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And my family, but I’d never let them know that.
I slowly turned onto the road to the resort and gripped the wheel as the flakes became larger. The parking lot was packed for it being midweek, but then flickering lights caught my eye. My pulse pounded as emergency vehicles came into view. Red and white flashing lights from two of the town’s fire trucks bounced off the main resort building, and I spotted a group of people congregating near the restaurant’s entrance.
My gaze landed on a woman wrapped in a blanket, talking to the fire chief, and my heart hammered in my chest.
Daisy!
Was it Daisy?
I quickly turned into the parking lot and parked in the nearest spot, away from the emergency vehicles but close to the hotel.
It felt like the world stood still as I jumped out of my SUV and barreled through the small crowd.
A large fire hose snaked into the restaurant's front door, and Nate stepped forward to slow me down. He was the local sheriff and only a few years older than me.
“Whoa. Everything’s fine.” He held his hand up and laughed. “Are you looking for your takeout order or something?”
I scowled and shook my head, scanning where I thought I saw Daisy. “No, I just thought I saw someone I knew. What happened?”
“Small kitchen fire. Mostly smoke damage, but I estimate the bar will be closed for a few weeks.”
“Nobody hurt?” I asked, glancing toward an ambulance with the back doors wide open.
“Everybody got out just fine.” He eyed me suspiciously. That was one of the problems growing up in a small town like Buttercup Lake. Nate not only happened to be the sheriff, but he was great friends with my older brothers, Cash and Beckett. They’d all grown up together and loved to pick on the youngest kid.
Me.
Nate rocked back on his heels. “We’ve got things handled here. You can probably go back home.”
I chuckled, not moving. “I just need to find someone.”
Nate’s brow arched as some hotel staff led the small group toward the lobby after the fire chief gave the all-clear.
“Who?” he asked, tilting his head.
I shrugged. “Does it matter?”
Nate chuckled and shook his head. “Not particularly, but I thought I might know the answer.”
That was the other problem about growing up around here. I was hyper-defensive because I was the younger brother that everyone picked on.
“Daisy. I’m looking for Daisy.”
Nate nodded. “Some guy in a Camaro picked her up about two minutes ago.”
My stomach dropped. “Oh.”
Nate laughed and shook his head. “Kidding. But man, you should have seen your expression.”
“Seriously?” I glared at him, reminding myself that he was now someone who could put me in jail for the holidays. And he’d probably do it just for giggles with my brothers.
“Calm down. Geesh. She’s in the ambulance getting checked out for smoke inhalation.”
My heart rate jumped. “I thought you said nobody was hurt.”
His hand went up. “Just a precaution. Since when have you two been buddies, anyway?”
“She worked for me down in Madison.”
