Wildfire and Roses

by Hope Malory

  “One thing is clear: I’m in love with Will. My perspective is changing about so many things. Now, I can picture us spending our lives together, and I even imagined moving here.”

  “I would love nothing more than having my friend here. Will appears to want the same thing.”

  “I haven’t made any decisions, but I will keep an open mind and see how it goes on this trip.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Beasley received a text from Blake, asking her to call him.

  “Hi, brother. What’s up?”

  “I checked out Will, and he may not be the nice, all-American guy we think he is.”

  “What do you mean you checked him out?”

  “Don’t get all bent out of shape. Hey, I like the guy and respect him, but if my sister is going across the country and spending time with someone we don’t know much about, I’m going to make sure he’s decent.”

  “You ran a background check?”

  “Hell, yeah, I did.”

  “Just because you run checks on your baseball recruits doesn’t mean you can run checks on my friends.”

  “People aren’t always what they appear to be. Some of the things I discovered about potential recruits stunned me, and it isn’t easy to surprise me.”

  “Blake, I can’t believe you. Couldn’t you trust I would be conscientious and make an intelligent decision about who I hang out with? And besides, we aren’t walking down the aisle or anything.” He doesn’t need to know I have fallen in love with Will.

  “I’ve seen the way you two look at each other and the way you moped around after he left. You may fool yourself, but you can’t fool me. Don’t you want to hear what I found out?”

  “Is he an ax murderer?”

  “No.”

  “Married?”

  “No.”

  “Well, what terrible thing did he do?”

  “He has a record for DUI and assault.”

  The jolt raced through her body as though a current of electricity shocked her.

  “Will Gregor? I don’t believe that. Are you sure you found the right guy?”

  “Positive.”

  The mention of DUI stirred up horrible memories of the drunk driver who killed their parents. She had no tolerance for people who drank and got behind the wheel of a vehicle. The man responsible for their death served his sentence and went on with his life. She would never see her parents again. Thoughts of that dreadful time came to the surface as she paced.

  To think she was in love with Will, or believed she was. Without doubt, she didn’t know him well after all. Nausea swamped her.

  “What were the circumstances? Was anyone injured?”

  “I didn’t dig that far, but I can find out.”

  “No, don’t. I intend to confront him.” Nothing Will could say would excuse what he did, but she needed the facts. Why did he hide it from me knowing what happened?

  “Don’t be naive. Do you honestly think he’ll tell you the truth?”

  The Will she thought she knew would, but he hadn’t told her everything about himself. Did she miss any warning signs? Although she detested what he did, she didn’t believe he would lie to her. “A valid point, but I think he will. Maybe we’re both cynical.”

  “Just cautious when something involves my family.”

  “I love that about you, Blake, but you can’t go around doing background checks on our friends. Promise me you won’t do it again.”

  “Okay. I won’t unless someone gives me a reason to.”

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “Thanks. I have a reputation to uphold. Be on guard. That’s all I ask.”

  “I will.”

  Assault? DUI? She couldn’t conceive of Will attacking anyone or drinking and driving. He wasn’t that person, was he?

  Chapter 28

  Anger welled inside her. Disbelief reverberated in her brain. This would alter everything if what Blake said was true; he had been so positive. Casey might know the truth.

  “Listen, Case, I hate to admit this, but Blake conducted a background check on Will. He does them on baseball recruits their college is considering for scholarships. In his overprotective brother mode, he ran the search and found out Will has a record for DUI and assault.”

  Casey’s eyebrows shot up. “Will? That doesn’t sound like him.”

  “I said the same thing, but it’s there. I can’t overlook this.”

  “Clearly, this would upset you, but why don’t you get the facts before passing judgment.”

  DUI was a zero-tolerance issue because of her experience. “Oh, I’ll get the facts, but what could he say that would make a difference?”

  “Guess you two need to talk about it.”

  ~ ~ ~

  The fire department scheduled a late afternoon training with Will as the leader, but he assured Beasley he would be in Truckee in less than an hour, leaving her little time to unpack and settle in. Since Casey had wedding details to attend to, she and Will would have privacy. How would she approach the subject? She would be livid if someone did a background check on her without her knowledge, not that she had anything to hide. Since it appeared Will did, she assumed he would have a similar reaction. This wasn’t something she could ignore.

  When Will arrived, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She backed away.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Let’s sit.”

  “What’s going on?” A muscle twitched in his jaw.

  “Will, first, I want to tell you what Blake did. Without my knowledge, he ran a background check on you. What he did was unethical, and you have every right to be angry, but I must ask about the DUI and assault on your record.”

  He hesitated for a moment. “I’m not mad because I have a sister, and I understand why he did it. The information is correct. As for the assault, a guy at the ski slopes hit on my sister. After she rejected him, he roughed her up and tore her blouse. When she screamed and started fighting him off, I flew over and jerked him away from her. The scumbag smarted off, saying she had asked for it, so I punched him in the face and almost broke his nose. He was the son of a city official, and he pressed charges for assault. They put me on probation and assigned me to community service. I’m not proud of it and wish I had handled it in a different way, but there it is.”

