Third Time's a Charm (Holland Springs #3)(73)

“Do what?” Rose asked, her voice rising as she turned around to face the sheriff. She grabbed Sasha’s hand and squeezed.

David shifted his stance and took off his hat. “I don’t know how to tell you, honey.”

“For the love of God man, spit it out,” Sasha growled.

“An explosion from your greenhouse made Strawberry Grove catch on fire. Hayden Laws said he’d never seen a house go up that fast—not without help.”

The room went silent, not even the clock on the mantle dared tick.

Hysterical laughter came from Rose’s mouth and Sasha tried to soothe her, but she pushed him away. “I don’t need your comfort.”

“The fire department’s doing the best that they can, but it’s out of control.”

A gust of wind blew the windows open, lifting the drapes as lightning split the sky. Thunder boomed, shaking the entire house. The party-goers let out shouts of laughter, thinking this was part of their entertainment.

Thunder boomed again, books and expensive vases falling to the floor.

Rose turned, shoes silent on the hardwoods as she stalked to the closest window. Her hands were fisted at her side.

Sasha stared at her back, the fine hair on his neck rising as his jacket seemed to float off of her and land on the sofa. But it was only the gust of wind. It lifted his hair at the roots. “You need to come away from the window, Rosebud.”

“When I’m done.” Her voice was strangely calm.

Suddenly, the heavens opened and rain poured from the sky.

“That should help,” she said.

“Who set your house on fire?” David shouted over the next boom of thunder. “Nobody would blame you if you were the one that did it. But if someone else were to blame, I’d—”

“I didn’t do it,” Sasha blurted, the need to convince her that he had absolutely nothing to do with destroying her home imperative. “I swear on my mother’s life—”

“I know you didn’t, Sasha.”

He nearly dropped to his knees at her easy acceptance. Just like before, when he told her about his uncle’s schemes. Whatever it took, he’d make it up to her.

She cast a glance over her shoulder, her blue eyes glowing eerily as lightening flashed. “Go home to Missy, David. She’s about to go in labor.”

David smacked his hat against his thigh. “Don’t you start that crap with me. Tell me who set your damn house on fire so I can arrest his ass.”

The lights went out and lightening flashed again, gifting Sasha with her silhouette.

“Sasha?” Her voice was reedy thin.

“Yes,” he croaked.

“I need you.” As if in slow motion her knees gave away and her body began to crumple to the floor. He managed to catch her before she hit the hardwood floor, her sweet frame soaked by the rain and ice cold where their skin touched.

“Does that answer your question, Sheriff?”

Turner worked his mouth for a moment and swiped his hand over his face. “Not by a long shot.”

“Bloody right,” Sasha agreed.





Chapter Twenty-One





“Want to tell me what happened back there?” Sasha turned the heat up in the car, giving her a sidelong glance. He fiddled with the controls, turning the radio up. The volume was low enough for conversation, but loud enough to hear the local DJ share what costume was the most popular this year.

Rose cast her gaze at the patrol car in front them, trying to convince herself that maybe the explosion had only set a part of her house on fire. That maybe the firemen had caught it in time. “I passed out.”

“Rose, you made a storm appear out of nowhere.”

“People can’t control the weather.” If she could, Holland Springs would be in The Guinness Book of World Records for the most assholes struck by lightning in one town. She laced her hands together in her lap. “They were calling for storms tonight.”

The DJ reminded everyone to watch out for isolated evening thunderstorms.

“Convenient.”

But it wasn’t. Nothing was. If things had been left up to her, she’d be saying good-bye to Ivy. Telling Summer all the little things she needed to know about her. Giving her sister the baby book she’d made. All the pictures she’d taken. Well, not all of them. A few she’d keep for herself. “Summer won’t wait until tomorrow to leave.” A lump formed in her throat, almost as large as the boulder sitting in her stomach.

“We’ll only stay as long as they need you, then I’ll drive you to Jemma Leigh’s,” he said. “I’d like to say good-bye to Ivy, too.”

She turned to look at him, the glow from the dashboard highlighting the stark lines of his face. Her heart pinched. “You’re really going to miss her?”

He nodded once and applied the brake as the patrol car slowed and made a left at the intertwined dogwoods that stood behind the Strawberry Grove street sign.

Sasha did the same, the bump as the tires hit the gravel making Rose sway slightly. She breathed deeply, clutching her hands tightly and wishing for her cross necklace. There was no way she could look. None at all. She closed her eyes like a coward.

The car quit moving.

“Christ.”

Her eyes flew open. She tried to speak but only air rushed out and a strange sort of croaking in her throat.