Doc pushed his plate to the side. He leaned back against the red pleather booth and crossed his hands in front of him, placing them gently on the table. She’d heard from the guys that he had a stance and a phrase that was a precursor to a lesson, but she doubted he’d say, “Now listen here, son” to her.
“I’m gonna give you some words of wisdom, because I think of all you youngsters as my kin. Don’t let miles separate you. Don’t let words become walls. I lost my daughter for ten years because we were both afraid of losing each other, and the funny thing was, ten years of silence was exactly that. Don’t let ten years go by. Don’t let unsettled business fester in your heart.”
She wondered if he had a spyglass into her soul. She’d been thinking about her brother. Thinking about her father and all the words she would have liked to have said to him. The most important being she loved him. There were many words she’d saved for Kathy, but after talking to Luke, she wasn’t sure those words were appropriate anymore. Maybe the only word she had for her stepmother was, why?
“You know, you’re right. I think I’m going to take my break and call my brother.” She picked up Doc’s empty plate and bent over to kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks for the talk, Doc.”
“Anytime, Riley. Age gives you wisdom and hemorrhoids, and only one of those is something I’d pass on.”
“Thankfully.” She buzzed past Meg and told her she was taking ten. Walking through the kitchen, she grabbed her cell phone and headed out back.
It was a beautiful late summer day. The birds sang, and the wind moved the scent of pine through the air.
She sat on the step behind the diner and dialed her brother.
“Hey, Rye,” he said in his baritone voice. Even when he was a boy, no one expected that deep, dark, honeyed tone to come out of his mouth. “How’s Mayberry RFD?”
He’d teased her about moving to the small town. Told her she’d be bored in ten minutes and move back to Butte.
“I love it here.” She explained to him about the benefits of knowing everyone and how she’d finished up the two sculptures at four that morning.
“I was joking about living in Mayberry, but maybe I wasn’t too far off the mark.”
She laughed. It felt good to laugh with her brother since the last couple of times they talked, all she had left were tears.
“It’s better than that because it’s real. I’m telling you, my life has come full circle. Between the job, having family here, the studio and Luke, I’m in heaven. What about you?”
Baxter sighed loudly into the phone. “Full circle hasn’t hit me yet. I’m still wandering on a long stretch of nothingness.”
“You can always come to Aspen Cove. There seems to be a lot of building going on, and maybe you could find a position. There’s a contractor here named Wes Covington. He’d be a great contact for you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” In the background, someone called for him. “Got to go, sis.”
“Right.” Saying goodbye was the hardest thing to do. She seemed to be doing that a lot this last year, but things were changing, and maybe she’d convince her brother to come along for the ride. “Just wanted to call and tell you I love you.”
Baxter returned the sentiment.
As she returned to her shift, a feeling of calm washed over her. Doc was right, family was important, and she vowed not to let the miles separate her from those she loved.
When she walked up to the back counter, she noticed Meg had done all of her side work while she’d been on her break. She’d gone out of her way to be nice. Riley wasn’t questioning her motives because she didn’t want to borrow trouble. Meg had taken a turn since their heart-to-heart last week. It was far better to have her as a friend than an enemy.
“You working at the studio tonight?” Meg filled up the last sugar jar and placed it on the brown plastic tray. Riley followed her out, and they both went about placing them on nearby tables.
“The sculptures are finished, but I have to go in for about an hour to clean up. Luke is bringing his crew in tomorrow morning to pick up the work and deliver it to the stage.”
“That would be a sight to see. A bunch of hulking firemen flexing their muscles.”
Riley didn’t want to say she saw that every night when Luke raised himself over her and pressed into her waiting body.
“Those suckers are heavy. I attached wheels so they’d be easier to move, but there was nothing I could do to make the move from the studio to the stage simple.”
Meg looked around the diner. “Sure is slow in here. How am I supposed to keep myself in cigarettes and wine if people don’t eat?”
“Most of the male population are making sure the venue is ready for the masses that will show up next week for the concert.”
“I love the word mass. Makes me think naughty thoughts.”
Riley laughed. “Makes me think about confession.”
“If you want to go and get your studio stuff done, I can hold down the fort. If the masses show up early, I’ll give you a call.”
Grateful to have the afternoon off, Riley grabbed her purse and left. It wasn’t as if staying would make a difference. Zero customers meant zero tips. Her time was better spent cleaning up and preparing for other things—like a romantic night with Luke.
She left work feeling good but nervous. She texted Samantha and told her she could take a peek at the finished product in an hour.
The concert would be the first time her work would be on display. After the show, Samantha wanted to put the sculptures in the gallery. She was certain they’d bring a good price. Riley’s stomach churned with the thought that people might hate her work. What if Kathy was right? What if her passion for metal art turned out to be worthless?
Samantha showed up as Riley scooped the last bit of dust into the trash can. She watched her face for any sign of disappointment, but there was none. Samantha seemed to love everything about them, but old hurts were hard to bury. Each time she heard Samantha compliment her, she also heard Kathy’s voice in the back of her head criticize her. Her doubts and fears resurfaced. The best cure to banish those was time with Luke.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Luke’s phone rang, and a smile spread across his face.
