A muscle in Hayes’ jaw ticked. “Dad went through it not a week ago. There was no gas inside.”
Calder looked back at his crew, currently stomping out the last dregs of the blaze. “Then I’d guess our investigator will find arson.”
A man on the crew yelled something I couldn’t quite make out, and everyone moved back. The structure let out what almost sounded like a groan. Seconds later, the last of it collapsed to the ground.
Calder winced. “I’m sorry about your barn.”
Tears burned the back of my throat. Not because of the building, but because someone had intentionally done this. Wanted to hurt and destroy. “It needed to be torn down anyway.”
“Not like this, it didn’t,” Hayes growled.
He was right. But I’d learned long ago that life rarely went as planned.
16
Hayes
I couldn’t handle the devastation in Everly’s eyes anymore. The need to give her some sort of comfort clawed at my insides. She looked so damn alone, sitting on those porch steps. She didn’t have anyone. I hadn’t seen a sign of a single soul who was on her team. I couldn’t fathom that. I’d been through hell, but I’d had countless people there to prop me up along the way. Everly had no one.
I sat down next to her and leaned into her a bit, almost bumping her shoulder with mine. She startled as if she’d been in another world. “You don’t have to stay. They’re almost done. I’m fine.”
“What if I want to stay?”
She gave me a look that called bullshit.
I shrugged. “Looks like a good spot to watch the sunrise.” The sun was just peeking out over the horizon, turning the sky a pinkish-purple.
Everly met my gaze dead-on. “What do you want?”
“Wouldn’t mind a cup of coffee. Maybe a donut. I’d like to take a Ferrari for a spin one day. Maybe own a private island in the Caribbean. Have a private jet to take me there.”
There was no flicker of humor on her face. “You know what I mean.”
I leaned back, resting my elbows on the step behind me as I turned back to the sunrise. But I kept sight of Everly in my peripheral vision. “You’re alone. And no one should have to deal with something like this alone.”
She bristled. “I don’t need your pity.”
“It’s not pity. It’s friendship.”
“And that’s what we are? Friends? Even though my father is the one who hurt your family beyond measure, you want to be my friend?”
Each word punched into that reserve of rage that always simmered in the background. But I didn’t let it catch fire. Not this time. “Yes. You aren’t your father.”
“But I remind you of him. What he did. I remind everyone.”
The words tumbled out, almost as if she didn’t have control of them. Broken and full of so much pain. They did something to the rage inside me. Changed it somehow. Shocked it into submission. “You have to give people time to build different memories of you. The longer you’re here, the easier that’ll be.”
The corner of my mouth quirked up. “Now you’ll remind me of a firefighting badass in muck boots and—” I leaned forward to examine her pajama shorts. “Avocado boxers.”
Her face flushed. “I’m a fan of guacamole.”
“It works for you.” It worked a little too well. Those damn tiny shorts exposed what felt like miles of golden skin. I forced my gaze up to her face.
“I don’t know what to do with you. I want to give you that fresh start, but I keep waiting for the blow you’re going to deal me.”
My fingers tightened around the lip of the step I leaned against. That fear was more than fair. I’d been cruel the first two times I’d come here. “I’m sorry.” The word felt so damn lacking. “I hope with time I can prove to you that I’m not that guy—or that’s not me at my best.”
Everly slumped against the steps. “I understand not always being who you should, who you’re capable of. I’ll try not to have my back up every time you show. I just…after I’ve experienced it once, I’m used to learning to watch for the snap.”
My gut soured at the thought of what’d taught her that lesson. “Appreciate you trying. That’s all I can ask.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear and, as she did, revealed some delicate script there. I couldn’t resist moving her hair out of the way to read the words. Twenty breaths.
I didn’t release my hold on the silky strands, but my gaze locked with hers. “What does it mean?”
“Anyone can be brave for twenty breaths. And in that time, you can do almost anything. Or at least take the first steps you need to get there.”
I didn’t move, just stared at the words. I wanted more. All of it. The whole story. But to get it, I’d have to earn Everly’s trust. And that was an uphill battle.
She ducked away, moving her hair from between my fingers. “It’s just something that’s meaningful to me.”
“Twenty breaths. I like it.”
Officer Williams waved from the front desk. I lifted my travel coffee mug in a halfhearted greeting. “Anything that needs my immediate attention?”
“Nope, but Calder is waiting for you in your office.”
I glanced at my watch. I’d barely had a chance to grab two hours of sleep, but I’d bet Calder hadn’t had any. “Thanks.”
I moved through the main room, trading greetings with officers and deputies, trying my best not to act like a grumpy asshole. Pulling open my door, the smell of something amazing hit me.
Calder looked up from an open box of donuts. “I thought this might help get you through the day.”
“You are officially my favorite friend. Hell, I’ll let you replace Beck as my brother.”
“How is that asshole?”
I eased into my desk chair and plucked up a chocolate old fashioned. “Who knows. I haven’t heard from him in over a month. But that’s not exactly new.”
“Where is he again?”
“Venezuela. They’re getting a few clinics up and running and training the staff.”
Calder set his donut on a napkin. “He’s doing good work.”
“And breaking my mother’s heart.” I didn’t remember the last time Beckett had been home. Maybe at Christmas four years ago for a total of forty-eight hours.
“Julia likes all of her chicks home to roost.”
“But it’ll never happen with him. Too much of a restless spirit.” I took a sip of coffee. “You get word from your investigator yet?”
“He called just as I was dropping off the girls. It’s arson. Not a professional job. If it hadn’t been so damn dry, it might not have spread so quickly.”
“Hell.” I dropped my donut onto a napkin and leaned back in my chair.
“You got some ideas?”
“Her family, to start.” Ian and Allen were at the top of my list.
Calder scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “That girl has more to deal with than anyone should.”
He wasn’t wrong. I looked longingly at my donut. “I’m going to have to take this to go.” I paused, taking in my friend and the dark circles rimming his eyes. “You okay?”
“Fine. Could just use a few more hours of sleep. You know how that goes.”