“What is it?” Schuyler demanded. “Is everyone okay?”
Olivia shook her head. “I asked Ben to stop by the house and pick up a couple of photo albums. Apparently, he got there when the fire was really raging. He called 911 but tried to fight it on his own before the firefighters arrived. He—” She paused again, placing a hand over her mouth as she shook her head.
Christine automatically reached for Gavin’s hand.
Kenneth placed a gentle hand on Olivia’s arm. “Tell us,” he whispered. “Is your brother okay?”
She gave a small shrug. “We don’t know. He’s on his way to the hospital. The EMTs tell us it’s severe smoke inhalation.” She dragged in a shuddering breath. “Alejandro and I need to leave. I have to get to the hospital—everyone’s planning to stay there until we hear more about Ben. But I wanted you to understand...” She placed a hand to her cheek and shook her head. “I don’t know what since none of this makes sense. The Fortune Robinsons would have been here, Schuyler. I promise.”
“Of course. What do you need us to do?” Gavin’s sister asked. “Please, Olivia. Let us help. We’re your family, no matter how crazy the circumstances.”
Olivia flashed a watery smile. “Would you go out to the estate? It kills me that there’s no one from the family there, but our priority is Ben. It’s the house we all grew up in, and no matter what kind of problems Mom and Dad have been having recently, there are so many memories.”
Although her parents’ house didn’t exactly fill Christine with sentimental thoughts, she thought about the Fortunados’ stately home in Houston. She’d been to Kenneth and Barbara’s home a number of times through the years and it had always struck her as such a happy place, as if the walls held on to the memories of children growing up there and of the bond among the Fortunado children. If the Robinson estate was anything like that, the loss of it would be far greater than simply physical property.
“Of course,” Schuyler said and the entire room seemed to nod in unison.
“I’ve got to go,” Olivia whispered.
“Do you need someone to drive the two of you?” Gavin asked, stepping forward. “With the shock and upset—”
“Thank you,” Alejandro interrupted. “But we’ll be fine.”
Olivia nodded. “My family and I appreciate your willingness to help. We’re grateful for each of you.”
With that, she and Alejandro turned and walked out of the winery. There was a moment of heavy silence before the room exploded in shocked murmurs and muted conversations.
Gavin quickly grabbed a chair from a nearby table and climbed up. He shot Christine a grateful smile when she lifted two fingers to her mouth for a sharp whistle that drew everyone’s attention to him.
“The fire at the Robinson estate is a tragic turn of events,” he began, “especially if the cause of the blaze turns out to be arson.” He drew in a breath as if he felt the shocking possibility like a blow. “But the Fortune Robinsons need us now. All of us. We may not know each other well yet, but this is the time when we become one family.”
Pride bloomed in Christine’s chest as she glanced around to see all eyes riveted on Gavin as he spoke about the importance of solidarity and support. Even though most of his work was done in boardrooms with company leadership, she could imagine him in a courtroom, commanding the attention of judge and jury.
He tasked Valene and two of the New Orleans Fortunes—the oldest brother, Austin, and the baby of the family, Belle—with rounding up blankets, snack baskets, clean clothes and toiletry kits to take to the hospital for the Robinsons during the time they were keeping vigil for Ben. He asked Everett, his doctor brother, to head directly to the hospital to use his connections to facilitate whatever he could for the family. Schuyler volunteered to coordinate meals, and Maddie offered to secure a furnished rental house for Gerald Robinson and stock it with groceries and other household items before he got there.
Christine smiled and nodded as Gavin met her gaze across the sea of Fortunes. How was she supposed to do anything but fall in love with this man?
Oh. She placed a hand on her chest as panic washed through her. She was in love with Gavin. It was more than a crush or infatuation. So much for guarding her heart so she wouldn’t be hurt at the end of this.
The knowledge that the end was inevitable did nothing to stem the tide of emotions she felt for him. The week of keeping her distance was forgotten like yesterday’s news. After easing herself away from the group as Gavin mobilized everyone who was left to head to the estate, she hurried to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face.
Nothing had changed about her outward appearance. She saw the same blue eyes and red hair holding its style thanks to a truckload of product, pale skin that looked a bit pastier than normal thanks to her panic-inducing revelation.
But inside her was a tumbling avalanche of doubt and fear. It was difficult to believe that her heart, which was so sure and full at the moment, could be in grave danger of shattering at the end of the month.
She took a few steadying breaths then headed back out.
Gavin waited in the dimly lit hallway.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said quietly, his face a stark mask.
Had he somehow read her mind? As if she had a choice on what her heart wanted—who her heart wanted. It had always been him.
She swallowed and tried to figure out how to explain her emotions to him without sending him running in the other direction. “I—”
He moved forward, taking her hands in his. “You’ve been great tonight. The best. But I know that it’s overwhelming, all these Fortunes, and now the fire. It goes way beyond what you signed up for with us.”
Did it ever, she thought.
