Page 151 of Sunkissed Colorado
“Even when you’re the general manager?” Winnie asked with a raised eyebrow.
I huffed a laugh. “I don’t have the job just yet.”
Winnie grinned knowingly, like she didn’t believe me for a second.
Russ wandered off to help the cleaning crew, and Winnie bit her lip, her expression growing more serious. “Everyone’s heard about Leo Mackenzie’s big confession. How Paula set the fire, and how she’d been harassing you after Jessa died.” Her voice dropped. “I was shocked when I heard. I just wanted you to know I had no clue any of that was going on back in high school. Leo never said a word.”
“I never thought otherwise,” I assured her. “Leo told me you tried to be there for him, but he didn’t tell anyone what was happening.”
Relief flickered across her face. “I know you have Callum now, but if you ever need to talk about any of that stuff, I’m here.”
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
After Winnie headed home, I spent the next hour helping return tables and equipment to the brewery. The donation jar felt heavy in my hands as I carried it inside and placed the money in the office safe. The burned section near the back of the building was blocked off with plastic sheeting, but I could smell the smoke.
For a moment, I was right back in that terrifying night. Heat and flames. Smoke choking off my airways.
But then I thought about the donation jar, about the community that had rallied around us today. The money representedHart County’s unwavering support. Hearthstone would be back in business before we knew it. Better than ever.
And more than anything, the thought of Callum helped me breathe easy again. His bright smile and steady hands. Always there when I needed him.
I was closing up the office when Russ appeared in the doorway. “Hey, you busy?”
“I was just finishing up. Mostly I’m waiting to hear that the fire’s contained and Callum and the other guys are safe.”
“Of course,” he said quickly. “But if you have time, I was hoping you and I could have a chat.”
“You and me?” Something in his tone made me look at him more carefully. Russ’s hands fidgeted with his keys, and he kept glancing away from me. “Of course. Is something wrong?”
Russ didn’t answer me as I locked up Manny’s office. We started toward the front door. The rest of the building was quiet. We were the only two people left.
“I heard you and Winnie talking about Leo Mackenzie,” Russ finally said.
“Okay.” I waited for him to continue, but his nervousness was starting to rub off on me.
“There’s something about Jessa you should know. Something about the night she died.”
Shock hit me like cold water.
“Russ, you’re freaking me out.”
“I don’t mean to. But I’ve meant to tell you this for a long time. I just didn’t know how.” He took a shaky breath, and then the words rushed so fast they slurred together. “I was supposed to meet Jessa by the creek that night.”
I’d heard what he said, but it didn’t make sense.
“That can’t be right. Jessa had a thing for some football player. That’s who she was meeting at the creek.”
He stuck his hands deep in his pockets, a red flush creeping up from his neck into his face. “I was on the team for a little while at the beginning of that year. Just because my dad wantedme to play. Jessa and me, we were talking. Texting some. I…I liked her.”
I found myself glancing around the brewery’s front area, taking in the hostess stand and benches as if I could anchor myself to the familiar.
Just minutes ago, Russ had been my goofy friend from work. Hearthstone’s brewmaster.
Not Jessa’s secret crush.
He was still talking. Rambling on, though nothing he’d said was sinking in. “I was warming the bench, and after Jessa died, I couldn’t bring myself to keep going. I quit the team. I felt so guilty. I still do.”
“Guilty aboutwhat?”
