120 days...

by Stratton, M.

  He raised an eyebrow at her. “That’s it? You must be scared of losing. Deal.” He held his hand out for her to shake.

  “Not so fast, buddy. That’s just the first thing. The second is, whoever loses has to dress up like whatever the winner choses for them to wear. They have to be in costume all day while working.”

  Ethan narrowed his eyes at her and wondered exactly what her secret weapon was. Deciding to go with it, he held out his hand and they shook on it. He frowned when she started laughing. “What?”

  “There’s something you don’t know about me.”

  “There’s a lot. That’s one thing I want to change.”

  Her face blushed red. “No, it’s the fact I love Halloween. I was in theatre during high school. I love to dress up.”

  “So you’re saying there is nothing that I could pick out for you that you’d be embarrassed to wear?”

  “Nope.” She smiled widely at him.

  “Well, if that isn’t a challenge, I don’t know what is. Let’s get this started so I can start searching for the perfect costume for you to wear when you lose.”

  “You do that, meanwhile, I’ve already got your costume picked out.” She tapped the side of her head. “And it’s a good one. Feel free to dwell on it while we’re playing.”

  The game was fast paced and intense, both teams going back and forth. One was in the lead, and then the other one was up, never more than two ahead at any given time. With a wager on the line, it seemed both guests and employees took the competition to a whole new level. It had gotten so bad, they had to wait until they were tied again before deciding on only nine more turns so the game would end.

  Coming down to the last game, they were tied once more. Ethan was up. What Sam didn’t realize was he lived for the pressure. When millions of dollars were on the line, he had to be able to keep his head steady and focused. This game was no different. As soon as he looked at the title of the movie, a smile spread across his face. He knew exactly what he was going to do and she wouldn’t know what hit her.

  He let them know it was two words and ran to the closest table. Since they hadn’t specified they couldn’t use props, he quickly cleared it, then he ran to the kitchen where he grabbed a pie and placed it in the center of the table. He took the bowl of pretzels off another table and put sixteen of them in the pie then he walked over to Sam and picked her up, ignoring her squeal. Settling her down gently on the table, he climbed up and made sure the pie was between them. Ever so slowly, he leaned over the pie, and kissed her.

  Pulling away from her, he looked at his team and gestured at Sam and the pie between them and slowly pointed to each of the sixteen ‘candles’ there. He knew his time was running out and he started to panic. Quickly, he leaned over and kissed her again, and looked back at them where that sat, shrugging and shaking their heads. His heart sank. There was no way Sam’s team was going to miss this one. Last week they’d had a John Hughes movie marathon.

  When her team was just as silent when it was their turn to guess, he narrowed his eyes and scanned the crowd, stopping when they landed on Edward. He sat, grinning at them. Breaking the silence, Ethan asked, “Okay, what gives?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Edward, grinning so hard his cheeks must be hurting.

  “How could no one have guessed Sixteen Candles? We just watched that movie. You all voted on it.” Sam frowned.

  “Seems like I’m a bit off my game.” Ethan turned toward Sam. “We’ve been played. What I haven’t figured out is why. Want to fill us in, Edward?”

  “Sure, sure . . . see, if you ended up in a tie, neither one of you would win, and therefore, you’d both lose, and if you both lost, then you’d have to go to town together and wear the costumes we pick out for you.”

  Now Ethan was worried. What kind of costumes would they put them in? He looked over at Sam and noticed she was amused by the guest’s antics, just as he was.

  Day 30

  Ethan–

  Sam and I went into town today, just the two of us. You could tell she didn’t like ‘guests’ helping her out with the supply run. Something about how we’re here to relax and not do any chores. I sweet-talked her into taking me. You’d be proud. I told her, ‘How could spending time alone with a beautiful woman be considered a chore?’ She didn’t buy it, but let me come along anyway. It was actually nice to do something ‘normal’ for a change.

  If things were different . . . but since they’re not . . . besides I think she’d be better for you. She’d kick your ass and make you open your eyes and enjoy every single moment of your life.

  Evan

  The next day, Sam grabbed her list and the keys to the van. She looked up at the clouds forming above her as she walked to the barn and remembered the weather said there was another storm coming in. It was unusual to have so much rain in the fall. She hoped it meant they were going to be climbing out of their drought status. She wasn’t surprised to find Ethan waiting for her when she reached the barn. They didn’t say anything to each other as she approached, yet butterflies took flight in her stomach at the sight of him. She could get lost in his gaze for days and not notice the passing of time. When he held out his hand, she easily dropped the keys into his waiting palm, knowing he’d take care of her. It felt like more than a simple trip into town for supplies. If she had to label it, she would have to say it felt more like a date. She started toward the passenger door and was surprised when he beat her there. He gave her a small bow at his waist before opening the door.

  “Thank you.” Sam tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she turned her face away and climbed in, too shy to look at him.

  “You’re very welcome.” He closed the door, walked around the front and climbed in. Putting the keys in the ignition, the engine roared to life.

  “Wow, I don’t think the van has ever sounded this good. How much do I owe you, and when did you have time to give it a tune-up?”

