Page 132 of Sunkissed Colorado
“He hasn’t admitted to anything except seeing Zandra around, and we had nothing to go on but suspicion. But Hearthstone has security cameras. You need to check the recordings. Find out exactly who was there.”
She dipped her chin with a nod. “My people are at Hearthstone right now with the fire department, and we’ll see about getting the hard drive for the cameras. We’re working with the fire marshal to determine the origin and cause of the fire. Could be arson, but it’s too early to tell. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”
When Nichols left, Callum turned to me, his face dark with anger. “I never should have left you alone at the brewery tonight.” Then he shook his head. “I mean, you needed space, and I can respect that. But it just…Z, the thought of almost losing you…”
Tears pricked my eyes. I wished I could erase that stupid fight. I typed on the notes app.
I know. Same. I’m so sorry about everything tonight. I said things I didn’t mean.
“I’m sorry too. I screwed up by not talking to you before I got in touch with Manny about the job. But we can talk about that later.” Callum took the phone from my hands and leaned down to kiss me softly. “All that matters is we’re both here and we’re safe. You should try to get some sleep.”
“You’ll stay with me?” I whispered, followed by a fit of coughing.
“If they want me out, they’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming.” He settled back in the chair beside my bed. “You know what a pain in the ass I can be.”
A pain in the ass I’m completely in love with, I thought to myself.
There was so much more I wanted to say to him. But I didn’t want to tell Callum how I felt over a notes app. That would have to wait.
I closed my eyes and tried to rest.
Callum and I slept off and on. When morning came, a booming voice pulled me from a doze. “Where is she? Where’s my granddaughter?”
“I think Manny’s arrived,” Callum muttered, sitting up and rubbing his face.
A moment later, Grandpa stormed into the room on his cane, moving surprisingly fast. Rosie came in behind him with a wheelchair. “Pa, you need to sit down. The nurse said?—”
“I’m too upset to sit down,” he declared.
A nurse popped her head in. “Two visitors only, please.”
Thankfully my headache wasn’t pounding as much as last night, but this wasn’t helping.
Rosie sighed. “I’d better get back to the waiting room and wrangle Eliza and Javi. It’s a zoo out there, and I have the feeling Jimmy will instigate something if I leave him alone with your parents much longer.”
I looked at Grandpa in surprise. My Mom and Dad were here?
He seemed to read my expression. “Of course they’re here,” Manny said, finally lowering himself into the chair. “Half of Hearthstone’s staff is out there, plus a bunch of other people Ibarely know, and your parents are near hysterical. At least your mother is. But I insisted on coming in first.” He studied my face with sharp eyes. “Hearthstone Brewing has been around for thirty years, and nothing so catastrophic as last night has ever happened.”
Crushing guilt hit me all over again, even though I still had no idea how that fire had started.
My ex had tried to rob the place. And that was far from the only suspicious incident that had occurred at the brewery since I came back to town.
“I’m so sorry, Grandpa,” I whispered.
“Manny, you’re out of line.” Callum’s brows creased as he reached for my hand. I knew he didn’t want me to talk, but I’d had to say that out loud.
Somehow,Ihad brought this on Hearthstone.
“Callum, you can stay out of this. Zandra, I want you to listen to me.” Grandpa got up from the chair, wobbling to my bedside. He narrowed his eyes and frowned. “Are you listening?”
I nodded, bracing myself for whatever he was about to say.
“I’d happily see every possession of mine go up in flames before losing you. You hear me? Don’t talk again. Just nod.”
I did, feeling like I was a kid again, and Grandpa had caught me sneaking sugar cubes from the Hearthstone supply shelves.
“I love you, granddaughter. Your Nana loved you too. If she’d known Hearthstone almost cost your life, she’d never forgive me.” His voice cracked when he’d mentioned Nana, and he turned around to sit, but I suspected he was blinking away tears.
