Wright Rival (Wright)

“Look!” I snapped, pointing back to where we’d come.

She gasped. Her hands flew to her mouth as she stared at the barn she’d grown up in, the barn she loved, go up in flames. The fire was primarily on the opposite side of the building from where we’d been, but it was spreading fast. The building was old, and it went up like tinder.

Tears streamed down her face. “Oh my God.”

“I know.”

“What are we going to do?”

I dropped onto the ground next to her. “We wait.”

And then we both heard the sirens in the distance.

27

Piper

My home was burning to the ground. And my heart shattered into a million pieces as I watched the flames engulf it. I’d grown up in that building. I’d worked in it for years. It was as much a part of me as the vines and fields.

At least they were safe. The fire hadn’t jumped to any of the fields. Our entire crop could have been destroyed in a matter of hours if that had happened. I had no idea how we would have come back from that. A whole year of wine would have been gone.

Luckily that hadn’t happened. That was what people were saying.

We were lucky.

I didn’t feel lucky.

I felt empty.

The firefighters had shown up and were trying to control the raging fire within. We still had no idea what had caused it. Everyone was speculating it was an electrical fire. The building was old and could have used some maintenance, but I hadn’t thought anything like this could happen.

My dad rushed up to me. “Mija, you’re all right.”

“I’m fine, Papa,” I said, letting his warm presence envelop me.

He brushed back my hair. “I was so worried. I was down at the cellar when it started. You’re not hurt?”

I shook my head. “Shaken up. Some smoke inhalation. I’m fine.”

Hollin stood next to me with his arms crossed over his chest, watching the fire consume my entire life. More tears came to my eyes as I glanced at him. I was okay because of him. He’d saved me. He’d carried me out of the smoke and flames when I was too stubborn and stupid to listen to reason.

“Thanks to Hollin,” I told my dad. “He carried me out.”

My dad held his hand out to Hollin. “Thank you, Hollin. Thank you for saving my daughter’s life.”

Hollin balked at the words but shook my dad’s hand. “Yes, sir. I acted on instinct.”

“Mine disappeared,” I said. Tears came to my eyes again, and my dad wrapped me in a hug. “Peyton’s dress.”

I was being irrational. It was just a stupid dress. But in the midst of the inferno, when I should have backed off, all that I could feel was panic. This was Peyton’s day. This was something I could do. I hadn’t known how bad the fire was. I’d thought I’d had time. Thank God that Hollin had seen reason when mine had flown from my head.

“Shh, mija. All that matters is that you are well. We can all live without a dress but not without you.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m going to check on the other employees who got out. Stay with Hollin.” He smiled at my boyfriend and hugged me again. “Te amo.”

“Y yo a ti, Papa.”

He released me and walked around to the employees scattered around the outside of the burning building.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out.

Hollin looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I was an idiot.”

“Hey,” he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “You didn’t know how bad it was. You’re not an idiot.”

“Thank you for getting me out.”

“I’m here to take care of you,” he said, pressing a firm kiss to my lips.

I nodded and snuggled up against him.

We waited for the next hour as the firefighters did all they could to put out the flames within. My mom and Peter showed up sometime in the middle of that, hugging me and watching the damage.

“I can’t fucking believe it,” Peter said with a shake of his head.

“Peter,” Mom hissed.

“He’s right,” I said. “It’s terrible.”

“We’re glad you and your dad are all right.”

“Me too.”

And then Peyton rushed in. It was the person I most and least wanted to see. Even though I’d told Hollin that I’d been stupid, I still felt unbelievably guilty about what had happened. And what I was about to have to tell Peyton.

She sprinted across the open field toward where we’d congregated. Even at a full run, she looked like the graceful ballerina she was.

She crashed into me, hugging me hard. “Pipes, you’re okay.”

“Hi, seester.”

“I can’t believe this happened. Do you have any idea what started it?”

I shook my head. “Electrical fire? But it’s just a guess. They’ll figure it out.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. Nothing we can do to fix it.”