  “Not that I condone it, but my brothers would have done the same thing.” She dropped her head and took a deep breath to collect herself before continuing. “What about the DUI? You knew a drunk driver killed my parents, yet you didn’t bother to disclose that fact.” Her voice broke.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t think to tell you.”

  She erupted. “Are you serious? Knowing how much I detest the guy who crashed into my parents and you didn’t think to mention it?” Pain registered after digging her fingernails into her clenched fist.

  “What can I say? I was the driver and ran into a car—an accident I’ll regret for the rest of my life.”

  “Was anyone . . . ?” She couldn’t say the word.

  “Injured, but not critical.”

  “Why did you drive? Once is all it takes to hurt or kill someone.”

  “I know that. There’s no point in giving you details. They would sound like excuses, and I don’t want to do that. Look, all I can say is I’m sorry I didn’t tell you and hope you can forgive me.”

  “I need time to process all this.”

  “If I could turn back the clock and change things, I would. Beasley, I care about you. Please don’t let this come between us.”

  “It already has. I can’t help what I feel.”

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  “Yes.”

  Within minutes after he left, a knock sounded at the door. Thinki
ng it was Will again, she jerked it open to find Cameron standing there. Relieved, she hugged him. “Hi, Cameron, I understand congratulations are in order. I’m delighted for you and Casey.”

  “Thanks. I just saw Will driving away and he didn’t look happy. Is everything okay?”

  “No, I found out about his DUI. Were you aware of that?”

  “Yes. It happened over six years ago.”

  “Can you tell me the circumstances?”

  “It’s not my place to discuss Will’s business. Didn’t you ask him?”

  “He didn’t give me any specifics.”

  “You really will have to talk to him.”

  “Please, I need to understand what happened.”

  “Mrs. Gutenburger, the woman in the wreck, will be happy to talk to you about him and what happened.” He pulled up the contacts list in his phone. “We call her Ms. G. Here’s her number. You should call her.”

  “Will mentioned her. I’ll think about it. Casey is picking up something for the wedding. She should be here any minute.”

  As soon as Casey entered, Beasley excused herself. She couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to the story she needed to know, something that might make a difference, and she went into the guest room to call Ms. G.

  “Ms. Gutenburger, my name is Beasley McLemore. I’m Will Gregor’s friend. I need to talk to you. Could I come by for a brief visit?”

  “Yes, any friend of Will’s is welcome. Why don’t you drop in this afternoon?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Beasley admired the landscaping when she parked at the well-kept cottage. What would Mrs. Gutenburger tell her about Will? Not that it mattered. She doubted she could ever forgive the man who bashed into her parents. He still drove drunk and nothing would change that. Will did the same. The only difference was this woman lived. She needed facts Will didn’t give her. Cameron seemed to think talking to the lady would change her mind.

  The fashionable woman who answered the door was tall and slim, was at least in her late eighties, and had almost perfect posture. Her silver hair, short with a stylish cut, framed a pleasant face with crinkles around the eyes and mouth from years of smiling. “Hello, Beasley. Please come in.”

  “Mrs. Gutenburger, I appreciate you allowing me to drop in like this.”

  “Call me Anna or Ms. G. Gutenburger is such a mouthful. Will calls me Ms. G.”

  “Ms. G, your cottage is lovely.”

  “Thank you. My husband and I bought it thirty-five years ago and restored it. He passed over six years ago so it’s only me now. Sit anywhere you like.”

  Beasley sank into the blue and white striped chair beside the window. She scanned the room noting the photographs scattered throughout. The picture of Will surprised her.

  “Now, what did you want to talk about?”

  “Will’s DUI, but he only said he struck your car and they charged him. He wouldn’t give any details. The reason I flew across the country was to find out if Will and I could sustain a long-distance relationship. This morning I found out about the arrest. A few years ago, a drunk driver hit my parents and killed them.”

  “I see. You don’t think you can forgive him for doing the same thing as the man responsible for your parents’ death.”

  “Exactly. Cameron suggested I meet you and hear the story from you, but I don’t think it will make a difference.”

  “After I tell you what happened, I hope you reconsider. Will was eighteen and home on winter break from college. He and three friends had been to a party. Will drove. On the way home, he rounded a curve, hit a patch of ice, and skidded into me. My car landed in a ditch on its side. After checking on me, he called 9-1-1.”

  “He told me you were injured.”

  “Yes, and in a lot of pain. I had several stitches and a broken arm. Since I lost consciousness, and I supposed because I was so old, they kept me in the hospital overnight. Oh, I was pissed at him at first. His dad bailed him out, and he had the nerve to show up at the hospital with daisies. He apologized, but I ordered him to leave. The guy is persistent. The next day, he came here and offered to help around the cottage. I refused. He pled with me to let him explain. The haunted expression in his eyes caused me to pay attention.”

