Summer at the Shore (Seashell Bay Book 2) (17 page)

Ryan came up and pulled both Morgan and Sabrina into a sheltering embrace. “You guys did great.”

“Thanks. You too,” Sabrina said. She moved away to stare again at the inn.

Morgan let herself melt into the warmth of Ryan’s body, resting her head against his muscular shoulder for a brief moment before she realized that Holly had started to
shiver. Maudie also had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, obviously cold too. “I’m going back into the annex for some blankets,” she said. “People are cold.”

“Like hell you are,” Ryan said in a low rumble. “I’ll go. Where are they?”

Hearing the steel in his voice, Morgan knew it was pointless to argue. “In the linen closet across from Sabrina’s room. Bring everything you can.”

“You got it.” Ryan sprinted across the lot and into the annex through the kitchen door.

The fire trucks arrived a minute later, lights flashing. The ladder truck was first, followed by the engine, and at the rear of the parade came Fire Chief Frank Laughlin in his department’s SUV. Josh Bryson was the first man out of the ladder truck, and Morgan raced over to him. “Everyone’s out, Josh, so don’t worry about that. It looks like the fire started in the attic.”

“You’re a hundred percent sure everyone’s out?” Josh said. “And you’re okay?”

“A hundred and ten percent sure,” Morgan answered. “We have six paying guests, plus Holly and Ryan. Sabrina’s out too. All fine, I think, though Jessie should check those two over.” She pointed to Maudie and Morry. “They’re not very healthy to begin with.”

Josh made a gesture to Jessie, one of the EMTs, as Laughlin strode over, his radio microphone in his hand.

“Morgan says it’s clear, Chief,” Josh said.

“Good. Do you know if the fire is still confined to the attic?” he said to Morgan.

“It was when I got out a few minutes ago. That’s all I can tell you.”

Laughlin nodded. “We’re going to try attacking the fire
through the gable ends. That looks like the best chance to minimize the damage to the interior.”

Minimize the damage
.

The words slashed through Morgan like a dozen spinning blades. She wasn’t dumb enough to think the damage would be anything less than horrific, not when the firefighters were going to flood the attic with water from their high-pressure hoses. Much of the house and furniture would be a sodden shambles, even if everything wasn’t destroyed by fire and smoke. The only question in her mind was whether or not the structure itself could be saved.

She watched a pair of firefighters power through the front door. Others maneuvered the ladder truck into place at the chief’s direction, raising the ladder toward the gable end at the front of the house. Though the Seashell Bay firefighters were volunteers, except for the chief, Morgan had total confidence in their skill and dedication. She’d grown up with most of them and knew they were all really good guys who would do their utmost to save Golden Sunset.

She could only pray for their success because the inn’s insurance coverage was pretty bad. Though it would cover some of the costs, she’d have to absorb a big loss thanks to her poor dad’s misguided attempt to save money with the crappy policy he’d signed shortly before his death.

But at the end of the day, who was she to criticize? Dad had done his best, and it wasn’t on his watch that a houseful of guests had almost been killed in a fire that probably could have been prevented.

That was all on her.

R
yan stared up at the ceiling fan that rotated lazily above him. It had been daylight for hours already, and he’d heard his father leave for his mooring before six. He’d risen and quietly made himself a cup of coffee while his mom remained in bed, then he’d showered, dressed, and lain back down again on his bed. He couldn’t think of a damn thing except Morgan and the B&B.

But there wasn’t much he could do until nine o’clock. That was when he and Morgan had agreed to meet back at Golden Sunset. He didn’t even feel like taking his usual morning run. All he wanted to do now was to focus on what the hell he could do to help her deal with this catastrophe.

Growing up in this house, Ryan hadn’t experienced many sleepless nights, conking out like most kids for nine or ten hours. Only when he joined the army and was shipped overseas did he find out what sleepless nights truly meant—senses tuned to every noise, every smell, every movement around him, even a slight breeze or a faint rustle.

