Page 14 of Frostbite & Mistletoe
“You’re saying all the things that the fire marshal ordered me to fix—thosearen’tcovered?” Kymberlie’s voice rose. Her wolf stirred restlessly beneath her skin.
Jennifer’s calm never wavered. This was why she was a pack elder—steady as a rock, even when delivering bad news.“I’m afraid that’s right. And since you chose a high-deductible plan to lower your annual policy premiums, you’ll need to pay the first $7500 out of pocket. Once the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire suppression systems inspections clear, we can release the rest of your claim.”
Kymberlie turned away, fighting the urge to howl in frustration. That deductible would wipe out her entire emergency cushion—the one she’d promised herself she’d never touch unless the world was ending.
Apparently, it just had.
Plus, who knew what other code violations Gabriel Egan and the city building inspector would find once they reinspected her place?
“How much?” she asked, her voice tight.“How much will the policy cover for my renovations?”
Jennifer consulted her paperwork.“Maybe twenty-five, thirty thousand once the deductible’s met.” She patted Kymberlie’s arm.“I know it sounds unfair, but that’s standard for this kind of policy. You took the higher deductible and less extensive coverage to keep your premiums low.”
“Seventy-five hundred,” Kymberlie muttered.“That’s my entire emergency cushion.”
The number hung in the air between them. Twenty-five thousand dollars for a repair job that would probably cost three times that, at minimum.
“I can help you file an appeal,” Jennifer offered.“But I need to be honest—these exclusions are pretty standard in commercial policies.”
Kymberlie nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Through the open door of the club, she could see her pack mates and her friends working, sweating, doing their best to help her save her dream.
They believed in her. But right now, Kymberlie wasn’t sure if she believed in herself anymore.
“Thank you, Jennifer,” she finally managed.“I appreciate your coming by.”
The older woman touched her arm.“Don’t give up yet. You’ve already worked miracles with this place. I’m sure you can work another.”
As Jennifer walked back to her SUV, Kymberlie turned to face her club again. The Hair of the Dog looked battered, broken—just like her hopes.
Then, underneath the despair, her stubborn streak flared to life. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
Taking a deep breath, she headed back inside. If she wanted to reopen before Christmas, there was a ton to do.
∞∞∞
Gabriel Egan’s boots crunched over the parking lot’s gravel as he approached The Hair of the Dog. The acrid smell of smoke still hung in the air, mingling with the fresh scents of sawdust and sweat as the surprisingly large work crew tackled the demolition.
It looked like at least half the town had turned out to help Kymberlie clear out the fire damage. And Gabriel found himself glad his new town was a place with this kind of community spirit.
He’d donned a hard hat and safety glasses before leaving his truck. As he passed through the bar area and dining room, his expression neutral, his inner sabertooth paced restlessly beneath his skin, distracted by the wolf-scent that lingered everywhere under the stench of smoke and chemicals in this building.Kymberlie’s scent.
The storeroom had already been emptied of its contents and stripped to the wall and ceiling studs.
Gabriel watched as Fred Barker and his daughters methodically traced wiring paths through the walls, occasionally shaking their heads or muttering to each other. The old electrician confirmed what Gabriel had observed last night. This place was a ticking time bomb. The small electrical fire they’d had was just a preview of whatcouldhave happened.
“Junction box completely melted through here,” Fred called out, pointing to a blackened section of exposed wall.“And look at this—aluminum wiring mixed with copper. Amateur hour.”
The Barkers’ information dispelled his lingering guilt about shutting this place down. Gabriel had always liked order, liked rules. Safety rules kept people alive and unhurt. And when you had solid rules in place, everyone knew what to do.
But the sabertooth part of him kept glancing down the hall to the main room where Kymberlie was directing the cleanup effort. Her blonde hair peeked out from beneath a soot-streaked hard hat, and her face was set in a mask of determination.
A conflict of interest. That’s what this was. His job was to protect the public, not get distracted by a luscious wolf shifter with fierce blue eyes and a stubborn streak a mile wide.
“Well, if it isn’t my favorite fire marshal,” a familiar voice called from behind him.“Glad you’re keeping us busy in the slow season!”
Dismay shot through Gabriel as he turned to see his new boss, Tyler Swanson, standing in the hallway, tool belt slung around his lean hips. The bear shifter’s grin did nothing to ease the sudden tension in Gabriel’s jaw.
“Just doing my job,” Gabriel replied, his voice cooler than he’d intended.
