Her friends’ surprised shouts and cheers make us both jump. But Iris’s relieved laughter soon follows.
“About fuckin’ time,” Ramon utters at the same time Sally sighs, “Thank God.”
Iris fills them in on the events of the last hour, including her refusal to stay with Jonathan and the blocking of her social media accounts.
“What do you need from me?” Ramon asks.
Iris’s uncertain gaze latches with mine. “I don’t even know where to start, but Ray, you know Moira. She's going to make trouble.” Her frown tells me this is one thing she’s sure about. “She might even try to take what’s mine.”
Ramon snorts. “You’re going to need to sue her if she does.”
“She’s going to need a lawyer first,” I chime in. “We’re about to go dark over here. We might keep cell service, but it’ll be spotty, and we’re definitely going to lose power. Can y’all help us out from there?”
“You got it,” Ramon answers with confidence.
“And can you make up a list of potential managers for me to interview?” Iris asks meekly, as if she’s asking too much. The guy works for her, for Christ’s sake. I won’t mention that he’s left her here to fend for herself. The fact that he’s not here dealing with this storm could be to her advantage.
I can practically hear the grin in Ramon’s voice. “I already have a few in mind. I’ll email you a list ASAP.”
Iris sags with relief. “Oh, thank you, Ray. That’s huge.”
And then her phone beeps with another Juliet ID. Moira must have found a different line.
“Dammit,” Iris groans. “She’s never going to stop.”
I’ve had enough of this, and she doesn’t need any more. “Let’s put your phone on DND. Ray, if you need to reach Iris, use my number. Moira doesn’t have that one.”
“Good idea,” Ramon agrees.
Iris says nothing, but the look of awe she’s giving me might just make me swell with pride.
“Hey.” Sally’s concerned voice comes over the line. “The Weather Channel just said that Addie’s a Category 2 now. Are you guys going to be okay?”
Iris’s hazel eyes search mine.
“We’ll be fine.” Iris is still in the curve of my arm. I squeeze her gently. I don’t want her to be afraid, but there are some things we need to do before it gets rough. “We just need to take care of a few things.”
“So do we,” Ramon says, businesslike. “Try to check in every few hours to let us know you’re okay.”
“We will,” Iris promises.
“Iris?” Sally calls, emotion in her voice.
Iris sits up straighter, her whole attention aimed at the phone like a satellite dish. “Yeah?”
“I’m so glad you’re doing this and letting me help.” Her words are rough with feeling, and I see the impact they have on the woman in my arms.
“Oh, Sal,” she murmurs, her eyes welling again. “I love you. Both of you.”
“We love you too,” Sally answers wetly at the same time Ramon says, “Love you too, Iris.”
Then I hear Ramon clear his throat. “Landry?”
“Yeah?” I answer, already guessing what’s coming.
“Be careful with her.”
I have the feeling Ramon isn’t just talking about keeping Iris safe during the hurricane. No matter what, he’s got nothing to worry about.
“You have my word.”
“Beau?” Sally calls, still sounding tearful.
“Yeah?” I half-expect Iris’s best friend to issue some kind of warning of her own.
Instead, I hear her sniffle. “Thanks for looking out for her.”
My smile spreads slowly. “Anytime, Sally.”
Iris and her friends say their goodbyes, and she ends the call, her watchful eyes on me.
“What do—”
But she’s interrupted when her phone goes off again. This time, the name across the screen is her director’s.
“Shit,” she hisses. “Moira got to him. I’d better take this.”
She puts the phone to her ear, and I rise, wanting to give her privacy if she needs it. When she doesn’t look up at my departure, I know she’s got this under control.
“Hi Jonathan… I figured she did… No—no, I’m fine. She doesn’t represent me anymore…”
I step into the kitchen, but I feel my shoulders ease because she sounds more confident than she has since I showed up. Talking to her friends probably steeled her conviction that this is the right move.
I can still hear her voice in the kitchen, but I try to tune out her words and instead assess what we have to work with. The range is gas, which means we can cook without power. The fridge and the freezer aren’t exactly stocked, but there’s food. The freezer holds individually sealed salmon