Chapter Eleven
Chapter Ten
JESSA
W e hobbled our way the quarter mile down the road to the home of the park ranger and knocked on his door repeatedly. Nobody appeared to be home.
The whipping wind suddenly settled, and an eerie calm settled over us.
“Do you hear that?” I could hear the faint sound of the emergency sirens coming from town.
And then we heard something else.
A loud rumbling sound like a vehicle or … an approaching train.
Ethan looked up at the sky. “Remember how you always wanted to be a storm chaser like Jo from Twister ? Well, I think you might get your chance.”
There was a huge difference between watching digitally created tornadoes on a television screen and experiencing one in real life. I always thought it would be cool to see a tornado in person, but now that one seemed to be heading our way, I wasn’t feeling so brave after all. If only there weren’t so many trees around us so we could see what we were actually dealing with.
“Over here!” Ethan suddenly cried as he helped me around the side of the house toward the storm cellar. “Please, God, let this thing be open.”
He let go of me and unlatched the metal doors, lifting them up, then helping me down the stairs into the dark basement before closing the doors behind us.
We moved to the far corner of the basement as far away from the doors as we could go. Ethan tugged a string attached to a lightbulb on the ceiling, but it didn’t turn on. It was pretty much pitch black as we took a seat on the cold cement floor in the corner, and I realized we were gripping each other’s hands tightly.
The rumbling continued, and the rain was heavy and loud against the metal storm door as we sat and listened and waited.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I jumped and Ethan screamed like a girl as our phones sounded an alert, and we grabbed for them.
“Tornado warning!” Ethan showed me his screen.
“No kidding.” I silenced the alert, tapped to turn on the flashlight, and pointed it at Ethan’s face.
“Hey!” He shielded his eyes.
“Just wanted to make sure you were okay over there.”
“We’re in the middle of a tornado. What do you think?”
“I think you sounded like your sister when you screamed.”
He grabbed my arm and turned the light away from his face. “Hey, I’m not going to deny I was scared, and you can’t either.”
“Did you pee your pants?” I shined the light in his face again.
“Shut up.” He grabbed my arm once more, and I yanked it away.
“You did, didn’t you?”
“No, I did not. Did you?”
“Almost.” I laughed, which made him laugh too.
I set my phone to the side so it lit the room, and it made me feel better that I could sort of see him.
A loud crash outside made us jump and grab each other’s hands again.
I looked over at Ethan just as he looked down at our hands, with fingers entwined, arms pressed together.
His eyes lifted to mine. “Why do you think we fight all the time?”
I rolled my eyes. “This again?”
“Why, Jessa?”
“Because … you annoy me.”
He shook his head. “That’s not why.”
“Then why do you think we fight?”
“I know why, but I want to know if you know.”
“Is this like that Friends episode? ‘They don’t know that we know they know.’”
“If this is Friends , who am I?”
“Chandler. Hands down.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, okay.”
I chuckled.
“Back to the subject at hand.”
I rolled my eyes again. “Why don’t you just tell me, or I really will get annoyed with you.”
“Because it’s fun.”
“You call this fun?”
He smirked. “I could be having the worst day, and all I need is a little Jessa banter and my mood is vastly improved.”
“You’ve lost it, you know that.”
“Tell me you don’t secretly like fighting with me.”
A sudden edginess settled over me. “You’re full of yourself.”
“Whatever. I know it’s true.”
Ethan squeezed my hand, and I looked over at him. His eyes locked with mine. The light and shadow cast across his face in a way that accented the strong line of his jaw, his wet hair sticking to his forehead, and his intense stare. He’d never looked more attractive, and my stomach flipped.
His gaze dropped to my lips for a moment before lifting to my eyes again. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you, and since we might not come out of this—”
“Don’t say that,” I snapped, fearful he might be right.
The loud pattering rain suddenly became pelting hail against the metal storm doors, the rumbling grew louder than before, and we could no longer hear ourselves think. Fear had me leaning closer to him, and he let go of my hand and slid his arm around behind me, pulling me tightly against his side. I turned into him, burying my face in the crook of his neck, and wrapped my arms around him.
Crying wasn’t my thing, but tears burned hot as they filled my eyes and slid down my cheeks. I’d never been more afraid in my entire life.
“It’s okay, Jessa.” He ran his hand up and down my back, and I lifted my head to look at him.
Our eyes locked, our breaths coming rapidly. Adrenaline raced through my veins as Ethan’s gaze fell to my lips again, and mine to his. I’d never noticed how full and soft they looked, and a crazy thought crossed my mind that Ethan was probably a good kisser.