Last night had been a little like that, lying awake in his creaky old bed and endlessly going over the horrifying events of the night. He’d felt so freaking helpless as he’d watched the fire crew working to keep the house from being reduced to a smoldering heap of ash. Watching a tight-lipped Morgan comfort her sobbing sister and the distraught guests, he’d wanted to comfort her, but she’d flung up some pretty impressive emotional barriers as she dealt with the aftermath. She needed to stay in control, and he sensed that she’d break down if he came on too strong.

But he was incredibly proud of her. In the midst of the chaotic scene, she’d pulled out her cell phone and arranged for the Bairstows to stay with Miss Annie and Roy, and the two guys from Canada to go to Mike O’Hanlon’s. She’d called Morry Granger’s cousin, and he’d arrived in his robe within ten minutes to scoop up Morry and Maudie. Finally, she’d talked to Lily, who immediately offered her guest room for Morgan and Sabrina to share. Holly had called her aunts, and Florence had soon picked her up too.

A lot of islanders had been woken last night, and every one of them had come through.

Ryan was lucky not to have to worry about where he would go. In Seashell Bay, he always had a room waiting and parents who would do anything for him. He only wished Morgan and Sabrina were as fortunate. But they no longer had any family on the island, and Morgan wouldn’t want to keep imposing on Lily. She wouldn’t have much choice though, unless she gave up on Golden Sunset and headed back to Pickle River with Sabrina in tow.

He just hoped the fire wasn’t the thing that finally forced her hand, because that would emotionally trash her.
And he sure hoped that the insurance would cover most of the damage. If she got a big enough settlement, then the islanders would do what they could to help Morgan and Sabrina get back on their feet.

There was going to be a hell of a lot of work to do, but Ryan was certain of one thing—whatever help was needed, he was going to be here to make sure Morgan got it.

Morgan could hardly breathe much less speak. She stared up the oak staircase toward the second floor, still cordoned off by fire department tape. The choking smell of smoke, combined with her sense of horror, threatened to knock her to the ground. Only the fact that Ryan stood quietly behind her, one hand resting solidly against the base of her spine, kept her on her feet.

Fire Chief Laughlin had given her the good news/bad news report this morning. The fire had definitely resulted from an electrical malfunction in the attic, a fairly common problem in attics where old wiring was involved. The firefighters had managed to keep most of the fire contained at the top of the structure, so even though the roof was compromised and the attic storeroom gutted, the damage to the living areas was largely due to smoke and water, not fire. Still, out of caution that sections of the attic floor could collapse, Laughlin had barred anyone other than firefighters from going upstairs until a full assessment could be made.

“We need to get a restoration company in here right away,” Ryan said. “The quicker they deal with the smoke and especially the water, the less likely we are to have long-term problems like mold.”

We
.

Just that one word gave her heart a tiny lift.

She turned around to face him. “You’re thinking Servpro?”

“Yeah. Or we could try a smaller outfit my dad said we might want to check out.”

“Smaller as is in cheaper?”

Ryan nodded. “I’d think so. I’ll make the calls if you want and get some cost estimates. And I’ll be happy to deal with getting the restoration work going.”

Morgan stared into his calm, handsome face, her heart twisting with a killer combination of gratitude and love. The man exuded competence and unflinching support, something she desperately needed right now, especially given Sabrina’s current state.

Her sister was a wreck. She’d been pretty solid last night until the firefighters dumped God-only-knew how many gallons of water on the house and it became clear that the damage was going to be devastating. By the time Morgan got her over to Lily’s house, Sabrina was going into a full-scale emotional meltdown. It had taken Morgan and Lily over an hour to calm her down and get her into bed. Fortunately, she was still sleeping when Morgan had left to come over to Golden Sunset this morning.

Though Morgan felt like her world was coming apart too, having Ryan beside her gave her both comfort and hope. Despite getting as little sleep as the rest of them, he looked ready to tackle any problem in his black T-shirt, faded jeans, and scuffed work boots.

