“Yeah. It sucks.”

“You’re actually lucky. The Pikes took most of the damage.”

Right. Colorado Pike Winery owns the land north of Steel Vineyards. They’re a smaller ranch, but they concentrate only on wine, and they produce more wine than the Steels. And they don’t have Ryan and Dale. Their wines are good, but they don’t have that special something that the Steel wines possess. Not that any of that matters. It’s a shame they lost so much.

“I understand,” I say. “I doubt that will be much consolation to Dale and Ryan.”

“Maybe not, but there’s always someone who has it worse than you do.”

His comment puts me on edge. “Did you call to chew me out, Brendan?”

“You think that was getting chewed out?” He chuckles.

He’s right. “Of course not. I’m sorry. It’s just that Dale’s a mess.”

“I’m sure. He’s a lucky man, though.”

“I doubt he sees it that way at the moment.”

“If he doesn’t, he should.”

I scoff. “Why is that?”

“Because he has you, Ashley.”

I smile. After I asked the question, I expected a smartass comment about Dale’s financial situation. I deserved no less. Instead, I get something nice. Brendan’s words are sweet, and he means well. Sure, he has a little crush on me, but he knows where my heart lies.

“Have you checked in with Ava?” I ask.

Brendan also has a little crush on Dale’s cousin, the baker.

“A few minutes ago. The bakery’s up and running. The air is a little smoky here in town, but we’re all okay.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

My phone beeps in my ear. “Hold on a minute, okay?”

“Sure,” he says.

Jade is calling, so I quickly put Brendan on hold. “Hi, Jade.”

“Hi, Ashley. I’m checking on Dale.”

“He’s asleep. Worn out.”

“But he’s okay?”

That’s another question, but, “Yes, he’s okay.” At least physically. He proved that last night.

“All right. Good. We need you both to come to the main house for dinner tonight. Big family meeting to deal with the fallout from the fires.”

“If it’s a family meeting—”

“You’re family, Ashley. You’re working with Dale and Ryan, and you’re Diana’s friend. We want you there. Could you tell Dale when he wakes up?”

“Sure. I have someone on the other line…”

“No problem. That’s all I have for now. Take care of my son. Please.”

“I will. Bye, Jade.” I go back to Brendan. “Sorry about that.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Big family meeting tonight at Talon and Jade’s.”

“Ugh,” he says. “I hate family meetings.”

“I’ve never been to one.”

“My mom and dad have them from time to time. I have to run. If you need anything, please let me know.”

I smile into the phone. “That’s kind of you.”

“Hey, anything for a friend. Take it easy.”

“You too, Brendan. Bye.” I shove my phone into the back pocket of my jeans, and—

“Ashley.”

Dale stands in the kitchen, his gaze burning into me. He wears nothing but a pair of jeans. His hair is still tangled and messy, makeshift dreadlocks forming from the dirt and soot. His flesh is still covered with streaks of gray and brown.

“Good morning,” I say. “Let me start some coffee for you.”

He shakes his head.

“You should still be in bed, then. You’re exhausted, Dale.”

“Phone woke me up.”

“Someone called you?”

“No, a text. The bell woke me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“My dad says there’s a family meeting tonight.”

“Yeah, I just got off the phone with your mom. She wanted me to tell you.”

“She and Dad must have gotten their signals crossed.”

“Maybe,” I say.

“I need you to be there,” he says.

“Of course. Whatever you need. I’ll go with you. Your mom already invited me anyway.”

He shakes his head, his tangled hair brushing his shoulders. “No, that’s not what I mean. I need you to be there because I won’t be.”

I widen my eyes. Not that his words surprise me. He’s going to run off again. Part of me already knew that was coming.

“Don’t,” I say, my throat closing against the sobs that want to erupt. “Please.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“You do, Dale. You always have a choice.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I walk toward him. “I do. I understand. Your Syrah vineyards were harmed.”

“Not harmed, Ashley. Burned.”

“Not all of them, and you don’t know that they won’t come back.”

“I know the harvest is lost.”

“Only half of it. Plus, most of it has already been harvested.”

He rakes his fingers through his blond mane of hair, catching them on a tangle. He tugs, his lips turning down in a frown. “You don’t get it.”

“Maybe not. Maybe I don’t know what you’re feeling, but Colorado Pike—”

“Fuck the Pikes,” he roars.

I love him. I love Dale so much, but this comment rubs me the wrong way. “Fuck the Pikes? Really? That’s self-absorption on your part. They lost way more than you did in this fire.”

“Did they?”

“Haven’t you seen the news? Didn’t the guy who found you tell you?”

“It was still happening when he found me,” Dale says.

“Turn on the fucking news, then. Check your phone. They lost three quarters of all their vines, Dale.”

“Then they didn’t adequately prepare.”

“Firebreaks aren’t guarantees. If they were, you wouldn’t have lost what you did. Think about that. You lost half of one varietal. That’s it.”

“You don’t know me at all,” he says in a monotone. “You don’t now, and you never will.”