Set the Night on Fire
Page 16
“He’s just throwing a bunch of mud and seeing what happens.”
“But why? Why is he going after you?”
Sean shrugged a shoulder. “My guess? He’s afraid you’ll finally come forward about that night, and since I’m the only witness, he has to trash me until no one listens to anything I say.”
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry, Sean.” She buried her face in her hands, the dark silk of her hair sliding over her shoulders. “This is all my fault. I should have endorsed him from the beginning.”
“No.” He shoved his plate aside and surged to his feet. “Don’t blame yourself, that’s ridiculous. I can handle Brad White. I’m not worried about it. It’s all a bunch of smoke and mirrors anyway. So what if they reopen that investigation? All they’ll do is waste a bunch of taxpayer money. Chief Becker says the department isn’t happy about being pushed around. It’s…just don’t worry about it, please. Okay?”
She lifted her silvery-gray eyes to his, a frown pulling her delicate eyebrows together. Her beauty struck him right in the solar plexus. But it wasn’t just her beauty, not really. It was the concern in her eyes, the compassion. “There’s more, isn’t there? I can tell you’re holding something back.”
Sean scrubbed a hand through his hair, needing to move, to act. Did she have to be so freaking perceptive?
But it would be in the paper soon enough; Brad would make sure of it. Better that she hear it from him than get sandbagged.
He came close to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Yeah. There’s one more thing. He says he found an investigator who says I made some mistakes in the Big Canyon burnover.”
She drew in a sharp, horrified breath. “What?”
“It’s okay. I didn’t make any fucking mistakes. I don’t know who he’s been talking to but it won’t go anywhere. Everyone knows we followed our training and that’s why we survived. Evie, please.”
She looked so white, he worried she might pass out.
“This is all my fault,” she whispered.
“Stop it.” He ran his hands along her bare arms. His intent was to soothe, but the feel of her went right to his head. “Seriously, Evie.”
At first she started to pull away from him, but then she gave in and rested her forehead on his chest. “This is such a mess. And now you’re right in the middle of it. I just can’t believe he’s doing all this. Why? Just so he can get some stupid endorsement?”
He’d been thinking about that question since his meeting with the chief. “It’s all ego. He wants everyone talking about how great he is. He can’t stand it that one person isn’t willing to sign on the dotted line.”
He wrapped his arms around her slim form, wishing they’d never started on this topic. “Is there any chance we can go back to bed and forget about all this?”
She tilted her head back, her silky hair tickling his skin, her warm body lithe and perfect in his arms. “Using sex as an escape?”
He winked at her. “It’s good for so many things.”
Finally he got a faint smile from her. “I’m going to need a comprehensive list, if you don’t mind.”
“Not a problem. Complete demonstrations are also available.”
“Sign me up, hotshot.”
But no matter how much they teased each other, a shadow had fallen over the evening.
* * *
Despite the fact that they spent the rest of the evening in bed, switching between cuddling, laughing, and climaxing—all of which she loved—Evie didn’t forget about the situation with Brad. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Political ambitions were one thing. But did they justify screwing around with someone’s life and reputation?
She’d known Brad since they were both kids, long before the Incident. Maybe she could find a way to get through to the old Brad.
So before the emergency meeting of the business coalition she called Brad and asked to meet with him.
With barely concealed smugness, he invited her to his campaign headquarters, which were located in a restored office building at the edge of the historic district. He’d taken over the entire bottom floor. The glass storefront was now plastered with “Brad White for State Representative” banners. The space was bustling with campaign volunteers, many of whom she recognized. Everyone was tapping on a computer or talking into a phone.
Intimidated, she looked around for Brad but saw no sign of him. Finally a pretty young redhead in a silk blouse appeared at her elbow. Evie was pretty sure she recognized her from her volunteer work at the high school. “Evie McGraw?”
