"Travis must be so confused. He needs his parents. Is there any way they can be notified, maybe given leave to come home?"
"I'll find that out, too."
Chapter Twenty-Six
As Brodie left, Chelsea glanced down at her white jeans and T-shirt that were now caked in dirt and plaster. "I should probably change."
"Why don't you take a shower and then we can talk? Do you want something to eat?"
"I'm not hungry right now." She could see the worry in her sister's eyes. "Let's talk first, so you can start breathing again. I'm not hurt. I'm not in any danger. It's all over."
"I can't believe I could have lost you today."
"Oh, Liz." She gave her sister another hug. "It wasn't that close," she lied. "I just ran up and got the cat and then came back down the stairs. Brodie was there. We were able to get out before the fire took off."
"I'm so glad. And I'm very happy that the arsonist has been caught. Although, I can't believe it's George Walker. He was born in Whisper Lake and has lived here for sixty years. He's practically a founding father."
"It's crazy. I couldn't believe it when I saw him."
"You must have been terrified."
"I was in shock."
"You take your shower; I'll make tea. Then we can talk more."
"Sounds good." She didn't just need to clean up; she needed a minute to get her head together.
"Take your time, Chelsea; I'm not going anywhere."
She did take her time. She let the warm water run over her head, the heat relaxing the tightness in her neck muscles. And under the spray, she let her fears out in a surprising cascade of tears. She hadn't realized she'd been holding them in, until she didn't have to. But she'd been through a lot of emotions today, and while she'd told Lizzie she'd been too shocked to be afraid, she had been scared, especially when she'd gone upstairs, when she couldn't find Lady Jane, when the fire had licked at her heels, when she'd realized Brodie was trapped and the fire was inches away from him.
She'd never come so close to danger before. And being in actual physical danger had made some of her other fears seem so trivial.
After what had happened today, how could she be worried about singing a song in front of a bunch of kids and their parents?
Brodie had told her some time ago that she needed to change her perspective, and he was right. She would start on Thursday when she performed at the school. And maybe she'd keep it going on Friday when she went to Jessalyn's birthday party concert.
With every last emotion wrung out of her, she dried off and changed into comfortable leggings and a tank top. She blew-dry her hair, freshened up her makeup and went back downstairs.
Lizzie was in the kitchen. Not only was there a kettle on the stove, there were several pans simmering with delicious flavors.
"What are you making?" she asked.
"Tacos. You had all the fixings, and I had to do something while you were crying in the shower."
She made a face at her sister. "You think you know everything."
"I know you. You keep your emotions inside, and you only let them out when you're alone. You've been that way since you were a little girl. The shower was your favorite place to let go."
"It has been an emotional day."
"You're not just talking about the fire."
"No. My conversation with Jessalyn earlier also opened up a lot of old feelings."
"What are you thinking about all those old feelings?" Lizzie asked, as she stirred the ground beef.
"I'm thinking that tomorrow is a new day."
Lizzie cast her a quick look. "What does that mean?"
She gave a helpless laugh. "I'm not sure, but I'm looking forward to finding out. What about you? How are things at the inn? Tell me about your life, Lizzie, because I think we have talked mine into the ground."
"You're the one with all the excitement. I do have one piece of bad news. Raina is leaving. She's breaking up with Victor. She says she's not cut out to be a stepmother to teen boys. She's giving me two weeks to find someone else. So back to the drawing board."
"Let me know if I can help."
"Want a job as a chef?"
"I'm good, but not that good."
"I may just have to concentrate on breakfast in the morning and cocktails and appetizers at night and forget about having a full restaurant, at least for now."
"You'll get there. You have an incredible will and the ability to get things done." She paused. "Do you want to go to Jessalyn's party with me on Friday night?"
"You're going? You'll sing?"
"Not sure about the singing part, but I will go to the party. And if you want to drive to Denver with me, we could stop in and see Mom and Dad before the party."
"I'd love to go with you, but Mom and Dad are leaving for Hawaii tomorrow."
"Oh, right. I forgot about that." She'd had a brief conversation with her mother the day before, but that had been all about Austin.
"What about Brodie? Will he go with us?"
"I'm not sure he'll be around. He's going to LA tomorrow night with meetings all day Thursday. I don't know if he'll be back by Friday. Actually, I don't know if he'll be back at all."
Lizzie frowned. "That man is in love with you. I don't think he's leaving you."
"Maybe he should. I want him to be happy. He hides a lot of pain under his easygoing charm. But he didn't choose to walk away from the skiing world—he was forced out. If this opportunity gives him back something he's missing…how can I be anything but supportive?"
"You can be supportive, but you can also tell him how you feel."
"I don't know exactly how I feel."
"Yes, you do. You don't have to tell me, but I think you should tell him."
"I'll think about it."
"Good. Why don't you cut up some tomatoes while you're thinking?"
"Hey, I thought you were taking care of me."
"You're better than I've seen you in a long time." She tossed her a tomato. "Chop."
