Freed (Steel Brothers Saga 18)

I can’t help a laugh. For some reason, Travel Scrabble while a fire is raging on Steel property is ridiculously funny to me.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” I ask.

“I’m home for the same reason you are. Dad wants as many of us as possible out of the office buildings until the fire’s contained.”

“The livestock?”

“They should be fine. We have firebreaks.”

“Like the firebreak that got breached around the northern vineyards?” I can’t help asking.

He doesn’t reply, just holds up the game again.

“I’ll pass on the game,” I say, “but come on in.”

“Are you sure? An educated woman like you will kick my ass at Scrabble.”

I sigh. “What the heck? Sure. Let’s play.”

He gives Penny a pet on the head. “Hey, girl.”

“You want anything?” I ask. “I have to tell you, though, we’re out of pretty much everything. Except kibble.”

Brock laughs. “We’re out of pretty much everything?”

We’re. I said it.

“I mean Dale, of course. He left me with an empty fridge. I’m dog sitting.”

He smiles. “I know. And I also know your heart belongs to my stoic cousin, so I won’t try anything.”

“I never said—”

“It’s so clear, Ashley. Dale’s a lucky guy.”

I’m the lucky one. I don’t say it, though. I can’t even think it when I’m not sure if I’ll ever see Dale again.

I will. I will see him again. I must.

But the Syrah…

“Good news,” Brock says. “I just heard from my dad that the forest service has the fire ten percent contained.”

“That means ninety percent not contained,” I reply dryly.

“I’ve lived through many fires in this area,” he says. “Once they get even a little containment, it’s on the way out.”

Maybe he’s right. I don’t know. Sure, fires happen in California too. I’ve just never lived through one in a rural area. I was either homeless on the San Francisco urban streets or living in the heart of LA.

I walk to the kitchen. “We have water and OJ. Or wine.” I stop at the French doors leading out to the back. It’s gray and murky from the smoke. A brownish-orange haze covers the clouds, and light ash falls from the sky.

Brock grips my shoulders from behind. “This isn’t anything new, Ashley. We’ve lived through this many times.”

“The vineyards are compromised,” I murmur.

“They’ve been compromised before.”

I turn quickly. “They have?”

“Yes, of course. This is the Colorado western slope. Fires are an annual thing. We’re coming out of a drought now, so this isn’t even the worst we’ve seen.”

“But the Syrah.”

He scoffs. “The Syrah will be fine.”

“Talon already said it’s been breached.”

“Like I said, it’s not the first time.”

“Dale…”

“Dale will get over it,” Brock says. “He’s done it before.”

“Has he?”

Brock nods. “Of course. Five years ago, half the Cab Franc vines were taken out. Dale survived.”

“Dale’s proud of his Cab Franc.”

“He should be. It’s a great wine.”

I nod. It’s a lovely wine. But it’s not Syrah. Both Dale’s and my favorite. Those vineyards, where Dale escapes to find… What? I have no idea. I’ve been there. Tried to find what he finds.

He can’t lose them.

He’ll lose part of himself.

I can’t say any of this to Brock. He won’t understand. Mere weeks ago, I didn’t understand either. Part of me still doesn’t. I understand only that Dale needs those vineyards as much as he needs air.

He can’t lose them.

He can’t.

Chapter Five

Dale

“We’ve got ten percent containment,” Johnson says to me, after talking into his device.

I nod.

I have nothing to say. In reality, I know that getting any containment this early in a fire’s life is damned amazing.

Miraculous, even. Clearly my family hiring private firefighters has helped a lot. They found me, brought me to safety. I should be grateful, and I am. Sort of.

But until I know the vineyards are safe, I won’t be at peace.

Hell, I’m never at peace anyway, certainly not now.

Johnson’s satellite phone rings. “Yeah? Sure thing.” He hands it to me. “Your father.”

I take the phone. “Dad.”

“How are you holding up?” Dad asks.

“I’m fine.” Physically, anyway.

“Good. I want you to know Ashley is safe at your place.”

“Johnson already told me everyone was safe.” Still, hearing that Ashley isn’t anywhere near harm’s way helps.

“I’m sure he did. I just figured you’d want to hear it from me.”

“Yeah, it helps.” A little, anyway. “Mom?”

“She’s in town at work.”

“Will she be coming home?”

“Probably. The fire’s not anywhere near any of our residences.”

A small wave of relief sweeps over me. I want my mother safe. I want Ashley safe. I want everyone safe.

I want my vineyards safe.

Yes, vines aren’t people. I know that. People are more important. Still…

“Okay. Good,” I say to Dad. “Could you call her and ask her to do me a favor?”

“Of course. You don’t have service up there?”

“No, and my phone died, anyway. I should get one of these satellite jobs.”

“If you’re going to continue hiking up to God knows where, yes, you definitely should. What do you need?”