“Do we know what caused it?” she asked Lucas.
“It looks like it started in the kitchen. The investigators are in there now, but we won’t get their report for a while.”
“In Delmonico’s kitchen?”
Lucas nodded. “Yeah. Looks like a classic electrical fault, but we can’t say for sure until the investigation is complete.”
“Thank you for what you’ve done,” Autumn said softly. “All of you. For getting here so quickly and making sure nobody was hurt. That’s the important thing.”
“I called my insurance,” Griff told her. “And yours, too. They’ll be sending an adjuster out as soon as possible.” He ran his thumb along his jaw. “Now I just need to go tell Pietro the bad news that the fire started in his restaurant.”
“I should tell him. I’m his landlord,” Autumn said, dreading the conversation.
“We’ll go together,” Griff said firmly. “You don’t have to face it alone.”
She nodded and he took her hand, squeezing it tightly. It was strange how people who’d only known her for weeks were supporting her.
Strange and beautifully heart-warming. It was taking a lot of effort not to cry again.
* * *
By five that afternoon, she was dead on her feet. After meeting with the Delmonico family, she’d hurried back to the pier where her claims adjuster was waiting to inspect the damage. It was the first time she’d walked on the burnt and buckled construction since the fire, pulling on safety boots and a yellow hat as Lucas and his team instructed.
It had broken her heart to see her beautiful pier so damaged. Only yesterday it had been strung with bright lights and floral garland, and full of people who oohed and ahhed at the black and white posters she’d put up. As they carefully made their way toward the charred ruins of what was once Delmonico’s, a sob caught in her throat.
All that history obliterated in one night. And on her watch, too. It was the first time in over a hundred year
s that Angel Sands wouldn’t have a pier. And it was her fault.
The adjuster made notes and took photographs as they walked, Lucas standing on his other side as he pointed out where they believed the fire had begun. In the far corner of what used to be the restaurant she could see tiny pieces of paper dancing around in the breeze. On closer inspection they saw what were the remains of Delmonico’s menus.
“I think I have everything for now,” the adjuster told her after three hours of inspecting the ruins. “I’ll write my report this week.”
“But she’ll be covered, right?” Lucas asked.
“Unless anything unexpected is found, then yes.” He looked at Autumn. “You have the top level of insurance. That’s good. So many people don’t think things like this will happen to them.”
“I have my dad to thank for that.” She gave a little laugh. “Always expect the unexpected.”
When the adjuster had gone, she’d hugged Lucas again and thanked him for all his help, before she walked slowly back along the beach toward the cottage. It was less than twenty-four hours since she’d run like crazy the other way, her eyes trained on the orange flames that were consuming the pier.
Now everything felt different. She was different. Sadder, more lost. All the things she thought she could count on were gone.
“You’re back. We’ve been looking for you,” Lydia said as Autumn walked through the door. She was sitting in the tiny living room, her dad opposite her as he worked on his laptop.
“I’ve been with the adjuster.”
“All this time?” Lydia’s eyes widened.
Her dad looked up. “He’s been thorough. That’s good. Did they say when you’ll get some payment?” he asked.
“Hopefully I’ll get something next week. That should allow me to contract the repairs out.” Autumn slumped in the empty chair, letting her head tip back. “But it will be months before we can open again. Maybe years.”
Her dad caught her eye. “You could use the money for something else.”
She blinked. “Like what?”
“Take the payment and come back to New York. Invest in some real estate there.”