Lovebird Café Box Set

by Dylann Crush

  39

  Harmony

  I closed the door behind Dustin. He’d been such a sweetheart to stay with me all night long. I felt a little sorry for running him off like that but I’d never had someone to share my hurt with before. I wasn’t sure how to handle having him near. My usual MO at a time like this was to retreat, tuck myself away until I could think straight and come up with a plan. He would have stayed if I’d asked. But no matter how he tried, he couldn’t hide the weariness in his eyes. He needed to sleep just as much as I did. It was best that we took some time to get some rest. Later on this afternoon I’d be ready to process.

  Liam’s door was closed. I turned the knob, careful to open the door without causing a squeak. My son had his head on the pillow with the sheets tangled around his legs. He might look like a man when he was awake, but in sleep he reminded me so much of the little boy I still saw in my mind. He’d be heartbroken about the fire. I brushed my hand over his forehead, sweeping the hair out of his face.

  I’d need to be strong for him. To set an example that no matter what life threw at you, you had to keep on keeping on. He hadn’t had a fair shot at things, growing up without a dad. I didn’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but Dustin made me wish for things. He could be the one. The one to stand by my side. The one to be a father to my son. If I let myself go there, he could be the one I’d been missing all my life.

  I’d always handled things on my own. It had been so long since I’d let anyone in. My heart told me it was time. After a nap, I’d give him a call and see if he wanted to swing by. It was hard to realize I didn’t have to do it all on my own any more. My stomach did a flip-flop at the idea that I’d have someone in my corner this time. Someone to face the future with—good or bad. If nothing else came out of my time in Swallow Springs…if I never got my studio and never had a chance to move beyond waitress at the Lovebird café, at least I had Dustin.

  My head had barely hit the pillow before my eyes closed. As I drifted off to sleep I hoped I’d dream of Dustin and the future we’d create together.

  Dustin

  A knock on the trailer door woke me. I didn’t have any idea how long I’d been passed out. Hell, last night had been draining on so many levels. For all I knew, I’d slept through a few days, not just a few hours.

  “Coming.” I pulled the shirt on that I’d worn yesterday. The stench of smoke encased me. I needed a shower and a pot of coffee. Maybe then I’d feel a little more human.

  The sheriff stood on my steps. “Hey, Dustin. Got a minute?”

  “Yeah. Come on in.” I held the door open for him to enter the trailer.

  He walked past me, settling into the small booth in the kitchen area. “Rough night last night, huh?”

  “Yeah, you could say that.”

  “Well, I’ve got some good news.” He took off his hat and set it down on the table between us.

  “Oh, yeah? Good news would definitely be welcome right now.” I clasped my hands together, wishing I had a mug of hot, steaming coffee between them.

  “The fire marshal figured out the cause of the fire.”

  “Really?” I leaned forward. “Bad wiring?” That was my best guess. Although we’d had an electrician go over the wiring in Harmony’s space, no telling how long it had been since the connected buildings had been checked.

  “Bad boom box.” He held up a melted piece of black plastic. “They said this radio y’all had been using in the space was left on last night. Know anything about that?”

  The walls of my chest squeezed together, draining all the air from my lungs. No. That couldn’t be. Rodney had turned it off, like I’d asked him to. “You sure about that?”

  “Yep. The fire sparked from that outlet then spread in the wall before it got going. Damn shame.”

  “But, how could that have started a fire?” It had been fine. I’d used that radio for years and never had a problem with it. Please don’t let that be true.

  “Must have been a short in the wiring of the radio. Was it yours?”

  Mine. Yes, it was mine. My boom box caused the fire. It may as well have been me that burned down the hopes and dreams of the woman I loved. I swallowed back the darkness threatening to overtake me. “Yeah, it was mine.”

  “Tough break.” The sheriff stood. “I guess I’ll head over to tell Ms. Rogers.”

  “Harmony doesn’t know yet?”

  “No. I wanted to check with you first.” He put his hat back on his head, almost brushing the ceiling of the tight space.

