She spun, the blood roaring in her ears. “Rowdy?” she called out, swallowing smoke and coughing. “Rowdy?” She forced the name out. She didn’t see him. Her eyes burned, the heat and smoke reaching her. Where was he? “Rowdy!”
“Ma!” He came barreling across the yard, Cheyenne glued to his side.
She burst into tears, falling to her knees as she caught Rowdy close. She held him, burying her face in his hair. She hugged him tightly and ran her hands over his face. “Hi, baby,” she whispered, her voice broken. “You okay?”
“Don’t cry, Ma.” Rowdy smiled. “Don’t cry.”
“He’s okay.” Toben’s voice, so full of grief. “He’s okay, Poppy.”
“Dad took us to the barn, Ma. We were okay. He kept us safe.” Rowdy stroked her hair.
She stared up at Toben, unable to stop the tears from flowing. She reached out, grabbed Toben’s hand and yanked him down beside her. “Thank you.” She wrapped them both in her arms. “You’re safe. Both of you.” She sucked in a deep breath. They were her whole world, right here. “You’re safe.”
Cheyenne wedged herself between them, making Rowdy laugh. “You should have seen her, Ma. She barked and barked and told us what was happening.”
Poppy sat back on her knees, frantically wiping at her tears. “She did?”
“We were in the barn,” Toben explained. “If she hadn’t barked... Well, it happened pretty damn quick.”
She stared at the house then. The kitchen was a black gaping hole, smoke billowing up and into the sky. The hoses kept going, soaking the ground around the house and saturating the roof.
“Ma?” Rowdy held her hand.
She looked at him, doing her best to smile.
“You okay?” he asked.
She laughed, sounding a little unhinged. She glanced at Toben, pleading for help. “I’m fine. It’s silly, I know. I’m trying to stop.” But it was hard. The fear had eased, but her relief was all-consuming.
“She was worried over you, Rowdy. It’s what moms do.” His hand stroked along her cheek. She leaned into his touch, letting him pull her into his arms. “It’s okay, Poppy. I promise, it’s going to be okay.”
“It is,” she whispered. “I know it. You’re both okay.”
“Right,” Rowdy agreed. “We’ve got each other. And Cheyenne and Cheeto and Stormy. We’re good.”
Toben’s arms tightened around her. “He’s right.”
She nodded, turning into his chest. “It’s just...for a minute...” She shook her head, sitting back. “I didn’t see him...” She blew out a wavering breath.
He nodded. “I’d never let anything happen to him.” He stood, pulling her up with him.
“I know. But it was...you, too, Toben.” She swallowed.
A crease formed between his brows. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
She stared at him dumbly. Of course she’d worried about him. She shook her head. He didn’t know how she felt. She’d done too good a job of keeping it from him. And herself. “Toben—”
“Ma.” Rowdy’s hand grabbed hers. “Where are we going to sleep now?”
She stared at the smoking house, her son’s question gutting her. Was it a total loss? The kitchen was gone and the rest wasn’t livable—that much was clear. “A hotel?” She grinned at him, wanting to reassure him. “The apartment.” The couch was small but comfy—it would work for Rowdy. And since she had no plans to let him out of her sight, she’d sleep on the floor next to him.
“The Lodge?” Toben asked, glancing at Fisher.
Fisher nodded. “Already on it. Dad’s happy to put you up.” He held out his cell phone. “You’re family, after all.”
“You’re not alone,” Toben whispered, his voice gruff. “You hear me?”
She felt tears welling in her eyes again, staring at the man she loved. “Yes, thank you.”