Maybe it was the adrenaline talking, but if I was going to die there in that dark, damp cellar, I wanted to experience one good kiss in my life before I went to the hereafter.
I looked up at Ethan. He looked at me. We stared into each other’s eyes while the world around us was in chaos. And when he didn’t make a move, I leaned forward and touched my lips to his.
He let out an audible gasp, and then he was still no more. His hand slid up my spine, leaving a tingly path in its wake, and stopped to hold the back of my head as he kissed me back. His lips were soft against mine yet firm and demanding, and I returned each press with a little demand of my own.
I’d never thought of Ethan like this before. I mean, I’d had the random thought about him looking good now and again, which I dismissed immediately, but I never imagined getting physical with him. He was Ellie’s little brother. It didn’t occur to me that there might be something more between us than our verbal sparring sessions. But now that this was happening, it was as if a whole new world of options had opened up where he was concerned.
I stopped obsessing about it and focused on enjoying the feeling of being kissed by a man who clearly knew what he was doing. I’d never liked kissing before, but kissing Ethan felt good. Really good. So good, I didn’t want to stop. So good, I almost forgot about the crazy storm swirling outside the storm doors until another loud crash startled us apart.
We jerked back and stared at each other breathlessly. I watched as his eyes circled my face, taking me in as if in awe. Then he leaned his forehead against mine while his fingertips gently caressed my cheek.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” he breathed.
“You have?”
“How could you not know … I’ve always been crazy for you, Jess.”
It was then I heard the sound of a vehicle driving up to the house, and I realized the hail and loud rumbling had subsided and heavy rain was falling again.
“I think the storm passed.” I untangled myself from Ethan’s arms and stood, feeling a little like I’d had the wind knocked out of me from his confession. “We should get up there and see if it’s the ranger.”
Ethan nodded but said nothing.
Stepping on my ankle made me wince, and I gingerly walked up the stairs, using the wall for support. Ethan followed, taking my arm and helping me the rest of the way to the surface.
We may have survived this ordeal, but the tornado had just turned everything I thought I knew about Ethan Sweet upside down.
Ethan opened the cellar doors, and the ranger, who was jogging toward his front door, stopped in his tracks when he spotted us coming out of his storm cellar. “Are you two okay?”
“Yeah, just a little shaken up,” Ethan answered.
“That’s an understatement,” I said.
We took in the mess before us. Branches and debris were everywhere, and several large trees were down, including one that had hit a small shed and one on top of a trailer next to the house—likely the crashes we’d heard.
“Look at that.” I pointed at the Glass Lake sign, which should’ve been down the road by the lake, sticking into the side of a nearby tree.
“That’s crazy,” Ethan said.
“Let’s get out of this rain,” the ranger said, and we followed him inside his cabin, which miraculously still stood in place with very little damage.
My phone rang with a call from Ellie, who instantly hit me with a barrage of questions.
“Where are you guys? Did you go back to your place? I thought you might come here. We’ve been sheltered in the basement with Gram and Cooper’s band, and I’ve been freaking out. People are posting pictures on social media of the damage. Lots of houses are a mess, trees on people’s cars or roofs, the power’s out all over. It’s a disaster. Are you guys okay?”
“Yeah, we’re fine.”
She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”
“Is that my sister?” Ethan asked.
I nodded.
“Where are you?” Ellie asked again.
“Is she at home? Is everyone okay there? Is there any damage to the house?” Ethan asked.
I held my index finger up at him so I could answer Ellie. “We had to run to the park ranger’s house down the road from the lake because someone took my bag, which has my keys in it.”
“Oh my gosh. I think Penny grabbed it. I’m so sorry. Good thing the ranger was home.”
“He wasn’t, but we broke into his storm cellar.”
“You broke in?”
“Technically it was unlocked.”
“I’m sure glad it gave you a place to shelter,” the ranger said.
“So are we,” Ethan agreed.
“How are all of you?” I asked Ellie. “Is the house okay?”
“We’re fine, and so is the house. Some minor tree damage, but that seems to be all.”
I relayed her answers to Ethan, and his entire body relaxed.
“Do you need a ride home?” the ranger asked.
“That would be great.” Ethan reached out and shook his hand.
“Ell, I have to go. The ranger’s giving us a ride.”
“Have him bring you here,” she said.
“Okay. See you soon.”
We hung up, climbed into the back seat of the ranger’s car, and headed toward town.
There were branches down all over the road near the cabin, and he carefully maneuvered around them. I wondered how close the tornado had been to us and what kind of damage we would see as we got closer to town.
“Whoa!” Ethan sat forward in his seat as we reached a place in the road that was covered by large trees, and I didn’t have to wonder anymore.
