He reared back, shock and confusion on his face. He blinked and dragged a breath into his smoke-filled lungs and began coughing.
Now was the perfect time to leave since he couldn’t speak to her, lie to her, or make his rejection clear.
She took long strides to her car, not looking back as she got in and drove away. She didn’t pick up her phone as it buzzed with a call and then texts.
She’d unwrapped herself to him so he could see her and know her. And again, he changed. Again, he rejected her.
Chapter 25
Zane watched Mabel drive away. His lungs were stinging from the smoke inhalation and coughing. She’d left so quickly that he hadn’t even had a chance to tell her the truth about Carolina.
His head throbbed with pain as he thought of the photo of him and Carolina. It did look bad. If the tables were turned and Mabel and Dallin Conforth were in a photo like that? Even just the thought of that had Zane nearly bellowing out with hurt.
Not that he could yell. Despite the masks and protective equipment they used, his lungs were shot and his body weak. Not wanting to wake Styles, he called Mabel from his room, hoping she’d answer but not surprised that she didn’t. She was wounded, and she was only protecting herself from further perceived harm. Her life had been so full of loss—no wonder she thought the things she did about Carolina.
He texted her a couple of times, briefly, knowing words on a screen weren’t going to help much.
His sleep was crappy—he wasn’t sure how much he actually got. And when seven finally came, he helped Lorelei by carrying a still-sleeping Styles to her car.
Figuring he might as well be up for good, he quickly got ready to go. All thoughts, everything in him, churned toward Mabel. He had to see her and explain.
But first, he had an obligation to stop by the fire site.
Partway through the drive there, he looked over at the passenger seat to realize that almost without thinking, he’d grabbed the translucent glass sculpture whatchamacallit from Food ‘N’ Friends—the one that held layers of varying colors of sand. The thing was ugly. But desperation and sleep deprivation were strong factors at the moment. And, well, he needed to use anything that might help him make Mabel understand the depths of his feelings for her.
Before Zane even parked his truck along the road near the water tower, he noticed the transformation that had taken place in the few hours since he’d left. Burn marks scarred the alfalfa fields surrounding the water tower. It smelled of smoke, wood, and rot. The tank that was supposed to eventually hold water again was busted open on the ground. The timber planks that once held it up were almost unrecognizable, with one of them having already fallen.
Grief coursed through Zane. What would they do now?
At least the fire looked to be almost completely out, the pops and sizzles from steam and smoke down to a soft murmur.
He walked out a ways to Liam. Slinging his ax up above his head, Liam brought it down hard on a piece of charred lumber, an old crossbeam from the water tower. It was like he was chopping Silver Plum’s history down splinter by splinter.
“Hey,” Zane said to Liam, watching as he took another slice through the wood.
Liam didn’t respond, just shot him a glare before continuing to chop.
“You all right? Need a break?” Zane asked.
“Nope. I’m fresh. I’ve only been here a couple of hours.” Liam’s voice was harsh, and the harshness was more than smoke-related.
Zane stood quietly. “I’ll come back in a little while and relieve you.” He hesitated, not sure if he should leave with Liam so out of sorts.
“What are you doing, man?” Liam asked, resting the head of the ax on the ground in front of him.
“What do you mean?”
Liam glanced at Zane and frowned. “Bringing that woman to Weston and Ruby’s engagement. Seriously? After all that’s happened with Mabel?”
“You need to get your story straight, Liam. Because that’s not what happened. I didn’t know she’d be there. I didn’t come with her, and I didn’t want her there.”
Liam opened his mouth to protest, and Zane stopped him. “Sorry, my friend, but you’re wrong. I know about the post and the photo.” He shook his head and bit the inside of his cheek. “I know how that looks. All I can say is that, yes, I met Carolina Jorgenson at the Bartlett event Saturday night. And she’s a nice person. But I don’t have any feelings for her.” Zane’s arms went in the air. “She’s friends with Weston’s cousin. For some reason, that meant she had to come to the proposal. That part is still unclear to me. But I don’t like Carolina.” The last of his words came out in a hoarse whisper. “I’m in love with Mabel.”
Liam crossed his arms and leaned onto the end of his axe. “Okay.” His face was serious a moment before the beginnings of a smile appeared. “I can tell you mean what you say.”
Zane shifted his weight and reached for the ax. “I need to take a few swings, man.”
Liam’s brows went way up. “No, you don’t. You need to go to Mabel and talk with her.”
