Page 89 of Let It Breathe
Tears filled her eyes, and she knew it wasn’t just the smoke. “You got hurt.”
“I’m fine. The burn is pretty small, and I sucked in some smoke, but I’ll be okay.”
One of the medics laughed. “Someone owes this guy a beer.”
Reese bit her lip. “Thank you. I don’t know what to say, really. If you hadn’t been driving by right then—” She stopped, struck by a realization. “I never thought I’d be so grateful to have a man run out on me after sex.”
Clay grimaced, and the medic gave a choked laugh. “You two want a minute alone?”
Reese shook her head. “No—it’s okay. Just take care of him, please.”
Clay shook his head, his expression somewhere between amusement and embarrassment. “I left a note.”
“I believe you,” she said. “I didn’t see it, what with my barn catching on fire and all, but I’m not mad. Really, it’s okay.”
Clay nodded. “Not quite the exit I envisioned.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you were here.”
“My pleasure.”
“Do you need to put that mask thing back on?”
He gave her a funny little half smile. “I am feeling a bit lightheaded.”
He pulled the plastic mask back over his nose and mouth, and Reese glanced back at the winery barn. Firefighters had the blaze extinguished at last, and crews were stringing yellow crime-scene tape around the charred outer edge. She knew it was just to keep people out but couldn’t help feeling violated at the sight of it.
She looked back down at Clay. “I’m going to go see if they’ll let me have a closer look at things. You okay here?”
Clay nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.
“Thanks again,” she said. “For everything.”
Reese turned and took two steps toward the winery barn before her mother’s voice stopped her in her tracks.
“I brought brownies,” she called. “Just a little something to say thank you to all of you for saving our place.”
Reese turned to watch her mother weaving through the crowd of gawking neighbors and firefighting personnel, a large tray of chocolaty treats balanced in her arms. She wore yoga pants and a button-down shirt that displayed the small heart she’d had tattooed above her left breast with Jed spelled out in curlicue letters.
Reese felt her phone vibrate and glanced down to see a text from Larissa.
All OK w/ your zoo. 2 squirrels in outside cage humping. You?
Reese texted back.
Everyone safe. Too soon to tell damage.
“Hey, honey,” her mother said. “Did you get a chance to get a look at things yet?”
“Not yet. I was just headed that way.”
“I’ll go with you!” announced Axl, pushing his way through the crowd. “I saw a good-lookin’ lady firefighter down there, and I’d like to ask her to uncoil my hose.”
“Dad, stop it!” June hissed. “That’s our neighbor, not a lady firefighter.”
Reese rolled her eyes. “So it’s okay if he sexually harasses firefighters but not the neighbors?” She grabbed Axl by the arm and pulled him away from the crowd. “Come on, Axl. Come with me to check out the winery barn, okay?”
“Yeah, maybe they need some muscle down there,” he said, flexing one arm.
