I didn’t get home until almost ten PM that night. By the time I reached the front door, I was dragging with exhaustion but chomping at the bit to see Peyton anyway. Usually, we talked multiple times a day when we were both at work, but today I hadn’t even had the time to look at my phone. But I needed her. I needed all of her.
“Baby?” Peyton turned around on the couch to watch me come through the door, and the smile on her face faltered as I closed it behind me and turned to face her. “Korbin,” she said softly, rising from the couch. “What’s wrong?”
I opened my mouth to say something and then closed it again. With a short shake of my head, I kicked my boots off at the door and hung my jacket up before going to the kitchen for a beer. Peyton didn’t crowd me, she just waited where she was until I was ready to join her, still trying to wrap my head around the situation at work.
“Hi,” I said, sitting next to her on the couch. I felt drained, more mentally than physically. Peyton must have been able to see that because she scooted into me, resting her hand on my arm, waiting for me to speak instead of demanding answers. Something I’d always loved about her.
“Hi,” she said back. “How was work?”
I scoffed and popped the top off my beer, taking a long swallow. “There was another fire today,” I said, and Peyton tensed up next to me. “A big one. It almost went bad.”
“Is everyone okay?”
“Yes. A close call is all.”
“I’m sorry, baby.” Peyton scooted in a bit more to rest her head on my shoulder, embracing me with that familiar scent of coconut shampoo and subtle perfume. I turned my head to rest my lips on top of her head, feeling a million times better just with her touch alone.
“Chief Davis thinks it’s an arsonist,” I said, and she pulled back slightly in surprise.
“An arsonist? In Eagle River?”
I shrugged and took another drink. “It’s happened before. A couple of years ago, in fact.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.”
“What makes the chief think it’s happening again?” Peyton asked. I turned my attention to my beer bottle, mainly because it was difficult for me to meet her eyes.
“Circumstances are similar to the fire that busted up my knee,” I told her. “Almost identical, in fact.”
“Jesus.”
“I know.”
“Are there any suspects?”
“None so far, but it’s being reported.”
Peyton said nothing to this, only watching me silently, her finger tapping gently on her lower lip. “Is it—safe for you to be at work?” she finally asked.
“It’s no less safe than it ever is,” I said with a shrug, but Peyton didn’t look like she was ready to accept that answer.
“Korbin, I’m serious,” she insisted, her tone rising an octave or two. “They don’t even have a suspect. It could be anyone, and you don’t even know who!”
I smiled, recalling how adamant she’d been to stay with me through everything, including my crazy job.
“Honey,” I said, taking Peyton’s hands between mine. “It’s alright. I will be fine. We talked about this, remember? Perks of the job.”
“I know, I just—” she tapered off, her gaze falling from my own and down to the floor. She pursed her lips as she studied her hand, and I was almost positive she would cry.
“It’s fine,” I said again. “A lot of time, it’s only attention that arsonists want. They’re not out to burn us all.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” she whispered, but a slight smile cracked on her lips. “Just be careful,” she said, leaning forward to kiss my lips. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
Chapter32
Peyton
