Page 12 of Ruined
“Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, you’re really here.”
“Sweetheart, give her time to get out of the car.” Brett appeared behind his wife, snaking his arm around her waist to calm her bouncing. “Hi, Zoe.”
I stepped out of the car, beaming even more than I had been moments ago. It was so good to see my friend. Six months was a hell of a long time, especially when I was used to seeing her every other day.
Something caught my eye, but before I even had time to look two paws pushed into my chest. I toppled backward, my back connecting with my car. There was an excited bark and then my face and wherever else she could reach got slobbered in doggy kisses.
I pushed my fingers into her thick fur, scratching behind both ears at the same time. “Hey, Blue.” As if the dog could understand me, she let out another bark while her tail wagging kicked into overdrive.
“Okay, that’s enough, girl.” Blue ended her love attack on me and craned her neck to look at her master. It only took Brett cocking his head to the side to send her off on a lazy trot back onto the deck.
“Wow, she looks good.” Brett had picked her up on the side of the road; she’d been in bad shape but determined to survive. Kenzie had been so ecstatic when they got to adopt her, you’d have thought she was adopting a kid.
Without warning, she removed her husband’s arm around her and launched herself at me, hugging me tightly. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were coming.” She held on for a few more seconds, then moved back into Brett’s embrace. I loved the way he pulled her tighter against him.
Shrugging, I scrunched my nose and said, “Sorry.”
“How long are you staying?” Brett dropped a kiss to his wife’s head before making his way to the back of my car to get my bags.
My gaze flitted between the two of them then settled on Kenzie. “I’m not sure.” Nerves had me chewing on my cheek while I quickly added, “There was a fire at the gallery last night.”
“What?” My friend’s hands flew to her mouth.
Brett leaned his hip against my car. “Is it serious?”
The back of my eyes stung, I cursed my body for producing more tears. I shook my head, then softly said, “About as serious as it can be. There’s nothing left.”
“No!” Within seconds Kenzie’s arms were around me again. I had no idea if it was her comforting embrace or if I’d reached my limit, my body shook as the sobs came hard and fast. Breathing became almost impossible.
“It’s all gone,” I cried into her chest, my hands balled into tight fists behind her back. “Everything…just…gone.” Kenzie ran her hand up and down my spine in the way a mother soothing her child would. Wordlessly she held me until my shaking body calmed and my tears dried up.
“Come on,” she urged when my hysteria died down, “Let’s go inside. We’ll have some breakfast and together we can figure out what your next step is.”
Kenzie looped her arm through mine and together we headed into their home. She’d told me a while back that Brett and the boys — as she liked to refer to them — had built the cabin themselves. As I admired the beautiful simplicity of it, my mind conjured up an image of Eli; shirtless, beads of sweat gliding down his body while he hammered—
What the hell was that? Clearly, this whole fire ordeal was messing with my brain. It had to be. Why else would a half-naked Sheriff Jackson jump into my thoughts?Oh please,my conscience mocked,it’s not like you haven’t fantasized about him wearing far less, putting a very different hammer to use.
“Zoe?”
I blinked a couple of times, when my vision went from blurry to focused I found Kenzie and Brett staring at me, their faces washed with concern. “Hmmm?” was all I could manage.
“Brett asked if you’d like coffee,” Kenzie started. “But I’m wondering if you wouldn’t prefer to go lie down?”
Heat crept up my neck before settling in my cheeks. “No, coffee actually sounds good. So good.”
Kenzie seemed unconvinced. “Oookay then, but if you feel tired, the guestroom is the first door to your right.” She motioned toward the small hallway. I nodded, but she made no effort to move; she was too busy studying me. When Brett disappeared into the kitchen, she leaned forward. “There’s nothing else bothering you?”
Oh, how I wished I could pull her onto the nearest couch and tell her everything that had happened, but what good would telling her do? It wouldn’t change events, wouldn’t bring my gallery back, couldn’t bringmeback.
Lifting one shoulder, I shrugged. “Adam isn’t doing so good.”
Kenzie brought her hand to her chest. “Still? I’d hoped having your parents there would help him.” When I shook my head, she reached for my arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “It’s heartbreaking, but we have to believe that things will get better. If we lose hope…” she sighed, turning her gaze to the kitchen. “We can never lose hope.”
Circumstances had kept her and Brett apart for twelve years. Kenzie was familiar with losing hope; when she’d lost hers, she’d lost part of herself too. It took her car to break down at the right time in the right place for her to find it again.
“Ugh,” she tugged me with her as she started walking. “It’s too early for all this mushiness. Let’s get you some coffee.”
“You’re not having any?” I asked when she placed the mug in front of me and took a water for herself.
