Chapter Eleven
Breeze felt like she was having an out of body experience as she sat at the police station in the nearby town of Preston. Caleb’s “plan” had destroyed her home and the over eight-hundred dollars she had stashed from her tips. Where would they sleep tonight? What would she wear to work tomorrow? She and Ridge might both lose their jobs. She’d already taken a leave of absence when they went to Jackson Hole and Ridge had only been on his job a few weeks.
Caleb, Seth, and even Ridge acted like everything was hunky-dory. They’d rode through the woods for a while and circled back to the truck, loading the bikes before walking over and talking to the police.
Unfortunately, only two pair of police had responded to the initial call but they’d been able to arrest nine men—several who were injured by the blast, a couple stragglers who got left behind, and one truckload they managed to stop. The police chief was a huge fan of Seth, so he’d been really chatty with them as he’d explained that they had license plates and APB’s out for the other two trucks and several of the men had implicated Flint Brooks. With the suspicion of him blowing up the Jewels’ home in Jackson Hole and now him attempting to burn Breeze and Ridge alive in their own home, he would definitely be a wanted man and arrested on sight.
Breeze knew all of this was good news, although she found it interesting that nobody was blaming Caleb for throwing a stick of lit dynamite at her house. Not that he’d actually admitted that to the police or her. Did he and Seth not think she’d notice what was in his hand? Did Ridge not care?
She wanted Flint arrested and was very grateful Seth and Caleb had shown up to protect and help her and Ridge, but the horror over losing everything she had while Seth and Caleb acted like their plan was perfect was frustrating to her. It also confirmed the different worlds she and Seth came from. In his mind her trailer and her pathetic existence meant very little. He’d never say that, but it was obvious in the way he and his brother were acting.
The police chief finally excused them to go, promising they’d let them know as soon as the other men were caught, especially Flint. It was so wrong that he had slipped through. Seth and Caleb both thanked the man and shook his hand. Caleb and Ridge walked out talking animatedly. Breeze had rarely seen her brother this excited, as if he’d been part of an old west shootout and come out the victor. Seth rested his hand on her lower back and escorted her out, smiling kindly down at her.
Breeze hated her traitorous body for reacting so strongly. She was flushed and wanted to turn in to him and cling to him. He was not only incredibly attractive to her with those bright blue eyes, handsome face, and tough body, but he had protected her tonight and in many ways she loved him for it.
Yet the prideful, arrogant part of her was livid. They’d destroyed her home, treated it as if it meant nothing. What was she supposed to do now? How could she earn the money to pay Seth back when now she’d not only lost all that hard-saved money, but also her clothes, food, and household items. She’d have to replace it all and pay rent. Her trailer hadn’t been insured. A sick feeling gnawed at her gut.
They made it out into the summer night air. It felt warm yet still refreshing. Breeze stepped away from Seth.
“Can we talk?” she asked, tilting her head around the side of the building.
“Sure.” His gaze finally turned wary, as if he knew she wasn’t completely thrilled with tonight’s outcome.
“Where you going?” Caleb hollered.
“We’ll be back. Sit tight,” Seth told him.
“How long? Ridge and I are starved.”
Breeze turned back. “Go to Big J’s and get some food. We’ll walk over there and meet you.”
Caleb and Seth both gave her questioning looks as if she were crazy to want to walk. It was only a couple of blocks away and it was a beautiful summer’s night. She would love a nighttime walk with Seth, if only her entire world hadn’t been destroyed earlier tonight. She glanced at Seth. If only he could be her entire world.
“We’ll order for you,” Caleb said. “What do you want?”
Breeze didn’t know that she could stomach anything. “A chicken salad with ranch, please,” she said.
“Whatever you think I’d like,” Seth told his brother.
Caleb lifted a hand and climbed into the truck. Ridge stared at her. “You okay, sis?”
She wished her little brother would hug her. They used to hug often but lately their relationship hadn’t been as close because he’d been on drugs and she’d constantly fought with him about it. The past three weeks she thought they’d been reconnecting. Now they’d lost everything, and he didn’t seem to care. His hero and his new best friend were here, and he’d been part of a crazy take down of the losers that were trying to kill them. Of course, for a nineteen-year-old it was all fun and games.
Breeze didn’t have the option of not worrying about where they’d sleep tonight, how she’d pay for another place, earn back the lost money, or there was still the niggling remembrance that though Seth had come, he hadn’t really come to reunite with her but to protect her …
Putting on a brave face, she lied. “I’m good. See you soon.”
He nodded and climbed into the truck.
Seth stared down at her curiously. She walked away. He quickly strode next to her side. They reached Center Street, waited for a minivan, and dodged across the street and up part of the block to Main Street. Seth said nothing as he walked by her side, but she could feel his concern.
She could see Caleb’s truck in the small parking lot of the Big J’s Burgers a couple of blocks east of where the two walked. She headed to the west and into the park. When they were in the semi-dark, away from Main Street and any chance of Caleb or Ridge watching them, she stopped and turned to face Seth.
“What’s going on Breeze?” he asked quietly.
At least he sensed that all wasn’t well.
She almost wimped out, but he needed to know what she was thinking, where she stood. He deserved to know.