She motioned him over and he gently placed the rabbits in the bathtub. They scrambled around, their feet trying to catch purchase on the ceramic tub, then finally settled down.

"Thank you," she said, wrapping her arms around him, heedless of the cold soaking through from his wet clothes. His arms came around hers and he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"Im glad I got them in here before things turn too bad," he said. "Rabbits are more delicate than people think. They should be fine, but they are wet and I cant vouch for how they are going to handle the sudden change in location."

"Thats okay," she said, still leaning against him. "I know its totally irrational, but I just couldnt stand the thought of leaving them out there. Not when they are dependent on me," she added. She felt Dash take in a deep breath and let it out before he spoke again.

"Want to tell me what happened today?" he asked gently, resting his cheek on her head.

It didnt surprise her that he hadnt missed, or forgotten, the reference shed made earlier about the long day shed had since hed dropped her off. And whether it was the events of the day, or the current situation, or even the possibility that she was actually "growing up," the thought of really just laying everything on the table didnt seem too scary.

She pulled away and inclined her head. "Yes, I will, but I want to make sure were set for whats coming first. I fed the dogs already so they should be set for the night. I dont have anything for the rabbits to eat or drink, will they be okay?"

Dash nodded. "Theyll be fine for the night. This storm system shouldnt last more than six or seven hours so, if were still awake when its over, we can either take them back outside or bring them food if we feel they need it."

Matty glanced at the rabbits, who seemed to have settled down. She was glad they were there, glad they were safe, and though she still didnt get the point of pet rabbits, knowing they were rescues and guessing at what kind of life theyd had before Brad had taken them in did soften her toward them.

"I dont have any food for us," she commented as they moved toward the main room of the basement.

"Ill be fine for a while," Dash said. "Like I said, this system shouldnt last too long. Dont get me wrong, it could do a lot of damage in a short amount of time, but provided we dont get caught in the direct path of a tornado, within a few hours we should be able to venture upstairs for food."

She considered this, considered the fact that he had way more experience in this type of situation, and simply nodded. "Why dont you take off your wet clothes so they can dry?" she suggested, gesturing with her hand toward the heating vent. She figured as long as they had power they could turn the heat on and dry his clothes. And even if they didnt have heat, she had no doubt that the two of them could stay warm, if needed, tucked up under the quilts lying on the big bed.

Following her gaze to the bed, Dash began pulling off his wet clothes. Matty took them as they came off, turned on the heat, and laid them over the vent. Down to his boxers and white undershirt, he climbed into the bed with Matty and they curled up against each other, listening to the wind, with the dogs scattered around them on the floor.

"Your parents?" she asked, suddenly remembering that the universe consisted of more than just her and Dash.

"I spoke to them just before I arrived," he answered. "They were already set up in their cellar and ready to wait it out like the rest of us."

She let out a little sigh of relief.

"Now do you want to tell me about your day?" Dash prompted as the lights flickered. "Wait, do you have flashlights?" he asked first.

Matty nodded against his chest, where she lay with her cheek against him. "In the side tables," she answered as the lights flickered again and then went out. It wasnt all that dark for a basement, or at least on a normal day it wouldnt have been. But between the clouds and the small, covered windows, the room fell into a sort of a dusky stillness. "Do I need to be worried about pilot lights or anything?" she asked before answering Dashs first question. She could feel him shaking his head.

"No, well check everything once the power comes back on; but for now, its just you and me and no technology." So talk to me was the unspoken end of that sentence. So she did.

The siren at the volunteer fire department had gone off not long after the power had died and a few phone calls had come in on their cell phones from concerned family. But still, despite these interruptions, despite the storm raging outside, they talked. They talked for several long hours in the dark-about her, about him, about life in general. She told him about her conversation with her mother, about their different childhoods and how those childhoods influenced how each of them had internalized their experiences in the projects. And that led to more conversation about just what her life in the projects had been like-what it had been like, on a day-to-day basis, to live and survive in the part of the Bronx shed come from.

Then she told Dash about the visit from Douglas and how shed realized she no longer felt any anger toward him. Oh, she didnt particularly like him, but when she thought about Douglas, her overall feeling was one of sadness.

Dash told her about what usually happened when tornados hit, which they didnt do often-only a few times in his life. He talked about the destruction and then the cleanup that would be needed in the next several days. Thankfully, no one had ever been killed in a tornado locally, and they both hoped that record would stand.

Hours into their time tucked away in the basement, the storm seemed to ease. It was nighttime by then, so hard to tell if the skies had cleared through the blocked windows, but Dash got up from the bed and cautiously pulled back one of the cardboard window coverings.

