Snow Day: Heart of the Storm / Seeing Red / Land's End

“I don’t know.” Delaney gave her a comforting smile. “Did she say anything about running away? Was she unhappy at school?”

“Nope. But if she didn’t run away, did somebody take her?”

Delaney didn’t know what to say. There was no training for this during the town’s emergency response drills. “I don’t know what happened to April, Mariah. But we’re going to think positive thoughts and when the searchers find her, we’ll be able to ask her ourselves, okay?”

“Okay. Can me and my sister have some oyster crackers?”

That she could deal with. She reached into a big box the restaurant had donated and took out two packets of oyster crackers. They were good snacks for antsy young people. Tasty, crunchy and—most importantly—not loaded with sugar.

“Thanks, Miss Delaney!” Mariah skipped out, almost colliding with Brody.

“Whoa!” He did a side step to keep from tripping over the child, then smiled after her. “The world was a less complicated place when a package of oyster crackers made everything better.”

“I’d give anything to have half her energy right now.”

“I was hoping for some artificial, caffeine-fueled energy.”

“Then you’ve come to the right place.” The conversation was so...normal, Delaney could hardly believe she was having it with Brody. “The fresh stuff’s still brewing, but there’s some left in that pot that’s not too old.”

“It could be motor oil and, with a little cream and sugar, I’d drink it right now.”

“Bad out there?”

“Pretty bad. I think I’m going to be here awhile.”

Was that a warning? “Sandy will be happy to hear it. She’s missed you.”

“I can help with Noah, too.”

“And John and Camille must have been happy to see you.”

“I, uh...haven’t been to see them.” She gave him a look designed to make him feel like something scraped off the bottom of a shoe, but he only shrugged. “I was going to stop by on my way out of town tomorrow, but the power went out.”

“Sandy talked to them while you guys were out. Not for long because Noah woke up in a really bad mood, but she said they’re doing okay.”

“They’re hardy. And stubborn.” He took a sip of the coffee and, when he closed his eyes to savor it, she looked away. “I really am sorry about the way I left town, Delaney.”

She forced herself to shrug, as though it was all so far in the past it didn’t hurt a bit. “It’s been five years.”

“Which means you’re five years overdue for an apology. I should have called you after I left.”

“You know what would have been better? If you’d called before you left.”

His mouth twisted and she saw the guilt on his face. “I knew if I told you I was leaving, you’d be hurt and I’d see it on your face. I was afraid you’d cry and I wouldn’t be able to walk away from you.”

“Oh, clearly it’s all my fault, then. Shame on me for loving you, I guess.”

“I knew if I stayed, eventually I’d hate you.”

She blinked, feeling his words like a slap across the face.

Brody shoved his hands through his hair. “I hated fishing. I hated my parents for not wanting a better life. I hated this town. If I stayed for you, in time I would have hated you, too.”

“I thought we were happy and that it would be enough.”

“You were happy because, at the end of the day, you went home to your parents. No matter how much time we spent together, it wasn’t the same as being married and on our own. It wouldn’t have been a few years as my wife before you were exhausted from doing laundry that smelled like low tide no matter how many times you washed it and trying to pay bills and feed kids on short pay. And I would have been a bitter, chain-smoking drunk, just like my old man.”

If that was truly his vision of their future, it was no wonder he’d run. “The fact you couldn’t tell me that just proves it wasn’t meant to be. You saw me as a burden, not a partner.”

“Delaney, I—” He was interrupted by the angry shriek of a newborn echoing through the gym. “Damn. Mike’s exhausted. I’m going to go see if I can walk the baby and let him and Sandy get some rest.”

She nodded, simultaneously relieved this conversation could end and disappointed he was walking away from her. It was probably for the best. He couldn’t unbreak her heart and, even if he could, nothing had changed.

Tucker’s Point was her home and it was a place he didn’t even want to visit, never mind return to for good. They could be civil—maybe even friendly—but there was no point in looking into the past. Brody Rollins wasn’t part of her future.

* * *

THERE WAS NOTHING like trying to keep a fussy infant soothed and quiet in a gym full of people to kill a guy’s new and fragile urge to start a family.

His arms ached, he had a tweak in the small of his back, his shoulder felt damp and his feet hurt. And, when he’d managed to sneak a peek at his watch mid-jostle, it had only been a half hour.

Parenthood was not for sissies.

He had nobody to ask for help, either. Not long after Mike and Sandy lay down, he’d seen Delaney slip behind a screen to the cot she and another volunteer were taking turns using. With those three people all napping, Brody was essentially alone in a room full of people.

He’d walked away from this community and he knew, from the looks he’d been getting, they hadn’t forgotten he’d snuck out in the dark, leaving them, his family and Delaney behind.

“Why don’t you let me help you with him?”

A woman who looked vaguely familiar stood next to him. While it was a relief to know he wasn’t alone, after all, he wasn’t too sure about handing Sandy’s baby over to just anybody who asked.

“I’m Dani Harbour.” He must have looked blank, because she arched one eyebrow at him. “I was a year behind you in school.”

“Delaney’s friend.”

“Yeah, Delaney’s friend.” The you jerk was implied by her tone. “Let me walk Noah for a little bit. You look beat.”

She knew the baby’s name. And it’s not as if she could go anywhere. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“In this town, we help our friends and neighbors.” She paused. “Sandy and Mike are both.”

Just so he knew he wasn’t either. “I appreciate it.”

He handed Noah to Dani and then pressed his hands to the small of his back, twisting to work the kinks out. Relaxing was an entirely different thing, however, and he found himself hovering as the storm’s refugees took turns passing the baby. While he appreciated the way the community stuck together, that was his nephew they were playing hot potato with.

He breathed a sigh of relief when Sandy emerged from behind the screen almost an hour and a half later. Noah was obviously winding himself up for a good bawl and even the comfort of snuggling against Rebecca Cox’s really ample breasts wasn’t doing it for the little guy anymore. He wanted to eat.

Sandy looked well-rested, though, which was good. With her husband safe and her baby being looked after, she’d managed a power nap she desperately needed. She smiled when she spotted them and made her way over.