“I can drop you at home before heading to the estate. I totally understand that you might not want to be a part of this mess. We’re not your problem so—”
“Stop.” She shook her head. He’d completely misread her reaction, but she couldn’t blame him. She’d tried to pull away this week. Look where that had gotten her. “I’m going with you to the estate if you want me there.”
“Of course,” he answered without hesitation. The intensity of his gaze made her breath catch. “You’ve been the most amazing sport about all of this.”
She choked out a laugh. So much for his devotion. A good sport? It was as if she could feel her heart splintering into a thousand pieces. She swallowed and tried not to let her emotions show. This was her chance. He’d given her an out. She should be smart and take it.
“It’s all part of our deal,” she answered with forced cheer.
His brows drew together, and he opened his mouth as if he wanted to argue with her assessment then snapped it shut again. “Are you ready?”
She nodded and followed him out of the winery. The only people left were servers, cleaning up the deserted party.
“You did an amazing job of rallying everyone,” she told Gavin as they pulled away from the curb.
“We attorneys like to hear ourselves talk,” he said with a wink.
“You do that too much.”
He chuckled. “Talk?”
“Downplay the good things you do,” she clarified and saw his knuckles tighten on the steering wheel. “Maddie told me you do pro bono work with low-income families in the court system in Colorado.”
“I’ve had a lot of success in my career. It’s easy to give back in some small way.”
“According to her, you devote a ton of hours to the cause.”
“I have time on my hands when ski season ends.”
“Gavin.” She adjusted the seat belt strap so she could turn toward him. “This is what I’m talking about. I’m not sure why you want everyone to see you as this cavalier party guy, but it’s a mask.”
“Hiding my insightful thoughts and hidden depths.”
“Ye
s,” she answered simply. “You’re a good man. I wish you could see yourself the way I do.”
A muscle worked in his jaw as he accelerated onto the interstate. “I wish I could be the man you see,” he said after several long minutes.
They drove the rest of the way to the Robinson estate in silence, although it was more comfortable than awkward. At some point Gavin reached across the front seat and laced her fingers with his. She was coming to expect the way he seemed to need to touch her as if she grounded him in the midst of the chaos swirling around them.
They exited the highway and drove through an upscale neighborhood of mansions. Christine gasped when the estate came into view. She hadn’t seen the house in person before today, but given Gerald’s success in the tech industry, she’d imagined it as spectacular.
It probably had been prior to today. But now she could only describe the scene in front of her as horrific. Fire trucks still lined the driveway, although the fire had been out long enough that the remains of the building were no longer smoking. The west section of the mansion, which clearly housed the garage, was still intact for the most part. As for the rest of the building, the walls that were left were no more than a blackened shell. Most of the structure was rubble and ash.
“Do you really think it was arson?” Christine asked as they parked behind Kenneth’s Mercedes.
Gavin seemed as stunned by the scene as she felt. “I can’t imagine who would do something like this. I’ve never heard rumblings that Gerald has any sworn enemies. If a person set a fire intent on doing this much damage, they must really hate him.”
“It’s unbelievable.”
They got out of the SUV and joined the rest of the family who had assembled on the driveway in front of what should have been the front door.
“Has someone talked to the fire chief?” Gavin asked his dad.
“Not yet.” Kenneth shook his head. “I think we’re all paralyzed in the face of this much destruction. They’re lucky Ben was the only one injured in the blaze. The level of damage blows my mind.”
“I’ll find him,” Gavin said and jogged off in the direction of the row of fire trucks.
Barbara rested her head on her husband’s shoulder. “It’s awful but we both know home is where the heart is. Gerald and his family will survive this. He can rebuild and make new memories while holding on to the old.”
Christine agreed, but that fact didn’t make the devastation more palatable.
“I wonder if Charlotte knows,” Connor murmured.
“I’m sure someone called her,” Kenneth said. “Although I imagine she has everything of either sentimental or monetary value that belongs to her out of the house. I know Gerald wanted to make a clean break, especially after reconnecting with Deborah.”
Gavin returned at that moment. “Normally they wouldn’t allow access to the house so soon after firefighters got things under control. Apparently, Olivia told her dad we were coming out here. Gerald made some calls to ensure we’d be good. He has friends in high places. The chief says we can go in the areas they’ve deemed safe but to be careful of debris.”
They each nodded.
“Let’s split into groups,” Gavin told them. “Connor and Savannah, you take some of us and start at the far end of the house nearest what’s left of the garage. Mom and Dad, you take a group and start in the center and spread out. Christine and I will lead a crew to the far end of the rubble. I’m guessing that’s where we’ll find the master suite.”
He gazed at what used to be the estate’s main structure. “Look for clues as to what the room might have been used as and base your search for salvageable items there. As an example, you might find an appliance or two that tells you that room is the kitchen.”
“What are we looking for?” Savannah asked, glancing over her shoulder toward the house.