Brodie didn't get back to Chelsea's house for almost two hours. When he arrived a little after eight, Chelsea and Liz were sitting in the kitchen, two empty plates in front of them, but a delicious aroma of Mexican spices filling the room.
"You're just in time," Chelsea said. "Liz made tacos."
"I can see that." He set the cat food down on the counter. "Any sign of Lady Jane?"
"She's hiding under my bed."
"Maybe we can lure her out with some food."
"Thanks for picking that up," she said, giving him a warm smile. "Can I get you a taco?"
"I can handle it myself," he said, moving over to the stove. He made two soft tacos filled with meat, cheese, tomatoes, onions, avocado and hot sauce and took them over to the table.
"Is there any more information?" Chelsea asked.
"Adam and the fire investigator are interrogating George Walker. He's going to have a long night. Travis is with his cousin, Kimberly. George told us that he acted completely alone, and Kimberly was shocked by what's happened."
"Did you see Travis?"
"I did see him, but he didn't have anything to say to me. Kimberly told me that she didn't know what to tell him, so she'd said nothing except that she was going to watch him for a few nights."
"I don't want him to think he got his grandfather in trouble," she said, concern knitting her brows.
"Well, I'm hoping that that problem will be made easier with the arrival of his mother. It looks like she will be able to take emergency leave."
"That would be wonderful," Chelsea said with relief. "I wonder if she has any idea her father-in-law is a firebug."
"I doubt anyone knows. George also admitted to setting the fire in the Robbins's home sixteen years ago. Now that he's been caught, he seems willing to own up to everything. It's almost like it's a relief in some way. He was talking about his penchant for fires like it was a demon inside of him. He said the demon would get hungry and it had to eat fire. It was weird."
"
I guess you have to have a mental problem to do what he did."
"It's possible that he actually knew that Janet's husband was in the home when he set that particular fire. He mentioned that Sam Robbins was the only one who'd ever come close to figuring out what he was doing."
"So, he murdered him?" Lizzie asked in astonishment.
"He didn't admit to that, but it adds up. He thought Janet and the son were out of town. Probably why he was so kind to her afterward. She said he bent over backward to try to help her get Craig treatment."
"It's like he's two people," Chelsea said.
"I think he is two people, but his fire-starting days are over. The community can relax again."
"I'm happy to hear that," Lizzie put in. "Please eat, before it gets any colder."
"What have you two been doing?" he asked, as he bit into his taco.
"Just talking," Chelsea said. "We got a text from Chloe; did you get one?"
"I have a bunch of texts on my phone that I haven't looked at yet."
"Chloe is in Germany," Chelsea continued. "Kevin is having a second surgery on his hand. I'm not sure the extent of his injuries, but she says he'll only have to stay there a few more days, and then they'll be coming home so Kevin can meet his son."
"Fantastic," he said, feeling tremendously happy for Chloe.
"It's the best news," Chelsea agreed.
"I'm going to get going," Lizzie said, taking her plate to the sink. "Can I help you clean up first, Chelsea?"
"No. You've done enough, Liz."
"Then I will talk to you tomorrow. We can decide what we want to do on Friday—maybe after you and Brodie have a chance to talk. Goodnight."
"Goodnight," he echoed as Liz walked out the door. "What is happening on Friday?"
"I've been invited to a birthday party in Denver. My mentor, Jessalyn West, is turning fifty and she's having a small concert for family and friends." She paused. "I actually spoke to Jessalyn earlier today."
"You mentioned she was trying to get in touch with you."
"Yes, but before I could get back to her, she showed up here in Whisper Lake. Lizzie invited me over to the inn and there was Jessalyn."
"Another ambush?"
"Except it wasn't. Jessalyn was just concerned for me. I ended up telling her my secrets. It seems to get easier with each person I tell."
"That's good."
There was something in her gaze that told him he hadn't heard the entire story. "She doesn't just want you to come to her party; she wants you to sing, doesn't she?"
Chelsea gave a nod, conflict in her pretty blue eyes. "She does. I didn't say yes. I told her I need to see how my performance at the school goes on Thursday."
"It will go great."
"But singing in front of kids and singing in front of country music execs and other singers who are sure to be at the party are two vastly different things, and I'm not sure I'm ready for either of them."
"The brave woman who ran into the fire today?"
"I did that for Lady Jane and for you."
"Then maybe it's time to be brave for yourself. How's your throat after the smoke?"
"A little sore, but not too bad. You?"
"Same, but I don't have to sing any time soon."
"Can you sing?" she asked curiously.
He grinned. "I'm good in the shower."
"I'll have to check that out."
"If we're in a shower together, I don't think I'll be singing; I'll be too busy doing other things."
She smiled. "Darn, I wish I hadn't taken a shower already tonight. And I can't help noticing you did as well."
"I did grab a quick one before I came over here. I smelled like smoke." He finished his tacos and then sat back in his seat. "Your sister is good at making more than cookies."
"She's great at a lot of things but particularly exceptional when it comes to being a good sister. I'm lucky." She paused. "Do you want to come with me to Denver on Friday night?"
He hesitated. "I'm scheduled to fly back into Denver around eight p.m. What time is the concert?"
