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“Marley, you don’t need to worry about it.”
“Who is it?”
The chief sighed through the phone. “Sonora Star. She was pulled over up the road for a DUI and they found gas cans in the back of her car.”
Marley’s chest tightened and breathing was becoming an issue as the truth sank in.
This is all my fault.
“Marley? Marley are you still there, sweetheart?”
Marley didn’t bother correcting the chief, who had known her since she was in diapers. She sucked in several breaths, trying to speak, until finally she managed to wheeze, “Thank you, Chief. I better go so I can be with my mom.”
“Of course. I am so sorry. I wish I had better news.”
“Thanks.”
Marley hung up the phone, guilt chewing at her chest, causing sharp pinches. She got up from the bed, and went to her drawer to grab some clothes, dazed.
“Marley, what happened?” Luke asked behind her.
“Sonora burned down the diner. My mom was inside.”
Luke jumped up from the bed. “Oh my God, is Rose okay?”
Marley shook her head. “I don’t know for sure. The fire chief thinks so, but I need to get to the hospital.” Was that her voice? Why did she sound as though she was a robot?
“I’ll drive you. You’re in shock and shouldn’t get behind the wheel.”
“That’s fine, just hurry.” She could see him pause out of the corner of her eye, but she didn’t feel bad for the sharpness in her tone. She was already too sick and caught up in her own emotions to worry about his.
The whole drive up to the hospital, Marley couldn’t speak, and thankfully, Luke didn’t try. She couldn’t believe that her mom had lost everything…because of her. Because of her mistake. She had been stupid and reckless, thinking only about herself. Sonora had warned her she’d go after her mother and she’d still taken her on. She had every chance to quit that wedding and instead, she kept going, challenged Sonora and acted as though she were bulletproof.
She thought that Sonora might try to sue her, but set her mother’s restaurant on fire with her mother inside? Even if she didn’t know that it wasn’t empty, it was someone’s livelihood. What kind of sociopath does that?
Luke dropped her at the front while he went to find a parking space, and she practically ran inside. A tall, pretty brunette sat behind the reception desk and looked up with a blank stare as she approached.
“Hi, can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Rose Stevenson? She was brought in by ambulance about an hour ago for smoke inhalation.”
“Rose Stevenson.” The receptionist tapped along her keyboard, her eyes on the screen. “Are you family?”
“I’m her daughter. Marley Stevenson.” Marley showed the brunette her driver’s license just as the doors opened behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and nodded at Luke before facing the receptionist once more.
“Hold tight, I’ll find her for you.” She typed away at the computer, and finally looked up with a smile. “Good news, she’s in recovery. I’ll have an orderly take you to her. Is this your husband?”
“Just a friend.”
The receptionist addressed Luke. “I’m sorry, family only at this time. You can have a seat, and wait if you want.”
Luke rubbed Marley’s back. “If you need me—”
“I’ll be fine,” she said.
Luke hesitated briefly, as if he didn’t really believe her, but ultimately walked away. When the orderly called her name, she breathed out, as if relieved to get away from Luke.
That’s not fair. The fire isn’t Luke’s fault.
