Chapter 9
A s Felicity and Brent entered the B&B, Gran greeted them. “Glad you two made it back before the storm hit.” She glanced out the window at the darkening sky. “Looks like it’s going to be a doozy.”
She nodded, relieved they’d beaten the rain. “We were just at Coastal Coffee when we noticed the clouds rolling in.”
“Good thing you didn’t linger too long, then.” The lights flickered and Gran frowned. “I was about to go searching for the battery-powered lanterns. Would you mind helping me? They should be in the storage room. I want to have them handy, just in case.”
“Of course.” Brent nodded. “Glad to help.”
As Felicity led the way to the storage room, the lights flickered ominously. Gran’s voice called out, “Better hurry and find those lanterns. We might need them sooner than we thought.”
She began rummaging through the shelves, past canned peaches and Gran’s strawberry jam in neat rows of glass jars, and boxes of paper products. She scanned the shelves, looking for the familiar shape of the lanterns. Brent looked at a set of shelves just to her left. Just as she thought she’d found them, the lights went out completely, plunging them into darkness.
A startled gasp escaped her lips. A wave of unease washed over her as the darkness pressed in from all sides. But then Brent’s warm voice broke through the silence. “It’s okay. I’m right over here. Say something and I’ll come to you.”
“I’m over here.”
Soon she felt the gentle pressure of his hand on her arm, steadying her. The simple gesture sent a flutter through her, and she was grateful for the darkness that hid the blush creeping up her cheeks.
Brent took out his phone, the soft glow of the screen illuminating their surroundings. In the faint light, she spotted the lanterns on a nearby shelf. She reached out and grabbed them, handing some to Brent.
His fingers brushed against hers as he took the lantern. Again, she was grateful for the dim light as the warmth of another blush flooded her cheeks. She reached out and grabbed some more lanterns.
She needed to get a grip on this blushing thing.
Brent turned on one of the lanterns and held it high. They made their way back to the kitchen, the lantern casting a gentle glow in the darkened inn. Gran looked up as they entered, relief evident on her face. “Ah, good.”
Brent set the lantern on the counter, its light pushing back the shadows. “We found them, Darlene. Looks like you’re prepared for whatever this storm brings.”
“I need to go knock on everyone’s door and offer them a lantern. And I’ll put some by the front door to give anyone when they come back if they aren’t here.”
“I’ll bring the lanterns to the guests,” Felicity offered, not wanting Gran walking around in the dim light.
“I’ll help you,” Brent insisted.
They each grabbed a few lanterns and headed upstairs, the light from the lanterns casting dancing shadows on the walls.
“I’ll take the east wing if you want to cover the west,” Brent suggested.
She nodded, grateful for his efficiency. “Sounds good. Meet you back here when we’re done?”
As she made her way down the hallway, she knocked on each door, offering a lantern to the guests inside. Most were grateful for the extra light, though a few showed her that they had come prepared with their own flashlights.
She’d never been that organized when she traveled, she thought wryly. Just last year when she came to the island, she’d forgotten her swimsuit of all things. Gran had just laughed and sent her off to go shop for a new one.
When she reached the last room in her section, there was no answer to her knock. She tried again, calling out softly, “Hello? It’s Felicity from the front desk. I have a lantern for you if you need one.”
Still no response. She carefully placed the lantern on the floor next to the door, hoping the guests would find it when they returned.
She met Brent back at the top of the stairs. “Any luck with yours?”
He shook his head. “One room didn’t answer. I left a lantern outside their door too. Ready to head back down?”
They descended the stairs by lanternlight. Gran was waiting for them in the kitchen.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“We got most of the rooms,” she replied. “Two didn’t answer, so we left lanterns outside their doors.”
Gran nodded. “Good thinking. I’m going to sit in the front room in case any other guests come back, though I hope they all just take shelter somewhere and let it blow over. Why don’t you two do what you want for a while? There’s not much else to do until the power comes back on.”
She glanced at Brent, unsure of what to suggest. Gran’s eyes twinkled as she added, “You know, you could take a couple glasses of wine and go up to the lookout room. It’s a great place to watch the storm roll in.”
She turned to Brent. “What do you think? Want to storm-watch for a bit? I used to love going up there and watching the storms when I was younger.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Gran shooed them toward the wine rack. “Go on, then. I’ve got things covered down here.”
Felicity selected a bottle of red wine, and Brent nodded in agreement. She grabbed two glasses and an opener while Brent picked up a lantern. With the small circle of light to show the way, they carefully climbed the stairs. At the top, she opened the door, revealing a cozy space with windows on all sides.
As they entered, a flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed by a low rumble of thunder. She set the wine and glasses on a small table near the window and Brent placed the lantern nearby.
“Wow,” Brent breathed, taking in the panoramic view of the stormy sky and churning waves. “This is incredible.”
She smiled at his look of awe. “It really is something, isn’t it?”
She poured them each a glass of wine and flicked off the lantern, giving their eyes a moment to adjust to the dim light. She led him over to the window seat and they settled on it, watching as the storm intensified outside. The wind howled around the corners of the house, and rain lashed against the windows.
“I’ve always loved watching storms,” she said, her voice soft against the backdrop of the raging storm. “There’s something so powerful and mesmerizing about them.”
He nodded, his gaze fixed on the swirling clouds outside. “I know what you mean. It’s like watching nature’s raw energy putting on a display.”
A flash of lightning illuminated the room, casting sharp shadows across their faces. Felicity counted silently in her head, waiting for the inevitable crash of thunder. When it came, even though she was expecting it, the loud crash made her jump, her wine sloshing dangerously close to the rim of her glass.
He moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, steadying her. “It’s okay,” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
She leaned into him, relishing the solid strength of his body against hers. Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, and she glanced up at him, her heart skipping a beat at the intensity in his eyes as he stared down at her.
For a brief, breathless moment, she thought he might kiss her. And in that instant, she realized that she wanted him to. The thought sent a thrill through her, a warmth that had nothing to do with the wine spreading through her veins.
But instead, he simply pulled her closer, his arm tightening around her as they sat there, watching the storm in contented silence. The wind continued to howl, the rain a constant patter against the windows, but inside, in the warmth of Brent’s embrace, she felt safe and protected.
They stayed like that, watching the storm until the lightning became more distant and the thunder faded to a low rumble. Finally, he spoke, his voice a soft murmur in the quiet of the room. “Thank you for sharing this with me. I can’t remember the last time I just stopped and watched a storm. It was nice.” He smiled at her. “And I enjoyed the company too.”
She smiled, tilting her head to look up at him. “It was nice, wasn’t it?”
He returned her smile, reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. The gesture was tender, intimate, and her heart filled with an emotion she wasn’t quite ready to name.
As the last of the storm faded away, they remained there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the silence between them brimming with potential.