The Reunion: Claire's Rebuilding Contract (Starting Over Series) by Angelina Rose Read Free Book Online Page B

their conversation ended, a woman came barreling in the front door soaked to the bone with rain. Her umbrella was torn apart and she looked like she had just been in a war.
     
    “Are you okay, ma’am?” Natalie asked as she poked her head through the pass through between the lobby and the front desk.
     
    “It is awful out there!” the woman responded. “Did you know we are under a tornado warning?”
     
    “We are?” Claire asked. She was worried about Aven who was one county over with her babysitter, Amelia.
     
    “Until three o’clock. I heard there has already been a tornado touchdown over on Weaver Road and across Bainbridge Highway,” the woman reported.
     
    Claire’s face went white when she heard Weaver Road. That was where her house was. There were dozens of homes on that road, so she prayed it wasn’t her home.
     
    For several hours, the staff waited out the tornado warning and listened to the radio for updates. As soon as the warning was over, Claire asked for permission to leave and check on her house. Dr. Ellison was kind enough to allow her to leave for the rest of the day.
     
    As she drove down Weaver Road, she was shocked at what she saw. Trees were down, some houses were destroyed and others remained untouched. Her stomach churned as she got closer to her small, yellow house. When she rounded the corner, her heart sank.
     
    A tree was positioned across what was her living room. Her other favorite tree was lying across the driveway. Her neighbors were already walking around her property trying to pick up personal belongings for her. She was thankful for those people who had taken her and Aven in when they moved there after such an awful time in their lives.
     
    “Claire! Honey!” Ellie Gibson came running across the yard when she saw Claire pull up. Ellie was a 60-something year old woman with bright red hair and even brighter red lipstick. She had been so kind of Claire and Aven, even baking them the occasional batch of chocolate chip cookies.
     
    “Ellie… Look at this…” she stammered as she got out of the car with her mouth gaping open. She could not believe the damage to her home until she looked around and realized her home was spared. Several of her neighbor’s homes had been completely flattened while hers was only damaged. She should be thankful, but she wasn’t exactly feeling that right now.
     
    “I know, Claire. It’s terrible. John and Susan lost their house. Evan and Jake, well theirs is almost caved in. Paul’s house didn’t have any damage at all. It’s so weird how it jumped around like it did… Where is Aven?”
     
    “She’s with Amelia. I called and they are fine. No major weather in their area. She’ll have to stay with Amelia while I get the house repaired…” Claire said. Ellie was well aware that Claire had no real family who could take care of Aven for so long. Thankfully, Amelia was more than willing to have Aven stay with her for days at a time. She had kids of her own, and Aven was like one of the gang.
     
    “Well, I am glad she’s safe.”
     
    “Me too. Has anyone been inside my house yet?” Claire asked, unable to take her eyes off the tree sticking out of her living room.
     
    “No. I don’t think its safe, honey,” Ellie said putting her arm around Claire. “We’ve already called some disaster professionals to come out here and co-ordinate the cleanup. A couple of neighbors know tree guys, and they are on the way too,” Ellie said. She had lived in this neighborhood for almost twenty years, and she knew how to gather the troops when she needed them. Still, tornadoes were rare here, and this was a big blow to everyone.
     
    ***
     
    “Ms. Miller?” a man said behind Claire as she foraged around in her front yard the next morning looking for personal belongings of hers or her neighbors.
     
    “Yes?” she responded as she turned around. The first thing she noticed was how incredibly handsome this mystery man was. He had thick