the truck. It’s safe. I close the door as I hop out and slowly walk to his front door. When I lift my hand to knock, I notice the front door isn’t pulled shut. I gently push on it and find Mr. Warner on the floor.
“Shit!” I rush to his side, checking him over for injuries. “Mr. Warner?”