Still . . .

“Ryan, I can’t ask you to do that,” she said. “It’s not your responsibility.”

His gaze went narrow and intense. Combined with his
beard stubble—he obviously hadn’t shaved this morning—it made him look a little dangerous and a whole lot sexy.

“We’re not gonna get in a tussle over this, babe,” he said. “I’m doing it.”

Morgan pressed her hands together over her stomach. She so needed his help, so wanted to give in. But it truly wasn’t his problem, and she shouldn’t make the mistake of getting too dependent on him.

His gaze softened, and he reached up a hand, cradling her cheek. “Morgan, just say yes.”

The affectionate gesture, combined with his wry comment, did her in. “Okay, tough guy,” she sighed. “I’d be very grateful if you could do that.”

“No problem. What time is the insurance adjuster coming?”

“In about an hour. The rep I talked to on the phone was really helpful. They have a twenty-four-hour hotline to report emergency situations.”

“Good. The adjuster should approve hiring a restoration service right away. It’s the only way to prevent more damage and an even bigger claim.”

“That sounds good,” Morgan said cautiously.

She’d lain awake for hours trying to recall the details of the inn’s insurance. Her father had opted for cheap insurance because Golden Sunset was skating on thinner and thinner ice, a very bad move in light of last night’s disaster. But she’d screwed up too. She should have been quicker to upgrade the policy. Again, it had been cost that stopped her. Morgan had told herself she’d do it as soon as the inn had the cash flow to handle that and all its other expenses.

Ryan’s gaze narrowed again. “Morgan, there isn’t a problem with the insurance, is there?”

“Um, let’s just see what the adjuster has to say.” She brushed past him into the hallway. “I want to take a good look at the annex now. The damage to the ground floor doesn’t seem as bad as I thought it might.”

“It’s hard to tell how all that water is going to affect the walls and floors,” Ryan said, following her. “We need the restoration company to tell us whether it can all be dried out or whether we’re going to have to rip the place down to the studs.”

Down to the studs? Might as well give up, if that was the case. “At least the furniture looks salvageable,” she said, trying to be positive.

“Down here maybe. It’ll be a total loss upstairs.” He paused. “Hopefully you have full replacement coverage.”

She didn’t answer.

As they stepped into the annex, Ryan grasped her forearm and held her back. “Morgan, what aren’t you telling me? Obviously the insurance hasn’t lapsed, since an adjuster is on his way.”

“The policy is current,” she hedged.

He studied her for a moment, then sighed. “But inadequate, right?”

She waggled a hand, not wanting to come right out and say it.

He grasped her firmly by the shoulders. “Okay, we’ll deal, whatever it is. What you need to know right now is that you don’t have to go through this alone. I’ve got pretty broad shoulders, and I’ve had to deal with my share of disasters.”

The kind of disasters where friends and brothers-in-arms wound up getting maimed or killed, she knew. And it was a reminder that, in this disaster, no one had
been hurt, or had died. While she and Sabrina were in trouble, things could have been much worse. She needed to remember that and try to be grateful for large mercies.

She gave him an impulsive hug. “Thank you, Ryan. I’m so incredibly grateful that you’re here. I’m not sure we could get through this without you.” She pressed her cheek into the hard warmth of his chest, letting herself give in just for a moment. “And don’t think that doesn’t piss me off to admit it,” she added only half-jokingly.

He huffed out a soft chuckle as he stroked her hair. It felt so good and so right, like somehow his embrace could restore balance to her messed-up little world.

“I know, tough girl,” he said. “But that’s what we do here in Seashell Bay, right? We help. And we’ll do it together, Morgan, whatever it takes. You, Sabrina, and me.”

Ryan tilted her head back a bit and gently kissed her forehead as his fingers snaked through her hair. Every part of her body urged her to stretch up and give him a real kiss. Wasn’t that what he wanted? The bulge in his jeans left no doubt about that. And she wanted it too. Wanted it as much as she wanted air to breathe.

