Page 71 of Forever my Love

“I moved your truck back. The keys were still inside,” Tom said, stopping beside him.

“Thanks,” he managed.

They turned as the fire truck came up the driveway.

Watching the cabin, the first home that Hailey and Harper had ever had, burn to the ground, saddened him. Knowing that Fred was inside relieved him.

“It’s done,” Hailey said with a sigh.

No matter how much the firemen fought to save the cabin, there was nothing they could do. Even the heavy rain falling over them did little to stop the old wood home from going up.

By the time Harper and Nick’s mother showed up, there was nothing left but embers.

Harper ran to Hailey and hugged her.

“It’s gone,” Hailey cried.

“It doesn’t matter,” Harper said over and over. “Only you and Reece matter.” She smiled at him.

Doctor Stevens was there. He’d patched the cut on the back of Reece’s head and was trying to convince him to go to Edgeview and get more X-rays of his ribs. But in truth, now that he had his breathing under control, the pain had lightened up.

He promised the doctor that he’d go in the next day and get checked out. Right now, however, he was where he was needed most.

When there was nothing left of the cabin, he climbed into Hailey’s truck and let her drive him home. Nick was going to drive his truck back to the house later once he was done securing the site.

Harper followed them and while they waited for Nick, they sat in his kitchen.

When Hailey stepped into the house, she rushed to clean up the blood before his parents, Nick’s mother, and Hannah and Wyatt arrived.

Within the hour, his house was full of family and friends.

The entire town knew about the fire, knew about what Hailey had done to save his life. And no one called her a murder. Not one person condemned her for her actions.

Everyone, however, was sad that the sisters had lost their home.

Food was brought and shared. A plate of chicken and mashed potatoes was shoved in front of his face, and he realized that it was after noon. The entire morning was gone.

Hailey never left his side. She ate quietly as she listened to his sister fill them in on Ali’s shenanigans, as she called them.

His dog, or rather, their dog had apparently been very mischievous while staying at his auntie Hannah’s house.

“You should have called him mayhem instead of Ali,” Hannah joked.

“Thank you,” he said, taking his sister’s hand in his.

“Any time. Ali and Luna are best friends now.” Hannah sighed. “We’re going to have to let the four siblings have playdates regularly,” she said to Harper.

“Any time.” Harper smiled.

Just then, Nick walked in the kitchen and walked over to place a kiss on Harper’s lips.

“Is he…?” Hailey said, dropping off.

Nick nodded. “We found him just where you said he was.”

Hailey leaned back and then Harper hugged her sister. “It’s over,” she said into Hailey’s hair.

He thought of telling Nick what the man had said before he’d fought him. Whatever happened, he knew that he shouldn’t do it in front of the sisters. They’d gone through enough.