Page 30 of Colton’s Inferno

“For one, I already said no. I don’t think you get a second chance at something like that. For another, he knows about the panic attacks. What guy wants that in his life?”

“Did you know that I asked your grandmother on a date twelve times before she agreed to go out with me? And that was just to get ice cream.”

A towel was hanging off the handle of the stove. She pulled it free and buffed the plate. “I haven’t heard that story before.”

“I tell you now because when you really like someone, you’re willing to wait.” He handed her a serving bowl. “I don’t think that Aiden Colton was offended at all. I bet if you called him, telling him that you’d like to go out, he’d be pleased.”

“That’s a lot of betting and guesses,” she said, teasing him.

“I know he’d be happy to hear from you again.”

“Not after the panic attack, Grandpa.”

“He knew what to do and what to say. To me, it proves that he’s a good person.”

She finished drying the bowl and set it on the counter. “But I’m not calling him back. I’m not ready to date yet.”

“Yet?” He handed her several forks. “What are you waiting for?”

How could her grandfather not know? “Derek. What happened to him.”

“Oh, Luce. Your brother died ten years ago. I know it broke your heart, but Derek would want you to live and enjoy yourself.” Her grandfather set the serving spoons on the counter.

She shook her head, rubbing the silverware hard. “I just can’t.”

“The best testament to your brother’s life is to live a life of your own.”

She said nothing, just set the clean spoons with the rest of the dishes.

“I’ve lived a long time, Lucy. I’ve had good days and bad. I’ve loved and I’ve lost. But just because I’ve lost doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop loving.”

“Why is life so hard?” she asked.

“It gets easier once you find the right person.”

Lucy had no intention of calling Aiden Colton. Yet, she could almost feel his business card, tucked safely into her pocket.

Aiden walked back to his car. The sky had brightened to a robin’s-egg blue. The air still held a hint of the night’s chill. A soft wind blew, rustling the leaves in the trees. It would have been a perfect late summer morning, but the light bore into his skull and his head felt as if it were being used as a bass drum. Using the fob in his pocket, he unlocked the car’s doors and started the engine.

The fact that Lucy wanted to stay at the ranch left him unsettled. The Five Steers was miles from anywhere, and, like last night, it would take time for help to arrive. It meant that she and her grandfather were on their own.

He opened the door as sunlight reflected off the hood of an approaching vehicle. Aiden recognized Ted’s car as it crested the hill.

Leaning his forearms on the open door, he waited. Ted parked next to Aiden. He turned off the engine and opened the door.

“I’m surprised to see you up so early,” said Ted.

“Yeah, I’ve been hearing that a lot today.”

“Did you just get here or what?”

With a shake of his head, he said, “I’ve been here a while.”

“Have you looked around the fire already?” Ted asked, slamming the door closed. “Was it an accident?”

An accident? Hardly. “Looks like it was intentionally set.” He shouldn’t share important details about an investigation. Then again, Ted was the mayor of Red Grove. If he wanted the information, he could get it. “What’s worse, someone locked Lucy in the back room.”

Ted’s face paled. “That’s serious.”