  He frowned at her and shook his head before putting the van in gear and backing out of the barn. “Please, I spent years working in a garage while raising Evan. The timing was off. It didn’t take much to fix it. Time or money, besides, this is what you pay me for anyway.”

  “Well, thank you.”

  “Yeah, I think you need to find a new mechanic.”

  “But I’ve gone to this shop for years.”

  “That may be, but anyone could have fixed this easily with the right equipment. Between the two vans, if both of them weren’t running perfectly, you’d be taking them back to him all the time, and he’d have a steady stream of income.”

  “But . . . but . . . but that’s wrong.”

  “Honey, it happens all the time. Since you take them to someone local, they don’t have a lot of business, so anything steady would be a blessing.”

  “But I bring other money into the local economy here, not just the garage. And dammit, the resort is for a good cause. I’m not up here milking dying people out of their money promising cures. They know exactly what they are doing when they come here, and how much time they have left.” She pulled her phone out of her purse and started to scroll through it.

  “What are you doing?”

  She dropped her hands into her lap and looked at him with disbelief. “What do you think I’m going to do? I’m going to call the jerk and give him a piece of my mind.”

  Reaching over, he placed his hand over hers. “No, it’s not worth it.”

  “What do you mean it’s not worth it? I could be putting that money into something else for the guests instead of lining his pockets. And I could find another garage, or better yet, I could get some books and learn how to do some of this stuff myself! Yeah, that’s what I should do.”

  “Samantha, really? When would you have time?”

  “Don’t you start with that tone. I could find the time.” She narrowed her eyes and gave him a pointed look, hoping he got the picture not to mess with her about this.

  “Sure you can.”
He nodded. “Maybe get a little less sleep a night. That’ll be really good for you.” He looked over and winked at her.

  She raised her chin in the air and looked down her nose at him. “I’ll have you know I get the perfect amount of sleep.”

  “Keep telling yourself that,” he mocked her.

  “I will. I’ve spent years figuring out exactly how much sleep I need. It’s the only way I can get everything done I need to. Luckily for me, five-to-six hours is perfect.”

  “Exactly.” He grinned at her like the cat who caught the mouse. “You’re already at five-to-six hours of sleep. What are you going to cut out in order to become a master mechanic?”

  She squinted her eyes at him. “No need to go all Mr. Sarcastic on me.”

  “Well, someone’s got to do something; otherwise, you’ll work yourself into the grave, and then where would the resort be? Have you thought of that?”

  “Haven’t you figured it out by now? This resort is what keeps me going. I don’t know what I would have done after my parents died if this idea hadn’t bloomed. And yes, I am going to die and I worry every damn day about what is going to happen to this land after I’m gone.” She looked out the window and watched as the fields went by. On a whisper, she said, “The saddest thing would be for it to die with me.”

  His voice softened to match hers. “Do you have a plan in place?”

  “Of course I do, but nothing is set in stone; besides, this is a huge responsibility, and I don’t know if there is anyone crazy enough to want to take on this kind of project.” She shook her head. “No, all I can do is put everything into it and hope that whenever it the time comes, I’ve built this place up big enough, that it’s a recognizable name and people will want to continue the work.” Tilting her head from one side to the other, she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Ready to change the subject?”

  “Depends, you still calling that mechanic?”

  “I should.” She folded her arms across her chest, still angry someone would do such a thing to anyone, let alone a person who was trying to help people.

  “Let me take care of it.” He continued before she could speak, “Please, let me do this for you. Seriously, I speak his language.”

  “What is that? Man?” Sam narrowed her eyes at him, afraid that was exactly what he meant.

  He smirked at her. “Something like that. Actually, since I’ve worked in a garage, I can let him know, nicely, that I know what he’s been doing, and he’d better not ever do it to you again, or to anyone else. Better?”

  “Yes, that will work. For now.” Sam leaned back in her seat and opened up the folder to double-check what they needed, and she relaxed to the music coming out of the speakers. She looked up when Ethan started to slow down and frowned. There was a sheriff’s cruiser blocking the road.

  When the van stopped, he walked over to the window Ethan had rolled down. “What can I do for you?”

  “Where are you headed?”

  “This is Samantha Truman from Last Resort,” Ethan said. “We’re going down into city for supplies.”

  “Ma’am.” The deputy tipped his hat at her. “You’re going to want to spend the night down there.” He pointed up behind them. “Big storm, strange storm. It’s coming down from the northeast. That’s why it’s still relatively sunny here and the ocean is calm.” He pointed over the hood of the van toward the waves of the Pacific. “It’s washing the roads out up there and it’s heading down the canyons. You have enough time to get ahead of it and find a place a lot more comfortable than this van for the night, or longer.”

  “Are you sure we have enough time to get the rest of the way down without getting stranded?”

  “We’ve been monitoring the road. We spoke with everyone who uses this road to get to their residences, and you were the only two who were unaccounted for. Everyone else is either staying in their homes or in town. If you made it to this point, we calculated you’d have enough time to make it past the last bridge before the water hits.”

