30. Better This Way
BETTER THIS WAY
“Ican’t believe you wrote that story,” Brenna said. “And that no one told me what was going on.”
They were at Jim and Carrie’s for Thanksgiving. An early dinner because both Tate and Keegan had to go into work later.
That was fine with Ash. He and Skye were having dessert at his parents’ house.
He wanted his family’s take in everything that was going on also.
“You don’t need to know,” Skye said. “It’s better this way.”
“It’s not better for anyone,” Carrie said. “This is getting out of hand. I wasn’t happy that this person was talking to you.”
“Not talking,” she argued. “Being a coward and sending me anonymous emails.”
“Yeah,” Keegan said. “Now you called him out and said he’s not even original. That he’s not smart enough to do something sophisticated.”
Ash bit his tongue.
He’d already lit into Skye when he read that story the next day.
Woke up and drove right to her house and gave her shit in person because doing it over the phone wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of her seeing how upset he was over this.
That she might as well pick up a big can of neon orange paint and dump it over her head for the asshole to find her.
To take another shot right at her dead center.
And that was his fear right now.
She was taunting the fucker and you don’t screw with that shit.
“Maybe he’ll mess up now,” she said. “I’m sick of this. I’m sick of being his pawn, whoever he is. Sick of sitting and waiting for him to decide. No. No more.”
“It’s not for you to decide that,” Holden said. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“See, even Holden is losing his shit,” Ash said. “You need to see reason.”
She crossed her arms. They were all sitting in the family room, all eyes on Skye.
“If you’re going to gang up on me, then I might as well tell you what I’ve got in mind.”
Corbin groaned right next to him. “What do you mean, ‘what you have in mind’?”
“I got thinking. If I were writing a book about this, what would I do?”
“No, no, no,” Jim said. “You are not going down that path.”
“I’m just thinking. Hear me out. He likes to copy people, right, Ash?”
He sighed. “It seems that is what he’s doing.”
“So, what if the fire department started a controlled fire somewhere. You know, used a different form for starting it. We give it a big article, write it up as there is someone else out there starting fires—”
“Absolutely not,” Carrie said firmly and stood up, then marched toward her daughter. “Don’t even think of that.”
“You didn’t let me finish,” she argued. “If he copies it, then we know for sure he’s doing it. And maybe we can kind of lay a trap for him. I mean, I wouldn’t know how to do that, but maybe Tate and Keegan can?”
Ash watched all the astonished looks cross her family’s faces.
Ash was right there with them. “Stop right there. You can’t. What you just said can’t even leave this house.”
“Why?” she asked.
He hadn’t wanted to say this, but had no choice.
“Because Alan threw suspicion on you. And if you come up with this idea, it’s going to make them look closer. Is that what you want?”
“Whoa,” Tate said. “What the hell are you talking about? No one said anything to me. Or are they keeping me out of it?”
“I haven’t heard a word either,” Keegan said, his face stone cold, reminding him of Clay. “So start explaining, Ash.”
“It’s not going anywhere. Alan got in my face a few days ago when I was working. He got called in and questioned. Christian brought it up that he’d been to a lot of fires, but Alan thought it was me.”
“And Alan got in your face about it?” Corbin asked.
Ash snorted. “He did. He said a few things that pissed me off and I slammed him into the wall.”
Skye’s eyes all but bugged out of her face. “You attacked him? For me?”
“He was running his mouth. He was blaming me. Christian broke it up and told Alan he was the one who brought it up to the chief. I thought it might have been Tate or Keegan, but I wouldn’t have said that.”
“So they just let Alan go?” she asked.
He didn’t know what he could say, but he trusted everyone in this room. “He got defensive and said the reasons he was being questioned could apply to Skye.” He turned to her. “He knew your family history. He said a few things I’d rather not repeat.”
“Like what?” Tate asked.
“Stop, all of you. No one is getting into a fight because of me.”
“Too late,” Jim said. “We all are. What was said, Ash?”
He took a deep breath. There was no holding this back and it was useless to try.
Maybe Skye would realize how serious this was.
And that what she did yesterday wasn’t only stupid and foolish but fucking reckless.
“That maybe with her history and what happened to her parents that she has the fire bug. That maybe she likes to see things go up also. That she’s been to just as many fires as him and no one is looking at her. She could be doing it for attention.”
“I’m going to fucking rip him apart,” Keegan said.
“No, you’re not,” Carrie said, moving to get in Keegan’s face and point her finger. “I don’t need you losing your job or being arrested.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me, Mom. I know how to get away with things and not be found out.”
Carrie put her hands to her ears. “Stop. All of you. Especially you, Skye. This is too much for me. I wanted a nice peaceful Thanksgiving and it’s the last thing I’m getting.”
“There is no such thing as a peaceful holiday in this family,” Corbin said.
“You’re not wrong,” Ash said.
“Since we are already going at it,” Carrie said. “Then let’s tackle the last thing on the list. But first, Skye, you’re going to listen to Ash. Do not even think about bringing your idea up to anyone outside this room. We don’t need any more eyes on you.”
