SWNOVELS First Down: Chapter 24
AFTER A TENSE DRIVE, I finally slow the car. We’re in a downtown area; to our left is a post office, and to the right, a coffee shop. I’ve never been to this town before, but it reminds me of Moorbridge, minus McKee’s influence.
As I pull into an open spot, Bex gasps. The sound frays my already-tense nerves, and I hit the brake a little too hard. There’s a thud in the backseat, and Cooper mutters, “Ouch, asshole.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the red and blue flash of sirens.
Bex flings the door open before I can put the car in park. After we got on the road, I managed to wrangle exactly one piece of information from her: there was a fire at the diner. She’s lost in her own world of panic, refusing to let me in. I tried holding her hand on the drive, and she looked at me like I just dropped my pants in public. I tried to push her for more details, and she snapped at me. At this point, I’m just glad she let me drive her here.
But I’m not leaving her alone. Not now. She needs someone to support her, whether she likes it or not.
I run after her, vaguely aware of my brothers following close behind. She’s in the middle of the street. Jesus, she’s lucky she hasn’t gotten run over. I hustle her to the sidewalk, and she must be stunned, looking at the fire trucks, because she doesn’t protest. The air is hazy with smoke, but it doesn’t seem like anything is still on fire.
When we get to the end of the street—safely, on the sidewalk—Bex approaches a group of firefighters who are rolling up a hose. One of them lights up when he spots her; he’s about our age, maybe a couple years older, with a buzz-cut and sweat dripping down his face. “Bex, hey. Your mom said you were on your way.”
She knows this guy? I know I shouldn’t care, but I do. I inch closer to Bex.
“Kyle,” Bex says. “How bad is it?”
How does she know this guy? Did she go to high school with him?
He grimaces. “It could be worse. The fire was upstairs, mostly.”
Bex glances at the building, her teeth digging into her lower lip. “Upstairs? The apartment?”
“Your mom will need to stay somewhere else while the damage is fixed. Smoke ruins more than you’d think.”
“Was there any damage to the diner?” I ask.
Kyle glances over at me. “Who’s this?”
“I’m James.” I hold out my hand. “Her boyfriend.”
Behind me, either Seb or Coop coughs. I ignore them. The last thing Bex needs right now is this dude hitting on her.
Kyle shakes my hand, but he keeps looking at Bex. “The diner is pretty much fine, maybe needs some repairs. The building needs to be inspected, of course. Your mom was upstairs when it happened, but she’s okay.”
She gets a funny look on her face, like she’s not sure whether she’s going to burst into tears or start screaming, and strides over to the diner.
“I wouldn’t get too close yet,” Kyle calls.
She doesn’t stop. I hurry after her, reaching her the moment she stops, looking up at the building. The front of the diner looks good; the door is propped open, revealing a long row of booths, and the neon sign over it, while unlit, is intact. But above it, there are two smashed in windows, and scorch-marks on the whitewashed brick. I reach out, tangling my hand in hers, and follow her into the diner.
She walks us around the counter. I catch sight of framed photographs on the walls, red stools, shiplap made into a feature over the booths. She pushes open a little door behind the counter. It leads to a cramped set of stairs. The air still smells acrid, not yet cleared from the smoke. I suppress a cough, my eyes watering.
Kyle reaches us. “Bex,” he says. “You need to have someone come in and inspect the damage done to the building. Don’t go upstairs, it’s not safe.”
“He’s right,” I tell her, even though I’m reluctant to side with Kyle on anything. I don’t want her breathing in this shitty air or trying to see the apartment and getting hurt.
She steps forward anyway, touching the scorched banister. My hand twitches in hers. If I need to haul her out of the building to keep her from hurting herself, I will, but I’d much rather it not come to that.
“How bad is it?” she asks.
Kyle hesitates. “Maybe you should talk to the police about it. Chief Alton is here talking to your mom.”
Her eyes flash as she looks over her shoulder. “How. Bad?”
He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Like I said, it’s mostly smoke damage. Insurance can help you replace any belongings you lost. It’s good you have most of your stuff at your school, right?”
Her expression shutters. “Not everything.”