"I can see the stars," he said.

Matty let out a small sigh of relief and they made their way back upstairs, followed by the dogs. Though it was late in the night, neither had eaten dinner, so Matty began putting a light meal together while Dash called family and friends, checking in on everyone.

As she gathered the ingredients for omelets, she gave a moment of thought to the time theyd just spent downstairs. She could feel vulnerable if she thought about, if she thought about everything shed told Dash. But the truth was, she felt strong, she felt settled, and she felt sure-not necessarily sure of the future, but sure that she had done the right thing. It was the right time and Dash was the right man.

"Everyone all right?" she asked when he hung up from his last call.

He wagged his head. "More or less. As far as we know no one has been killed, but at least one tornado touched down not far from the thoroughbred farm where Trudy works, where we went the other day when I delivered that foal," he reminded her. She nodded, remembering the birth.

"And we know another one touched down just north of town," he added.

"What about your parents and Kristen? Was her dad in town? Is she okay?" she asked.

Dash smiled. "My parents are fine. They actually went and got Kristen after I talked to them. They werent sure if her dad was around, and apparently hes not, so she spent the last few hours with them."

Matty shook her head. "What is his deal? I dont know the man, I hardly know Kristen, but it seems extreme to continually leave your fourteen-year-old daughter on her own."

Dash agreed with her as they sat down to eat. "I barely know him myself. He pays his bills on time and Ive only seen him maybe a handful of times. I know his wife, Kristens mom, died when Kristen was five and hes an executive with an oil company, but other than that." A shrug completed his sentence.

Matty thought the situation seemed awfully sad, maybe because she could identify with an absent father. But then again, she didnt know what was worse, a father completely out of the picture or a father that flitted in and out of the picture at will.

"So, cleanup will start tomorrow?" she asked.

Dash nodded. "Yes, but we should try to get as much sleep as possible now. If any animals were hurt, Ill have some calls coming in tonight."

Matty hadnt really thought of a vet being on call like other doctors, but of course it made sense, especially in an emergency situation. They finished their meal in companionable quiet and then, even though the storm was over, opted to be safe and head back downstairs to the most protected part of the house. After curling up in bed, they didnt talk much more; the first call came not long after theyd finally fallen asleep.

Dash was already up and moving toward his now-dry clothes, even as he answered his phone. Half asleep, Matty listened to his side of the conversation. She woke more each second as it became clear through Dashs questions that something had happened up at Trudys farm. Knowing how close a tornado had come to them and the number of horses they had, she couldnt even begin to fathom how spooked the animals must have been and what they might have done. At least she hoped it was something like that, rather than any injuries resulting from a direct hit of the storm.

Thinking of Trudy and her daughter Mara, Matty pulled back the covers and made to rise just as Dash finished the call.

"You dont need to come," he said, buttoning his shirt.

"What happened? It wasnt Maras little foal, was it?"

Dash had disappeared into the bathroom to splash cold water over his face but popped back out to answer her question as he dried himself off with a small hand towel. "No, both Trudy and Mara are fine, as are the barn help they have and Maras foal. Two of the broodmares are in distress and Trudys afraid they are going to miscarry."

Matty frowned, shed never heard of a horse miscarrying before. Then again, everything she knew about horses shed learned in the last few weeks.

"What does that mean?" she asked, her feet hanging off the bed.

Dash came back into the room and sat at the end of the bed to pull his shoes on. "Well, for the owner it could mean a huge financial loss. The mares are top producers for him and the babies come from stallions that the owner paid well into the six figures to breed to the mares. But more importantly, if the mares lose the babies, they may also lose their own lives, which is what we really want to prevent. Hopefully, if we can get them stabilized, we can save both; but if things go bad, well be focusing on saving the mares."

"Ill come with you. Trudy may need help with Mara or something," she said, rising.

Dash walked over to her with a smile curving his lips. "I appreciate it, I really do. But I suspect this will be the first of many, many calls tonight. Ill probably even call in some favors from some out-of-area vets that dont usually serve this region but will at a time like this. You should stay here and sleep," he added.

She frowned. "And be useless? Im not very good at 'useless, Dash."

That made him chuckle. "I hadnt noticed," was his sardonic reply. "But seriously, if you want to help, and I know you do, there will be tons of cleanup tomorrow. And neighbors will be checking on neighbors-people may need help getting to doctor appointments, that kind of thing."

"Things where I can actually be useful," she said, still not loving the idea of sending Dash out into the night, but seeing his point.

He nodded. "Yes, things youd be very good at. I have no doubt my mom will be in the thick of it. Why dont you get some rest? When you wake up, text me and Ill call my mom, or you can call her directly."

