"Any Incidents?" Claire asked as she stood in the control room. The question came automatically, falling from her lips as soon as she took her normal stance between Lowery and Vivian. Her eyes scanned the wall of monitors.
The park was a ghost town in preparation for the approaching storm. Many park goers either cut their stay short and left yesterday, or the ones who decided to stay were directed to stay hunkered down in their rooms.
Claire checked her watch and nodded to herself. The park was closing in an hour.
"Everyone is accounted for. There's currently four hundred guests who have not checked out last night or this morning." Lowery informed her.
"Please have an announcement sent through the rooms that there will be one more ferry off the island in an hour. Also send updates on the storm." She couldn't help but sound a little nervous.
Being on the island for quite a few years helped her understand just how serious some of these storms could get. This one was slated to be one of the worst.
Some of the employees had taken in her outfit and immediately knew this storm was to be taken seriously. The operations manager stood in dark skinny jeans, rain boots and a dark blue satin blouse.
"Automated messages will be sent through the room phones as well as across the TV's." Lowery informed her.
"Ok," Claire sighed and took a final sip of her coffee before tossing it in the trash. "I want this room cleared out by the time the park closes." She checked the monitor showing only a handful of guests trying to get in a few more drinks along the main strip. "I'm going to start the rounds."
Vivian and Lowery nodded. They were among the small handful of employees who would be riding out the storm in the control room. "Be safe!" Vivian called after Claire. Though it wasn't expected of her, Claire always liked to make a final round to all the paddocks before a storm hit. Especially making sure the carnivores had their backup generators ready and working.
"You too!" she called over her shoulder.
She made it back to her office just as the wind started to pick up outside. The sun had disappeared behind the ominous clouds about two hours ago, which had Claire gnawing at the bit. The storm was coming in faster than expected.
"Heading out?" Zara asked as she stood from her desk. She swing her rain jacket over her shoulders and grabbed her bag.
Claire nodded. "Just going to check a few paddocks before heading home."
"Ok, ACU is expecting you." Claire's assistant knew by now which paddocks she was going to be checking up on. ACU was aware she'd be showing up, knowing which roads she would be traveling just in case of any emergency.
"Thank you!" Claire called over her shoulder.
The T-Rex paddock was the closest attraction to the innovation center, so she decided to go by foot. Tightening her grey Jurassic World rain coat around her, she hurried through the now empty park. The only people she passed was security hurrying around to make sure anything light enough to blow away was secure.
"Hey, Ms. Dearing." The paddocks security officer smiled as Claire hurried over to him.
"How's everything here?" She asked, jumping slightly from the unexpected clap of thunder.
"We've got everything running and tested the backup generator. Paddock is secure."
Claire glanced out at the T-Rex pacing angrily along the glass viewing area. "Hang tight, girl." Claire laid her palm against the glass briefly before waving at the officer and moving to her next stop.
"Damn it," She groaned as the rain started when she was only halfway to her car. The lightening flashed around her as she ran the rest of the way.
The radio she had secured to her jeans crackled as she settled in the safety of her car. "Claire?"
She held the radio close to her mouth. "Yeah?"
"What's your next stop?" She recognized Lowery's voice.
"Mosasourus." She informed him.
"Ok, you're needed at the raptor paddock as soon as you're finished. Power just flickered there."
Claire swiped her wet hand across her forehead, trying to clear the rain off her face. "Copy that."
"No, no everything is under control." It was Owen's voice coming through and it had Claire rolling her eyes.
"Thank you, Mr. Grady, I will be there in twenty minutes. Out." She said quickly and dropped the radio to the passenger seat.
She quickly checked on the Mosasurus before hurrying over to the raptor paddock. By now the rain was pounding on the windshield so hard that even the wipers on the highest setting couldn't clear her view of the road. Luckily she knew her way around the park like the back of her hand. Forced to take it slow, her tires splashing along the dirt road.
"Everything ok?" Claire asked, walking towards the paddock.
"Told you everything was fine." Owen grumbled.
"I still like to make sure. Plus you're not on duty. Why are you here?" She knew this was not the time to let their personal lives get in the way of their work. Their one and only date may have not ended well, but she still couldn't help the butterflies that went wild in her belly whenever she saw him. Being concerned for his safety caused him to smile at her.
"Checking on my girls." She smiled slightly and nodded towards the sound of the four unhappy raptors.