“Anything of value, either financial or sentimental. Don’t worry too much about pedigree or authenticity on any of the pieces we collect. This day is going to haunt the Robinson family, and I’d like them to know we were able to save something.”
As his family and the Fortunes from New Orleans split up to tackle the first step in helping to heal their Robinson relatives, Gavin returned to Christine’s side. She could see the tension around his mouth and eyes, feel the tension radiating from him.
“What if someone did this to my parents’ house?” he asked softly. “It’s unimaginable.”
Once again she tamped down her doubts and wrapped her arms around his waist. “We’re going to get them through this,” she promised. “You’re one family now. That matters.”
He blew out a breath and kissed the top of her head. “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re here with me.”
“There’s no place I’d rather be,” she assured him, and together they followed his family into the wreckage.
Chapter Thirteen
It was almost midnight before Gavin walked Christine to the door of her condo.
“This was not the night I’d planned,” he told her, rubbing a hand over his eyes.
They’d stayed at the Robinson estate until darkness made it dangerous to pick through the destruction. Although the house had been effectively torched, they’d managed to find a number of personal mementos that remained undamaged. They’d put the items into boxes and driven them to the rental house Maddie had secured.
It had seemed a sorry collection pushed into one corner of the empty garage, but Gavin hoped they’d bring some comfort to Gerald and the rest of the family.
They’d gone to grab dinner with Maddie, Zach, Schuyler, Carlo and Connor. Somehow Gavin needed the tangible reminder of his connection with his siblings. With everything going on from new Fortune revelations to the trouble with the family business to the fire, being able to laugh with his family was a balm to his soul. Had he been wishing for life as an only child just a couple of weeks ago? What a fool he’d been.
His family was a gift, just like this time with Christine. He’d taken both for granted. That was his problem and why he knew he had to let Christine go at the end of all this. He didn’t have enough inside him to give her what she deserved.
“No one can plan for tragedy,” she said, pulling a key ring out of her purse. “It’s how a person handles it that shows what they’re made of.” She turned to him. “You were strong, articulate and compassionate tonight. It says so much about you as a person.”
Damn. He wished he were a better man because walking away from Christine was going to hurt like hell.
“Right back at you,” he said, then did a mental eye roll. He must have used up all his decent words earlier because he couldn’t seem to form a coherent thought at the moment.
She unlocked the door and opened it to allow Princess Di onto the small porch. The dog’s tail wagged enthusiastically as she greeted first Christine then Gavin with a head butt to the legs before trotting down the steps to do her business in the bushes.
“Do you need to walk her?” he asked, smiling at the dog. He really needed a pet. Maybe having something to come home to would help his outwardly exciting life feel not so lonely on the inside. “I could—”
“One of my neighbors took her out earlier.” Christine leaned inside and flipped on a light. “She’ll be ready to hunker down for the night after her potty break.”
“Right.” Gavin rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. “I guess I should—”
“Would you like to come in for a bit?” she asked, almost hesitantly.
“Yes,” he breathed, thanking the heavens for her invitation. It was ridiculous, this constant need to be with her. Reckless to allow himself to depend on her in any way. But he couldn’t help himself. She was like a cool drink, and he’d been in the emotional desert of his own making for far too long.
She whistled for the dog, and Diana came loping back up the steps and into the house.
She grinned. “What can I say?” His insides tightened as a blush stained her cheeks when she added, “I’m good with my mouth.”
If she’d smacked him over the head with a sledgehammer, he couldn’t have been more shocked. He felt his mouth drop open, and desire pounded through him, flooding his veins with a sharp yearning.
Before he could get his muddled brain to form a response, she turned away. “Would you like a drink?” she asked over her shoulder. “A glass of water?”
“Sure.” She toed out of her strappy heels and just that innocuous movement made another wave of need crash through him. Once again her pink-painted toes were the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
She continued to the kitchen, hanging her purse over a chair. She took a dog biscuit from the cookie jar on the counter and then tossed it to Princess Di, who expertly caught it. The dog padded over to her bed while Christine pulled two glasses from an upper cabinet and filled them.
All the while he stood rooted in place, every cell in his body tingling with awareness and—Lord help them both—unbridled lust.
“Gavin?” She stared at him with wide eyes from the kitchen as if he were a hungry lion and she was the proverbial lamb invited to his feast. “I was joking about the mouth comment,” she said with a hesitant laugh. “I went too far. I’m sorry.”
Her apology jarred him from his lust-filled stupor. He ate up the distance between them in three long strides. “You never need to apologize,” he said, cupping her face in his hands. “Yours is the most tantalizing mouth in the universe.” He kissed her, nipping at the corner of her lips. “I thank my lucky stars each time you kiss me.”
She moaned in the back of her throat as he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. “Open for me,” he whispered, and she did, her tongue mingling with his until his mind was swimming once more.
He ran his fingers through her hair, the way he’d been longing to all night, plucking out the thin pins that held the style in place.
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