by Lisa Jordan
“So you put on your cape and try to be everyone’s hero.” Chloe’s words struck like bullets in his back.
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”
Chloe appeared by his side, her arms folded in front of her. “How’s Justin, by the way?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“He’s the key to this whole thing. How’s he doing?”
Alec tossed his hands in the air. “How would I know?”
“He writes to you every week. I’ve seen the letters.”
“I haven’t read them.”
“Why not?” She shook her head. “See, this is one more thing you’re not facing.”
“He destroyed my life, Chloe! What am I supposed to do? Forgive him?” Alec turned quickly and ran into one of the racks, causing it to start to tip. He righted it and glared at his sister.
She straightened the hangers and whispered, “Yes.”
Alec stiffened his legs to keep from staggering under the weight of her answer. He blinked several times. “Are you crazy?”
“I’m not excusing his actions—he needs to face the consequences, but he was a broken kid who looked up to you.”
“He blamed me for destroying his life.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Kind of the same way you’re blaming God. If you really want to put the past to rest, read his letters and forgive him. Then you can find real happiness...maybe with Sarah.”
He tore his gaze away. Seeing her cry on his behalf shredded his insides. “I need to figure out what to do with this store.”
If only he had some of Sarah’s organizational skills.
Sniffing, Chloe snapped her fingers and held out her hand. “Give me the keys. I’m taking over. You do for everyone else. Let me do for you. I’ll call Christy’s mom, and we will take care of everything.”
Tired of fighting and so ready to put this day behind him, Alec dug in his pocket, pulled out his keys and twisted the one to the store off his ring. “Thanks.”
“It’s not a problem. You need to learn to ask for help more often. Now go home and read those letters.”
His sister’s bossiness was laced with love and genuine concern—he knew that—but her request would mean relinquishing his blame on God and focusing it on the only person who deserved it...himself.
Chapter Fourteen
A week later and Sarah was still moping over a guy she’d known only three months. She so did not want to be that girl, yet a single thought of Alec brought a fresh surge of tears.
Life needed to go on even if she wanted nothing more than to finish the novel she’d been reading while up to her chin in pillows and blankets. At least somebody would be getting her happily-ever-after, even if it were a fictional character.
The rain pounding on the roof made her want to crawl back into bed, even though she had gotten up already to take Daniel to work. Instead of lazing around reading, she needed to do some prep work for tomorrow’s dinner at the community center.
To showcase their newfound cooking skills, the teens had decided to host a community dinner fund-raiser. The money they collected would go toward updating the center’s kitchen, which hadn’t seen a face-lift in a decade.
With Daniel working until noon and Toby still at a friend’s sleepover, she had the morning to herself. Instead of wallowing in her self-pity, she decided getting a head start on the dinner prep was a more productive use of her time. It kept her mind from going downstairs and from wondering how Alec was doing.
She missed him. And Eliza.
Too much.
Apparently remaining friends was out of the question because she hadn’t seen nor heard from him since last week on the dock. His car was gone when she left for the center in the mornings. When she returned home, his bay in the garage remained empty.
The teens had asked about him, but she’d given them some lame excuse until they’d stopped asking. Amber had mentioned he’d sent her a pretty basket of flowers with a card apologizing for the way he’d walked off and to let her know she’d done nothing wrong.
Sarah appreciated the gesture, but that didn’t ease the ache that continued to keep the pieces of her heart scattered.
Someone knocked on her front door.
She flung the blankets aside, swung her legs over the side of the bed and hurried to the living room. Her heart stumbled against her ribs.
Could it be Alec?
Sarah tried to slow her steps to the door. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then turned the doorknob.
Smiles creasing their faces, Caleb and Zoe stood on the landing, their hair damp from the rain.
“Hey, guys. What’s up? Come in.” She stepped back to let them in, trying not to let disappointment line her face. They carried in the scent of rain and happiness.
They exchanged looks and wide smiles. “We have some news and wanted to discuss an idea with you.”
“Well, come in, then. Want some coffee?”
“None for me, thanks.” Zoe followed her into the kitchen while Caleb leaned on the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the small dining nook.
“You don’t want coffee? Are you sick or something?”
“Only in the mornings.”
“Mornings? Why only then?” Sarah reached for a mug and set it under the brewing station. Zoe’s words connected the dots in her brain. She whirled around. “Oh! You’re pregnant!” Sarah threw her arms around her sister-in-law then reached out for Caleb. “Congratulations, you guys. I’m super happy for you.”
Their faces blurred as she blinked back wetness. She was happy for them. She was. She turned away to get Caleb’s coffee, but a tear strayed down her cheek.
He took the mug from her and set it on the table. “Hey, what’s up with the tears?”
“I’m just so happy for you. That’s all. You know what a sap I can be.”
“You sure?”
“Of course. I cried over Ella and Ava, too, remember?” She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and pasted a smile on her face. “You mentioned an idea you wanted to share?”
