Page 46 of Day of the Storm

Keeli confirmed it. Houston didn’t understand. “Why didn’t anyonesayanything about him? Report him?”

“Wedid. To the station manager before. And the owner, well, the owner before Mr. Jacobs. No one would do anything about him,” Keeli, a few years older than Brooke, and a returning student to FCU, said, a bite in her tone. “Sexual harassment still happens, Houston. Even here; it was just a matter of time before he gotbadwith somebody. Usually we make sure no woman is alone with him. I’ve been worried about Brooke all night. We got here as soon as we could.”

She had a hand on Brooke’s shoulder. Brooke was just shaking and pale. Afraid. Houston wanted to scoop her close and promise her it was over.

Keith and Angel stood over Hoby, but the guy was too busy vomiting from Houston’s punch to the gut to notice. Keith looked at Houston’s hand. “Dude, you’d probably better get that taken care of. Rumor has it the hospitals are backed up by hours. Better go now.”

“What are we going to do about Hoby?” Angel asked. He was the quieter of the interns. But…he had more skills than Hoby, hands down. “The roads are opening up again.”

“He can’t drive; he’s too damned drunk. And the TSP can’t deal with him now,” Houston said. “I’ll file a report with the TSP as soon as I can. But this will be a low priority for them right now, considering the storm. Call the bastard’s wife. Can you two give him a ride home? We’ll let her deal with him.”

“He’s not to come back here, either.” Brooke looked right at Hoby. “I’m speaking for my father when I say, ‘You’re fired.’ Don’t come back here again.”

Houston was ready in case Hoby went after her again.

Hoby didn’t. He just stayed right where he was. Down on the wet pavement, everyone around him looking at him with disgust.

Completely worthless.

Houston turned to whoreallymattered. “You ready? I’ll walk you…somewhere. Wherever you need to go.”

He’d stand between her and whatever storm came her way. As long as she’d let him.

Maybe even if that was forever.

CHAPTER 16

She didn’t wantto be a wimp, but…what exactly was she supposed to be doing here? Her heart was still racing. Seeing Dwight attack Houston had terrified her. “You’re hurt. We should…the hospital…”

Ok, now shedidsound like a wimp. Not like the woman who was effectivelyin chargeof the entire station when the station manager wasn’t there. Brooke straightened her spine and pulled herself together. “We can deal with Dwight Hoby later. But for now…your hand. I think we should go to the hospital first. We’ll figure out everything else after. Angel, can you take over the booth after you drive Dwight home? Todd’s in there by himself.”

“We’ll take care of everything here. You just get Houston taken care of.” Angel patted her shoulder lightly. Brooke forced herself not to flinch away.

For so long before, she had hated to be touched, especially by men. It wasn’t going to be like that now.

Dwight Hoby had brought up bad memories. But she had workedhardto get through. He wasn’t going to take that away.

Houston had been hurt defendingher.

She was going to take care of him now.

No matter what.

That meant…there was a fourteen-block walk or so between the college campus and the hospitals. He had to be hurting. It was time to take charge.

“Houston, come on; let’s go.”

He followed her docilely.

That’s how she knew the man was up to something.

Houston Evers had never beendocilein his entire life; she’d bet her entire inheritance on it. She’d get Houston taken care of—then, she’d try to find a way home.

Her father was probably going insane with worry.

She hadn’t heard from him at all. And she knew…he was trying to get to her somehow.

She looked at Keeli. “When my dad shows up, tell him…I took Houston to the hospital.”