  “Thanks for stopping by.” The manners my mom had instilled in me in didn’t fail me now. I watched as he walked across the yard and climbed into his patrol car.

  He lifted his hand in a wave before pulling around and heading down the drive. What the hell was I supposed to do now? He was on his way to Harmony’s. To tell her I was the reason her studio went up in a wall of flames. She was going to hate me.

  I sat down on the edge of the kitchen bench and cradled my hands in my head. It was my fault. I’d been a fool for thinking I could come back here and make a fresh name for myself. Every time I tried to do anything good in Swallow Springs, it turned around to bite me in the ass. And now I’d ruined Harmony’s dreams.

  She’d never be able to forgive me. Hell, I’d never be able to forgive myself. The need to flee, to get away, overwhelmed me. I couldn’t bear to see the disappointment in Harmony’s eyes when she realized I was the cause of her loss. But where to go?

  I paced back and forth, down the center of the trailer, the conversation with Mav ringing in my ears. If I left today, I could be back in LA in just a couple of days, plenty of time to check over my bike and get in some practice runs before a performance on the late night show. I might not be able to salvage Harmony’s dreams, but maybe I could salvage my pride by not going out on a failed stunt.

  With my heart broken into a million pieces, I started packing up my stuff. I figured I had about an hour before Harmony showed up, ready to strangle me for the part I played in the fire. I couldn’t face her. I couldn’t face anyone once they knew what I’d done. Cassie, Robbie, my mom, Rodney, Scarlett, Liam…they’d never look at me the same. And Harmony…it was her I’d hurt most of all. A wave of shame crashed over me. Leaving would be best. I could send a check to the city, asking them to pre-pay rent on her choice of locations for the next year. She might not take help from me, but maybe she’d take it from the city. Jake would help me. He could have them say it was a grant or something.

  Satisfied I’d find a way to make it up to Harmony, even if she didn’t know it, I stowed everything I needed to in the trailer so I could get underway. What was I going to tell Mom, though? And Scarlett and Rodney? I’d figure something out. Once they learned the truth about what I’d done, they’d understand. I’d tried to face the past and beat down my demons. I should have known they’d never let me go.

  40

  Harmony

  I wrestled with the giant coffee machine, so not in the mood for dealing with the monster this afternoon. Seemed like my alarm had gone off before I’d barely managed a few hours of sleep. Even though Cassie told me to take the weekend off, that wasn’t my style. So here I was, back at the Lovebird, where a glance across the street could send me into an emotional tailspin. At least Liam hadn’t seen it yet. I broke the news about the studio before I left. He wanted to race over to Dustin’s right away, but I made him wait. Dustin had spent all night by my side, the poor man deserved to catch up on his sleep.

  So I’d left Liam to deal with the animals and made my way into work. The street was open again but the barricade across the front of the building remained. The fire trucks were long gone, leaving the smell of smoke still hanging in the air. I ached to find out if anything was left, but I’d been told no one could enter the building until the fire marshal had declared it safe.

  “Sorry about your new business.” Frank set his paper down and slid onto a stool at the counter. “They figure out what caused it yet?”
<
br />   I wiped at my eyes, then grabbed an empty mug and set it down in front of him. “No. I haven’t heard yet.”

  “Just the coffee today.” He patted his stomach. “I’m watching my weight now.”

  The goofy look on his face brought out a hint of a smile. “Any particular reason why?”

  He blushed, a faint shade of pink showing under the white whiskers on his cheeks. “No, nothing special. Just want to get healthier.”

  “You should try one of my kale smoothies then.” I hadn’t given up on converting the residents of Swallow Springs to the dark side—where they’d learn to love leafy green vegetables, even if they hadn’t been drowned in butter or slathered with ranch dressing.

  “Let’s not get too crazy.” Frank lifted the mug of coffee to his lips. “I sure am glad you figured out how to work that coffee pot.”

