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Dammit.
This whole thing was ridiculous and insulting. Wasn’t his word good enough? Did his reputation mean anything? Granted, he was new to the Sweetbriar Ridge squad, but if Bob or Inspector Rowe had bothered to look at his record and talk to his former chief and co-workers, he knew they’d realized they were wrong.
Tossing his bag into his truck, he climbed in and let out a long breath.
Then he slammed both fists on the steering wheel and let out a string of curses.
Fortunately no one was parked near him and didn’t see him freaking out, but right now, the station was the last place he wanted to be. So he quickly pulled out and headed toward home, but he wasn’t ready to go there yet. Going there would mean going to talk to Ashlynn and right now he was too freaked out and pissed off about the whole situation to have a rational conversation. And basically, now this wasn’t really about her. Now the focus was on him and he had no idea what to do about it. He’d never been in this kind of situation. Hell, Reid had always prided himself on working hard and being honorable and…and…
“How the fuck did I end up here?” he yelled.
There weren’t any answers and he needed time to just vent and clear his head. So he drove.
And drove.
And drove.
The next thing he knew, he was in front of his parents’ place and mentally cursed Keith again.
Wearily, he climbed out of the truck and stopped in his tracks when his mother walked out the door.
“Reid! What a wonderful surprise! Why didn’t you call and tell me you were on your way?” She hugged him when he stepped up on the porch and it didn’t take long for her to figure out something was wrong. “Reid?”
“I’m in trouble, Mom,” he said quietly. “And I have no idea what to do.”
“Whatever it is,” she said, leading him into the house. “We’ll work it out. Let me call your father. He was just going to play golf today so he’s not busy. And don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay. I promise.”
He wished he had her optimism.
She led him into the kitchen and she immediately picked up her phone and called his dad. Once that was done, she was in constant motion making him something to eat, pouring him some coffee, and talking about mindless local gossip as a way to pass the time. Reid wanted to be annoyed, but he knew this was all a stalling tactic until his father got home.
“I feel bad about making Dad miss out on his golf game. I know he doesn’t play that often…”
“Nonsense. Now that he’s only working part-time, he plays more than you think. And besides, you’re more important than hitting a little ball around in the grass. Trust me.”
It sounded like the kind of thing a parent was supposed to say, but right now his emotions were a little too close to the surface and he was feeling a little cynical. But sure enough, ten minutes later, his father walked through the door and strode into the kitchen like some kind of savior. The only thing missing was the red cape. He took a seat across the table from Reid and said, “Whose ass do we need to go and straighten out?”
And just like that, Reid laughed.
Hard.
The tension was broken and Reid felt himself let out the first easy breath of the day. After taking a sip of his coffee, he launched into the story of meeting Ashlynn and her connection to Lavish Locks and what happened the day of the fire.
“And because you called dispatch as a concerned firefighter, genuinely concerned and making sure you weren’t needed, they put you on leave?” his father asked incredulously.
“They said it was unusual behavior, and considering Ashlynn’s possible involvement in the fire—and our relationship—they’ve decided to…ugh.” He sighed. “Logically, I understand where they’re coming from, but…”
“But…you’re taking it personally, and rightfully so. They should know that you wouldn’t be involved in something like this,” his father said. “Anyone who’s ever met you or worked with you knows that you’re an honorable man.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“What did Ashlynn say when you told her?”
“I haven’t told her,” he murmured, raking a hand through his hair. “I was just so…I was mad and I openly admit it. I was frustrated and freaking out and I knew if I called her, it would have sounded like I was taking it out on her.”
“Well…” his mother chimed in. “Granted, I don’t know this girl, but she is the reason this is happening.” She paused and carefully took one of Reid’s hands in hers. “Are you certain that she wasn’t involved in this fire?”
“Mom!” Yanking his hand away, he stood and began to pace. “Ashlynn is innocent, okay? She wouldn’t do something like this.”
