Page 62 of Here With You

“Should I be worried?”

In what world would being rich worry anyone? “Nope. You’ll be happy.”

She gave him another kiss. This one was too short but seemed to promise more later. “Finish the paint job, and I’ll see if I can’t round up something sexier than flannel.”

He went back to work and spent the next several hours finishing the painting and moving the furniture back in place. He was dog-tired when he locked up the house and started for Emmaline’s. Noise from the beach drew his attention, and he saw that a group had started a bonfire. He hadn’t realized how much time had passed, but it was well past dark. When he walked inside Emmaline’s, Ollie was at the door to greet him. In his mouth was a bunny slipper.

“You wrapped her around your finger, didn’t you, boy?” Every muscle in his body ached as he trudged up the stairs. When he entered what had become their room, he found Emmaline fast asleep. Rather than wake her, he undressed and climbed into bed beside her. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn’t help but think that all the bad was behind them. All they had left was forever.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

Emmaline woke to Ollie’s barking, the smell of smoke, and the shrill of a fire alarm. She threw back the covers and realized the room was hazy. “Miles!” She always set the next day’s clothes out the night before and reached for her pants. “Miles!” she yelled again. “Get up! Something is burning.” Ollie was beside himself. It was the first time she’d seen him without a shoe in his mouth. He danced around the room in a panic.

“What the hell?” Miles was up and jumped straight into his pants before he ran to the door. “Get out of the house.” They raced out the bedroom door, only to meet thicker smoke and enough heat to blister their skin, but she didn’t see flames. “Stay low and breathe through your shirt.” He took her hand and led her down the stairs and out the front door. Ollie barked and whined while circling their legs as if he was telling them all about the fire.

Outside, the situation was more dire than she thought. Flames licked at the clapboard siding of the house.

She turned to find Miles calling 911 and running into the main resort to help the guests to a safer area.

“Oh my God, the guests.” She took off toward The Brown to help people down the stairs and to the parking lot.

Tilly ran out of the kitchen with a fire extinguisher in her hand, but it would be useless in this situation. “What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know. What time is it?”

Tilly looked at her phone. “I made Hugh a pot of coffee about an hour ago, around five-thirty. He said he came in early because Mabel had a doctor’s appointment. He looked tired.”

She glanced around and saw Hugh standing in the driveway with the others. Relief washed through her knowing he was safe. She could replace a building, but she couldn’t replace a life. The sirens wailed in the distance as she watched everything she’d worked for burn to the ground. While her family’s legacy died, she couldn’t grieve because she had guests to attend to. When her staff showed up for their shifts, she put them to work opening the second floor of The Kessler. Tilly sent several of her cooks into town to get supplies, and she moved her operation into The Kessler’s restaurant. It wasn’t ideal, but it was all they could offer, and most guests were grateful. By the time the fire was out, all that remained was a shell of the building and the six fully intact bungalows.

She’d been too busy to cry, but now that it was all calming down, she sat on the picnic bench and bawled. Her father always thought she’d burn the place down, and while she didn’t set the fire, she felt just as responsible.

“Hey.” Miles arrived with a plate of fruit and cheese. “You haven’t eaten anything.”

“I feel sick to my stomach.”

Minutes later, Darryl arrived and sat next to Miles. “I’m so sorry this happened.”

She glared at him. “Do you know how it started?” She hated the accusation in her voice, but she’d been thinking about the fire all day and wondered if Darryl had anything to do with it.

“Do you think I did it?” He threw his hands into the air. “I’d never do that.”

“You are mad at your brother, and I imagine you don’t want to see him succeed.”

He shook his head. “I’m an asshole, but not that kind. You’re right, I don’t want him to succeed where I can’t, but I’d never ruin what you have.”

She looked at the smoldering ash. “Had.”

Miles wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I thought you might blame me.”

“You? Why would I blame you?”

“Because I asked you to give up the resort and come away with me.”

She leaned into him. “It was a hypothetical question.”

“Like when you asked me if I’d sell you the ranch?” His brother cocked his head. “Did you win the lotto and burn down her resort, so she’d have to leave it and follow your dreams?”

“Lotto?” She turned to face Miles. “What’s he talking about?”

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