“Yes. I’m here to see—”
“Mr. White, yes, I know. He’s waiting for you in his office.” Mr. White? Okay then.
She led her through the maze of makeshift desks to a room in the back corner. Its closed door bore a sign that read, “Hope for White, White for Hope.”
Seriously? She was squinting at the sign, trying to decide if it was a joke or a rejected campaign slogan, when Brad opened the door and beckoned her inside.
Evie stepped in, trying not to panic at the sound of the door closing behind her.
Brad hadn’t always been an asshole, she reminded herself. She’d made sand castles with him on Stargazer Beach. They used to share ice cream sundaes at the Milky Way. If she could reach that Brad, she could talk some sense into him, couldn’t she?
He gestured her toward the ergonomic chair facing his desk. She sat down, unnerved when it rolled a few inches under her weight. Did he do that on purpose? He wore a light blue Oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled up. A Bluetooth receiver perched on his ear. A deceptively boyish lock of sandy hair curled onto his forehead.
Don’t be fooled, she reminded herself. He’s not a boy. He’s a politician.
“Good for you for coming in, Evie. I’m proud of you.”
His condescending tone grated on her. “I’m sorry?”
Sorry? She shouldn’t have said “sorry.” That put her on a weak footing right away. She could feel the power slipping away from her like sand through her fingers.
He showed his teeth in a smile. “I’m just remembering the last time we met, when you ran off before we even made it to dessert.” Somehow he made the word dessert sound nasty. Or maybe everything sounded nasty coming from his mouth these days.
“I didn’t run.” She pressed her lips together. Don’t get defensive. This wasn’t about her. It was about Sean. She stiffened her spine. “At any rate, I don’t intend to run off. I want to talk to you about Sean Marcus.”
His nostrils flared, just for a moment, before he hid his reaction behind a frown. “Some of us have some concerns about him. Apparently he’s doing all the hiring for this new ‘hotshot’ crew. How do we know he isn’t going to bring in a bunch of ruffians, or worse? We all know about the Marcus family. I’m just looking out for the safety of Jupiter Point.”
Evie gripped her hands together in her lap. In her everyday, peace-loving life, she wasn’t used to feeling hatred. But every slimy word Brad spoke made her feel it now. “Cut the crap, Brad. This isn’t about Sean. It’s about me. You want the coalition’s endorsement, right? Let me tell you right now, you will never get it if you keep up this witch hunt against Sean.”
His eyebrows lifted all the way to his hairline. “Little Evie’s getting feisty, is that it?”
“I’m just trying to stand up for what’s right. You should leave Sean out of this. I’m sure we can work something out between the two of us.”
He leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers on his desk. Checked his watch, glanced at his laptop. He didn’t look quite as relieved as she’d imagined he would. More than anything, he looked impatient. Or maybe bored. “You’re here to make a deal, then let’s hear it. What do you have in mind?”
“Simple. You stop dragging Sean’s name through the mud and you receive the endorsement of the Jupiter Point Business Coalition.”
He cocked his head and pursed his lips as if thinking it over. He picked up a pencil and flipp
ed it end over end. “So let me get this straight. You withhold your endorsement for personal, emotionally based reasons that you refuse to explain. But when your new boy toy feels the heat, you fold like a house of cards.”
Shock flashed through her, from her head to her toes. God, she was naïve. The Brad she’d known in childhood was gone forever. The person who had attacked her in the Chevy Nova was the real Brad. The only Brad, no matter what charming façade he put on.
He crossed one ankle over his knee and looked up at the ceiling. Mr. Casual. “Hmm, let me think this over.” A brief pause, as if this was all a joke. “Sorry, babe, you had your chance. Statute of limitations has expired. The answer is no.”
She struggled to keep her cool. “We had dinner less than a week ago. You said your press agent had a statement already prepared for me.”
“I’m not talking about that statute of limitations.” His slimy gaze dropped to her lips, then lower down, toward her crotch.