“Hey, beautiful. What are you doing?”
“Hey, yourself. I’m closing up shop for the day and heading to your place.”
He could hear the exhaustion in her voice. She’d been burning the candle at both ends and no doubt needed to sleep for a week straight.
“Why don’t you climb in bed and get some rest while I finish up my shift?”
“Mmm, that sounds good. Will you wake me when you get home?”
He loved the way she said 'home,' as if she’d finally decided to move in with him. While they hadn’t discussed it again since his first offer, he did plan to revisit the question tomorrow once the sculptures were in place and her schedule was calmer.
“How do you want me to wake you?” He loved to tease her. Closing his eyes, he could imagine the blush rising to her cheeks. “You want me to kiss you awake, or should I slide next to your naked body and do naughty things to you until you wake up?”
He heard a cough coming from the direction of his office door. Thomas stood there making obscene gestures with his hands and mouth until Luke flew him the bird and motioned for him to shut the door.
“I’d like both,” she said. “I want your soft kisses and hard body.”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. All she had to do was say the word 'hard,' and he was.
“Go climb into bed, and I’ll see you after my shift.” He wouldn’t get off work until late that night, but now he had something to look forward to. “And Riley?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you, and when I get home, I’ll show you how much.”
She giggled. It was a sweet sound that hugged him like a warm blanket.
“Love you, too.”
He walked out of his office and into Thomas,
who was waiting by the door.
“You’re so whipped.”
“Guilty.” Luke wouldn’t deny it. He was unequivocally smitten with Riley. They were opposite in almost every way, but it was like their individualized pieces somehow fit together perfectly. Where he was regimented, she was undisciplined. Where he was tall, she was petite. He was dark, and she was light. She filled all the empty spaces inside him, and he hoped he did the same for her.
“I can’t believe you’re giving in so damn easily. Pretty soon, she’ll have your dick in her hand like a leash.”
“God, I hope so. You should be so lucky to have yours in some beautiful woman’s hand.”
Thomas tapped his chest with his fist. “Confirmed bachelor.”
“How is living in that house all by yourself?” Thomas had closed on his new place a few days prior.
“Heaven, man. It’s like having a castle and I’m the king.”
“Tell yourself that now, but soon you’ll see how quiet that place will be and how those walls become a moat separating you from the world.”
Luke thought about his life and counted himself lucky he’d finally gotten everything he wanted. He had the perfect job, a woman who loved him, and a community that had become his family.
James showed up with his arms full. “Look what Poppy brought by.” His right hand held out a calendar with February showing.
“Look at loverboy wearing a rose and a puppy.”
“Give me that.” Luke swiped it from his hand and stared at the picture. He had to admit the puppy was cute.
Thomas took a copy from James and flipped to his month.
“Damn, I’m hot.”
Luke turned to June to see Thomas’s shot and laughed. Charlie had brought over a Saint Bernard puppy to pose with him. In the background, she’d Photoshopped in a bursting fire hydrant. Both Thomas and the puppy were soaked.
James held the calendar out and shook his head. “I don’t see hot. All I see is a washed-up old man.”
“You better watch it, or you’ll be doing my laundry again.”
James frowned. “You need a wife or a housekeeper.”
“Why?” Thomas asked. “I’ve got you, and you don’t require anything of me.”
* * *
It was closing in on eight o’clock when an alarm went off in the Guild Center. Luke’s first reaction was to think Riley hadn’t gone home but stayed to work on something else. The grid was lit on her studio, which meant she had to be there and hadn’t turned on the exhaust system.
“You want to go, or do you want the whole team?”
He considered going on his own, but his crew hadn’t done a drill this week, so to keep them on their toes, he told them all to gear up. Less than three minutes later, they were in the rig with sirens wailing, speeding down Main Street toward the alarm.
Luke expected to see nothing, but what greeted him was a surprise.
Black smoke rose into the air and billowed into the darkening sky. The building screamed with alarms as if crying because of injury. His crew kicked into gear.
They raced around back to the closest entry point to Riley’s studio. He searched the parking lot for her beat-up SUV, but it wasn’t there. He was a mix of emotions. Thrilled and relieved she wasn’t there, and angry she’d left something unattended and put others at risk. He knew she’d been too tired to work so many hours. Knew she’d get sloppy and make a mistake. He never considered it would send the center up in flames.
They hooked up the hose and went to work. Between the state-of-the-art safety system Samantha had installed and his crew’s expertise, the fire was under control in less than an hour. Fortunately for everyone, it was contained to Riley’s studio and some water damage to the hallway and Cannon’s studio.
In the middle of the heap of charred ruins stood the sculptures. The beautiful patina Riley had worked so hard to create was now black with soot and grime, but to her credit, the metalworks were still intact. Even the heat of the blazing fire hadn’t compromised her art.
“Accidental?” Thomas asked.
Luke spun toward his friend. “Of course. Do you think she’d set the place on fire on purpose?”
