Page 76 of That Stranded Feeling

“Christ, man,” I tell him. “I was worried you’d be pissed off. But I couldn’t take him anymore.”

“God, no, not at all.” Elliot pulls back. “I never want to see that dickwad again, never mind do business with him.” He pushes his glasses up his nose. “He can’t ruin us. We’ll be fine.”

I swallow past a lump in my throat and slap him on the back. “I knew there was a reason you’re my favorite cousin.”

I cast my gaze up the stairs. “Now I have to find Summer and fix this.”

“Yup, you go get the girl.” He looks down at the fern. “And I’ll go put this back.”

27

OWEN

This time I manage three stairs at a time.

A sprint across the landing and I stop dead outside the guest room door.

I fight my racing heart and tight chest to take a deep breath.

Then tap gently.

Nothing.

I tap again. “Summer?”

Nothing.

“She left,” Max says, appearing out of the bathroom.

“What?”

“Sheleft.” He straightens his cufflinks. “And didn’t look mighty happy.”

I fling the door open.

Empty. Apart from a pile of blankets in the corner for a makeshift dog bed. Breath catches in my throat, and I’m on the verge of choking. “Fuck.”

I spin around and grab Max’s shoulders with both hands. “Favor. Your car. Any of them. Can I borrow one?”

Max keeps about half a dozen cars here in a row of garages he had specially built during the renovation.

“Not a chance.” He chuckles at the madness of my suggestion. “No vehicle of mine is going out inthat.”

“Out in what?”

“The snow. You’re a fair-weather California driver. You’ll crash it or something.” He shrugs. “Oh, and hurt yourself. Yeah, I guess that’s more important.”

“It’s snowing?” I flashback to Archie’s face framed by swirling flakes. “Oh shit. Yes. It is.”

“Almost blizzarding again. You shouldn’t go out in it at all.”

“I’ll ask Elliot.”

I’m already halfway down the stairs by the time Max calls after me. “His is rear-wheel drive. A death trap in this weather.”

Fuck.

I almost collide with Maggie at the bottom of the stairs. Oh, yes, of course. Maggie! She has the perfect vehicle. “Aunt Mags. Huge favor. Can I borrow your truck?”