Her face flamed. Good Lord, was Brad referring to that night? Could he really be so obviously…horribly…blatant? “What is wrong with you?” she whispered.
“Nothing is ‘wrong’ with me. I want what I want. But once I don’t want it anymore, I’m done. I don’t want your endorsement anymore, Evie McGraw.”
She stared at him as a numb feeling crept over her body. What was she missing? Had something changed? “You’re lying.”
“Nope. I’m sorry that your embarrassing trip here was a waste of your time. Why don’t you head back to your little gallery and take some more photographs for the tourists? You’ll have plenty of time for that in the very near future.”
Her stomach plummeted. “What are you talking about?”
“Hi, what’s up? Yeah, I’m just about done here.” With a start, she realized he was talking into his Bluetooth as if she wasn’t even in the room anymore. As if she didn’t exist anymore. His chilly gray eyes flicked over her one more time, then dismissed her. “Yeah, I’m done. Go ahead.”
Numb with shock, she rose to her feet and moved toward the door. It seemed to take forever to reach it, even though it was no more than a few steps away.
In that short stretch of time, she realized something. During the years since the Incident, she and Brad had taken completely different paths. He’d been perfecting his shark imitation, while she’d been playing ostrich.
Now that she’d retracted her head from its nest in the sand, she barely recognized the world around her. Everything had shifted. Brad had turned a corner into irrevocable, evil jerkdom. Her beloved Jupiter Point was becoming a playground for his slimy games. And Sean Marcus—troublemaker, rebel, bad boy—was the only person with whom she felt completely safe.
She had a lot of catching up to do. And hardly any time to do it in.
22
After Brad’s malicious hint, Evie knew he was planning something for the coalition meeting. But still, it came as a shock when she walked into the back room of Don Pedro’s, their traditional meeting place, and saw everyone’s sober faces. Even though she was ten minutes early, judging by the empty glasses littering the table, everyone else had been there for some time.
The Jupiter Point Business Coalition, which had just elected her president, was meeting behind her back.
She scanned the faces of the other business owners, but no one met her eyes. Mrs. Murphy looked as if she might burst into tears.
Evie cleared her throat. For the second time that day, she felt as if her voice had been stolen from her. “Why are you all meeting without me? I’m the president.”
Jack Drummond, the former president, answered. “Evie, we didn’t want things to pan out this way. None of us wanted it.”
Belladonna, the owner of Written in the Stars Tarot and Fortune-Telling, swept to her feet and enveloped Evie in a sandalwood-scented hug. “Awful situation, sweet-pea. But we may have stumbled upon the perfect solution for everyone.”
“This way, you don’t have to torment yourself,” said Benito, owner of the Dream Getaway. “We think it’s the best decision for everyone.”
Evie extracted herself from Belladonna’s smothering embrace. “What decision?”
Mrs. Murphy bustled to her feet and shoved Belladonna. She took Evie’s hands in hers. “Honey, we want you to take a temporary leave of absence to take care of your mother.”
Evie’s jaw fell open. They wanted to use her mother as a smokescreen? She pulled her hands free and took a step back.
Belladonna continued. “Jack has volunteered to take over until you’re ready to come back. It’s a perfect plan, sweet-pea. You can save face. You don’t have to endorse the boy who broke your heart.” Belladonna cupped Evie’s face in her hands, which would have been a nice gesture except she wore rings that dug into Evie’s skin. “The coalition is no longer caught in a controversy. And Brad White finally gets his endorsement. Best of all, your mother will get a little extra attention from her favorite daughter. Your family will no longer be in the spotlight. I understand that stress is very bad for her.”
Evie shoved aside her automatic sense of guilt as she examined the faces around the table. Was someone in this group doing Brad’s bidding? Where had this idea come from?
Belladonna continued. “It’s a win-win-win-win-win…” She threw up her hands, rings catching the light from the chili pepper twinkle lights. “I can’t even count the wins.”