Matty thought this over for about a second then nodded. It just made more sense to go where she would be the most useful; and keeping Dash company, as appealing as it was, probably wasnt the best use of her energies.

Dash bent down and kissed her. "Thanks, now get some rest. Or actually-before you get some rest-do you happen to know if Brad had a chain saw?"

She blinked at Dash. "A chain saw?"

Dash nodded. "I keep a small handsaw in my truck, but if there are trees down on the roads, Ill need something more powerful."

Matty thought for a moment. "Im not sure if there is a chain saw, but he does have a lot of tools in the garage."

Dash motioned for her to stay in bed, saying hed check the garage on his own, then gave her one more kiss before heading up the stairs. She heard his boot-clad feet on the floor above her and the kitchen door opening then closing. When she heard the key turn in the lock, she lay back down, pulled the covers up, and thought about just how much her life had changed since shed answered her half brothers call.

A few minutes later, she heard a chain saw rev, run a minute or so, and then go off. Figuring Dash must have been testing it to make sure it worked, she smiled, imagining him wielding the tool. Then it really hit her what he might encounter out there-not just downed trees, but possibly downed power lines and flooding, as well. And if the rest of the area had lost power, too, there would be no streetlights in town, no working traffic lights. Quickly, she grabbed her phone and, not wanting to distract Dash but not wanting to keep silent, she texted him a short message telling him to be safe.

His reply, "Always. Go to sleep," made her smile. After a few moments, she cuddled down into the blankets and let the warmth lull her back to sleep.

CHAPTER 19.

MATTY WOKE UP JUST BEFORE DAWN. Even though her body was still sleepy, she roused herself-she knew the day would be long and, depending on the destruction from the storm, emotionally difficult. The dogs jumped up as soon as she threw the covers off and she remembered that they hadnt been out since the evening before. They were probably both hungry and in need of a bathroom break. Lucy, whod jumped onto the bed sometime after Dash had left, cocked her head and started to bounce from side to side.

Although Lucy put on a good show, Matty went to check on the rabbits first. They seemed content to be hanging out in the tub, but she knew they too would need food and water soon. She pulled on her clothes from the day before figuring she could shower and change into something clean once shed taken care of the animals and done a check of the property. At some point in the night the power had come back on and when she walked into the kitchen the clocks were all blinking at her.

Not wanting to let the dogs out without first checking things outside, she pushed past them and locked them inside as she stepped out into what looked like just another beautiful summer day. If branches hadnt littered the fields behind the house or mud caked the gravel driveway, there would have been no indication of what had happened less than twelve hours before.

As she headed for the chickens, she pulled out her phone to text Dash, then called his mom to arrange for a time to meet. Her plans were set by the time she reached the chicken coop and the chickens, in all their chicken glory, looked completely oblivious to everything that had happened. They sat on their perches in their coop and looked at her as if to ask what she was doing up so early. Their vacant little stares made her laugh as she opened the coop to let them out into their garden area. One by one, they rose, made a few clucking noises, and ambled down the ramp.

Matty collected the eggs to add to her ever-replenished stock, then swung by the rabbit hutches to make sure the cages were in good condition before she brought the animals back out. The gardens looked beaten down, but nothing seemed to have been pulled from its roots and the cows were already back to grazing in the field-assuming theyd ever stopped. With everything looking a little worse for wear but safe and in decent repair, she headed back to the house and let the dogs out.

All five went tearing in different directions. She watched them for a moment before stepping back inside and filling their food bowls. At the sound of kibble hitting metal, all the dogs were back inside within seconds and in such an ecstatic rush that they nearly knocked her over, even as she laughed at their behavior.

Once all the animals were taken care of and back in their rightful places, including the cats who had each made an appearance at feeding time, Matty grabbed her own quick breakfast, showered, and changed into jeans, sturdy shoes, and a long-sleeved shirt, then climbed into her car and made her way into town to meet Mary Kent.

The roads werent too bad. A couple of large, downed branches had turned two-lane roads into one-lane roads in some places, but the few drivers she encountered between her house and downtown Windsor were cautious and conscientious-no one wanted to cause any more problems than the community was already faced with.

As she pulled into town, she grabbed a parking spot in front of Spin-A-Yarn and walked the rest of the way to the central meeting place of the cleanup volunteers. Mary had given her directions and told Matty she would meet her there. She wasnt sure what to expect, had never been involved in anything like cleaning up after a tornado, but Mary had assured her she would be much needed.

When she reached the meeting spot, a parking lot on the north end of Main Street a few doors south of the police station, she was momentarily taken aback by all the activity.

