“No, I’m all right.”
He frowned. “No offence, poppet, but you don’t look all right to me. Why don’t you tell me about the nightmare? Sometimes it helps. It gives our fears less power when we talk about them.”
Spoken like a therapist. But maybe he was right. She cleared her throat then told hi
m about the dream.
“And you left that same day?” he asked once she’d told him it all. He was right, she did feel better.
“Yes. Once we moved into the cabin, we didn’t often leave. Just when we needed to get supplies and things. It was always just the two of us. And now…the cabin is gone.”
“Oh, poppet. I’m sorry for the way your parents and the rest of that town treated you. You know that it isn’t a reflection on you but them.”
“I-I guess.”
He cupped her face between his warm hands. Safety. Security. A feeling of peace came over her.
“I know,” he said firmly. “You, Caley Jane Ryan are beautiful inside and out. Your parents should have been proud of the amazing person you are. Instead, they only cared about themselves. They didn’t deserve you. Just because people don’t understand something doesn’t give them the right to judge or hurt others. Not everyone is like that. Not everyone will hurt you.”
She took in a shuddering breath. “You’re right.”
He grinned. “Course I am. I’m always right.”
She rolled her eyes. “You sound like Issy.”
Something came over his face. Worry pinched at her. “Archer?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you all right? Is it work? Do you need to get back?”
Please don’t go.
“What? No. No, poppet. I’m not going anywhere. Not until Issy gets here. I was just talking to him while you were napping. He’s on his way.”
“Really?” He’d called and she’d missed it?
“He won’t be here until tomorrow, apparently he wasn’t actually in Colorado. Zander moved them.”
Thank God. She’d missed him so much.
“I should have been more careful. Those appliances weren’t safe. I kept using them, knowing that. One of them probably started the fire. Destroyed everything.”
“Oh, baby. You can’t know what started it.”
He drew her gently against him. Safety surrounded her. His scent engulfed her. Warmth filled her. Being held by Archer felt so right.
And that was why she forced herself to move back.
“Everything I had of Dave is gone. The train set, the village, the little people. His clothes. All of it, gone.” She didn’t care about her stuff; it could be replaced. But that train set…she let out a sob.
“But Dave isn’t gone, love. He lives in you.”
She knew that was true. But she still wished she had more. She still mourned what she’d lost.
“It’s okay to feel sad, love. I know it must feel like losing him again. I know this won’t bring back what you lost, but did you have insurance?”
“I don’t know.” She bit her lip, feeling like an idiot. “Dave handled that stuff.”