  “But I need to get back to my resort. What if they need me?” Sam was willing to unbuckle her seatbelt and walk back up if she had to. She couldn’t leave them alone up there.

  The deputy’s face became stern. “There is someone up there to make sure everything is fine. You’re at a high enough elevation, there shouldn’t be too much damage to your place. As soon as it is safe, you’ll be one of the first allowed back up there.”

  “That’s not good enough. Don’t you understand what the resort is?” She couldn’t keep her anger from her voice. She was always taught to respect authority, but she needed to get through to him how important it was. “There are guests up there who are very sick and need twenty-four hour care. I need to be there for them.”

  Ethan turned toward her and held her hands. “Sam, you need to calm down. There’s nothing you can do now. You may not be able to get up there, but no one else can come down either. All the staff are up there and they know just as well as you do what needs to be done. They can watch the place for you. It will be okay.”

  Squeezing his hands tightly, she didn’t want to let go. She felt like he was the calm within this storm and if she was going to make it until they were able to return, she was going to have to rely on him to keep her grounded. “But what if it’s a week before we can get back up there?” Unable to hold them back, tears ran down her cheeks. “So much can happen in a week.”

  “Shhh . . . it will be okay. Do you remember who I am? If anyone can get you back up there as soon as it’s safe, it’s me. Hell, if I have to, I’ll rent a helicopter and we’ll fly up there with whatever’s needed. You can call and check in. Let’s look at this as a kind of adventure we can have together and not about what’s going on back at the resort.”

  “You’re going to have to help me,” she whispered. “I’m not sure I can do this on my own.” She felt both weak in asking him and happy she was able to.

  “Will you put yourself in my hands for the next twenty-four hours, or more if needed? I’ll make sure you’re completely distracted and have an amazing time.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll be able to 100 percent forget.”

  He cupped her cheek with his hand. “And I wouldn’t expect you to. I’ll try my best, if you try yours.”

  “Looks like we may have a deal.”

  “Excellent.” Ethan turned back toward the deputy. “Thank you for the information. Is there a specific number we can call for updates?”

  “Here.” He handed Ethan a card. “You can call this as often as you need to. Once it blows out of here, we’ll start clearing the roads going to your resort first.”

  “Thank you so much,” Sam said. “That really means a lot.”

  The sheriff tipped his hat at them again, backed away and waved them through. When they went over the bridge, Sam watched the water flowing quickly past. It was higher than normal and she wondered if there was more to come and if it would go over the bridge. If it was washed out, it could be longer before they were able to get back.

  “Why don’t you go over your list again? We’ll be at the store soon.”

  Grateful for a distraction, she refocused her attention on the list, trying to block out what could be going on up at the resort while she was heading toward the city, on what still felt like a date.

  The sun had been shining when they went into the warehouse style bulk store, but by the time they came out two hours later, it was pouring. Ethan had done a good job of distracting her while they were in the store, but seeing exactly how much rain was pouring down, Sam worried about the resort and the guests.

  “Wait here,” Ethan said. “I’ll go get the van. This way maybe everything won’t get sopping wet.”

  “Sure, we can try.”

  The parking lot was eerily quiet with everyone taking refuge in either their car or the store. Soon enough, Ethan pulled up, getting as close as he could to the small overhang she stood under. As soon as he was out and opening the doors, she started handing
him boxes, surprised at how cold the rain was. Focusing on the task at hand, they quickly loaded everything and jumped back into the van. Shaking from the cold, Sam rubbed her arms.

  Ethan started the engine and turned the heat on full blast. “Here.” Ethan climbed out of his seat and rummaged around the box of supplies she kept in each van, pulled out a blanket and draped it around her shoulders. “This should help.”

  “But . . . I think . . . you’re . . . wetter than . . . I am,” she said, her teeth chattering.

  “I always run hot.” He winked at her. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Why, yes . . . yes, you are.” Her lips twitched.

  “You must be starting to warm up.”

  “I am.” She leaned forward and looked up at the sky. “What are we going to do?”

  He hesitated. “We could always stay at my place until it clears up. I probably should check on it, I haven’t been back in weeks.”

  Sam analyzed his hesitation. Was it because he didn’t want to take her to his house? Or was he being a gentleman? She knew she had to make a quick decision and couldn’t spend hours debating his meaning. “It does make the most sense, but how far away is it?”

  “Actually, it’s not far at all. So when the weather clears, we’ll be able to get back up to the resort.”

  “Okay, yes. Take me home.”

  Ethan didn’t know why her words meant so much to him. Was it because she used the word home? Or could it be because she was trusting him to take care of her? Either way, it was something new to him. He felt like a teenager wanting to impress the girl he had a crush on, which was the truth.

  First they stopped by the costume shop, since it had ended as a draw. They had no choice but to pick up what their teams had picked out for them. They were under strict orders not to peek. They were told where to go to collect the costumes, but they had to swear not to look at them until the day they were to wear them.

  Hopping back into the van, Ethan hung the large plastic bags up in the back. “Gee, lucky they’re protected. Wouldn’t want them getting wet.” He shook his head, trying to get some of the excess water off his hair.