  “Yeah, me, too.” One more reason it wouldn’t completely suck to be stuck waiting tables. At least I wouldn’t have to sneak around with my instant coffee crystals anymore.

  “I was starting to think I might have to head to Crawford for my morning cup.”

  “Oh, don’t let Cassie hear you say that.” I wagged my finger at him in warning. “She’ll run you out of here herself.”

  Frank winked. “Let’s let that be our little secret. What do you say?”

  “Sure.” I could never rat out Frank, not even if he wasn’t willing to admit he wanted to trim up his middle for a certain older woman who happened to live with the man I loved. Thinking about Dustin put a smile on my face. The way he’d stayed with me last night showed me he was the one for me. I wrapped my arms around my middle, giving myself a hug as I thought about how it would feel to see him later on tonight. Being around him was the only thing that seemed to make the hard news a little more bearable.

  The bell on the door jangled and Sheriff Sampson entered. Oh hell, what had Liam done now? My chest constricted, squeezing all of the air out of my lungs as I waited for him to approach the counter.

  “Hey, Harmony.” He took his hat off and nodded my direction.

  “Looking for some coffee this afternoon?” I asked, trying to make my voice come out normal.

  “Sure. I could use a cup.” He sat down next to Frank who raised his mug toward the sheriff.

  “They figure out who set that fire last night?” Frank asked.

  “Well”— the sheriff cleared his throat—“that’s what I came in to talk about.”

  “Oh?” My fingers slipped on the handle of the carafe but I somehow managed to grab it before it crashed to the floor. “You found out what caused the fire?”

  “Was it vandals?” Frank asked. “If you ask me, y’all need to be more diligent about keeping an eye on the vacant buildings on the square here.”

  I couldn’t look away from the sheriff. Frank rambled on about break-ins and graffiti while I stared at Sheriff Sampson’s badge, willing him to say something.

  He waited until Frank took a breath, opening up a break in the conversation. “Wasn’t vandals, Frank.”

  “No? Then what was it?”

  “A short. Someone left a radio going all night. It was an older unit, probably had a defect in the wires. The fire started there, then spread.” The sheriff took the mug I’d filled and lifted it to his lips while I tried to process this latest bit of news.

  “A radio?” I asked.

  “Yeah, some ancient boom box. Dustin said it was his. I stopped by his place first to check.”

  “Dustin?” His radio? That ancient huge boom box with the double cassette deck caused this? “Are you sure it was the radio?”

  “Sure as I can be. The fire marshal traced the origin back to that outlet. Whole radio fried, then melted. It’s the only explanation.” He took another sip of coffee, then stood and pulled a few bills out of his wallet.

  “Oh, coffee’s on the house.”

  “Thanks.” He slid his hat back on top of his head. “I’ll let you know if we learn anything else. But as far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason to suspect foul play. Y’all have a nice day now.”

  I nodded, but inside I was a bundle of what-ifs and hows. What did he mean there was no reason to suspect foul play? If Dustin’s boom box caused the fire…my brain struggled to make sense of the news the sheriff had shared. It was an accident. I knew that for a fact. But a little tiny part of me felt betrayed. How could Dustin have left it running? Why wouldn’t he have turned it off when he finished painting yesterday?

  “You okay?” Cassie came out from the kitchen.

  “Yeah.” I slid the coffee carafe back in place. “I think I need to go see Dustin. Do you mind if I clock out a little early today?”

  “Of course. I would have been fine if you hadn’t come in at all. Whatever you need.” She put her hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention back to her.

  “Thanks. I need to see Dustin. I’ve got to talk to him about this.”

  She nodded. “Are you all right to drive out there?”

  “Of course.” I untied my apron and hung it on the hook. “I’ll be in tomorrow morning.” There’s no way I would run out on her on a Sunday morning, especially not when that was the best day of the week for tips.

  “Good luck, Harmony.” Frank lifted his hand in a wave.

