wasn’t missing anything.
* * *
As Campbell moved his stool closer to the bar at the Salty Siren, the wooden feet scraped over the concrete floors. Next to him, his old friend and new brother-in-law, Devon Franklin, drank from a mug of root beer, his eyes trained on one of the big screen televisions. The burger and fries he’d ordered for lunch were on the bar in front of him.
“Sorry I’m late. I see you ordered without me.”
Devon shrugged but didn’t look away from the television. “I didn’t have time to wait. I gotta be back at the studio by a quarter after one.”
“What’s got your attention, man?”
Devon sat the mug down. “Haven’t you heard? There’s a pretty big tropical storm out in the Atlantic right now.”
Campbell’s eyes widened. September was the peak hurricane season around these parts, but things had been relatively quiet over the last few years. “Good grief. What’s going on with it?”
“Just watch the news report, man.” Devon kept his gaze on the screen.
Campbell looked, as well, paying close attention to both the on-screen graphics and the words of the local meteorologist.
“Tropical storm Hester is churning in the Atlantic as we speak, folks. She’s an angry one, but due to the cool front approaching from the west, we don’t expect her to be upgraded or to come on shore for the mainland. However, she does pose the threat of heavy rain, strong winds, rough surf and possible flooding to the islands off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina. We expect to see the main impact from the storm over the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours.”
Well, shit. Campbell hoped the storm wouldn’t cause too much damage. MHI always kept storm preparedness supplies on hand and crews on call this time of year, but the island was abuzz with the cast and crew of The Shores, as well as all the extra tourists who’d come in with them.
Devon turned his way after the weather report ended. “It’s looking kind of dicey on the weather front. I’d better have the crew film as many scenes as they can this afternoon, in case we have to close down production for a few days.”
Shaking his head, Campbell signaled for Maddie, the waitress. “I hope it won’t be too bad. With all your people here, plus the folks who came onto the island trying to get on camera when y’all are filming, there are a lot of extra people on the island.”
“Yeah. I bet the police and fire people are getting geared up.”
“Probably.” Thinking MHI should brace for any impact the storm might bring, he fired off a quick text to Savion, letting him know to alert the crew that they might be needed over the next week.
Maddie came over then, and Campbell ordered a buffalo chicken salad and bottled water. After she left, he turned to Devon. “So, I had a meeting with your star earlier today, about a rental unit.”
Devon nodded. “So you met with Sierra. She’s something, isn’t she?”
He whistled. “Yes. She’s gorgeous, even more so than she is on-screen.”
Devon swallowed a mouthful of food, eyed him closely. “What are you saying, Cam? You trying to get with her?”
He shook his head. “Nah. I mean, yeah, but not really.” He waved his hand in front of him, dismissing the idea. “I don’t stand a chance with the ‘Ice Queen.’”
With a chuckle, Devon popped a fry into his mouth.
“What does that mean?”
“I’m saying, Cam. Don’t sell yourself short. Plus, Sierra isn’t nearly as cold as people make her out to be.”
“Really?” He folded his arms over his chest. “She seemed all-business this morning.”
“That’s how she is during business meetings, and that’s how she should be. Otherwise no one would take her seriously.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and tossed it aside. “But when you talk to Sierra on a friendly basis, you’ll find out she’s really sweet.”
Cam’s thoughts wandered back to the image of her from this morning, which had embedded itself in his mind. She’d been dressed casually, in a pair of skinny jeans, a close-fitting white top and flats. Despite the casual outfit, there was no hiding her curvaceous frame. “I doubt I’ll ever get the chance for all of that with her.”
“You never know.” Devon drained the last of his root beer. “You’ll see her again, right?”
He nodded as Maddie slid his salad and drink in front of him. “Yeah. Tomorrow I’m meeting her at her condo with the keys.”
“See? Talk to her, and you’ll see what I mean.”
Campbell nodded, but he still had his doubts. Parts of him were now even more curious about just who Sierra Dandridge really was. I guess it’s not really fair to make a judgment about her personality, since we just met. Sure, any sighted man could see she was fine. But he really didn’t know anything about her beyond her physical appearance.
He’d make conversation with Sierra and see where it went. After all, as property manager, it was his job to make her feel welcome.
“I can see the gears turning over there,” Devon remarked. “What are you up to?”
Shaking his head, Campbell ignored the question and dug into his salad.
Devon folded his arms, waiting. “Cam?”
Campbell chuckled. “Let’s just say, when I see her tomorrow, I just may shoot my shot.”
Sierra peered through the rain-slick windshield of her rental car as she drove down the road Wednesday afternoon. The trip from her hotel to the gated community took her halfway across the island, and she was glad the drive was almost over. What had begun as an overcast day with soft, drizzling rain had morphed into a dark, gray-skied downpour. The wipers ran at their fastest speed, giving her enough visibility to operate the car safely. But if the rain increased much more than this, she wouldn’t be driving anywhere else today.
Pulling up to the gate at The Glenn, she rolled her window halfway down and gave her name to the guard. The iron gates soon parted, allowing her entry to the complex. Driving through the area, she could see it looked just as picturesque as the photographs in the booklet. The buildings were built from multicolored bricks and accented with stone, and the grounds were manicured with shrubbery and flowers. The images in the brochure had been taken on a sunny day. Today, the plants looked beaten down by the rain and wind, but at least she knew they would look better once the weather cleared up.
She found her building, and pulled into a parking spot in front of it. A tall figure stood on the landing above her, and after she cut the engine, she took a closer look at his face. Campbell. Good, he’s already here. With her purse on her shoulder, she opened her umbrella and got out of the car. Jogging through the sheets of rain, she climbed the stairs to the second level of the building.
