It was just rain. They’d had floods in the area before.
Lucy perked up. “Ooh! Can I see Winston?” She crawled down from the stool and started for the stairway.
“Of course. He’s probably napping on his bed, dreaming about you.” Daphne swooped the tray of tarts and fruit into her arms. “And maybe we can put on a movie while we wait for your dad to get back from the manor, but I’m going to grab a few things from the shop first.”
Lucy nodded and followed Daphne into the shop where Daphne took her two favorite teapots from the special shelf and set them on the tray... just in case. “All right, Lucy, let’s get upstairs and text your dad.”
They’d just turned toward the stairs when the front door burst open, jangling the welcome bell. Wind swept in—and so did Finn, soaked and hauling five sandbags.
He met Daphne’s gaze. His was grim.
“You heard?”
She nodded.
He dropped the bags by the door with a heavythumpand shook back his hood. “I’m stacking these around your door. There’s at least four inches of water rushing down Main Street, and the river’s made it to Joe’s filling station.”
She blinked. That was only five buildings away.
“I’m taking Lucy up to the apartment,” she said evenly, hoping calm counted for something. “Higher ground.”
“And we’re gonna watch a movie!” Lucy added cheerfully. “A princess one. You fink?”
Finn smiled, the edges of the worry on his face softening. He knelt and kissed her forehead. “Perfect.”
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
“We’ll make it a loud one,” Daphne added with a small grin. “With singing. The obnoxious kind.”
Finn didn’t respond to her humor but instead stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Jack just got back from the inn. Back bridge is out. And two of the main roads into town have partially collapsed.”
Daphne’s breath stalled. “Which means it’s probably not the best idea to try and leave?”
He held her gaze. “Probably not.”
Her phone buzzed at her hip. Granny D’s name flashed on the screen.
Daphne’s stomach dropped. “Granny D?” she answered on speaker. “Please tell me you’re not at home right now.”
“I’m here,” came the clipped reply. Tense. Unusual for her. “Car’s nearly been washed away. Chicken coop definitely has.”
Which meant the water was already way too close to the house.
And Granny D lived at the very edge of Gulf Hollow. Too close to any trajectory of water from the dam break.
Finn was already yanking up his hood. “I’m on my way, Granny D,” he said, searching Daphne’s face and backing toward the door he’d just entered. “Get Lucy upstairs. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She grabbed the truck keys from the counter and tossed them to him. “Take mine. It’s bigger.”
At least bigger than a Cabriolet.
Their eyes locked. His grin crooked—just for a second.
“Be careful,” she whispered, her arms tightening around the tray.
He held her gaze for a breath longer. Then with a glance at little Lucy, who had no idea what any of this meant, he turned and bolted into the storm.
Chapter 21
