Graham wrapped his arm around her back and led her towards Callum and Madilynne. “We’ll rebuild it, Peyton. We’ll make it better,” he promised.
“I know, Graham,” she replied quietly as they passed by Jay and some of the firefighters.
When Peyton locked eyes with Jay, he was emotionless. Graham stopped and let Peyton go.
“I can’t believe you told them not to save the hotel. Fine. Be angry at her for being with Callum. Taking away the hotel’s partnerships was one thing but letting it burn to the ground? You’re a son of a bitch, Jay.”
She wanted to yell and scream at Jay. She wanted to hurt him, but she just wasn’t that person. In all honesty, she was far too tired inside. And what good would hurting Jay do? She had all but lost The Spencer-Dayle. She had spent so many years trying to keep it afloat, but it had all been for nothing.
Peyton stepped away from Graham and stood in front of Jay. As she stared at him, she saw no remorse in his eyes. There was no salvaging a friendship with him.
“I would never wish this on you or the pub, Jay. I would never wish it on any of the town’s businesses. Whatever you wanted to achieve out of this, I hope you got it. Hate me all you like, but I have always been in love with Callum. I’m sorry you can’t find a way past that and be my friend.”
She could never trust Jay again. She’d believed in him. Believed he was a good person. Tonight revealed that he wasn’t. He was a selfish man full of pride. Realising that they’d never be friends again, she walked into Callum’s waiting arms and let his heartbeat distract her from her own stalling ones.
“Peyton.”
Jenny’s voice had her pulling away from Callum. She noticed Jenny covered in ash, and in her hand, she was holding something.
“It’s the only thing I could save. I couldn’t get farther. The flames and the smoke were too overwhelming. I’m sorry I couldn’t save some of your parents’ things.”
Peyton saw that it was the picture Callum had taken of the lake. And that’s when she burst into tears and hugged Jenny tight. “I would rather the hotel and everything in it burn to ash than lose you, Jenny. You shouldn’t have risked your life for the picture.”
Out of anything that could have been saved, Peyton was glad that Callum’s picture was it. The moment he had taken it, she’d known she was madly in love with him. It was a picture she’d always want, no matter how much pain he had caused her with his leaving.
Callum took the framed picture and said, “Thank you for saving this, Jenny. I appreciate it more than you could possibly know. I’m going to take Peyton home now. You go home to your husband. We’ll survey what’s left in the morning.”
Peyton let go of Jenny and wiped at her cheeks.
“There was no one inside during the fire. I’ll call those with bookings tomorrow morning and explain the situation. I’ll handle everything, Peyton. I’ll deal with the Reynolds’ wedding, too,” Jenny said, trying to reassure her.
“That’s okay, Jenny. I’ll speak to Oliver in the morning. Come on, Pey. I’ll get you home.” Callum’s hands entwined with hers, his thumb caressing hers. “Graham, you mind dropping us off at Peyton’s?”
“Yeah, I’ll take you both. Madilynne, do you want me to drop you off at home?” Graham asked, leading them to the ute.
Callum opened the car door for Peyton, and she got in the backseat. Then he clicked her seatbelt in place before he got into the backseat with the picture sitting in his lap.
Madilynne got in the front seat and said, “No. I’ll stay at yours for the rest of the night. I don’t want to hear what my dad says about tonight.”
Peyton watched Graham nod and adjust the rearview mirror so that his reflection met her eyes.
“You ‘right there, Peyton?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
Lie.
The only thing she could feel was Callum’s hand in hers.
“Okay,” he replied, no doubt seeing through her lie, and started up the car.
Peyton didn’t look back as the car reversed away from the burning hotel and towards her house.
I am helpless.
I am hopeless.
I am a failure.
I have nothing,
I am fading.
I am dying.
Peyton shivered at the cold air that touched her skin. She hugged the blanket tighter and reached out for Callum’s warm body. When she felt the cool mattress, Peyton sat up and rubbed her eyes, searching the room for him. She noticed the door open and his muffled voice trailing in from the lounge. Pulling the blanket aside, she swung her legs over the bed and stood up. Then she made her way out of her room and walked down the hall, but she stopped when she heard him speak.
“What do I do now, Oliver? How do I do this to her?”
The worried tone in Callum’s voice had Peyton pressing her hand on the wall to keep herself on her feet.
“I don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t want to leave her. It was hard the first time, but now… How do I do it now?”