Let Me Burn (Angel Sands 1)

“The same thing that’s been keeping me awake for weeks,” Ally said, taking a slow sip of her coffee. “This place.”

Ember sighed and looked around the café. In spite of the beautiful view onto the ocean, it was looking more than a little tattered inside. Ally had been trying to keep the place going for the past few months with no help from her father, and Ember knew her friend was injecting her own money into the place – money she barely had – to keep it going. She hated seeing her friend being taken advantage of.

“Have you heard from your dad?” Ember asked.

Ally shook her head. “He hasn’t answered a single call or email, maybe his phone has broken or something.” From the way she said it, Ally clearly knew she was making excuses.

“He can’t even be bothered to call you?” Ember asked, feeling fury wash over her again. “Ugh, I could strangle that man sometimes. It’s not fair that he’s gallivanting about God knows where, leaving you to this place.”

“It’s okay,” Ally said, though her facial expression said otherwise. “I managed to move some money around so I can pay off a few of the bills. At least that will get the suppliers off my back for a while.”

“And what about next time?” Ember asked. “And the time after that? He’s expecting too much from you. How much longer can you keep this place afloat? And how much more of your own money do you have to spend doing it? You’d be better off getting a job, at least that way you wouldn’t be working every hour God sends you.”

“But if I get another job, this place will close down,” Ally told her. “And I can’t bear to see that happen. I grew up in here – every memory I have is in here. Of my mom, my dad, you guys.” Her voice dropped. “If I lost this place, I’d lose myself. I don’t know who I’d be without it.” Her face crumpled. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep it open.”

Ember reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand, immediately regretting bringing the subject up. How the heck did they get to this place – Ember having to start her life all over again, Ally scrabbling around to keep the café open. And Brooke still living at home – or at least in her parent’s bungalow – trying her best to be a single parent.

It wasn’t exactly how they’d planned their lives out.

A sigh passed her lips as she remembered their childhood dreams. The three of them were going to share a house on the beach, and wake up each morning to a view of the ocean. Brooke was going to be a vet, Ally was going to have her own restaurant, and Ember was going to write novels. And then, one day, when they met the right guys, they’d build two more houses and live next door to each other.

Yeah, funny how dreams didn’t come true.

“How can I help?” Ember asked her, wanting to do whatever she could to keep at least one of their dreams alive.

“Just be here for me. Tell me it’s going to be okay, even if it isn’t.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Ember deadpanned.

For the first time, Ally smiled. “You see, that’s why I love you. Always the optimist. Which brings me back to Lucas Russell. When are you going to tell him how you really feel about him?”

Ember rolled her eyes but said nothing. She didn’t need to, after all. She and Lucas knew what they were doing, and that was all that mattered. They were friends. They liked spending time together. More than anything, they liked going to bed with each other. Whatever happened later, she’d deal with.

It was a completely balanced relationship – and if there were benefits, they enjoyed them equally. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing wrong with that.

20

Lucas fitted the final door to the cabinet and stood back to admire his handiwork. All the technical work in the cottage was now done. Only the cosmetic work was left to finish. He had a working bathroom, a kitchen he could cook in, and electrics that didn’t spark every time he pressed a button. Once it was painted, the cottage would look modern and bright – ready for somebody to move in and love it.

He wasn’t sure he was ready to let it go, he’d put so much work into the place it was starting to feel like home. Somewhere he looked forward to coming back to. Somewhere he wanted to build memories in.

And yet he knew once he was back at work he wouldn’t be able to take care of it the way the cottage deserved. The best he could do would be to spend a night or two here a week – and he knew from experience that he’d sleep for the whole time. He was pretty sure his grandparents would have hated that as much as they would have hated the way he’d neglected it for so long.

The right thing to do would be to sell it or rent it out, and yet it hurt to think about doing either.

His phone ringing in his pocket brought him out of his thoughts. He lifted it out and read the display. Chief Simons. Blinking, he swiped to answer, lifting it to his ear.

“Afternoon, Chief.”

“Lucas, how are you doing? I just thought I’d check in with you.”

“I’m good. Still renovating my cottage. Should be finished in a week or two.” It was strange to hear her voice. For the first week he’d been here he would’ve given anything for her to call him and ask him to come back to work. Now it left him with a strange feeling in the pit of his belly.

“You’ve been busy. I heard from Mitch Lakin that you’ve been working hard at the station, too. He’s very grateful for your help.”

“I’ve enjoyed it. He’s a good man.”

“Yes he is.” Chief Simons cleared her throat. “You sound relaxed. That’s good.” There was a smile in her voice. “Mitch told me you even got involved in the local fair. I have to admit I was surprised.”