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“They saved it,” I breathed, choking up Gage reached over to squeeze my hand

“Looks like it”

“Oh shit,” I said, laughing nervously “Look at your bike”

We both stared at the once-proud Harley, now coook and filth

“It’s red,” he said with a startled laugh “Huh I wasn’t sure to what to expect, but I’d pictured it either burned up or like normal Wonder if that shit comes off”

“It was insured, right?”

“Yup,” he said, shaking his head slowly “Your car’s in rough shape, too”

I looked past the bike to see h, it was coated in the same stuff

“We’re lucky,” I said, thinking of Darren and Carrie’s place Gage pulled to a stop, and I hopped out, walking slowly across the crusted lawn The front door was open, which seee I’d been almost certain I locked it e left Then I walked into the living roo around

“Doesn’t seeed”

“Check that out,” Gage said I followed his gaze to see boot prints trailing through the dining roo the with a note written on a paper towel

The kitchen door was open, and we needed a place to rest for a while We also ate your cara the fire for nearly twenty-four hours, including four hours soaking the back of your building and the others in the neighborhood to save them Hope you don’t mind

It was signed Frank and Steve Browning

“Wow,” I said, handing it over to Gage, who raised his brows

“You knoho they are?”

“No clue,” I said “Although I’ll try to find out I think I owe them more than caramels”

Gage laughed

“Yeah, I’d say so”

I sighed “We got really lucky here”

He looked at“We did”

“Gonna be a lot of work cleaning all this up,” I continued

“You still on the fence about staying in Hallies Falls?” he asked, his voice serious I shook my head

“No, I want to be here,” I said, and it was the truth “I didn’t realize how much I loved it until I alossipsbut it’s also the kind of place where two er’s home”