"Well I need to ask you to leave. Only the storm crews should be out right now."
"What about you?" He asked, walking over towards her.
She stumbled sideways from the gust of wind and reached up to grip her hood to keep it secure on her head. "I'm the last of the employees. Just making sure everything and everyone is where they're supposed to be."
Owen has been on the island for a few months, and has been through some storms, but never one this bad. He's only heard stories of these kinds of storms. "You're driving around in this on your own?" It was his turn to sound concerned.
"This isn't my first storm." She reminded him. Turning on her heels she started walking back to her car. "Please leave the property. Every other employee knows I don't give out warnings during a storm. It's an automatic write up."
"Will I have to go to your office to be written up?"
Claire blushed and ducked into her car. As much as the man aggravated her, he easily made her swoon for him. Which always ended up aggravating her more.
Owen always pushed her buttons just so he could see her cheeks flush red. He could easily have his pick of women on the island, but his sight was set on the boss. Even after their disastrous date.
There was a blinding flash of lightning, followed by loud clap of thunder and the cracking of a tree before it crashed to the ground. The newly fallen tree coming to rest where Claire's car was sitting just seconds before. This made Owen's stomach turn.
"Hey, Paul!" Owen called out to the ACU officer. "Where does she usually head to after here?"
"Baryonyx" He answered.
"Is that the last of her rounds?" Owen wondered, trying hard not to let his worry take over as another round of thunder and lightening clapped around him. He heard another tree falling in the distance. He hoped it was him hearing things, but his heart jumped to his throat when he swore he heard tires screeching somewhere in the distance.
"Don't know, man. Radio control." Paul told him as he hurried around the paddock to double check the fencing as the electricity blinked once more.
"Claire?" Owen spoke into the radio.
"Radios are out!" Paul called out to the other ACU officers around the paddock.
"Damn it!" Owen hissed. "I'm leaving." Owen called out and jumped on his motorcycle. "You'll drown in that thing!" Paul called after him. "Take one of the jeeps." He tossed Owen the keys and he caught them easily.
Instead of turning towards his bungalow, he went in the direction where Claire disappeared in. He drove for a few minutes before another flash of lightening lit up the dark road. Wind knocked down trees and branches. He had to swerve to dodge the falling debris. "Damn woman." He grumbled.
His headlights flashed across a familiar car. His stomach tied in a knot when he noticed the fallen tree and skid marks following the car off the road. Throwing the jeep in park he ran towards the car. "Claire!" He yelled as loud as he could, but his voice didn't travel far through the howling wind and thunder. "Claire!" He tried again when he got closer. His hands gripped the handle to the drivers door and swinging the door open he found the car empty. "Shit!" He hissed and tried to squint through the rain to see where she went.
"What the hell are you doing out here?" Her voice was supposed to come across as annoyed, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was thankful he was there. She crossed the road with a large rock cradled in both her hands.
"What happened? Are you ok?" He, on the other hand, didn't hesitate to show her how worried he was.
"Just missed the damn tree. Now I'm stuck." She informed him.
He reached out to take the rock from her hands. "That's not going to help." He informed her and tossed it back to the other side of the road. His eyes quickly scanned her body and he raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing digging yourself out didn't work either?"
She followed his gaze and tried wiping at the mud soaking her jeans. She nibbled on her bottom lip and slowly nodded.
"Get in the jeep and get warm. I'll get you out."
Claire shook her head. "I can do it."
The wind knocked down another tree limp just feet from where they were standing. Claire couldn't help the terror filled screech and she jumped towards Owen. His own yell of panic had him not even trying to make fun of the fact that she was now gripping his bicep because he was holding her just as tight. "Ok," he moved both of them towards the jeep. "We'll worry about your car later. Let's get out of here."
"No!" Claire let go and started moving towards her car once more. "Just help me get it out of the ditch." She spun and hurried to the back of the jeep and popped open the trunk.
Owen watched in awe as she hooked up the tow cord to the front of the jeep and didn't hesitate to drop to her knees and roll onto her back to hook the cord to the bumper of her car. He cleared his throat a few times, trying to make sure his voice was normal. "I underestimated you, Ms. Dearing."
"Stop gawking and help me get this hooked up." She instructed.
Knowing he would have to basically be on her to help he ran towards her. He took the second cable and stepped over her legs, squatting down to try and see where she hooked the first one.
