Sizzle & Share: A MFM Firefighter Romance (Surrender to Them Book 9)

by Kelli Callahan

  Sizzle & Share

  A MFM Firefighter Romance

  Kelli Callahan

  Copyright © 2018 by Kelli Callahan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  1. Eliza

  2. Hudson

  3. Eliza

  4. Eliza

  5. Preston

  6. Eliza

  7. Hudson

  8. Eliza

  9. Preston

  10. Eliza

  11. Hudson

  12. Eliza

  13. Preston

  14. Eliza

  15. Hudson

  16. Eliza

  17. Preston

  18. Eliza

  19. Hudson

  20. Eliza

  21. Preston

  22. Eliza

  23. Hudson

  24. Eliza

  25. Preston

  26. Eliza

  27. Hudson

  28. Eliza

  Epilogue

  Join My Mailing List

  Kelli’s Voracious Vixens

  Small Town Seven: Sneak Peek

  About the Author

  1

  Eliza

  “Andalusia, Alabama…” I sighed and shook my head. “I never thought I would see this place again.”

  I swore I would never return to the small southern town I grew up in. When I packed my car and left for college, it was supposed to be in my rearview mirror forever. The memories were too painful. There was nothing in my past that I wanted to revisit. I let go of it because I had to. It was the only way for me to survive and move on with my life. Andalusia was where I lost my parents—where a drunk driver claimed them long before their time. It was where I was bounced around from one foster home to the next until I graduated from high school. It was the last place on earth that I wanted to be. If only I had a choice—or at least one that would let me sleep at night without allowing Andalusia to create more regret.

  “Damn it, Melanie. Why couldn’t you have a beach wedding like you always talked about?” I grumbled under my breath and pulled into the gas station at the edge of town.

  Melanie was my best friend in the world and the only person from Andalusia I stayed in contact with once I left. I watched her perfect life unfold in photographs on social media for five years while I struggled to hold down a job and go to college. She was the one who made me come back because her boyfriend finally popped the question and she needed me to assist with the wedding plans—and stand by her side. It didn’t help that I was between jobs after graduating from college and getting laid off from the one I had while I worked towards my degree. That meant I didn’t even have a good reason to say no—not one that was anything more than personal. I was honored that she asked me to be her Maid of Honor, and I would have gladly done it anywhere except for Andalusia, but she wanted a hometown wedding—because that was what he wanted.

  That’s why I’ll never fall in love. I don’t like to compromise. Love makes you forget who you are.

  I filled my car up with gas and walked into the gas station I had visited more times than I could even remember. It was the closest one to the high school, and Old Man Wrigley never asked for ID. I bought cigarettes from him when I was fourteen and beer the day I got my driver’s license. The years had not been kind to him, and he looked like he had aged ten in the five I had been gone. Just like always, he didn’t even look up from his register when he rang up my purchase. I walked back to my car and sat down in the driver’s seat. My fingers fumbled with the pack of cigarettes I bought. I quit smoking the day I left Andalusia, so of course, I would feel that burning need again the second I passed the welcome sign. I immediately regretted lighting it, because it was awful and made me cough. I tossed it out the window and put my car in drive. Everything about Andalusia tasted like ashes in my mouth, even the addiction I used to find comfort in when my thoughts were consuming me.

  At least it will be nice to see Melanie again. That’s one part of this trip that won’t leave a bitter taste behind.

  * * *

  “Eliza! Oh my god, you’re actually here!” Melanie ran up to my car and started pounding on the window as soon as I pulled in her driveway.

  “Hey, Melanie!” I stepped out of the car and she nearly tackled me to the ground before I could get my footing.

  “Did you pack your whole apartment up?” She leaned past the hug and looked in my backseat.

  “I have to do your makeup, right? I needed everything.” I nudged her playfully and opened the back door. “Since I’m your guest, you can carry the heavy stuff.”

  The truth was that I didn’t have an apartment anymore. I had been staying in a hotel for several weeks after my lease ran out. The few pieces of furniture I had were in a storage unit, and I had already made arrangements to have it delivered if I wasn’t able to go back to get them. I was scared to sign a new lease until I had a job because there was a chance I would need to relocate. That meant almost everything I owned was in the back seat of my car, just like it was the day I left Andalusia. That was exactly where it would be once she said her vows because I didn’t plan to stay a second longer than I had to. I had no idea where I would go, but it would be a lot better than Andalusia, even if it was nice to see Melanie again.

  Now, if only I can get some downtime while I’m here to send out my resume to a few more places.

  “Where are your parents?” I looked around the empty house once all of my stuff was inside.

  “Oh, I didn’t tell you? My Dad got a new job in Florida and they had to move down there.” She did a little twirl. “That means we have the whole house to ourselves until Dave moves in.”

  “Wait, you’re getting married and living in the house you grew up in?” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Don’t you want to get your own place?”

