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Chapters (85)
  1. BOOKS BY LOUISE BAY
  2. ONE
  3. Rosey
  4. TWO
  5. Byron
  6. THREE
  7. Rosey
  8. FOUR
  9. Byron
  10. FIVE
  11. Rosey
  12. SIX
  13. Byron
  14. SEVEN
  15. Rosey
  16. EIGHT
  17. Rosey
  18. NINE
  19. Byron
  20. TEN
  21. Rosey
  22. ELEVEN
  23. Byron
  24. TWELVE
  25. Rosey
  26. THIRTEEN
  27. Byron
  28. FOURTEEN
  29. Rosey
  30. FIFTEEN
  31. Rosey
  32. SIXTEEN
  33. Byron
  34. SEVENTEEN
  35. Rosey
  36. EIGHTEEN
  37. Byron
  38. NINETEEN
  39. Rosey
  40. TWENTY
  41. Rosey
  42. TWENTY-ONE
  43. Byron
  44. TWENTY-TWO
  45. Byron
  46. TWENTY-THREE
  47. Rosey
  48. TWENTY-FOUR
  49. Rosey
  50. TWENTY-FIVE
  51. Byron
  52. TWENTY-SIX
  53. Rosey
  54. TWENTY-SEVEN
  55. Byron
  56. TWENTY-EIGHT
  57. Rosey
  58. TWENTY-NINE
  59. Byron
  60. THIRTY
  61. Rosey
  62. THIRTY-ONE
  63. Rosey
  64. THIRTY-TWO
  65. Byron
  66. THIRTY-THREE
  67. Rosey
  68. THIRTY-FOUR
  69. Rosey
  70. THIRTY-FIVE
  71. Byron
  72. THIRTY-SIX
  73. Rosey
  74. THIRTY-SEVEN
  75. Byron
  76. THIRTY-EIGHT
  77. Byron
  78. EPILOGUE
  79. A month later – New York City
  80. 14 months later - Star Falls
  81. MR. MAYFAIR
  82. Beck
  83. Beck
  84. Stella
  85. BOOKS BY LOUISE BAY

Despite the small space, I don’t have the sense of being hemmed in and constrained that I did in Oregon. Byron’s organized everything, but his instructions don’t feel controlling. It feels caring. I didn’t know the difference until right now. He’s looking after me. He’s thinking about me. That’s the difference.

He slings his arm around me. “But I am. There’s no need to worry.”

It’s impossible not to hear the rain and the wind. It sounds like there’s a war being fought beyond the doors of the shelter. The occasional crash rumbles against the other noise. Athena is curled up sleeping on the opposite bench like this is her home away from home. I try not to think about how it feels like we’re in a big metal coffin. Like Byron says, emergency services will find us if we can’t open the doors. Won’t they?

“The soup is good, right?” he says, like he’s trying to distract me. I know he doesn’t want to know about the soup.

It’s been warming my hands, but I haven’t been drinking it. I bring it to my lips and take a sip.

It’s so good. Fruity and spicy and exactly what I need right now. It trails down my body, warming me from the inside out. “It’s really good,” I say. “It could even be the best tomato soup in the state of Colorado.”

He grins, and for a second, I forget we’re sheltering for our lives. “Told ya.”

He slides his hand over mine and squeezes. I want to ask him what happens now. When we come out of this bunker, do we go back to how things were before? Do we pretend tonight never happened? That we haven’t seen every inch of each other, heard every cry and moan? Do I pretend he doesn’t make me feel like I’m a woman who knows her own mind, rather than some kind of income-generating add-on, responsible for funding her family?

Byron’s changed everything, and he doesn’t even know it.

Whether the tornado strikes Star Falls or not, my life beyond this bunker will never be the same.

EIGHTEEN

Byron

The cab of the truck is thick with worry. Phone lines are down, so I haven’t been able to speak to anyone at the Club. I don’t know what I’m going to find when I get there. In the end, the tornadoes burned themselves out before they got to Star Falls, but the storm still brought high winds and driving rain. I’m hoping for the best, but given everything that’s on the line, and how tight our deadlines are, I might be facing serious changes to our opening strategy. It would cost me millions.