“No, but we have to investigate all possibilities.” He looked past Luke to the remains.
All the men had their place on the team. Luke was the man in charge. For all intents and purposes, the fire chief. Thomas fell into second-in-command. He had several jobs, one of which was as the fire department’s investigator. James was trained for EMS, and Jacob was the driver and all around go-to. The part-timers filled in the blanks where needed.
“She didn’t set the fire on purpose, Thomas.” He hated that he wasn’t being open-minded about the possibilities, but this was Riley they were talking about, and his love for her was skewing his common sense.
“You need to step away from this or step away from her while we investigate.”
“What?”
“On first inspection, it’s not looking good for her.” He pointed to the wall where she usually kept the tanks, but one was pulled forward and left in the center of the room. The rubber tubing that delivered the gas was melted into the cement floor. The blanket they’d made love on was charred to ash in the corner. The shelving lay twisted and mangled, its joints and fasteners not able to take the concentration of heat.
Above them was the only place the ceiling had given way to the fire. Thankfully, it hadn’t breached the room, or the whole place might have gone up in flames. As it was, there would be smoke damage throughout the building and water damage to areas close by.
“She didn’t set the fire.”
Luke knew without a doubt she didn’t set it intentionally, but he couldn’t be certain she hadn’t set it accidentally.
“You can’t be objective.”
“I have to be. I’m in charge of this station, and it’s my job to protect this town.”
“You’re also Riley’s boyfriend, and you have some obligation to protect her. Where do you draw the line for either?”
He saw where Thomas was going, but he had a job to do. He’d promised to serve and protect.
They taped off the area and called Samantha and Dalton, who came right away.
While Samantha tried to remain stoic and unaffected, he saw the concern in her eyes.
“We’re insured,” she said. “It will be okay.”
“Does Riley know?” Dalton asked.
Thomas gave him a look. He was certain it was a reminder of how impossible being objective would be.
Luke shook his head. “No, she’s not the owner of the building, but I will visit her and let her know.” The next sentence would be hard to say. “We can’t rule out arson, and she’s a suspect.”
A tiny gasp cleared Samantha’s lips. “You think she set the place on fire.” She shook her head so hard, her hair swirled around her shoulders like a building tornado. “No way. I was here earlier. She was so excited to finish the sculptures.”
“Did she look tired?” Thomas asked.
“Exhausted, but…” Samantha’s head fell forward. “I suppose she could have accidentally started it.” She looked around. “I’m having a tough time believing that, too. The place was immaculate. She was scooping up the last bit of trash into the dust bin when I arrived. There wasn’t a thing out of place.”
Even though Luke had accused her of being irresponsible the first day they met, he’d seen nothing that could confirm his initial suspicions. Riley was a safety-first girl. Short of almost burning the diner down because of the temperamental toaster, he’d seen nothing to give him the impression she’d been careless in any facet of her life.
Luke looked to Thomas. “Ready to pack it up?” He walked toward the rig, with Samantha and Dalton close behind. Before he climbed on, he said, “I’ll notify Riley.”
On the way back to the station, he considered the easiest way to break his love’s heart.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Riley woke when the bed dipped besi
de her, and the smell of smoke filled her nostrils. She’d been in a dead sleep for hours. Once the guitar pieces were complete, the stress of the project fell away and her ability to let go and finally succumb to the exhaustion hit her. She felt like she could sleep for a week.
“Hey, you’re home. What time is it?”
She had a hard time focusing on him. The room was dark but for a slice of moonlight that bled through the crack in the curtain.
“It’s time for you to get up.”
She rubbed her eyes. “Really? I thought you were going to come to bed and do naughty things to my body.”
He pulled the cover and rubbed his hand over her back. His fingers traced the grid of scars on her back.
“That was the plan, but not anymore. Something has happened, and I need you to get up and get dressed.”
She bolted up to a seated position. She couldn’t ignore the serious tone of his voice, and once again the smell of smoke wafted beneath her nose.
“A fire?”
Her eyes had adjusted enough to see the pained expression on his face.
“Yes.”
Her hand went to her mouth. “Oh my God. Is anyone hurt? Is it Aunt Maisey, Dalton and Samantha, Sage?” She recited all the names of the townspeople she knew, but he kept shaking his head. “Who the hell is hurt, then?”
“No one, but the Guild Creative Center nearly burned down, and the fire started in your studio.”
“What? No…” She couldn’t believe she’d heard him correctly. “That’s not possible.”
“It happened, Riley. I’m not making it up.”
“What does that mean? Is the building gone? What about everyone’s work? What about my work?”
“Your studio is the only one directly affected by actual fire. There’s smoke damage and water damage, but it’s minimal.”
She climbed out of bed and threw on her clothes. “I need to go see.” She tugged on her socks and shoes, hopping all the way to the living room.
“You can’t. You can’t go anywhere near there. What I need you to do is go back to your apartment. The sheriff will stop by to take your statement.”
One Hundred Ways: An Aspen Cove Romance Page 16