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Holt looked at his brother in amazement. "I'm not going to hurt her. I'd never do that."
Cal nodded. "I know. But she doesn't." He tipped his head toward me.
"Does someone want to explain what's going on here?" his dad asked.
Holt shoved his fingers in the back pockets of his jeans. "The fire marshal thinks someone deliberately set the fire in Maddy's building."
A chorus of gasps and 'oh no's' filled the room along with a mixture of concerned and angry expressions.
"That's an awful thing, but why all the loud voices?" Carol questioned.
"Because it started in my apartment, that's why," I spat.
That roused another chorus of concerned comments.
"Oh, darlin.'" His mother came over and hugged me. "Thank God you weren't there. I still dinna understand why all the..."
An expression of understanding lit her face. She whirled around to face her youngest child with an angry expression. "Holten Andrews! You dinna mean to accuse the wee lass of startin' it, do ya?" Her accent had ratcheted up a notch.
I saw what Holt had meant about the bristles beneath the clover. I was grateful it wasn’t directed at me.
"No! Of course not," he sputtered under his mother’s glare. "I don't think she's done anything wrong. She always assumes the worst about me. But someone tried to get to her, possibly to hurt her or maybe even worse.” He pointed his finger at me. “But she's as closed up about her past as a virgin nun's legs, so how the hell can I help figure it out?"
I felt Cal snicker, and even his dad hid a smile behind his hand. Molly, however, apparently didn't find him funny at all. "Holten Andrews, I didna raise ya to be so rude. I'll not have ya speak so disrespectfully of the church or any of those who serve it." She got right up in his face, or under his chin as it were since he towered over her. "You'll apologize right now."
He rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry."
I had to bite my tongue to refrain from the childish impulse to stick it out at him. I wrinkled my nose instead.
His eyes glittered back at me. "I'm sorry. You just jumped right to that conclusion before I could say anything more. You always do that."
"Because you looked so angry," I tried to exp
lain.
"Well, of course, I was angry!” His voice rose again. “It's bad enough someone tried to burn down your building, but now we suspect you were the target."
I forgot about our audience. "Why do you care so much, anyway?" I challenged. "I'm not your responsibility. I've been on my own for my entire life."
He remained silent.
"Yeah, Holt," Cal countered. "Why do you care so much?"
I didn't understand why Cal was so intent on getting under Holt's skin.
Holt threw his hands up in the air. "Because I just do. I care what happens to her. I care about her, goddamnit!" Holt exploded, spinning around and pounding the wall.
Everyone stood still, hardly breathing. Even Holt had seemed startled by his words, but Cal grinned and relaxed his stance next to me. "Exactly what I thought. Although yelling at her probably isn't the best way to convince her of that."
Cal squeezed my shoulders and whispered, “He’s not always such an idiot. You’ve rattled something loose inside him, and it’s driving him nuts.”
I looked at him questioningly.
“His heart, sweet girl. It’s been locked up as tight as he says you are. Judging by your reaction, maybe he rattles something in you, too, hmm?”
I blinked at him, not knowing what to say. He winked again and let go and then began to usher everyone out of the room. At the door he paused and turned.
“I’m curious, Maddy,” Cal commented casually. “Did you happen to see the military awards Holt has in his living room?”