"It's at seven. I didn't realize you were staying until Friday."
"My dad wants to give me the entire dog and pony show."
"Well, that's good. You should learn as much as you can."
He hated the new tension between them. And it was his fault. He was creating a problem where there didn't have to be one. He could bail on the meetings. He could stay with Chelsea. He could cheer her on at the school and support her at the concert. "I don't have to go," he said.
Her gaze met his. "But you want to go. You want to find out what the offer is about. You want to explore your options, and I think you should."
"You'd be fine with me leaving?"
"I want you to be happy doing something you love. You deserve that."
It was an answer filled with generosity, but he still didn't like it. He wanted her to tell him to stay, to admit she was in love with him. But she was taking a very different road, and he wasn't quite sure how to handle it. Finally, he said, "Then I guess I'll go."
She nodded and got up from the table, averting her gaze as she took his plate to the sink. She opened a can of cat food and poured it on to a small plate. "I'm going to see if I can lure Lady Jane out."
"I got a litter box as well. Where do you want it?"
"The laundry room upstairs would be good."
As she took the food upstairs, he grabbed the other cat supplies and took them up to the laundry room.
There were a lot of things he'd rather be doing right now than taking care of a cat. On the other hand, Lady Jane had brought them together and tonight maybe she was keeping them together. He should probably be grateful for that.
It took about twenty minutes before Lady Jane came out to eat. After she finished, he sat down on the bed, and the cat ran out of the room.
Chelsea smiled. "Well, at least she's fed."
"And she's gone, which is a bonus."
"You like her more than you'll admit."
"She is growing on me. But at the moment, I'm glad our chaperone is gone."
Chelsea sat down next to him on the bed. "Do you think we should talk some more? I have a feeling I kind of cut you off downstairs."
"It's been a long day. I don't need to talk anymore, unless you do?"
She gave him a long look, then shook her head. "The only thing I need right now is you."
"You've got me," he murmured, as they came together in a kiss that was impatient and hungry and filled with all the wild emotions of the day and a bit of desperation to hang on to what they had.
Would this be the last night they spent together?
If it was, he was going to give them both something to remember.
A niggling voice inside his head suggested that might not be the best idea, because if he really was going to leave, then he'd be a lot better off if he could forget her.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chelsea fixed breakfast for Brodie on Wednesday morning while he took a shower. She felt a bit of melancholy, which didn't make sense after the beautiful night they'd had together, but she couldn't help wondering if the end was coming sooner than she'd expected. Despite the looming job offer, she hadn't really thought Brodie would leave Whisper Lake or that he'd even take two full days to hear about the opportunity. She'd thought he was doing it mostly out of curiosity or as a favor to his dad. But two days seemed like a serious investment of his time and the time of the other people involved.
Frowning, she flipped the pancakes on the griddle and then slid them onto a plate as Brodie came into the kitchen, smelling like soap, and looking more delicious than the meal she was making. His brown hair was damp and curling at the ends, and his eyes were brighter than they probably should have been, considering they'd only gotten a few hours of sleep the night before.
He moved over to the stove and slid his arms around her waist.
"Hey, I'm cooking," she said with a laugh.
He gave her a tender s
mile. "I can see that, but I can't help myself. I'm addicted to you." He kissed her cheek with a teasing caress and then took hold of her mouth for a long minute before releasing her. "You made pancakes," he added, his expression taking on new joy as he eyed the plate. "You have no idea how happy I am right now."
"With me or the blueberry pancakes?"
"It's a tie. Blueberry pancakes are my favorite. Actually, any kind of pancake is high on my list."
"Then have at it." She handed him the plate, then followed him over to the table with a bottle of maple syrup and a plate of crispy bacon. "Not exactly my healthiest breakfast, but I told myself as long as there are blueberries, we're good."
"It's fine with me. I'm starving," he said, a sparkle in his gaze. "I worked up an appetite last night."
"And this morning," she said, sitting across from him.
"Very true. You're not eating?"
"I had the first batch while you were showering."
"Sorry I got you up so early. I have to be in by seven this morning."
"It's fine. I'll have plenty of time to get ready for school."
"Last full day?"
She nodded. "Yep."
"And then an even bigger day tomorrow. I wish I could be there."
"It will be over in about two and a half minutes. I can last that long."
"I have no doubt."
"So, what is planned for you in LA?"
"Tonight, I'll get in late, so I'll probably just crash in the hotel."
"You're not staying with your father?"
"We do better when we don't stay together. He's a lot to take twenty-four hours a day. Tomorrow morning will begin with breakfast with my dad, then meetings will start around ten and go most of the day. There's a dinner tomorrow night with some potential investors in the project. Friday is more of the same. I'm sure my dad will have a complete itinerary when I arrive. He loves to control every aspect of every situation."
"What's your relationship with him now? I get the feeling it's a little push-pull, love-hate, or maybe hate is too strong of a word."
“Our relationship is often conflicted. What he wants isn't always what I want, and he's a steamroller when it comes to executing his vision."
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