A Billionaire for Christmas(4)
“Impossible,” he said firmly. “My sister-in-law handled all the details. And I have the confirmation info.”
“I’ve been trying to call her all day, but she hasn’t answered. And no one gave me your cell number.”
“Sorry about that. My niece found my sister-in-law’s phone and dropped it into the bathtub. They’ve been scrambling to get it replaced. That’s why you couldn’t reach her. But no worries. I’m here now. And it doesn’t look like you’re overbooked,” he joked.
* * *
Phoebe ignored his levity and frowned. “We had heavy rains and high winds last night. Your cabin was damaged.”
His mood lightened instantly. “Don’t worry about a thing, Ms. Phoebe. I’m not that picky. I’m sure it will be fine.”
She shook her head in disgust. “I guess I’ll have to show you to convince you. Follow me, please.”
“Should I move my car closer to the cabin?” he asked as he put on his shoes and tied them. The bottoms were a mess.
Phoebe scooped up something that looked like a small digital camera and tucked it into her pocket. “No need,” she said. She shrugged into a jacket that could have been a twin to his. “Let’s go.” Out on the porch, she picked up a large, heavy-duty flashlight and turned it on. The intense beam sliced through the darkness.
The weather hadn’t improved. He was glad that Luc and Hattie had insisted on packing for him. They had undoubtedly covered every eventuality if he knew his sister-in-law. Come rain, sleet, snow or hail, he’d be prepared. But for now, everything he’d brought with him was stashed in the trunk of his car. Sighing for the lost opportunity to carry a load, he followed Phoebe.
Though he would never have found it on his own in the inky, fog-blinding night, the path from Phoebe’s cabin to the next closest one was easy to pick out with the flashlight. Far more than a foot trail, the route they followed was clearly an extension of the gravel road.
His impatience grew as he realized they could have driven the few hundred feet. Finally, he dug in his heels. “I should move the car,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
At that very moment, Phoebe stopped so abruptly he nearly plowed into her. “We’re here,” she said bluntly. “And that is what’s left of your two-month rental.”
The industrial-strength flashlight was more than strong enough to reveal the carnage from the previous night’s storm. An enormous tree lay across the midline of the house at a forty-five-degree angle. The force of the falling trunk had crushed the roof. Even from this vantage point, it was clear that the structure was open to the elements.
“Good Lord.” He glanced behind him instinctively, realizing with sick dismay that Phoebe’s home could have suffered a similar fate. “You must have been scared to death.”
She grimaced. “I’ve had better nights. It happened about 3:00 a.m. The boom woke me up. I didn’t try to go out then, of course. So it was daylight before I realized how bad it was.”
“You haven’t tried to cover the roof?”
She chuckled. “Do I look like Superwoman? I know my own limitations, Mr. Cavallo. I’ve called my insurance company, but needless to say, they’ve been inundated with claims from the storm. Supposedly, an agent will be here tomorrow afternoon, but I’m not holding my breath. Everything inside the house got soaked when the tree fell, because it was raining so hard. The damage was already done. It’s not like I could have helped matters.”