They worked together easily as they pulled her car from the ditch. She knew exactly what to do. Both of them seeing the other in a completely different light, had them smiling shyly at the other.
Feeling something was off as he watched the car pull back from the ditch, Owen got out of the jeep and walked around to the passenger side of Claire's car. "Yeah," he scratched the back of his head. "This still isn't going anywhere. Your front tire is bent. This needs to be towed."
"Ugh!" Claire grumbled and kicked the bent tire frame. "Stupid tree!"
"Let's go." Owen gripped her arms and led her back to the jeep. This time she went willingly. Knowing where she lived, he turned the car around and headed towards the other part of the island.
They drove for a few minutes, dodging fallen trees when they came to a large trunk across the road. "I can't get around that." Owen informed her. Before she could say anything he turned around and started back towards his bungalow.
"Um…" She trailed off when he pulled up to his place.
"It's more secure than it looks." He huffed and got out of the car.
Knowing she really didn't have a choice she got out and followed him inside. She stood uncomfortably just inside the door while he rushed into the bedroom. Her eyes took in the small but tidy space. "Here," he said as he handed her an armful of clothes. "bathroom is just through my room."
Her cheeks flushed a deep red and she looked down at the clothes in her hands. "Thanks," she whispered.
Owen shrugged. "Sure," he smiled at her before turning towards the fridge, conveniently stocked with beer.
"I mean for this and coming after me. I know that's the only reason why you ran into me out there. You're a good man."
He popped open his beer and smiled at her before taking a swig. "You're worth the danger." He winked and nodded towards the bedroom. "Go get cleaned up before I decide to go in first."
Claire threw him a crooked smile and walked through to his room. Again she was pleasantly surprised at the fact that his bed was made and his room was just as clean as the rest of the place.
She showered quickly, not wanting to stay in too long with the storm outside. Sorting through the clothes Owen gave her she realized she would have to go without underwear. Nibbling on her bottom lip she pulled on his sweatpants and sweatshirt and stared at her soaked clothes. She noticed the small washer and dryer and tossed her clothes inside before meeting Owen.
"Cable is out." He informed her before placing his beer on the end table and got off the couch. "I'm going to shower before we fully lose power."
Claire nodded and sat on the couch after Owen disappeared into his room. "There's beer in the fridge, or if you don't drink that either then there's bottled water." He called out to her.
She rolled her eyes and went for the beer. Chugging down two bottles before he came out of the bedroom she had her third in her hand and a new one sitting by Owen's almost empty bottle. She was curled up in a corner of the couch and he sat beside her. "I see you found the candles." She had a few lit already since the lights were blinking more and more.
"Didn't peg you as the type of man who would have scented candles." She giggled.
Owen shrugged. "I like the vanilla scent."
"Oh, please! You're not getting in my pants, Mr. Grady. Stop sweet talking me."
He snorted and motioned towards her clothes. "You're in my pants, sweetheart."
Just as they thought the lights flickered and completely went out.
"I hate these storms." Claire groaned. She was secretly glad she wasn't sitting by herself.
"Should have seen some of the storms out at sea. Those were enough to have you shitting yourself. This is nothing."
"How long were you in the Navy?" Claire wondered.
"Fresh out of high school. Best years of my life," he looked into her eyes and smiled. "well, until I moved here."
Claire tilted her beer bottle towards his to they clinked together. "Well, thank you for your service."
"I'd enlist again in a heartbeat if it meant I was fighting to protect you."
Claire threw her head back as she laughed. "You sure have those pickup lines down pat."
He winked at her but didn't say anything more.
They were silent for a few minutes. Owen broke the silence to ask her about her start at Jurassic World. They talked until the fridge was half empty and they had empty beer bottles littered at their feet. By now, Claire had her back against the armrest of the couch and her legs thrown over Owen's lap. The clock on the wall let them know it was almost two in the morning.
Owen turned slightly so he was facing Claire, his arm resting along the back of the couch as he played with the ends of her hair. "Why couldn't you be this relaxed on our date?"
She shrugged. "You make me nervous." Knowing it was the alcohol in her system allowing her to be so confident, she leaned in to kiss him.
"Am I making you nervous now?" he wondered and leaned in to kiss her again.
