Page 44 of Saving it with My Best Friend's Brother

“No, I need you to keep digging. Find everything you can about Wheeler’s investigator relative and about that fire.”

“What about me?” Hunter asked softly.

I met his eyes, seeing all the support and caring there. “Stay with me?”

His smile warmed me to my toes. “Always.”

As we headed to my office to retrieve the letters, Claire called, “Hey lovebirds?”

We turned back.

“Just remember—making out can wait until after we save the resort.”

I blushed furiously, but Hunter just laughed and pulled me closer.

“No promises,” he said, dropping a kiss on my temple.

Despite everything, despite Wheeler’s threats and my mother’s reputation hanging by a thread, that small gesture filled me with courage.

We had five hours until midnight.

Time to prove what my mother knew all along—that some things are worth fighting for.

My mother’s letters trembled in my hands as Hunter and I sat in my office. The old desk lamp cast a warm glow over us as we carefully sorted through the yellowed pages.

“Look at this,” I said, smoothing out a letter dated just weeks before the Miller Lodge fire. “She wrote about a meeting between Wheeler’s uncle—the insurance investigator—and Crystal Ridge’s CEO.”

Hunter leaned closer, his warmth steadying my nerves. “‘Overheard discussion of property values after unfortunate accidents,’” he read aloud. “Your mother was documenting everything.”

“She knew they were dangerous,” I whispered. “But she kept gathering evidence, anyway.”

“Like mother, like daughter.” His voice held such admiration it made my heart flutter. “Brave, determined, unwilling to back down from a fight.”

Embarrassed by the praise, I ducked my head, but Hunter gently tilted my chin.

“Hey, I mean it.”

The tenderness in his eyes nearly undid me. Before I could respond, my phone buzzed with a text from Claire.

“She’s found something about the fire investigation,” I said, skimming. “Inconsistencies in the report. Places where evidence went missing.”

“Dad tried to fight it.” Hunter’s voice was quiet. “The insurance ruling. But without proof...”

I reached for his hand instinctively. “Is that when...”

“When he had his accident? Yeah.” He squeezed my fingers. “Two weeks later.”

A knock at the door made us both jump. Sophie stood there, looking anxious.

“Ms. Horton? Mr. Wheeler is back. He’s in the lobby with... with a news crew.”

My blood ran cold. “What?”

“They’re doing a piece on ‘historic properties in crisis’. He’s giving them a tour.”

Hunter was already on his feet. “He’s trying to control the narrative. Get footage of every flaw, every maintenance issue...”

“Making us look negligent,” I finished, standing too. “We have to stop him.”

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