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“I’m pressing charges,” Summer says as her mother starts to yell on the other end of the line. “Have her arrested.”
Summer passes the phone to me, then rage covers her face, and she shoves forward and decks Evan right in the jaw. I can’t hold back the proud grin that spreads over my face. “You son of a bitch, you vandalized my home. You scared me to the point where I didn’t feel safe in my own home. And you conspired with my mother!”
“I would have protected you,” Evan cries.
“Against you! Do you know how absurd you sound right now? For fuck’s sake, you’re crazy!”
“I am not.” Evan lurches forward and pushes his face into Summer’s. “I’m not crazy. We can still make it work. I won’t tell your dad about this. Your mom didn’t involve him, so he never has to know, and he’ll still support me in my campaign. You and I can still be together.”
“You’re delusional,” Summer says. “And you’re going to jail. You can campaign for head yard worker or something in prison, but you won’t be a senator.”
Evan howls with rage and reaches for Summer, his hands in claws, but I get to him first and push him against the wall.
“Say one more word,” I murmur into his ear, “make one more move toward her, and I’ll fucking kill you right here. Think I won’t?”
I hold his eyes with mine and snarl.
“Try me, you bastard.”
“I think he just peed his pants,” Bridger says from behind me as Evan starts to cry.
“Take him in,” I say, passing Evan off to the other officers, and Summer walks right into my arms, holding on tightly. “Hey, it’s okay, baby. It’s okay.”
“It was Evan,” she says, shaking her head. “This whole time, I thought he was my friend. A nuisance, but my friend, and he had this weird fantasy that he could make me want to be with him if he scared me. I can’t even think about my mother.”
“That’s the Cliff’s Notes version,” I agree and kiss the top of her head. She smells like smoke and a little like gasoline after being near that asshole. “When all of this is over, we really need to have a conversation about you letting other men put their hands on you.”
“I was in shock, and he was there,” she says with a frown. “And I didn’t question it because his office is right next door. It didn’t feel out of place. God, I’m stupid.”
“Hey.” I tip her chin up with my fingers and shake my head. “You’re not stupid. I didn’t suspect him either, and I can’t stand the idiot. I should have. It’s over now, babe. You don’t have to be scared.”
“Thank God.” She sighs and then pulls her phone out of her pocket in a frenzy. “I haven’t called Aunt Paula.”
“Summer! Where’s my girl? Summer!”
“There she is,” I tell Summer, pointing to our right.
“Aunt Paula!” She runs to the older woman and is swept up in a fierce hug.
“Oh, my baby,” Paula cries. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m not hurt. I’m so sorry, Aunt Paula. Your beautiful shop.”
Paula holds Summer by the shoulders. “It’s your shop, my love, and it will be rebuilt. You have insurance. But I can’t replace you, so as long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”
“I’m okay,” Summer assures her. “Is Lily at your house?”
“Yes, darling, she’s safe at my house. Don’t worry about her.”
It’s been a long fucking night. The first thing I did was contact Helena PD to have Summer’s mom arrested, and as far as I know, she’s in custody and denying everything.
Summer refused to leave. She wanted to be here, for her shop, until it was done. Word spread through town almost as quickly as the fire did through that building, and my family—minus Ryan, who is home with Jake—came to support us. I couldn’t believe it when Rem arrived, along with my parents and Brady. Erin stayed back with the kids, but she promised to come check on things today.
Millie’s here, and she opened her coffee shop early so everyone could have some caffeine and a little comfort that a warm drink provides.
It’s six in the morning when the last of the fire is out. The firemen did a great job of keeping the fire contained to just the flower shop and Evan’s law office next door. None of the other businesses on the street were impacted at all.
“The fire’s out,” Bridger says as he approaches us. “There’s going to be smoke for a little while yet, but there are no more hot spots that could flare up. I’m sorry, Summer, but it’s a total loss.”
