Page 65 of Through the Storms

Carol jumped from her chair. “You need to check it out before you bite her head off.”

Lana put on her best scowl. “She’s still going to get an earful. She punched the damned core on her first run with that stupid car. She didn’t even have time to get a feel for it. Something bad could have happened. Plus, she crashed.”

Carol edged toward the door. “I guess you have something to talk to her about. I better get out of your way.” Before Lana could answer, Carol slipped from the room.

“Hey, babe,” Oakley said when she answered the phone.

“Hey, babe yourself.” Lana’s tone was harsh. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“I’m okay.” Oakley adjusted herself, so she wasn’t so slouched over in her seat. They’d been back on the road for about twenty minutes, and Oakley had been fighting to keep her eyes open. The adrenaline from earlier had worn off and left her ready for a nap. “Did you get my message?”

“No.”

“I left you one.”Shit.“The stupid phone service never works out here.”

“Let me rephrase. I got your message. I just didn’t listen to it.”

“Oh.” Oakley knew she needed to do better than that, but if Lana hadn’t listened to the message, then why did she seem so angry?

“I saw the report on The Weather Channel.”

“Oh,” Oakley said again. Not very articulate, but she wasn’t sure what to say to chase away the icy tone in Lana’s voice.

“That’s all you have to say?”

“I’m okay. The Oakanator’s okay. Just a little damage.”

Britt glanced over at Oakley and rolled her eyes. “You’re blowing it, dumbass,” Britt whispered.

“What did she say?” Lana asked.

Crap.Should Oakley make something up? “She said I’m blowing it, dumbass.”

An intake of breath came from Lana’s end of the phone.

“Oh, god.” Oakley bolted from her slouched position. Her back so straight it would make a model proud. “I didn’t call you a dumbass. You asked what Britt said, so I told you. She called me a dumbass. I didn’t call you one.”

“Really?”

Was there a note of amusement in Lana’s answer? Hard to tell with a one-word response. “So am I?”

“What? Blowing it or a dumbass?”

There was no doubt as to the amused tone in Lana’s voice. Oakley smiled. “Both…either.”

“Both. Definitely both.” Lana chuckled. “How would you feel if you saw me on the news next to a smashed-up car?”

“It would freak me out.”

“Exactly! Now do you get why I’m upset?”

Oakley hung her head. Lana had a point. “I do.”

“You’re just lucky that you were so damned cute in your interview, but you better tell Monica what’s-her-name that she needs to keep her hands off you.”

“Who?” Oakley laughed and let herself relax in her seat. “There’s only one meteorologist that I’ve got my eye on.”

“Hmm, really? And who might that be?”