  “Why?” She paused her twirl and shrugged. “Daddy said I can stay here as long as I like, and Dave isn’t working right now. This whole house is going to be our honeymoon suite.”

  “I’ll make sure I’m long gone before then.” I rolled my eyes and looked towards the kitchen. “Did your Mom take all the wine when she left?”

  “No.” Melanie grinned and shook her head. “Want to get drunk?”

  “Maybe just a glass…” I watched as she scurried towards the kitchen.

  Something to take the edge off this feeling of dread that hasn’t gone away since I drove into town.

  “So tell me all about Dave.” I sat down in the living room once we both had a glass of wine in our hands.

  “He’s—freaking amazing.” She leaned forward, and the excitement was practically radiating from her face. “You remember him from high school, right?”

  “Vaguely.” I shrugged and sipped my wine. “He was on the football team, right?”I’ve tried to forget everything about high school, including the night I graduated.

  “Yep!” She nodded enthusiastically.

  I really couldn’t remember much about Dave outside of what Melanie had posted on her social media and what she had told when we talked on the phone. I knew they ended up going to the same college, which is when they first started dating. She gave me the quick version of everything else, piling every bit of praise on her husband-to-be that she could possibly muster. He sounded like a nice guy, and he was fairly attractive. If
he made her smile and nearly shake with enthusiasm, then he was okay in my book.

  It wasn’t like I had anything to compare it to. I had been perpetually single my whole life, outside of a few relationships that never went anywhere. It was hard for me to trust anyone, much less give my heart away. I always lived with the fear that they could be taken from me at any moment because of what happened with my parents. I thought I was in love once—but they crushed my spirit the moment I let them see my vulnerabilities. The foster system certainly didn’t do anything to change my perception, especially when I found a family that I was happy with and then got shuffled to another one.

  “I’m so happy you’re back.” Melanie scooted closer to me and grabbed my hand. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I missed you too.” I nodded and smiled.

  That is the truth. She’s the only thing in Andalusia I’ve missed at all.

  “Tomorrow we need to get on the road early. It’ll take us nearly three hours to get to Birmingham, and I want as much time as possible to pick out a wedding dress.” She grinned and sipped her wine.

  “You’re driving all the way to Birmingham to pick out a dress?” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Why not just get something local? Gary’s Bridal Shop will order anything you want.”

  Of course, I would remember some random tidbit from an advertisement years ago—I could even hear their jingle in my head.

  “Gary’s Bridal Shop closed down last year.” She shrugged and leaned back against the couch. “You know how this town is. The population goes down every year—just like it did when you left.”

  “Yeah, I guess there aren’t that many people getting married around here.” I nodded in understanding. “Okay, Birmingham it is.”

  “This time neither of us will get grounded.” She giggled and lifted her wine to her lips. “My parents were so freaking pissed when we took that road trip—we were certain we would be back before anyone noticed.”

  “Ah, that road trip.” I grimaced as I remembered.

  “You got grounded. The foster family I was with just decided that I should live with someone else.”

  The two of us caught up over the course of the afternoon and well into the evening. I was drunk enough to want another cigarette, despite hating the first one in years, so I excused myself to go outside. Melanie scolded me but then decided that she would go outside too. Smoking on her back porch was a pleasant memory and one we shared a few times when I spent the night at her house—except we no longer had to constantly look at the window upstairs to make sure her parents weren’t going to catch us. The wine dulled the taste, but the nicotine wasn’t as pleasant as I remembered. I ended up throwing away the entire pack once we got back inside the house, but after another glass, Melanie retrieved it. We made one more trip outside, but I just let mine burn out because I wasn’t feeling it. Melanie tucked the pack in her purse once we were inside, rather than tossing it back in the trash.

  Great, I show up and now I’m spreading my bad habits, just like when we were teenagers.

  * * *

  The next day

  “Okay, let’s get this show on the road.” Melanie tapped the top of her car and motioned for me to hurry up.

  “The sun isn’t even up.” I rubbed my eyes as I walked towards her car. “How are you this freaking cheerful?”

  “I’m buying my wedding dress today!” She tapped the top of her car again. “This is the most exciting day of my life!”

  “Yeah, okay—but I need coffee. Please tell me they didn’t close the only Starbucks in Andalusia.” I opened up the passenger side and climbed inside.

  “No, that’s the one place that stays busy.” She nodded quickly and cranked up her car.

  The line at the drive-thru was halfway around the building when we arrived. Starbucks was definitely the busiest place in Andalusia, and there was even a fire engine sitting in the parking lot. I was feeling groggy from the wine the night before, and I really didn’t want to go inside to get my coffee, but it was going to be a lot quicker than the drive-thru.

