“He only did it because he was mad that we were going out to the hot springs without him. Remember? He didn’t finish his chores, so he wasn’t allowed to go, and he sure as hell didn’t want you going with me.” Man, he’d been so jealous, already staking his claim on the girl who hadn’t noticed that she was his world.

“Are you serious?” Her nose scrunched. “Oh my God, and you finished his chores while your mom got the gum out,” she remembered, looking up at the same picture.

“Yep.” Should have seen that as the foreshadowing that it was.

“You were so good to him, Cam. You always put him first, even when I know you missed out on some of the things you wanted.” Her eyes met mine, and I knew she wasn’t thinking the same thing I was, simply because I’d never told her and she’d never caught on. “That’s how I know you never could have set fire to the bunkhouse, you know.”

I looked away, scared she’d see right through me to the truth of that day.

“What? Don’t think I’m a bored arsonist?” I stared into the fire, remembering the one that had almost consumed her that night. I’d been so damned lucky to find her through the smoke and flames.

“No. I never did. It’s not in your nature. Besides, you never would have done anything that put Sully in danger. The torch got knocked over. Accidents happen. I can’t believe everyone blamed you, let alone still blames you.”

“People need to place blame when things go to shit. Makes them feel like they have control over things they don’t. And of course they blamed me.” I tossed a smirk at her. “I was there, and therefore it was my fault.”

“You were there for me,” she said softly. “I lost Sullivan’s hand when the beam came down. I thought I was going to…” She paused, taking a deep breath. “I was pretty sure I was hallucinating when I saw you jump the flames, and yet…part of me knew you’d come. Must have been the oxygen deprivation, right?”

“It was just luck that I stumbled onto you.” I’d been so fucking scared. Sullivan had come out of the bunkhouse without her, sputtering from the smoke, and my only thought had been to get to Willow.

“It wasn’t.”

My gaze slowly slid back to hers.