  After pausing for a moment, she continued. “Will stated that the other three boys in the car were drunk, but as he informed the officer, he was the designated driver and had nothing to drink. The officer didn’t believe him even when Will asked for a blood-alcohol test. The man said he didn’t need one to know they were all under the influence. He took them in and charged them with underage drinking and added DUI to Will’s charge. Like the officer, I presumed he was being a defensive teenager and brushed him off.”

  Beasley nodded. “I imagine I would have thought the same thing.”

  “Before Will left, he shoveled snow from my sidewalk. He returned the next day and chopped and stacked firewood for me. My husband had died six months before and was ill for months prior to that, and I neglected a lot of things. Will cleaned up the yard. The following day, he insisted on going grocery shopping for me. With my arm in a cast, it was more difficult for me and I let him. That sweet man came every day until his break ended. Each time, he checked with me to find out what I needed. Such a comfort and company for a lonely widow. Last year when a storm damaged my roof, he and Cameron repaired it for me. I grew to love him as much as a grandson.”

  She sighed before continuing. “With every fiber of my being, I believe he spoke the truth about that night. If I had even an ounce of doubt, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Oh, he admitted he drank plenty while he was in college, but never drove on those occasions. Whatever errors in judgment he may have made, alcohol was not a factor in the accident. People make mistakes. Their character shows up in how they deal with them. Will is one of the finest people I’ve ever known. I would hate to think of him losing out on happiness over this.”

  “Wow, I believed nothing you said could change my mind, but your story put everything into perspective. He wouldn’t tell me because he said it would sound like he made excuses. Not that I know, I won’t let what happened color my decision about whether Will and I should try to make our relationship work.”

  “Do you love him?”

  “Yes, I do but I live in Tennessee.”

  “Does he love you?”

  “Yes, I think he does.”

  “Then follow your heart.”

  Déjà vu. Exactly what her mama always told her, except she had always thought it meant something different.

  Ms. G smiled, and her eyes softened. “My Victor and I lived in two different states. Both of us were too stubborn to give up our friends and families and move to be with each other. I even compiled a list of reasons our romance wouldn’t succeed. Soon after we broke it off, he was in an accident at work and almost died. Right then I knew I couldn’t live my life without him in it. I packed and went to him and have never looked back. All those reasons I deemed valid, had no merit compared to what I would have given up had I stayed. Until the day he passed, we had a fairy-tale marriage.”

  Unimaginable. Smokejumping is dangerous. If something happened to Will . . . Beasley shuddered now, allowing her mind to go there.

  “Thank you, Ms. G. You helped more than you know.”

  “Tell that young man to bring you over for dinner before you leave town.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Chapter 29

  Will sprawled on his well-worn leather sofa trying to figure out what he could have done or said that might have made a difference to Beasley. Should he have explained the circumstances? No one else believed him; not the officer, not his parents, and Ms. G didn’t at first. His history in college didn’t inspire trust. How could he expect her to believe him? But, he had to do something. Losing h
er now would be like losing a part of him.

  The doorbell rang interrupting his thoughts. His jaw dropped when he opened the door and saw Beasley standing there.

  “May I come in?”

  “Please do.”

  “Will, I spoke to Ms. G, and she told me what happened. I’m so sorry. It’s just—”

  Feeling like a huge boulder lifted off his chest, he held up his hand, “No need to explain. I get it. It reminded you of the absolute worst time in your life. How did you know about Ms. G? Oh, right. Cameron drove in as I left.”

  “Yes, he wouldn’t tell me anything. I pushed him hard to fill me in, but the guy code kept him from it. He finally encouraged me to talk to her. She thinks a lot of you.”

  “It’s mutual. I should visit her soon.”

  “She asked us to come over for dinner this week.”

  “If you agree. I’ll call her. Come here, you.”

  When she stepped forward into his waiting arms, relief drained like water swirling down the sink. He leaned his forehead against hers. “I don’t want to lose you.”

  She intertwined her fingers with his and tilted her head up for a kiss. He could drown in those kisses. His already racing pulse spiked when their lips met. There was so much he wanted to say, but they had plenty of time. Now, he only wanted to feel her next to him.

  Will sat beside her on the sofa and draped his arm around her shoulder as they chatted about their plans for the week. Tomorrow, they would go skiing, and the next day was Casey and Cameron’s wedding. When he suggested they spend a day where they had first met in Yosemite Valley, she agreed.

  He recalled the day at the park. She had infuriated him in the beginning. But as he got to know her, he recognized her compassionate side. Tragedy, controlling brothers, and the responsibility as a teenager of helping to care for her younger sister shaped her forceful personality and independence. She still shouldered huge responsibilities, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have a man in her life. He wanted to be that man.