  It’s funny how certain things bring back memories, like a familiar scent. It wasn’t the coffee that did it—it was a cologne that I hadn’t smelled in years. I didn’t have a name to go with the scent, but I recognized it. My heart started racing when I realized who was standing in front of us in line. I needed to go—because I was about to come face-to-face with one memory that I never, ever wanted to revisit. It was pain—but it was more than that. It was the loss of my innocence. A period of my life I buried so deep in my subconscious that it was never supposed to see the light of day again.

  Preston. Oh no. It’s him.

  “Eliza?” Someone behind me said my name, and I recognized the voice even before my heart skipped a beat.

  Of course, Hudson is here too. I just walked into a nightmare.

  2

  Hudson

  “Eliza?” The shock didn’t even register before I said her name. “Eliza Abner?”

  “What?” My brother, Preston, immediately turned around in line. “Holy shit.”

  “How have you been?” I immediately hugged the gorgeous redhead in front of me, but she didn’t seem to be very excited to see me—either of us.

  Maybe a hug was a little presumptuous. I don’t know why that was my first reaction. I’m surprised she didn’t punch me.

  “When did you get back in town?” Preston tilted his head to the side inquisitively as the shock finally registered on his face.

  “She’s back for my wedding.” Eliza’s best friend from high school, Melanie, looked back and forth between us.

  “Oh wow, Melanie!” I raised my eyebrows as soon as I recognized who Eliza was with. “I saw your wedding announcement in the paper. You’re marrying Dave! Congratulations!”

  “Thank you.” Melanie tilted her head towards me in a nod. “What brings the two of you to Starbucks this early in the morning?”

  “We’re just picking up coffee for the guys at the station.” Preston motioned towards the fire engine in the parking lot.

  “You both became firefighters like your Dad?” Eliza seemed to regain some of her composure as she spoke, but her voice trembled.

  “Yep, Preston decided to follow in his footsteps too.” I nodded and shrugged, feeling things inside that I hadn’t felt in years.

  “Cool.” Eliza looked towards the register. “Preston, I think the nice girl behind the counter is waiting for you to place your order.”

  Say something. Don’t let her walk away without saying something.

  “Right.” Preston snapped back to reality and took a step towards the register.

  “So are you here until the wedding?” I stared at Eliza—feeling so many emotions flooding back as I saw her beautiful eyes for the first time in years

  “Yeah, I’m the Maid of Honor.” I could sense a lot of apprehension, even as she tried to have a casual conversation with me.

  I guess I should expect that.

  “Well if you’re going to be here for a while, maybe we could grab a cup of coffee and catch up.” I realized as soon as I said it that we were literally standing in a Starbucks. “I mean, not this second, obviously.”

  “I don’t think so.” She looked down at the floor. “I’m going to be pretty busy with Melanie’s wedding.”

  “Which starts with us getting some coffee, so we can go pick out my wedding dress.” Melanie turned her head toward the register. “Whenever Preston gets done ordering enough coffee to caffeinate an army.”

  I should have expected rejection. Why would I expect anything more? There were so many things I wanted to say to Eliza, and it started with an apology for how things ended. I just couldn’t find the courage to push the words out of my thoughts and across my lips. Melanie and Eliza ordered their coffee, and it was ready before ours. All I could do was say goodbye before she started walking away—it was the second time I had watched her walk away, and just like the first time, her head turned back for a moment b
efore the door closed.

  Those haunting eyes. Those mesmerizing curves. I wished I could have seen her smile—just once. That’s what I missed most of all. I didn’t deserve that though. I deserved a slap across the face. I deserved a kick that made me balls retreat into my body. I certainly didn’t deserve to be thinking about her—to be reliving the good memories in my head without letting myself feel the remorse of how it all ended. That was coming though, and it was going to rip my heart into pieces just like it did the day I realized she was gone for good.

  “She’s back.” Preston walked up beside me as I held my coffee in my hand.

  “Yeah.” I nodded as I continued to stare at the door.

  My one fucking regret in life—Eliza Abner.

  * * *

  Five years ago

  “Hudson, just ask her out. She’ll rock your world if you liquor her up.” Preston chuckled and motioned towards Eliza. “That’s what everybody says at least.”

  “Yeah…” My words trailed off. “That’s what they say.”

  I had been crushing on Eliza Abner for years, but I had never told anyone until the day I let it slip to my brother. I heard the stories. I knew what the other guys said. She was a slut in goth makeup and raven colored lipstick. Most of them didn’t remember the sweet girl she used to be before she started wearing all black. Even her beautiful red hair wasn’t safe from her visible descent into teenage angst. I remembered the girl that used to be nothing but knees and elbows when she lived with the family next door to us. I spent an entire summer letting myself fall in love with that girl, but we were just kids. When the school year started up again, the family next door stopped fostering her, and I didn’t think I would ever see her again. A few years later, she returned to my school, but she might as well have been a stranger. I tried to talk to her a couple of times, but she didn’t seem very interested in reliving the summer we were friends.