But she also knew she’d never been more vulnerable in her life. Now was not the time to slide into another huge emotional situation with the potential to wreck her.

She reluctantly pulled out of his arms. “Thanks, Ryan. You can’t know how much that means to me.” Then she turned and started down the hall again. “The chief said there’s only water damage in here.”

Ryan stayed silent, following her. Was he angry with her for breaking away?

She kept on talking. Babbling, more like it.

“I was hoping all night that Sabrina and I could somehow move back in down here soon. Maybe we could at least clean it up enough so that our bedrooms and the kitchen are usable.” She forced herself to step into the kitchen and then breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God. It really isn’t too bad in here.”

Except for some pools of water on the plank floor and huge wet spots on the ceiling where water had dripped through, the kitchen seemed relatively unscathed. Sunlight streamed in through the south-side windows and bounced off the cheery yellow walls. She crossed through to the hall and stepped quickly over to her bedroom and glanced inside. It looked almost normal too, and she exhaled another relieved sigh. “Yep, that looks doable. I want us to get out of Lily’s hair as soon as we can.”

When she turned around, Ryan was almost on top of her. His eyes were locked onto the four-poster with its gauzy, flowered canopy. She adored that bed and was so grateful it had been spared damage. And by the way Ryan was letting his gaze drift over it, he seemed to like it too. But for different reasons, she suspected.

He met her gaze. “The problem is you won’t have power right away.”

Right, she’d forgotten that part. “Do you think the fire department will coordinate with the power company, or should I be calling them myself?”

“We should talk to the chief about that. I’m sure Central Maine Power won’t come near the site until they get an all clear from him. It might take a while.”

The whisper of hope in her heart faded. “Some of the wiring must have been destroyed by the fire.”

Ryan nodded. “I’m sure we’re going to need a full
repair and upgrade through the entire structure before power can be brought back in from the road.”

“The annex seems okay though,” Morgan said. “Could power be restored to just this part of the house?” She was starting to sound desperate, but she couldn’t help it.

“Only the power company or an electrician can tell us for sure. Since it’s got its own panel, I don’t see why the feed couldn’t bypass the main house and go straight to the annex.”

“I’d really like to get back in here as soon as I can, Ryan. It would be really good for Sabrina.” And for her sake too.

He gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Let me talk to Frank for starters. And I’ll get some estimates and time frames from electricians for a wiring retrofit. But it’ll take time, Morgan. No instant results.”

She could tell he was trying to give her the most optimistic assessment possible, which was really depressing because it was still a pretty bleak take on things.

“Message received,” she said, forcing a smile.

Ryan blew out an impatient breath as Dermot Delaney laboriously made some notes on his clipboard, using the hood of Ryan’s truck as a writing table. The baby-faced insurance adjuster looked about seventeen, despite his buttoned-up look and his serious attitude. Hard to believe he held the future of Golden Sunset B&B in his hands.

A moment later, the adjuster looked up at Morgan with a smile. It obviously didn’t reassure her, since her shoulders stayed hunched up high and she kept her arms wrapped tightly across her chest.

“Ms. Merrifield, as you know, your policy provides for replacement cost on the structural elements and finishing,
less the fifteen-thousand-dollar deductible. So that will certainly stand you in good stead. You do realize though that the contents are insured for only their current value?”

When Morgan gave a grim nod, Ryan blinked in shock. He wasn’t surprised about the stipulation on the contents of the house, but he’d never expected the B&B’s policy to have such a whopping deductible. It meant Morgan would be out-of-pocket for fifteen thousand bucks, plus whatever the replacement furniture cost over and above the insurance company’s coverage. And then there was the cost of upgrading the wiring that wasn’t damaged. The whole thing could total forty grand, maybe even more. Unfortunately, after the cost of the advertising, the balance in Morgan’s bank account had to be a lot closer to forty bucks than forty thousand.