I retrieve my phone from the kitchen counter and swear some more when I notice my phone’s battery is at twenty percent. I should’ve charged it earlier. I need to conserve what I have left. Not that I can call anyone.
The splashing flow of the kitchen faucet competes with thedrumbeat of the rain outside as I light two candles and place them on the table. The flickering low light cast shadows around the room as I plop onto one of the chairs and exhale a giant sigh. I officially give up. There’s nothing to do but wait. Anxiety builds with each passing second as I anticipate Jackson’s reaction. Will he be angry? Annoyed? How could he not be? There’s no power and I’ve broken his kitchen, all while simultaneously running up his water bill.
I jump as the front door swings open with a bang.Shit. Did I forget to lock it? My gaze darts in that direction but Jackson Wilder stands in the doorway, a dripping wet shadow against the storm outside.
“Rosalie?” His voice almost sounds worried.
My stomach twists at his concern.
“In here.” I push to my feet, the groan of the chair legs against the floorboards almost inaudible over the storm.
“I came as soon as I could.” Jackson ditches his boots and rushes into the kitchen, his gaze looking me over with more concern. “I would’ve called but I didn’t have your number.”
“Same.” I sigh. “Power went out.”
His lips tip up with the hint of a grin. “I figured as much.”
“What gave it away? The candles?”
He shrugs. “That and the microburst that almost scattered our herd.”
“Are the cattle okay?” I can’t imagine riding around out in this weather. “Are you okay?”
“Right as rain.” He frowns, glancing over to the sink. “What happened here?”
“I broke your faucet.”
He’s already walking toward it. “The handle pop off again?” he asks, not a hint of irritation in his tone. Wait. Did he sayagain?
“It’s done this before?”
“Yeah.” He opens the cabinets beneath the sink and moves some items around. “I need to replace it.” He sits on the floor and retrieves his phone, using it as a flashlight as he lies back into the cabinet.A few seconds later, the faucet shuts off. “Sorry, I should have warned you it’s a fickle little bitch.” He reappears with a grin.
How is he apologizing to me? This is not remotely near the reaction I anticipated. I think back to every man I’ve ever lived with. All of them would have erupted in anger or annoyance, or talked down to someone for doing something similar.
“Let me grab my tools.”
I follow him back to the front door. I didn’t realize there was a shutoff under the sink. I feel even worse for letting the water run as long as I did. “I tried to find the water main, but there was a lock.”
He opens a closet and retrieves a bag. He turns to me, then pushes aside the jackets hanging in the closet to expose a wooden organizer. He taps one of the hanging keychains. “I should’ve shown you. This is to under the cabin. And this”—he taps another keychain—“Is to the front door. I didn’t think about you needing them, what with you not leaving the property. That’s my fault.”
“I don’t think either of us could’ve predicted this.”
He hauls his tool kit over to the kitchen counter. “You mind opening the windows? The ones covered by the front and back porches. It’ll let in a cross breeze. If we’re out of power much longer, it’s about to get uncomfortably warm inside.”
“Of course.” I set about that task as Jackson works on repairing the faucet. I should be drenched in relief, but my mind is still reeling by his reaction. Jackson is simply unfazed and I don’t know what to do with that information. Hell, if this happened in my own home, I wouldn’t react this calmly.
“Smells good in here,” Jackson states as he works.
“Yeah, don’t get too excited about that.” I exhale a long sigh. “It’s a half-baked chicken casserole.”
He chuckles. “That’s unfortunate.”
“Yeah.” I rub my hands along my bare arms as the cool breeze from the windows scatters goose bumps along my skin. “But maybe the power outage saved you from trying my cooking.”
“Come on, I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“Oh, it is.” I shake my head. “There’s a reason I order the sandwich combo at the diner every day. I’m not much of a cook.”
