The Daring Storm Chaser - Page 12

“I’m so sorry about your bakery,” I tell her.

She pulls away, dabbing tears from her eyes. “It’s just a building. We’ll rebuild or move somewhere else.” Her phone rings as she walks away. A moment later, she answers, “Theo! Thank God, you’re okay…” Her voice trails off as she disappears into the crowd of people.

Cressida and I get back to work on organizing the people and supplies. Judging by the look through the garage doors, some won’t have homes to return to. And the rest probably won’t have electricity for several days.

“Marjorie!” a man yells from behind me. It sounds a lot like Colby.

I spin on my heel, searching the crowd. Sure enough, there’s my brother, dashing toward me.

His eyes home in on the bandage on my head and the bits of twigs and leaves that I haven’t had time to pick out of my hair. “Are you okay? What are you doing here?”

“Colby! How are you here?”

Oz steps forward, chuckling. “Looks like he accurately predicted where the action would be. Guess you really are as good a forecaster as me, old friend.”

Colby turns to look at Oz. Several emotions flit across his face as he looks between me and Oz. “What have you been doing with my sister?” he roars.

Oz takes a step back. “Whoa! Calm down. It’s not like that!”

“What’s it like?” Colby raises a fist threateningly.

Oz holds his clipboard in defense, and I can tell things are spiraling out of control quickly. I’m about to step forward when Oz says, “Come on, man. You know Marjorie’s too classy to get involved with a dumb daredevil like me.”

His words slice through my soul like a knife. He’s put the blame on me, but his words are clear: he and I are not together. Never really were. Never will be.

I fight back tears as I step between my brother and the man I love. I smack Colby on the chest with my clipboard. “Grow up, Colby. There’s a lot of people that need help here. Grab a clipboard from Cressida Griffin and get to work.”

With a sheepish nod, he says, “Who’s Cressida Griffin?”

“I’m Cressida Griffin.” Cressida steps out of the crowd, stalking toward Colby. “I also happen to be Petra’s best friend, and I have some questions for you.” There’s no mistaking her threatening tone for friendliness. She obviously has a bone to pick with my brother.

I blink in confusion. Who in the hell is Petra?

“Yikes,” Oz mutters. “You’re a dead man.”

“I’m happy to answer any questions you have, Ms. Griffin,” Colby says.

A pretty woman stumbles out of the crowd. “Hold it,” she yells, stepping between Cressida and my brother. “Let’s save the cross-examination for another time, Cressida. Mercury Ridge needs us right now.”

As my brother looks at this woman, this Petra, there’s unmistakable love in his eyes. Somehow, in twenty-four hours, my brother has fallen head over heels in love.

Just as I have with Oz.

Unlike my situation, though, his love for Petra isn’t one-sided. She loves him back. It’s written all over her face.

And suddenly, I’m crying, unable to stop the tears from trickling down my cheeks. Oz doesn’t love me, and Colby doesn’t need me anymore. I’m alone.

Chapter 9

Oz

Where did Marjorie go? She was right here.

I stumble through the crowd, searching for her. I call her name, and Holly, the baker at Sweet Mercury, grabs my arm.

“She went outside,” Holly tells me, gesturing to the open doors.

Why on earth would she go outside? It’s not safe out there. I run through the doors, stumbling into the bright sunlight. If not for the destruction all around us, it’d be hard to believe the sun wasn’t shining all along.