Free Mark My Words by Addison Kline Page B

slowly and cautiously. Every nerve in his body was standing on edge. Finally, he was within feet of the truck. He could see the water bubbling up underneath the surface of the ice. 
    “Hang tight, Marv…” said Brant as he kept eye contact with his father-in-law.
    Moving quickly over the ice, Brant skidded to the driver’s side door and jumped in. Marv moved over quickly.
    “What the hell were you thinking?!”
    “It was an accident… I didn’t mean to hit the emergency break!”
    “It doesn’t matter. We’re both in this mess, now. We have to do this very carefully.”
    Brant pushed the gas pedal ever so gently. The ice creaked under the weight of the truck with each inch of movement causing more fatigue.
    “Hold on…” said Brant as he prepared to gun it.
    He put the truck into high four wheel drive and floored it. The truck skidded on the ice at first, but shot forward to solid ground. As they crossed the bank of the lake, Brant let out a sigh of relief. All that he could think of were Holly and the kids.
    “Jesus Christ! Don’t you ever do that to me again!” said Brant as he gripped his father-in-law into a bear hug.
    “Let’s go get the others and change our shorts. That was quite the adventure,” Mark quipped only half joking.
    “I need to go home. You are not driving,” Brant said as he clutched his chest.
    ***
    Brant and Luke didn’t walk in the house until 9:30 P.M., both looking exhausted and fatigued.
    “They are both nuts!” yelled Brant looking agitated.
    “Yeah, they are. We’re home!” called Luke, even though it wasn’t technically his home.
    “Finally…” Holly said sounding relieved, “How did it go?”
    “Well, let’s just say that they are both insane,” said Brant.
    “That bad?”
    “Well for starters… Arthur nearly got mauled by a bear. Marv nearly got Luke’s truck totalled when he took the emergency break off. It went skidding down an icy road and over a frozen lake. I had to run out there and get him!”
    “What?!”
    “Yeah!”
    “Fun times,” agreed Luke looking completely worn out.
    Brant swept Holly into his arms, just happy to be home, back in her loving care.
    “Are you alright, babe?”
    “I am now…”
    “So, there’s a minor situation going on…” said Holly to Luke and Brant quietly.
    Sloane was sitting on the arm chair dazing off into space at the television set. She was obsessed with the weather, tracking Hurricane Amanda’s path inch by inch.
    “The hurricane hasn’t downgraded yet, and she’s a tad bit distraught…”
    Luke looked at Sloane as his heart sank. He dropped his bag in the living room and walked over to her climbing behind her on the couch, he kicked off his boots and pulled her into his arms.
    “I’m back…”
    “I’m glad…”
    “How was your weekend?”
    “Our mothers are crazier than our fathers… How was yours?”
    “Interesting to say the least. Now come here…”
    Luke wrapped his arms around her waist as he pulled her in tight.
    “This hurricane is not going to stop us.”
    “It’s not?”
    “No.”
    “The weather channel said it’s supposed to make landfall.”
    “USA Weather said it’s not likely… and it will be long gone by the time we get there…”
    “Who would have thought a freak off-season hurricane would stand in our way. What if our hotel is damaged?”
    “We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
    “How can you be so relaxed?”
    “Because I have everything I need right here.”
    Sloane looked up at Luke and she melted in his soft brown eyes.
    “God, I missed you.”

Chapter Twelve
    On a Clear Day…
                 
    “Sloane!” Holly yelled up the steps with excitement in her voice.
    “Sloane! Wake up!” Holly yelled again.
    Sloane lifted her head as the sunlight shone through Holly and Brant’s guest bedroom.
    “Ugh! What time is it?!”
    “Nearly noon! Hurry up!”
    Sloane drug herself out of bed to see what Holly was fussing about. Brant, Luke