Nate bends to give my shoulder a squeeze. “We’re gonna figure out what happened, Jade.”
“Thank you,” is all I say before he climbs under the police tape and marches over to the other cops.
A fierce ache stretches my chest as I turn my gaze back to the store. It still looks like a scene ripped out of hell, but the flames are a little smaller, and I think the firefighters might be getting the blaze under control. I need to call Dad and Ruby back, but the thought of hearing their voices makes me want to be sick all over the pavement.I can’t believe this is happening.
While Hayley stretches her neck to assess the growing crowd of onlookers, I finally work up the courage to call Dad back. We spend most of the call with him breathing heavily down the line while I cry. He tries to reassure me that “Everything happens for a reason,” and “The store is insured, so we don’t have to worry about money,” but his words fall flat against my ears. I don’t think there’s anything that could be said right now to make me feel better. My family’s legacy—everything I’ve worked for—isliterallygoing up in flames.
After we hang up, I dial Ruby’s number. The second she answers, my eyes break open and more tears gush out.
“It’s okay,” she says gently, but she’s sniffling too. “It’s not your fault. We’re going to figure this out. Flynn just flew to New York this morning for work, but I’m going to be there soon.”
“I don’t think you should come,” I sob into the phone. “The store, it looks…it looks so bad. It’s gone, Ruby, it’s…it’s all gone.”
The sound of her crying makes me weep harder, and eventually, we hang up because what is there left to say? My phone slides onto the pavement and my fingertips squeeze my forehead around my eyes as I gasp and cry, my shoulders shuddering.
Hayley tugs me into her arms, and I rest my head against her shoulder, grateful for the way her perfume masks the horrid stench of smoke until, suddenly, a stronger pair of hands gently takes hold of my arms from behind.
Hayley lets go of me, and I’m pulled around and guided right into Dylan’s warm chest, his palm cupping the back of my neck and his fingers sliding into my hair. “I’m sorry, baby,” he whispers against my ear. “I’m so,sosorry.”
Fresh tears glide down my cheeks, and I clutch onto him tightly, burying my face in his embrace.
“I came as soon as I heard,” he says into my hair. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.”
“I’m so glad you weren’t in the apartment,” I barely get out.
“Me too.Fuck,I’m glad you weren’t in the store.” He squeezes me tighter. Hayley sits and breathes heavily beside us while I hold onto Dylan like a lifeline.
“Do you know what happened?” he asks softly, his lips brushing my shoulder when he speaks.
I shake my head. “Maybe someone set fire to the place because they’re so sick of looking at it. They’d rather it was turned into something they actually want, like a cool café or a yoga studio.”
He tuts. “Jade.”
Another swell of tears wobbles in my eyes. “I know the store was struggling. I know that its popularity in this town has been on the wane for a while. But Quinn Brothers is part of my family, part of my childhood. Every time I go in there, I can still see my mom sitting behind the register, smiling at me.” My tears burst free, and Dylan’s palm scores lines up and down my back as he holds me.
“I know how hard it is to lose a mom,” he says softly. “It’s fucking horrible. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy. But Jade…” He pulls back so that he can gaze right into my eyes. “Your mom isn’t in there.” He tips his head at what’s left of the store, then flattens his palm over my chest. “She’s in here. And even if the whole town goes up in flames, she’sneverleaving this spot.”
My hand clutches his over my chest, and my shoulders convulse as I let out more tears: for the store, for Mom. A choked sob sounds from behind me, and I turn and reach an arm out to fold it around Hayley’s shoulder so that I’ve got one arm around each of my two favorite Kings.
“I’m so sorry again about your mom and dad,” I whisper to both of them. “This year has been...”
“A fucking horror show of historic proportions?” Dylan finishes, and I chuckle, releasing one arm to wipe my eyes. He then pins me in his blue-eyed stare. “But it hasn’t been all bad, right?” he adds, tilting his head at me with a hopeful look. Clearly, he’s talking about him and me. How could I have thought for even a second that this thing between us isn’t real?
“You’re right,” I reply with a sniff. “The Italian fair was kind of fun.”
A laugh bursts out of him, and he drags me into his chest again, resting his cheek against my hair. “I think the fire’s finally out.”
I lift my head to glance at the smoking, blackened shell that was once Quinn Brothers and then notice all the gawking locals standing around. Vera, the hairdresser, catches my eye from a few feet away. She brushes away a tear and steps over to where we’re sitting.
“I’m sorry, Jade,” Vera says. “It was a great store.”
“I’m sorry too,” adds Latisha, coming up behind her with her husband Phil, followed by Mrs. Felton.
“It was the best store in town,” Mrs. Felton says, pointing her cane at me.
“Yes, it was,” Mrs. Horne chimes in. “Jade always had fresh water for Minnie.”
“I’m sorry,” mumbles the shy bartender from The Rocking Horse, followed by Kayla, my yoga instructor, and then Mr. Chen.
