Page 23 of Fake-Off with Fate (Love in Maple Falls #1)
ASHLYN
I’ve never realized how quickly time flies when you’re in the middle of a crisis. That’s probably because I’ve never been part of anything like what’s happening to my hometown.
In the week since we found out about Alexander MacDonald, several local organizations have stepped up to the plate to offer help.
The grade school is having a carwash this weekend and next.
The high school is giving extra credit to students who do odd jobs around town and donate the money to our cause.
The senior center is hosting a craft sale, and the Chamber of Commerce has placed donation cans in every local store.
And from what I’m hearing, that’s just the beginning.
Every day, I’m more and more convinced that we will raise the money. The only concern that remains is whether Alexander MacDonald will take it.
Even with everything on my plate, I’ve still managed to spend quite a lot of time with Jamie.
It’s not even like we’ve always made formal plans, either.
One day we ran into each other at Shirley May’s.
After eating lunch together, I gave him the tour of the town I promised when we got sidetracked at the farmers’ market.
Another day, he came over to my parents’ house and we watched a movie and ordered a pizza .
It’s like we know our time is limited and we both want to see each other. Jamie is so easy to be with and on more than one occasion I’ve wished we were really dating. Barring that, I’ve started to think of him as a good friend.
Another high point in my life has been not having Phillip in the office. He still texts my dad all day, every day, and has even offered advice for how he can recover from his “flu”—some recipe involving horseradish, garlic, and fresh ginger. So gross.
I’ve managed to keep my dad’s assistant occupied with busy work, but I can tell he’s itching to have a real conversation with the mayor. Luckily for me, my parents are due home tonight.
I don’t relish telling my dad what’s happened, but I also feel confident I haven’t dropped the ball in his absence.
I’m currently working on the official purchase proposal that I’ve been instructed to send to Alexander MacDonald’s business manager.
It’s a pretty impressive piece, if I do say so myself.
The desktop phone in my dad’s office rings, momentarily sidetracking me. But it does this all day, so it’s nothing new. “Mayor Thompkins’ office, this is Ashlyn.”
“Darling, it’s your mother.” I haven’t talked to my mom for several days, so I’m surprised she’s bothering to call me now when she’s going to see me late tonight.
“Hey, Mom.” I look at the clock and ask, “Are you already in Florida transferring planes?”
She responds with a question of her own. “Haven’t you seen the news?”
“No,” I tell her. “I’m a little bit busy trying to save Maple Falls. What’s up?”
“Hurricane Bartholomew changed direction and it’s headed right toward Barbados. They canceled our flight right before we boarded.” She sounds scared which in turn makes me nervous.
“What are you going to do?”
“We came back to the resort. They’re putting us up in the main building.
They aren’t sure the bungalows will make it.
” The quiver in my mom’s voice catches me off guard.
If she’s worried, then they’re in real trouble.
Before I can console her, she adds, “It’s a category five storm now and they don’t know if it will slow down before it makes landfall. ”
I turn toward the computer and start typing. The first article that comes up paints a very bleak picture.
Hurricane Bartholomew is on a collision course with Barbados. The airport has been closed, and locals have been advised to board up. Store shelves are emptying quickly. Residents close to the shoreline have already evacuated to disaster shelters where the Red Cross has begun setting up.
“Will the resort be able to feed you?” Worry fills my chest and starts to feel like a car is laying on top of it.
“I hope so, but your dad and I bought a bunch of stuff at the gift shop in the airport. Buying granola bars for five dollars a pop nearly killed him, let me tell you.”
Even though my dad has always made decent money, he grew up poor.
As such, he’s notoriously frugal. He doesn’t see the point in wasting money on things like name brand toilet paper and designer shoes.
It’s no wonder I love my job designing closets so much for people who buy whatever they want without caring how much anything costs.
“When is the hurricane supposed to make landfall?” I ask my mom.
She’s quiet for a moment before answering, “At about midnight our time. You should watch the news to find out what happens. They tell us we may be without phone signals for a good while.”
Real panic sets in and I start to sweat like an uncapped fire hydrant. “How long is a good while?”
“It could be days or weeks even. No one can know until the damage is assessed.”