She shook her head and locked her arms around his neck. Their tongues danced as their kiss deepened. Claire moaned into his mouth when his hand slid up her sweatshirt, his palm resting flat on her back.
Owen pulled back, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "You can have the bed, I'll sleep here."
Claire stood up slowly and took his hands in hers, pulling him to his feet, he let her lead him into his room.
The next morning the wind still howled outside and the thunder had started up again. Claire laid curled into Owen's side, his arms holding her close against him. She groaned when she heard her phone ringing from the other room. Reaching for Owen's t-shirt she threw it on and hurried to find her phone.
"Hi, Mr. Masrani." Claire glanced over her shoulder towards the bedroom.
"You ok? Cell and radio signals are back and one of the ACU officers just found your car."
"Oh, I'm fine. I'm… I'm home." She wasn't about to tell her boss where she really was.
"Ok, great. Looks like you guys need to stay put for a while. The roads need to be cleared. Your car is at the garage. I'll have it fixed and a jeep delivered to your place. As soon as the storm clears I'll fly in."
"Thank you." She smiled against her phone.
"Glad you're ok. Hang tight today."
"I will." She told him and hung up the phone.
"Lied to the boss man?" Claire jumped at the sound of Owen's voice behind her.
Claire shrugged. "I didn't think telling him the truth was the best things right now."
Owen walked around her towards the small kitchen. Her eyes followed him as he walked away from her. She paid special attention to the way his muscles moved under his skin as he walked. His bare chest causing her heartbeat to pick up. She smiled when she realized he had on the pants she wore last night.
They ate breakfast and then Claire finished washing her clothes so she could go outside to help Owen clean up his yard. The large tree across his driveway trapped her there for another night. Which neither of them seemed to complain about.
The next morning they worked together to cut up the tree so he could drop her off at the innovations center. The park was given the ok by Mr. Masrani to open, so Claire was due at the office.
She smiled quickly before getting out of the jeep. "Thanks again." She said and hurried away from him.
"Claire…" Zara immediately stood up to follow the boss into her office. She shut the door behind them and followed Claire to her desk. "same outfit you wore two days ago… who is the guy?"
Claire shrugged and sat in her chair.
"You scared the crap out of Simon. They found your car and the cell towers were still out."
"I know," Claire sighed. "I talked to him." She got up and went to her small closet where she hangs her jacket and a few work outfits just in case she ended up falling asleep in her office after a long day. She excused herself and went into her bathroom to freshen up and change for the day. Her mind still stuck on Owen.
Claire wondered down main street towards her favorite spot to eat lunch. On her way she spotted Owen in line at the hot dog stand. She started to walk towards him when one of the petting zoo keepers stepped in front of Owen. Her hand immediately coming up to rest on his chest as she spoke to him.
Claire's eyes narrowed, remembering the first time she met Owen. Zia, aware of most of the gossip on the island had warned Claire he was a player. Though Claire wasn't innocent either, she still found it aggravating. She wasn't used to being the one who got played.
Stepping between them she continued on to the next quick service counter to order her salad.
"Jealous?" Owen stood behind her, his hot dog in hand.
Still waiting for her salad, she glanced quickly over her shoulder and snorted. "Hardly, Mr. Grady. She's nothing more than a dinosaur babysitter. Did you at least change your sheets before getting her in bed?"
Owen recoiled as if she had slapped him. "What are you talking about?"
Claire grabbed her togo bag and jabbed a finger into his chest. "Stay away from me. I refuse to be the one who was played. You're nothing but a number."
"Oh, you think I slept with her? She's barely out of college! She wishes she had a chance."
Though his words did make her feel better, she still was cautious. There was no way they'd be able to make it as a couple. Claire wasn't sure if it was her own wall she build around her heart keeping her from taking the chance with Owen, or if she truly was jealous of the other women basically throwing themselves at him all over the island.
He stepped close to her, his lips at her ear, making her shiver. "Now you're going to play hard to get? News flash, Claire. I already got you. Not once, but three times, Baby."
Claire blushed, but kept her composure as she stared him in the eyes. "It was fun, but I'm looking for a man. You go play with the girls around here."
"Ok, Sweetheart, two can play that game!" He called after her as she walked away from him.
She turned slightly to wave at him just as his attention was taken by a blond retail worker. Owen quickly looked back at Claire who completely turned her back on them and disappeared into the Innovations center.