“They know it’s not Skye, but that doesn’t stop anyone from starting rumors,” Ash said. “And you can see how quickly things could change once that happens.”
She sighed. “Fine. For now, I’ll let it go.”
“Good,” Carrie said. “Now, why are you spending time with Sean?”
“Yeah,” Tate said.
The room got loud, everyone throwing questions out at once.
Skye stood. “Enough. All of you. I didn’t seek him out. He stopped me while I was getting gas weeks ago.”
“And you haven’t said a word?” Keegan asked. “Or you, Ash? You need to stay away from him”
“It wasn’t for me to say anything,” Ash said.
“I asked him not to,” she argued. “And why do I need to stay away from him?”
“Whose side are you on anyway?” Corbin asked Ash.
The tables were turning quickly now. “I’m on everyone’s side.”
“You can’t be,” Brenna said, laughing. “It’s not possible.”
“It is. And I am. But I’m in Skye’s corner. I didn’t think it was too much of a big deal. It’s not like they talked much, right?”
“Someone answer me why I have to stay away from him?” she demanded.
“Keegan didn’t need to be that harsh,” Carrie said. “But Skye, do you think it’s wise to bring up old memories?”
“Bring them up? They never go away.” She was looking around the room, saw Keegan and Tate frown. “What? Tell me?”
“He’s an asshole,” Tate said. “I’ll say it. He has anger issues and likes to pick on people smaller than him.”
“He used to be that way,” she argued. “He admitted it. But he’s changed. He said that.”
“No one changes that much,” Keegan said.
“He has.” She explained how Sean stopped her and the few texts.
“So you see. I think he just was curious when he saw me and had to see if it was really me. He was going to skip out on dinner that first night, but Sara pushed him. He told me he was angry for a long time and learned that it only made life harder. He’s matured.
Even at dinner on Monday, it’d been weeks since I’d heard from him, and again, it was Sara pushing it.
But he wasn’t a jerk. He wasn’t like he was when we were kids.
I can see he’s changed. Not saying he’s warm and fuzzy, but he’s not that kid anymore. ”
Everyone looked skeptical. Well, her brothers did, but they hadn’t seen Sean either.
“Why is she pushing it?” Carrie asked.
Skye shrugged. “I don’t know. I think they have a good relationship. It’s hard to say, but she cares about him and wants to know more about his past. She didn’t even know I existed.”
“Don’t you find that odd?” Brenna asked.
“No. Sean and I were never close. I guess he just moved on with his life and closed the door on his past. I did too. I thought he was trying to open it again. Maybe he is and it’s not as easy as he thought.
” She waved her hand. “We had dinner, it was uncomfortable for all of us. Sara and I spent more time talking than me and Sean.”
“What now?” Carrie asked. “Are you looking to have some relationship with him?”
Ash could see the hurt in Carrie’s eyes, but Skye’s new mother would never admit it.
“I have no plans at all. I’m not going to be the one to take those steps.
I did it for a few years after he graduated high school and he never responded.
I should have just walked away from him at the gas station, but I couldn’t.
If he’d blown me off like he said he was going to, it’d be over with.
So I’m leaving the ball in his court and told him that. I’m at peace with it.”
“It still should be over,” Tate said.
“I know you fought with him in school.”
“Snitch,” Tate said, looking at Ash.
“What did you want me to do? Lie? It happened.”
“And it’s all in the past now,” Jim said. “Skye, what is it you want?”
“Oh, someone is going to ask my opinion now? Gee, thanks.”
“Don’t be a brat,” Holden said.
She snorted. “You only speak up when you’ve got everyone else on your side with you.”
“Don’t gang up on Holden,” Brenna said. “Just answer the question.”
“What I want is everyone to leave me alone. That includes anonymous arsonists and everyone else in this room who keeps asking me questions.”
“Guess that means me too,” Ash said and stood up to walk out the door.
“Wait,” she yelled and chased after him.
He was outside on the front porch. He wasn’t really going to leave but needed some fucking air.
Here he was losing his heart to her and all she wanted was everyone to back away. Again.
“What?” he asked.
She moved into his arms. “I’m sorry.”
He returned her embrace, shocked that she’d made that move.
“About what?”
“For being a bitch. For pushing you away when I’m not trying to. I don’t want you to think that.”
“It’s hard not to.”
“Yeah, well, it’s hard when everyone is on your case. I don’t think anyone realizes how difficult this is for me.”
He ran his hand down her hair. “You’re wrong, Skye. I know how terrible it is for you, because it’s just as troublesome for me.”
She looked up into his eyes, held his stare. He thought he saw something more there.
Or maybe it was wishful thinking on his end.
“I don’t want to lose you, Ash. Not over this.”
“You’re not going to,” he said. “Especially over this.”
But once the asshole was caught, then he and Skye were going to have a serious conversation about where they stood.
Because he didn’t know if he could love her in silence much longer.