Mary Baxter - Lightning Strikes Part 3

As a devastating summer storm hits Grand Springs, Colorado, the next thirty-six hours will change the town and its residents forever….

At Vanderbilt Memorial’s E.R., the power goes out, casualties flood in and hospital staff must fight for lives in the dark.

Amanda isn’t ready to forgive Noah just yet…and Noah isn’t ready to confess why he walked out on her. But their problems aren’t the only ones. Karen’s daughter remains trapped in a cave. Noah’s sister Randi called but he still has no idea if she’s in danger or just a runaway bride. The storm has forced the citizens of Grand Springs to hold on tight to what matters most.

Don’t miss the next book in this ongoing story, Strange Bedfellows by Kasey Michaels.

Dear Reader,

In the town of Grand Springs, Colorado, a devastating summer storm sets off a string of events that changes the lives of the residents forever….

Welcome to Mills & Boon exciting new digital serial, 36 Hours! In this thirty-six part serial share the stories of the residents of Grand Springs, Colorado, in the wake of a deadly storm.

With the power knocked out and mudslides washing over the roads, the town is plunged into darkness and the residents are forced to face their biggest fears—and find love against all odds.

Each week features a new story written by a variety of bestselling authors like Susan Mallery and Sharon Sala. The stories are published in three segments, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the first segment of every three-part book is free, so you can get caught up in the mystery and drama of Grand Springs. And you can get to know a new set of characters every week. You can read just one, but as the lives and stories of each intertwine in surprising ways, you’ll want to read them all!

Join Mills & Boon E every week as we bring you excitement, mystery, fun and romance in 36 Hours!

Happy reading!

MARY LYNN BAXTER has written over forty books. She is now retired, and instead of creating romance and mystery in her head, she reads others who do. Her love of reading has never diminished, nor has her love for working out at the gym. Her latest passion, however, is beading flatware in her home. While her life away from the computer is certainly different, it is nonetheless fulfilling.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Things are really heating up at Vanderbilt Memorial, despite the steady cold rain outside. Amanda and Noah can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. That’s not going to go over well with Amanda’s boyfriend, Gordon, especially after he just proposed! Amanda hasn’t accepted, but she hasn’t said no, either. She has a choice to make. Gordon, the steady loving one, or Noah, her true desire who might up and leave again, breaking her heart once again. Amanda isn’t ready to forgive Noah just yet…and Noah isn’t ready to ’fess up to where he’s been after walking out on her all those months ago. But their problems aren’t the only ones. Karen’s daughter is still trapped in the cave, due to the mudslide. Noah’s sister called but the static was so bad that he still has no idea if Randi is just a runaway bride or if she’s in true danger. The storm is still raging and only time will tell whose lives will be impacted next….

Noah Howell’s irritability was high.

The doctor rubbed his hand across his rough cheek and chin, uncomfortable with the itch caused by a long overdue shave. Maybe he ought to take this spare minute allotted him by fate and take care of that problem.

However, first things first: his mother. He needed to talk to Melissa, to let her know he had heard his sister Randi’s voice and that after running away from her own wedding, she was at least alive. He also needed to check on Melissa herself, the feeling of misplaced loyalty beginning to rear its ugly head.

Dammit, he was concerned for his family’s welfare, though he had to admit actions spoke louder than words. Hopefully, Melissa had remained at the inn and not tried to return home in this weather. Grand Springs was having torrential rains, with nonstop thunder and lighting. The power was still out across most of the city and the hospital ER has been crazy. Knowing his mother, she could jump either way. She was one stubborn woman, especially when she thought it would give her leverage over him.

Noah punched out the numbers to Squaw Creek Lodge, where Randi’s wedding was to take place, but the static was so severe that even if he got through, he wouldn’t hear a damn thing.

He slammed his smart phone down, feeling his irritation climb even higher. He had to get a grip on himself or he was bound to make a mistake in surgery, something he couldn’t afford, not at any cost.

Peering down at his hands and seeing that they were shaking did little to improve his disposition. If someone else saw him, doctor or nurse, they would think he was hitting the booze. He was drunk, all right, only not from booze.

Fatigue and anger provided him with a high that booze couldn’t touch. He was walking an emotional tightrope. Any moment, he expected to topple off and crash.

He had managed to let his personal life sneak into his professional one. However, he forced his work to take precedence.

The Collier youngster was first on his rounds.

Laura. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl. And she might not live through the day. Frankly, he was surprised she’d made it this far after such a horrific car accident.

Noah lifted his head, struggling against the rising tide of emotion in his throat. Physical pain and death surrounded him on a daily basis. That he could handle—what he’d been trained to handle. But this emotional tug-of-war going on inside his gut was another matter.

He had thought he’d been strong enough to deal with it. He’d been wrong. Dead wrong. Still, he had no choice but to go forward with his life, with his career. While that all sounded well and good, he didn’t want to go forward, dammit! He wanted to go back to Amanda and take up where they had left off.

“And people in hell want ice water, too, Howell,” he muttered. Only they weren’t going to get it, and neither was he. Amanda had found someone else. His gut twisted at the thought. But he had to face that fact and deal with it.

How? Now that he could put a name with a face actually made it worse. Disgusted with himself, he strode into the bathroom where he began to shave, still surprised he hadn’t been called to surgery, even with Malcom Riley on duty.

Typically, Saturdays weren’t noted for emergencies either in surgery or in the ER. But this Saturday was an exception as the town remained in a blackout crisis. Though at the moment, the rain had slowed, somewhat.

Noah stared at his face in the mirror and would’ve laughed if it hadn’t been so tragic. He looked awful, like he and the bottle were having an affair.

Spitting a wad of cream out of his mouth, he began shaving. Shortly, he ran his fingers over his face and felt better. His hair, however, was a lost cause. It was too long and too unruly, but until this siege ended, he’d have to let that go, something he’d bet Amanda’s new squeeze wouldn’t do.

Why, pretty-boy Gordon looked like he’d just stepped out of GQ. Noah made a noise that bordered on a grunt. Nothing had been out of place, not one stitch of clothing, certainly not one hair on old Gordon’s head. God forbid.