“Hayden…” she sobbed. “The flower shop, it’s gone. It burned down.”
“What?” He moved quickly to her side. “How.. What happened?”
“They think it was deliberate,” her voice choked out. “And my mom... she’s blaming me for leaving the place unattended for so long.”
Hayden wrapped his arms around her as she trembled.
His chest tightened. “Hilda, I’m so sorry. I know how much that place meant to you.”
“I need to go back home,” she murmured.
“The police are looking into it, and…I need to be there”
“Do you want me to come with you? I can help to speed up things, and I can finally get to meet you mom ”
“No,” she cut in, almost too quickly.
Then she cleared her throat “ I can manage on my own, this isn’t the right time to meet her and you know I haven’t told her about you.”
Hayden’s jaw c