A large tent had been erected, giving shade and shelter to the volunteers and coordinators. A generator was running and she saw both Rob, from The Tavern, and the infamous Frank, handing out coffee and bagels to anyone who asked. A few firemen were partaking of the donations at tables scattered throughout the space.

Matty knew that the firemen had probably been on the job for hours, and though she could see fatigue showing through in a few of them, most of them looked more interested in wolfing down their breakfasts and getting back to work than taking a break.

"Matty."

She turned to her right and saw Dashs mom coming toward her. To Mattys surprise, Mary enveloped her in a hug then stepped back.

"Im glad youre okay and made it through the night," the older woman said.

"And you too," Matty responded. "Now, tell me what I can do," she said with a sweeping gesture of her hand encompassing the tent. There were a number of people on phones, some bent over what looked like maps, and several going through boxes.

"Were pretty covered here, but I was hoping you might be able to head out and check on some of our seniors that live alone? All the churches in town have given us lists of the seniors they provide services to and weve all added anyone else we might know that probably should be checked up on. Youll have to be in the car most of the day, but it would be really helpful."

"And I can help, too, Mrs. Kent, if you like."

Matty spun at the voice and saw Kit Forrester, the author Vivi had introduced her to, walking toward them. Matty smiled. "Kit, its good to see you."

"You too, Matty," Kit answered as she, too, stepped forward and gave Matty a hug. "Im glad you all are okay."

"Kit, dear," Mary said, also greeting her with a hug, "it would be lovely if the two of you could go together. Its always better to travel in pairs. Now, come with me," she said, directing them to a table.

After reviewing the list with Mary, Kit and Matty spent some time looking at the map of the county and selecting a route. Once they felt fairly confident in how they should proceed, Matty followed Kit to her Land Rover and they plugged the first address into the GPS.

Thankfully, the weather that day was cooperative. The heat of the previous few weeks hadnt returned, and though the storm had cooled things off, it wasnt too cold either. Which was good because most of the people they visited still didnt have power. Several of the folks were just fine and happy for the visit, but not in need of anything. Some were in need of food and a few needed their prescriptions filled. To the best of their ability, Kit and Matty worked with Mary over the phone to get everything done that needed to get done. They also made notes on property conditions so that later, when all the vital recovery work was finished-fallen trees removed from roads and power restored-volunteers would be able to go back and help clean up yards and gardens and make minor repairs.

Theyd reached everyone on the list by about one oclock, so Matty and Kit returned to the volunteer tent to help Frank and Rob serve food and coffee. Vivi and Ian stopped by in the late afternoon to check in and Matty and Kit shared a cup of coffee with Carly just as the sun was starting to set. It was a long day, but people were buoyed by the fact that there were no fatalities. Everything else they could deal with.

She and Dash had touched base several times. One of the two pregnant mares at Trudys farm had miscarried but hed managed to save the mother. The other mare had settled down and looked to be holding on to her foal. As for other calls, there were several animals that had gotten caught in fences when theyd panicked, a few dogs and cats with cuts and scrapes, and the worst was a partial barn collapse at one of the local dairy farms. The farmer had lost several cattle, but Dash had joined in with the farm hands to clear the rubble and had been able to save most of those left trapped.

As she headed back home, looking forward to a hot shower and long nights sleep, she dialed Dashs number on her Bluetooth.

"Matty." She could hear the fatigue in his voice.

"Hey, how are you?" she asked.

It took him a second to answer. "Tired, really tired. A lot of good people have been through a lot today."

"I know. Is there anything I can do?" She turned left and crossed over the railroad bridge.

"Thanks, but no. I think Im good. I have one more call I need to get to, then I want to check in with my folks."

"Want me to have dinner ready?"

He sighed. "I wish I could come over tonight, I really do. Believe me, very little sounds better than that right now. But I need to restock the truck with supplies. Most of the things are at the clinic, but I also have some stuff at home. Im tempted to let it be, but if I dont get to it this evening and I get another call tonight and Im not ready . . ." His voice trailed off.

"You do what you need to do, Dash," Matty said. Shed miss him tonight, but she understood that he needed to be stocked up on supplies. He sounded so tired that she would rather he just stay home once he got there and get a few more minutes of sleep. "Just let me know if I can do anything to help."

"Thanks, Matty, I appreciate it, I really do. I wish-"

"I know what you wish, but go take care of yourself," she said, cutting him off. He didnt need to feel guilty for not spending one night at her house. "Ill see you tomorrow. Ill probably be back at the volunteer center, so just give me a call when you wake up."