“Whose idea was this?” Evie was shocked that her voice sounded as calm as it did. No one answered. She turned to the miserable-looking bookstore owner. Mrs. Murphy never kept a secret in her life. “Mrs. Murphy?”
She blinked rapidly, clearly at war with herself. “It was Brad’s,” she blurted.
Brad’s idea. Of course it was.
“And I guarantee it’s only temporary. We want you back as soon as possible, believe me.” Jack directed his booming laugh at the circle of anxious faces. “I know what a pain in the rear these jokers are. We all think you’ve been doing an excellent job, Evie. This has nothing to do with you personally.”
Evie put a hand to her forehead, trying to contain her whirling thoughts and emotions. She’d come here ready to announce her change of heart. She’d been ready and willing to endorse Brad in order to stop him from smearing Sean. But now it didn’t even matter. The choice had been taken away from her.
“If you’re going to allow Brad White manipulate you like this, I can’t be part of it.” She turned on her heel and stalked toward the exit.
“Evie! Please don’t take this the wrong way,” Jack called after her. “We’re on your side.”
“Really?” She spun around and planted her hands on her hips. “Explain to me how you’re on my side?”
“Well, you’re a McGraw.” He said it as if that explained everything.
“So? I don’t see what you’re getting at.”
“Your family is respected and loved around here, you know that. But the McGraws are well-known for not courting controversy.”
Evie tried to calm her racing heart and the fury that kept coming in waves. “Just so I have this straight.” She cleared her throat and tried to even out her tone, like a good little McGraw. “Because you love the McGraw family, you are temporarily displacing me as president without even consulting me. Why is that? Did you think I couldn’t handle it?”
The business owners exchanged glances ranging from worried to alarmed. “Why, sweet-pea, that’s how Brad suggested we handle it. He said your feelings are easily wounded. He pointed to the scene at the Seaview Inn the other night. We didn’t want to upset you.” Belladonna clasped her hands at her chest in a prayer motion, as if begging Evie to understand.
Evie did understand. She understood perfectly well. She’d been outmaneuvered by Brad. He’d been running circles around her for the past thirteen years, in fact. This wasn’t the coalition’s fault. This was her fault because she’d stood by, silent and oblivious, while he did so.
“I resign,” she announced. “Effective immediately.”
“I know you all mean well, or at least I assume you do. But there’s no way I can fulfill the duties of president if you don’t think I can handle whatever challenges arise.”
“But Evie,” Mrs. Murphy clung to her hand, “you weren’t handling it. We had to do something.”
Evie opened her mouth—then closed it again. Mrs. Murphy was right. She hadn’t been tending to the situation. Instead, she’d been playing nice while Brad stabbed her right in the back.
“You’re right. All of you. Until I can do the job properly, I resign.”
* * *
“Bro, the time has come,” Josh announced. Wearing a loose leather jacket and his favorite bear-tooth thong pendant, he tossed the buggie keys in the air, then caught the key ring on his index finger. “We’re going to Barstow’s Brews and we’re getting shitfaced.”
“Can’t. I have to get this email off to Boise.” The National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho was responsible for sending fire crews where they were needed. With the fire season coming up fast, they’d been checking on his progress.
“No.” Josh actually grabbed him by the upper arm and hauled him to his feet. “It’s nine o’clock on a fucking Friday night. Boise can wait. You know what else I’d like to know? Who the hell decided Boise, Idaho, ought to be the center of the wildfire universe? Have you ever been there?”
“No.” As he passed the corner of the desk, Sean snagged his phone, which he’d been checking about every ten minutes. The coalition meeting must have ended by now, but he still hadn’t heard anything from Evie. “Have you?”
“Hell no. Question is, has anyone? Is Boise a real place or more of a figure of speech, like ‘tarnation.’ That’s what my granny used to say. ‘Where in tarnation did I leave my glasses?’”
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about half the time.”