Anything for You (Blue Heron #5)(99)

“I have a presentation off-site today,” Jessica said.

“For what?”

For none of your business, she thought. “For Connor O’Rourke.”

“Why?”

“He’s opening a brewery,” Ned said. “And Jess is his woman.”

“And a marketing genius,” Honor added with a smile.

“Are you kidding me?” Marcy said. “You two are dating? I had no idea!”

“Jessica’s private life aside, why don’t we get to work?” Honor said, passing out some papers.

“No, of course, it’s just that I’m buried in my work these days. Busy, busy! No time for extracurricular fun, I kid you not.” She didn’t look at Jess. Great. Another reason for Marcy to dislike her.

For the first time since Jess had started at Blue Heron, the morning dragged. All she could think about was the presentation, which she’d practiced until eleven last night. It would be a home run. She just knew it. And yes, Connor could sit there and look hot, and when she was done with the presentation, he’d field questions with ease, because Empire State Food & Beverage would be begging to give him the six hundred grand.

When the meeting ended and she went to her car, she thought of that little green plastic creature. He could keep it in his pocket, and maybe remember that beautiful, simple day at the 4-H fair, and that she’d kissed him. In public.

She drove down toward the Village, taking a right at the bottom of the hill. Soon, she’d be taking a left and going right into the Village, into her own little house.

And strangely, the thought didn’t bring her as much happiness as she’d imagined it would.

But owning a house was something she was going to do. She’d come too far to move into someone else’s place. She’d given Ned notice that she and Davey were moving, and it was fine with Ned. He’d paid off his credit card bill, and was moving back into the Opera House.

So it would be just her and Davey again, same as always.

There it was once more, that pang of...something.

She turned onto her street. Saw Ricky running up her steps.

The dread hit her before the facts.

There was smoke. There was smoke and a bad smell, and oh, God, a fire, a fire, but it was okay, it was okay, because Davey was at work—

And then Ricky came out the door and down the steps, his arm around Davey, and Davey’s arm was in front of his face, and his hands were bright, bright red.

“Davey!” she screamed. She pulled over so hard she hit the curb. Threw open the car door, fell, and was up and running. “Davey!” She didn’t recognize her own voice, it was so choked by fear.

“He’s okay,” Ricky said. “Just a little burn. Fire’s out, but I called 911 already.”

Tears streaked Davey’s sooty face. Dear God, thank you, he seemed okay, but there was a livid red streak up his cheek, and his hair...his chick-like hair was uneven, because a good chunk of it was singed off.

And his hands, his poor hands were bright red. “Oh, honey,” she said, and she was shaking so hard, and her chest was heaving. “Oh, God, oh, honey, what happened, are you okay?”

“My hands hurt,” he said, sobbing. “It wasn’t my fault! I’m sorry, Jess.”

“No, no, it’s okay. We’ll get your hands taken care of. What happened? Why are you home?”

“I wanted to surprise you,” he said, tears pouring down his face. “I wanted to cook you supper the way Connor taught me.”

* * *

LEVI WAS FIRST on the scene, screeching up in his patrol car, Emmaline right behind him. The fire department was there in minutes, Gerard and a few other firefighters so reassuring in their gear, tramping through the house, checking the rooms, using the thermal imaging camera to see if there was fire in the walls, just to be sure. Pru sat with her, telling her it was okay, abject terror was just part of raising kids. Honor came, and Faith, baby in her arms, and Lucas Campbell. Tanner Angst and Debbie Meering from drum circle...just about everyone in town had come as soon as they heard it over the scanner—structure fire, 159 Academy Street, disabled person in residence.

Somehow her father found out. Keith arrived as they were trying to convince Davey to go to the hospital.

“Davey, you’re hurt,” Jess said. She was still shaking so hard she couldn’t stand, and they were sitting on the front steps of Ricky’s house, wet towels over Davey’s arms. Jess was pressing a cool cloth against his face.

“I want to watch the firefighters,” he said.

“If you get an infection, it’s really going to hurt.”

“It wasn’t my fault.”

“I bet Gerard would use lights and sirens for you,” Levi said. “You still love that, don’t you, bud?”

“No. I want to stay.” He was getting frustrated, Jess knew. His mouth had that stubborn, tight look to it.

“I’ve never ridden in an ambulance,” Keith said. “I’ve always wanted to. Would you let me go with you, son? It’d be really fun for me.”

Davey went to scratch his head, then stopped, wincing at the pain in his hands, and Jess bit down hard on the tears. “Okay, Dad,” he said.

“Come on, Jess,” Levi said, offering his hand. “You can ride with me.”