She shoves past me and Kyle, pressing her sleeve against her nose. As I watch, she makes a beeline for the police car parked next to the firetrucks. An older white man in uniform stands talking to a woman wearing leggings and a ragged old sweatshirt. A cigarette dangles from her long, thin fingers. She has the same hair as Bex, that strawberry-blonde, and the heart-shaped face. She must be Bex’s mother, Abby.
“This is a mess,” Cooper says quietly. “You’re creating expectations, man.”
Bex approaches Abby, who turns to her and pulls her into a tight hug. Who the hell lights a cigarette five feet away from an actual fire? I don’t like the guilt in her expression, the way she’s looking at Bex like she’s sorry. Something doesn’t feel right here.
What did she lose in the fire?
“She needs support,” I say.
“Sure,” Seb says. “But you just introduced yourself as her boyfriend.”
“And you look like you’re about to commit murder for her,” says Coop. “I know she’s cool, but—”
I turn on him. “Watch your mouth.”
“James, come on. She’s going to think this means something.”
My heart thuds. “And maybe it does. It’s not your fucking business.”
I walk away before I do something I’ll regret, like decking my brother. I love Cooper, but he doesn’t understand. Something shifted the moment I saw her take that phone call. I can’t examine it right now, but I can’t push it away, either.
“It was your fault!” Bex is saying as I approach.
My jaw tightens. I’d figured as much, once I saw her mother, but I’d hoped that maybe Bex found out differently.
“I’m going to give you a moment alone,” Chief Alton says. When we cross paths, he gives me a heavy look. “You’re with Beckett?”
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
“Damn mess,” he says, shaking his head. “At least the diner’s in good shape.”
“Honey,” Abby says, “it was just a little fire.”
Bex crosses her arms over her chest tightly. I wind my arm around her waist, bracing myself for her to move away, but instead she leans into my grip. It’s subtle, but enough to loosen the knot in my chest somewhat.
“Little?” she says. “Kyle just told me you need to go live somewhere else while they fix the damage. Everything’s gone, even… That’s not little, Mom. You’re lucky you’re not dead.”
Abby takes a drag from her cigarette. “Who’s the hunk? You cheating on Darryl now?”
“He cheated on me,” Bex says with exaggerated patience. “We haven’t been together since last spring. This is James.”
“And the other two?” Abby looks over to my brothers, who are lingering like they’re not sure whether to come over. “What about the blond, he’s cute.”
Bex glares at her mother. “I have to call Aunt Nicole and see if you can stay with her. And then call the insurance company and file a claim. What the hell were you thinking, falling asleep like that?”
Abby has the decency to look embarrassed. “Let’s not talk about it in front of your friend, Bexy.”
“Don’t Bexy me. And he’s my boyfriend, so he stays.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. Even though the situation is serious, and I want to shake Bex’s mother, that word on her lips in relation to me makes me feel a certain kind of way.
“You’ve always lost your head for jocks,” Abby says with a sniff. “Why do you care about this? You’re never around anymore.”
“That’s not true. I come back to the diner all the time.”
“What, to work a shift and collect tips?”
My hand tightens on Bex’s hip.
“That’s not fair,” she says softly.
“I’ll tell you what’s not fair,” Abby says. “A man leaving his wife and daughter isn’t fair. A daughter leaving her mother isn’t fair.”
“Mom.” Bex is trembling. “I’m going to McKee to help us, you know that.”
“Right up until you aren’t.”
“My old photography was up there. My camera.” Bex takes a step forward, tears streaming down her cheeks. “And because of you, that’s all gone, because you fucking fell asleep in the middle of the day when you’re supposed to be managing the goddamn diner!”
Her words are loud; they carry through the air in a way that makes certain everyone within the vicinity hears her. My brothers. The firefighters. The police. Some random lookers, still lingering despite the fact the show is fucking over. I move around, trying to shield Bex with my body. She doesn’t deserve this. I want to gather her up into my arms and hug her so tightly she knows I’m never letting go.
Abby’s face crumples. “You know how hard it is, baby.”
“I don’t care.” She fists her hands in her hair, taking in a ragged breath. “You’re supposed to be my mother. You take care of me, not the other way around.” She sobs. “I made you a promise and you promised me back.”
Abby doesn’t say anything. The cigarette slips from her fingers, and I step forward before she can, grinding it underneath my heel.
“Mom,” Bex whispers. “Tell me you remember. You made me promise.”
But Abby doesn’t say a word.