“Weeks?” This is bad on so many levels. The most serious being my parents’ safety. I sent them to Barbados, which I suddenly realize is why I got such a great rate at the resort. I never bothered to check the weather forecast.
Then there’s my dad not coming home to take over saving Maple Falls, which means that I have to stay.
The least important in the grand scheme of things, but still rather significant to me, is that I have two jobs lined up for when I get back to LA.
If I can’t go back, I’ll have to cancel them.
Not only will that make a dent in my bank account, but it won’t do wonders for my reputation.
“Can I talk to Dad?” I ask my mom.
She hands off the phone and the next voice I hear says, “It looks like your mom and I are in a bit of a pickle, huh?”
“Hi, Dad.”
“How’s everything going down at Town Hall?” he asks. “Is anyone missing me yet?”
I don’t want him worrying about Maple Falls on top of facing the real danger that’s coming his way, so I tell him, “Everything is great. Don’t you worry.”
“As much as I hate to admit this,” he says, “I’ve really enjoyed this break. Thank you for coming home and lending a hand.”
“Any idea how long you’ll need me here?” I know he can’t answer this with any authority, but I’m still hoping he lies and tells me only a few more days.
Instead of offering the lifeline I’m looking for, he answers, “Could be weeks. It’s hard to say.”
“If it’s weeks,” I tell him, “I’m going to have to let people know you’re not here.”
“Don’t say anything until we know for sure. No sense upsetting folks.” If he only knew how upset they already are, and why.
“Dad, I asked Mom to get you to record a few things that I might be able to use if I need to fool someone into thinking you’re in the office. Did she ever tell you that?”
“She said something, but we got a little sidetracked.” He’s clearly talking to my mom when he adds, “Isn’t that right, dear?”
First of all, yay. I’m glad my parents are getting along, and their marriage is seemingly back on track, but also, ew . That is not an innuendo any kid wants to hear regarding their parents’ relationship.
“When we hang up,” I tell him, “call back and leave the following on my voicemail.” I recite several lines that might come in handy.
My dad seems to take them all in stride except for the last one. “You can’t really want me to say that. What could you possibly need that for?”
“It’s just a little prank, Dad. Don’t worry about it.”
“My telling Phillip he’s fired is a prank? That seems mean-spirited.”
“Not at all.” Lying through my teeth, I tell him, “We’re actually getting along great. We tease each other all the time.”
Our connection goes fuzzy for a moment. When it clears again, my dad says, “I’d better call you back and leave that voicemail now. I don’t know how much longer we’ll be able to call out.” He pauses a beat before adding, “I love you, honey.”
“I love you, too, Dad.” Tears fill my eyes and for the first time, I worry that real harm might come to my parents.
In the background, my mom shouts, “I love you!” Then the line goes dead. I sit at my dad’s desk for several minutes hoping they’ll call back, but they don’t.
There’s only one person I want to talk to right now. Without stopping to consider why, I call him.
“You realize that we talk on the phone more than any other people our age, don’t you?”
“Jamie …” I can’t seem to say anything else. Instead, I burst into tears.
“Ashlyn, what’s wrong?” His concern is immediate.
“It’s my … they’re in … it’s so bad. ”
He takes my stilted communication to mean that I need help. “Where are you?”
“Town Hall,” I tell him.
“I’m on my way,” he says. “Should I call an ambulance? The police?”
I love how ready he is to jump into action. It comforts me enough to gain composure and tell him, “It’s not me. It’s my parents. Hurricane Bartholomew is heading right for them. Their flight got canceled and they have to ride it out.”
“Oh, Ashlyn.” His voice is warm and soothing. “I’m sorry. How about if I come over to your house and we can watch the news together? I can pick up fish and chips from Shirley May’s.”
Looking at the clock, I see that it’s nearly six. Where in the world did the day go? “That would be great, thank you. I’m at the office, but I’ll be home in twenty minutes or so.”
“Are you okay to drive?” he asks. “Maybe I should pick you up.”
“I’ll be fine,” I tell him. “Thank you, Jamie. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I’m surprised to realize that’s the truth.
Jamie Hayes is the most unexpected person to come into my life, but I can’t imagine how I’d face any of this without him.
I’d better watch myself, because even though I’ll be in Maple Falls for longer than expected, I’m still not going to move here, so nothing more than friendship can happen between us.