“My sappy sister.” Caleb wrapped his arms protectively around Zoe’s waist, stirring up feelings of envy within Sarah. “Yes, since we apparently need more room, we’re going to see Alec today about buying a new house. We’d have to either put ours on the market or rent it out. So we thought that, since you need a bigger place for you and the boys, we’d ask you about moving into our place.”
Sarah reached for another mug, dropped in a tea bag and stuck it under the brewing station. “Wow, really? I appreciate it, guys, but things are still up in the air with my job situation. If the board doesn’t offer me a full-time position, I will have to look for something else, even if it means moving away from Shelby Lake.” She hadn’t told anyone but Alec about the mission-coordinator position.
“We don’t need an answer today, and we won’t be moving until we find something else anyway. Just wanted to put it out there.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. Hey, where are the kids?”
Zoe gazed longingly at Caleb’s coffee, then looked back at Sarah. “Hanging out with my parents. We’re picking them up after we swing by Alec’s. Why don’t you come for dinner tonight?”
“Sure. I’m going to the community center to do some prep for tomorrow, and the teens are getting together to make cookies for the dinner, but the boys and I will come when we’re finished.” She cupped her mug and pressed her back to the counter.
“If Alec’s there, then bring him along, too.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t think that will be happening.” She lowered her eyes to sip her tea, hoping to mask her true feelings. Even the brief mention made her chest ache. “He’s not speaking to me these days.
”
“What happened?” Zoe came over and leaned against the counter next to Sarah.
She appreciated the bonding effort, but it wasn’t something she really wanted to talk about in front of her brother. “Let’s just say it was a difference of opinion and leave it at that.”
“If you want to talk, we’re here for you.” Caleb drained his cup and then carried it to the sink. He glanced at his watch and then looked at Zoe. “We should get going so we aren’t late for our meeting with Alec.”
“You’re right.” Zoe gave Sarah a quick hug and whispered in her ear, “Give me a call if you need some good old-fashioned girl talk.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” She walked them to the door.
After they left, Sarah changed out of her pajamas into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. She grabbed her purse and umbrella and raced to her car. The rain had lowered the temperature. Maybe she should’ve grabbed a sweatshirt. But she knew once she started cooking, she’d warm up, so she left it.
Rain pelted her windshield as she slowly drove the few blocks to the community center. Heavy wind forced the trees to sway and bow to its strength. She parked in the back lot. She got out of the car, umbrella in hand, but as soon as she opened it a gust of wind blew it, turning it inside out. She raced for the door, getting soaked in the process.
Once inside, she flipped on the lights and dropped her useless umbrella on the floor. Heading to the kitchen, goose bumps prickled her skin.
Being in there without Alec felt strange. How could she have allowed herself to fall in love with him, knowing he had turned his back on God?
Thunder rolled and rumbled across the valley. Lightning flashed, and the lights flickered. Maybe she wouldn’t be doing prep work after all. If the power went out, this wasn’t going to be the best place to be. Maybe she should gather their cookie supplies and take them back to her place. She’d call the teens to meet her there. It would be tight, but they’d make it work. If worse came to worse, she was sure Caleb and Zoe would let them use their kitchen. Alec’s space would be ideal, but asking him was out of the question.
She went into the storage room where they kept their goods and flipped on the light. Thunder slammed across the sky, shaking the building. Lights flickered again. She needed to get the ingredients and leave. No sense in sticking around with the storm gaining intensity.
Lightning slashed the sky, turning the dreary gray an eerie silver. A loud crack outside the window caused her to jump and drop the bag of chocolate chips she had just grabbed off the metal industrial shelf.
Heart pounding, she raced to the door and reached for the doorknob as a loud zap buzzed like a transformer blowing. The lights flickered again and then plunged her into near darkness, save for the small window that overlooked the parking lot.
Branches lashed out at the building. A blinding flash sliced through the trees. A deafening crash like two railroad train cars colliding ricocheted off the bricks. The building shook violently. The shelves toppled. Chunks of ceiling pelted her head. The wind howled like a wounded animal.
From somewhere in the building, a blast erupted, shaking the building even more and knocking her to the floor. She scrambled to her feet and raced to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. The fire alarm shrilled. The stench of smoke crept through the fragmented wall.
A terror she’d never felt before sluiced through her veins, turning her blood to ice. Her heart jammed in her throat, choking her. With a small square window she wouldn’t fit through and her only exit blocked, she was trapped.
This couldn’t be happening!
Sarah searched frantically for something, anything to break the single paned window. Even if she couldn’t crawl through it, she could cry for help and pray someone heard her.
Her breathing came in shallow gasps. Tears flooded her eyes. “God, I could really use a way out of here.”
She really didn’t want to die today.
* * *
“So do you have an idea of where you’d like to live or what you’re looking for in your new home?” Alec crossed to the mini fridge and removed three bottles of water. After handing one to Caleb and one to Zoe, he took his and sat in his black leather chair behind the L-shaped executive desk that had once been Granddad’s before Alec took over. He opened his laptop to make some notes. Despite the turmoil in his life, talking houses was well within his comfort zone.
