When she looked in the direction that he’d suggested, the view took her breath away. It was beautiful. The setting sun filled the sky with purples and reds, and the water sparkled before her eyes. She had never seen the lake look more beautiful than in this moment.
The sounds of the camera shutter had her turning her head. She watched the awed expression on Callum’s face transform as he looked at the photo on the screen. He saw the beauty. He saw the innocence of nature. And Peyton saw that in him. Her heart throbbed at the sight of him taking in the view. The way he appreciated life had her envious of his perspective on the world, and a slow smile developed on his face.
When he turned and his eyes met hers, the sparkle in them made her breathless. And it was in that moment that she knew what she had always known deep down.
I’m in love with Callum Reid.
“Pey, wake up.”
A nudge had Peyton groaning.
She hugged the blanket around her and said, “Callum, I don’t have your kind of stamina. I’m not an expert at lasting long when it comes to sex. Give me a couple of hours.”
He shook her this time, so she rolled on her back and opened her eyes.
“As much as I love the idea of sex right now, that’s not why I woke you up.”
Peyton sat up and rubbed her eyes. Before she could even ask him what was going on, Callum handed her the phone.
“It’s Jenny,” he said.
She looked at the clock on her bedside table to see that it was just after two a.m. She knew Jenny would never call her this late, especially with this week’s guests having already checked out. It had been four days since Callum had told her that their time was limited and four days since she had started operating the hotel to guests. The feedback that she’d received from her customers had been great, and it had given her the confidence boost that she’d needed. Now she could concentrate on Marissa’s wedding and the building of the lakeside dance floor.
Peyton scratched her head before she put the phone to her ear.
“Peyton!” Jenny cried out hysterically.
Peyton stilled. “Jenny, are you okay?” she asked desperately.
A million scenarios on Jenny’s safety ran through Peyton’s head. She couldn’t lose Jenny. She couldn’t lose anyone else.
“Jenny, please talk to me.”
There was a loud bang in the background, and Peyton looked at Callum. He was just as confused as she was.
“What’s going on?” Callum asked.
Peyton shook her head to tell him that she didn’t know.
“Peyton…”
“I’m right here, Jenny. Tell me that you’re okay. Do I need to come get you?” Peyton asked as she threw back her blanket and stood up from the bed. Then she walked to the hook near the door and grabbed her dressing gown, slipping it on over her silk nightdress.
Jenny let out a sob. “It’s the hotel, Peyton.”
Peyton froze. “The hotel?”
Callum was by her side instantly, holding her. His supporting touch couldn’t stop Peyton’s throbbing heart. Fear overtook every inch of her body. Flooding she could fix. A fallen tree on a cabin would dent her finances, but it wasn’t impossible. A broken window would be easy to replace.
“It’s on fire, Peyton. The hotel’s on fire.”
The phone slipped out of her hand and fell onto the floor. Numb. That’s what she felt. Her heart had stopped functioning and she was sure her lungs had, too. She was breathing, but her lungs weren’t inhaling the oxygen.
Callum let go of her and bent down to pick up her phone. Before he could even stand, she bolted out of her room and the house.
Shoes weren’t important. More clothes to protect her from the winter night weren’t a concern. She ran. Faster and harder. Stepping on sharp rocks as she desperately sprinted to the lake. She felt pain. In her chest, her lungs, the side of her body, and her feet. But she didn’t care. She heard her name being yelled out from behind her, but she kept her legs moving up the hill and to the lake. She didn’t stop to see if there was smoke or flames—she just kept running.
The moment she reached the path to the hotel, she slowed down, taking careful steps towards the hotel. Tears ran down her face as she painfully willed her body forward. Flames and smoke. That’s all she saw. Dark, black smoke filled the sky, providing the backdrop for the fire that engulfed the building.
She had never felt so helpless. In front of her, she watched everything she had ever loved and treasured die before her very eyes. Each memory of her parents, Jenny, the staff, and Callum. The flames were destroying the future she had carved for herself. It was symbolic. The hotel’s burning down was a reflection of her future—she didn’t have one.
When a part of the hotel collapsed, she fell to her knees, sobbing. And when she heard voices around her, all she could do was stare at The Spencer-Dayle sign as it burned before it fell to the ground.