“This must be the damage path,” the ranger said. “We’ll have to turn back and go the long way to town.”
Ethan and I looked at each other. The tornado had been less than a mile away.
The ranger backed up and headed in the opposite direction. We stopped a few times to move smaller trees and other debris out of our path. As we approached a side road, we spotted a young woman, waving her arms, clearly distraught.
The ranger stopped the car and rolled down the window.
“Please, I need your help.” Her words were frantic as she waved her arms in the direction behind her, and I noticed blood on her forehead and a pretty deep cut on her arm. “We were driving that way when the storm came through, but the rain and hail made it impossible to see, and the wind was so strong. We were coming around a curve and went over the embankment, and the car rolled.” Her chin quivered, and tears poured down her face as she explained. “I was able to get out, but my boyfriend is still down there. He wouldn’t answer me.”
“Get in.”
She did as the ranger said, and he headed down the side road.
“Did you call 911?” he asked her.
“I couldn’t find my phone.”
The ranger proceeded to call 911, and I looked over at Ethan, whose eyes were closed, jaw clenched, and knuckles white from tightening his hands into fists.
I touched his arm, and he winced.
“What’s wrong?” I asked with no reply.
“It’s right up here,” the woman said.
The car stopped, and everyone got out, except Ethan.
I leaned down and looked into the car at him. “We have to help her, Ethan. Come on.”
He remained in place, so I slammed the door and hobbled over to the embankment with the woman and the ranger, who were already climbing down. I glanced back at the car, feeling helpless and confused, then I sat down on the ground and scooted my way down the hill to avoid causing further injury to my ankle.
The hill was slick from rain and mud. The ranger and the woman lost their footing several times, and I slid more than once.
“Help!” a faint cry came from the direction of the car.
“I’m here!” the woman cried. “I’m coming!”
When we reached the accident, we found the man had crawled halfway out the driver’s side window. The woman rushed to him, holding his hand. “I’m so sorry I left you,” she said through sobs.
“You did the right thing going for help.” He looked up at the ranger. “I think my leg is broken. I tried to crawl out, but it hurts too much.”
“Let’s get you over to that tree until the ambulance arrives.” The ranger looked at me as I limped over to them. “Can you help?”
“I think so.”
The three of us worked together to help pull the big fellow the rest of the way out of the car and over to the nearby tree.
“I thought I’d lost you.” His girlfriend said, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
He studied her face. “Babe, you’re bleeding.”
“It’s nothing. Just a flesh wound,” she said with a smirk.
He gave a weak chuckle. “Monty Python at a time like this?”
She winked, and I couldn’t help smiling to myself.
I thought of Ethan, sitting up there in the car. I didn’t know what was wrong, but I had an overwhelming urge to get back to him. I slowly made my way to the embankment and climbed to the top as the distant sound of approaching emergency vehicles grew closer.
He was still in the same position he’d been in, and I whipped open the door. “Hey, what’s wrong with you? We really could’ve used your help down there. I had to climb down with my bad ankle and help drag a very hefty guy out of a flipped car then climb back up here to you.”
He finally opened his eyes and looked at me. “I’m sorry.” The words were so quiet I almost couldn’t hear them.
“Are you just going to sit there or are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
He didn’t speak, so I turned on my heel and went to stand behind the car and watch for the ambulance.
Moments later, Ethan shuffled up behind me, and I turned to face him.
“This is where it happened.” His face was as pale as a ghost.
“Where what happened?”
“Where my parents died.”
“What?” My heart nearly stopped in my chest. I hadn’t realized we were on that road.
“I never come down this road.” His chin quivered.
“Ethan.” My heart shattered in my chest, and I went to him, wrapping my arms around him, regretting the way I snapped at him.
He didn’t hug me back, but that was okay. I just wanted him to know I understood.
“I’m here.” I squeezed him harder, and his shoulders began to shake as he finally crossed his arms behind me and held on as if his life depended on it.
And then I heard a sound that I would never forget for the rest of my life. A cry of sadness like I’d never heard before. The sound of deep heartache that came out of Ethan shook me to my core. I felt like I was absorbing every ounce of his pain, agony, and grief.
The ambulance arrived while I held him.
“Is he hurt?” one of the EMTs asked as they approached.
“No. Down there.” I directed them toward the embankment, never letting go of Ethan.
I didn’t let go when they brought the man and his girlfriend up the hill, or when they loaded them into the ambulance and took off, or while the ranger spoke to the police. I just stood there, holding him while he cried. Then I held him in the car while he rested his head in the crook of my neck and cried some more. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he’d never cried over his parents’ death before.