Love Fast

The weather forecast has injected the air with panic. Even Kathleen, the project manager, is jittery, and that makes me nervous. People who don’t live in Colorado think tornadoes can’t hit the mountains. The people of Star Falls know different.

“What’s the worst-case scenario?” I ask Kathleen as we stand on the balcony outside Blossom. I can see the entire town of Star Falls from here.

The main building is finished. We have proper storm defenses built into the design of the place, from hurricane glass in all the windows to state-of-the-art generators. Any trees close enough to cause damage to the main building have been removed. It’s not the main building I’m worried about. It’s the buildings that aren’t finished. There’s a real possibility that if we can’t finish weatherproofing before the storm hits, they’ll be destroyed. That includes a block of staff accommodations and ten member chalets.

“Worst-case scenario is total power loss, two blocks of staff housing totally or partially destroyed, and we lose half the chalets,” Kathleen says.

The hits just keep on coming. I feel like I’m playing disaster Whac-A-Mole. Just when a plan to get the people of Star Falls fully behind the Colorado Club starts to materialize, I have to deal with the possibility that I’m going to have to delay opening. Founding members have already paid their fees. For the first six months from opening, potential members are going to come out and experience the Club in all its glory. That can’t happen if parts of the site lie in ruin. The resort has the potential to turn into a gigantic money pit.

“I thought it was up to ten member chalets and one block of staff accommodation,” I reply.

“That’s the most likely scenario. You asked for worst case. But I don’t think it will come to that. We’re beefing up some of the storm defenses in the structures that aren’t completed. Our aim is for everything to be standing at the end of it.”

“You think some of the chalets with furnished interiors will go?” I ask. We’ve invested a lot of money into the soft furnishings. It’s going to be a huge setback if they get destroyed.

“I really doubt it. Less than a handful of shutters still need to be installed, and some of the outside generators still need to be connected. Most of that’s being done today. If everything goes to plan, completed chalets won’t sustain major storm damage. The contractors are working around the clock. Some of them will be staying in the second block of staff housing during the storm, to address emergencies should they arise.”

“How did you manage to persuade them to do that?”

“You’re paying them a lot of money.”

Money’s always the answer.

“You either pay to anticipate the damage now, or more to fix it later,” she adds.

“Right.” I refresh the storm-tracking app on my phone. The Severe Thunderstorms and Possible Tornado sign is still flashing. “And it might not hit.”

“Absolutely. This could be a nasty storm even without the tornado. It’s January. We shouldn’t be having tornadoes at all, so there’s a lot… up in the air, if you excuse the pun.”

I hate the unpredictability of the weather here. In New York, it’s going to be cold as fuck in winter and meltingly hot in summer. You can depend on it and plan accordingly. It’s my inability to plan that’s a problem for me. I’m used to having a lot of responsibility. I’m used to there being a lot at stake. But it’s usually down to me whether I succeed. My businesses have never put people in harm’s way before. There’s an entire staff here who are at risk.

“The most important thing is to keep people safe,” I say.

“Hazel is dealing with that, as per the procedures. I believe everyone has to shelter in the main building. Which reminds me—are you going to ride out the storm up here with us or down in town?” Kathleen asks.

“I’ll be here,” I say. I don’t want anyone to think I’m not in this with them. There’s no telling whether the cabins will come off better or worse than the Club. It’s not like I’m trying to dodge danger.

And Rosey will be up here too. There’s no point in being down in the cabins by myself.

“Anything I can do to help?”

Kathleen pulls in a breath. “No, but I have a thousand things to do if you don’t mind⁠—”

“Get to it,” I say, and she heads off.

I feel useless as I stand in front of the huge windows overlooking Star Falls. Everyone’s rushing back and forth, carrying things. I don’t quite understand how there’s nothing for me to do if everyone’s so busy.

I spot Hart and stalk over to him. He’s carrying a lamp. “What are you doing?” I ask.

“Emptying the chalets we think are the most vulnerable to storm damage. It’s all hands on deck. I’ve got every member of staff on shift helping.”

“Alright,” I say. “Then let me help too.”

“Okay then,” he says, leading me out the main entrance. He glances up at the sky threatening to pour with rain at any moment. “Prepare to get wet.”

As we head over to chalet four, a line of staff comes toward us, carrying blankets and mirrors, dining chairs and coffeemakers. It’s like we’re looting the place. I scan faces, waiting to catch a glimpse of Rosey, but I don’t see her.

“Is everyone who was due on shift still working? We haven’t sent people back to their families?” I ask, picking up one end of a huge antique oak chest in the primary bedroom of the chalet. Hart picks up the other end.

“Anyone who wanted to leave has gone already,” he says. “Most people aren’t local. Oh, and one of the waitresses had to find her cat.”

My heart leaps out of my chest. Cat? Was that Rosey who left? She can’t have thought leaving the protection of the Club to go after Athena was a good idea.

Hart and I get into a rhythm carrying the chest across the site. As nonchalantly as possible, I say, “I take it we have a list of everyone who’s staying up here so we can ensure everyone’s accounted for?”

“Absolutely,” he says. Of course he doesn’t offer me a look at the list. Why would he? I’m not known for micromanagement, but I frantically try and think of an excuse to see it. All the while I’m scanning faces, trying to find Rosey.

As we make it inside the main building, Hart calls out to Hazel. “Have we updated the roster since the last bus left?” he asks.

“Yeah, it was just Rosey Williams on the bus. I’ve taken her off.”

My heart sinks.

Fuck. Rosey. I have no idea if she knows how to prep for a tornado. I can’t imagine there are many tornadoes in Oregon. Does she even know about the shelter by the cabins, or how to use a weather radio?

There’s no way she can be on her own in the cabins. I glance at the darkening sky. Hart and I put the chest down and I say, “Actually, there are a couple of things I’m going to need from the cabin. I’m going to head down into town.”noveldrama

It’s the easiest decision I’ve made today. There’s no way I’m going to leave Rosey on her own.

I step outside to find rain has started to fall. The staff emptying cabins are being called into the main building. This isn’t the main storm, but there’s no point in carrying stuff in this weather. The people of the Colorado Club are in good hands. But I need to get to Rosey.

By the time I get to my truck, I’m soaked to the skin. I slide into the driver’s seat, wipe the water from my face and head down the mountain. As long as there are no fallen trees, I can get to her before the real storm hits.

I hope.