Caleb leaned back in one of the blue padded chairs on the other side of the desk and rested his hand on Zoe’s knee. “Four bedrooms and a large backyard, preferably fenced, a couple of bathrooms, garage. Other than that, we’re pretty flexible.”
Trying not to let the couple’s happiness dampen his attitude, Alec typed notes into the form he used to help compile a client’s needs. “What about your current house? Planning to sell? Rent it out?”
“We know Sarah’s lease is up at the end of the month, and she needs a bigger place for her and the boys, so we offered her the place to rent. I know closing on a new place that quickly is practically impossible, but we figured we’d see what’s currently on the market.”
Alec looked up from his computer. “If you’re rushing for Sarah’s sake, don’t worry. She can stay as long as necessary.”
“Thanks. That’s kind of you, considering—” Zoe nudged Caleb in the ribs, interrupting his words. He scowled at her, rubbing his side. “What’s that for?”
Alec could see Zoe was trying to send her husband a silent message with her eyes, but he was either clueless or ignoring her.
“What’s going on?” Alec rounded his desk and leaned against the edge.
Zoe smiled and shook her head. “Nothing. Sometimes my husband forgets to mind his own business.”
Alec crossed his arms over his chest. “Is Sarah okay?”
“Maybe you should talk to her and find out.”
“Caleb.” Zoe gave him a pointed look.
Her husband looked back at her, eyebrow raised. “Zoe.”
“Guys, is there something I should know about?”
“She said you’re not speaking to her right now.” Caleb leveled him with a direct, almost challenging look.
“I was giving her the space she requested.” Alec pushed away from his desk. A glance out the window showed the storm still battering the streets. The fire whistle went off. Inevitable with a storm like this one.
Caleb’s phone rang. “Excuse me.” He fished it out of his pocket, glanced at the screen and frowned. “Sullivan.”
He remained silent a moment, then jumped to his feet, knocking his unopened bottle of water to the floor. “When?” Deep lines etched his forehead and bracketed his mouth. “Thanks. On my way.”
He ended the call and scrubbed a hand over his face as he headed for the door. “Dispatch received a call—a tree fell on the community center, and the fire alarm went off, alerting the department. Sarah’s car is in the parking lot.”
Zoe grabbed her purse and hurried after Caleb.
Alec’s heart stumbled against his ribs.
No, not again.
He raced out the back door to his car. Rain stung his face, but it was nothing compared to the sudden frost that chilled him from the inside out.
He followed Caleb, then jerked to a stop behind the man’s car half a block from the community center. Shelby Lake Fire Department’s rescue truck and engine was parked in the street, their red lights reflecting off the wet pavement. Police cruisers and an ambulance blocked traffic.
Uniformed officers wearing yellow reflective vests and carrying portable radios held back the growing crowd of curious people huddled under umbrellas. Even the pouring rain didn’t deter people’s curiosity.
Alec scanned the crew dressed in turnout gear with air tanks strapped to their backs until he found Billy, the battalion chief on duty. He pushed through the gr
owing crowd of onlookers, but a police officer stepped in front of him, blocking Billy from his sight. He lifted a hand. “Sir, you need to stay back.”
“I need to see Billy. Find out what’s going on.”
“They have everything under control. Let them do their jobs.” The officer’s tone offered no negotiation.
Caleb strode up to the officer and grabbed Alec’s arm. “It’s okay, Jennings. He’s with me. My sister’s in that building. Let us through.”
Without waiting for a response, Caleb shouldered around the officer and hurried over to the cluster of firefighters with Alec on his heels.
Alec found Billy and grabbed his brother-in-law’s arm. “What’s the status? Did you find Sarah?”
“Alec, you have no business being here. Get back with the rest of the crowd.” Billy jerked a thumb toward the sidewalk and stalked away.
Alec jogged over to the crew and gripped Billy’s shoulder. “Sarah is my business. Have you located her?”
“Get out of the way, Alec.” Billy turned away as his radio squawked. He keyed the mic and relayed a command.
Heat seared Alec’s face as the reddish-orange flames licked the bricks, prowling and stalking like a hungry lion in search of prey.
Hose lines snaked through puddles forming in the wet grass as crews entered the building to battle the blaze from within. A firefighter climbed a ladder and started busting a window with a Halligan bar, a heavy metal tool used to gain entry into a building. The whining of saws and shattering of glass spun Alec’s mind back to four years ago when he fought to save his own house with Christy trapped inside.
He couldn’t let history repeat itself. He had to save Sarah.
“What can I do to help?” Smoke burned his eyes and choked his throat. The rain offered little relief.
Billy gripped his shoulders. “Stay out of the way. Trust us to do our jobs. Don’t be a hero. We’ll get Sarah out.”