“I’ve set something up for you in the back room behind a curtain.It’s not the executive suite at The Peninsula, but it will get the job done.”
“Peninsula of what?”
He smiles.“Ofwhere, which is London.The Peninsula is the five-star hotel I prefer whenever I stay in the city for business.I just got back from London this morning.”
“This morning?”I’m confused.Then shocked.“Wait.What time is it?”
“About eleven.”
He’s right.It was just this morning that he rescued me from the slick ice of Main Street.Not to be confused with the afternoon’s cracked ice in the middle of nowhere.
“So back to the good news,” he says.“Luckily, I packed more than I thought I’d need for a short trip.So combined with everything I’ve found around the property, I am happy to say that we’ve got a shotgun and shells, traps, a chainsaw, an axe, duct tape, one more plastic tarp, and plenty of nylon rope.”
I blink a few times, taking it all in.“So, you’re either a Navy SEAL or a serial killer.”
He stares at me for a second, his brow wrinkled.
I can’tbelieveI just said that.I need more sleep.My filter evaporates when I’m this tired, and I usually end up saying something that I’ll regret later.Or regret immediately.Like now.
But Evander tips his head back and laughs.“I’ll have to remember that one,” he says.“There’s some overlap between those two data points, not gonna lie.”
I pull the blankets tight around my head and shrink myself as small as possible.
“I found a snow rake, snow shovel, and a square-nosed shovel outside.Whoever was here last left a sizeable amount of kerosene oil in a cupboard.I brought a spare parka, snowshoes and ice cleats, extra batteries and two lanterns, a headlamp and a lighter, a very well-stocked first-aid kit, wet wipes and soap, and three remaining emergency heat packs.I’ve split all the wood I found—enough to last us a few more days at these temperatures.But it’s burning fast and hot.”
Fast and hot.
Stop it, Phoebe!
I’m about to tell him how great all this is, but apparently, Chatty Evander has even more he wants to share.I’m starting to think he’s actually pumpedabout facing a natural disaster.
This is definitely a SEAL thing.
“As far as food goes, we’ve got six protein bars, four ready-to-eat meals, two cans of green beans, and six cans of Beefaroni, most of which are only slightly expired.”
“What do you mean by ‘slightly’?”
“Within a year, give or take.”
“Which one is it?Giving or taking?”
“Giving.”
I sigh.
“The cans are intact, though, no dents or rust or swelling, so the contents haven’t been compromised from freezing and thawing.”
I try to look enthusiastic, though the thought of eating freeze-dried camping food or expired canned macaroni makes me even queasier.Not that I don’t appreciate everything Evander knows about pantry safety.I do.He seems to know a lot about a lot of different things.
I find that very sexy in a man.Especially a man who was already sexy before canned goods entered the chat.
Phoebe!
When Evander stands to put another log on the fire, I’m surprised to feel anger rising in my throat.I’m so pissed off that I feel like I’m on the verge of tears.Because inside my ATV trunk locker was enough food, clothes, and supplies to lastweeks!But now everything’s at the bottom of an icy pond.Or river or whatever it was.Useless.Ruined.Wasted.
Evander turns and looks down at me.
“What is it, Phoebe?”