  I gave a half-hearted wave back, unsure why I suddenly felt the need to rush to Dustin. He knew, but he hadn’t tried to call. I checked my phone on the way to the truck just in case. Nothing. What was he thinking? Based on how he’d handled the make-up with Robbie, I could only imagine. He put on a big show. Pretended things didn’t get to him, that he was as tough on the inside as he was on the outside. But I knew that was a façade.

  If he thought he’d caused me to lose everything, he’d be heartbroken. I couldn’t bear to lose the studio and Dustin. As I climbed into the truck I sent up a silent request. Please let him be home when I get there.

  I tried to call but it went straight to voicemail. My heart sunk in my chest, settling somewhere around my gut. I needed to get to him, needed to let him know this wasn’t his fault.

  41

  Dustin

  It had been five days, four hours, thirty-nine minutes and fourteen, no fifteen, no sixteen seconds since I hooked up the trailer and burned rubber out of Swallow Springs. Harmony had called dozens of times but I couldn’t face her yet, not even over the phone. She knew by now I was the reason her studio burned down. I was the reason her dreams had turned to ash.

  She should be gearing up for her grand opening, but instead she was probably pouring old Frank another cup of coffee at the Lovebird Café. And it was all my fault.

  I should have known better than to give Swallow Springs another chance. The town had chewed me up and spit me out once already. Why did I think it would be any different now? I’d lost a lot way back when Jeff had that accident. I thought my heart had been torn in two. But now, losing Harmony, I realized that was just a practice run for the sheer devastation I was going through now.

  Mom called. Scarlett, too. But even though they told me everything I knew in my brain to be true—that it was an accident, that it wasn’t my fault, that Harmony wouldn’t hold it against me—I still couldn’t bring myself to reach out to her. The fire was a warning. If I stuck around, there was no telling how far I’d drag her down with me. She deserved better.

  “Ready?” Mav appeared at my side. “You’re on in five. This is your chance, Dustin. Show them what you’ve got.”

  I pulled the visor down on my helmet. Mav was only doing his job. But with no one else around but myself to be pissed at, he made an easy target. I climbed on the bike, straddling the seat between my thighs. It felt good to be back on my bike. The doc had checked me out yesterday and given me the go ahead. I was all cleared for whatever asinine stunt my agent wanted to set up for me. I could start work on the movie now, too. Hopefully that would keep my mind off of everything I’d left behind in Missouri.

  I gave the bike some gas, ready to move into position. The stun
t they’d set up for me was one I’d done dozens of times, a simple jump over a few vehicles. They were having a food truck festival in Culver City so they’d made arrangements for me to jump over six taco trucks. Didn’t matter to me what the hell they’d have me do. My heart wasn’t in it anymore. I’d left it in the hands of a girl with a unicorn on her toenail and stars in her eyes.

  One of the staff motioned for me to head outside. The studio doors opened and for a moment I was blinded by the light. I let my eyesight adjust before I rolled the bike closer to the ramp.

  “Dustin! Hey, over here!”

  I swore that sounded like someone I knew. But with hundreds of people crowding the area beyond the metal barricades, my ears were probably playing tricks on me. I glanced over, expecting to see a sea of strangers. But instead, I saw Robbie. Robbie Jordan? What the hell was he doing here?

  I lifted my visor, sure that I’d seen someone who looked like Robbie, probably a whacked trick my brain was playing on me. But there he was, waving like a crazy mofo. And right next to him stood my mom. And Scarlett. And Rodney. What the hell?

  “You ready?” One of the junior producers stepped closer, blocking the view of my family.

  “Hey, can you hold on a sec?” I flipped the kickstand down with my foot and climbed off the bike.

  “Sir, no, we can’t wait a sec. You’re on in three minutes.”

  “Yeah, okay.” I waved him off, making a beeline for my mom.

  She reached for me over the barricade. “Dustin Lambert Jarrett, what in the world are you doing? Are you trying to give your mother a heart attack?”

  I took her hand. “No. Mom, I’m sorry. I had to get away.”

  “That’s what you keep saying. You know what I think about that?” She squeezed my hand and blew a big fat raspberry at me.