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

by Kelli Callahan

  “You came back though. You came back because you felt the same way. That moment was stolen from us, and it’s still hard for me to look at Preston without remembering the five years he cost us.” I picked up my coffee and shook my head in disgust.

  “What would have happened though—back then?” She tilted her head to the side. “We were so young. You were sharing me with your brother. That might not have lasted, no matter how we felt.”

  “I never had any problem sharing you with Preston. I believed that the three of us had something special, and I didn’t care how complicated it was. I wanted us to face those complications together.” I sighed and sipped my coffee.

  “It’s too bad he ruined it. We did have a lot of fun.” A half smile formed on Eliza’s lips. “Who know where we would be if he hadn’t. We might still be together…”

  “You never know.” I shrugged and sighed again. “I have enjoyed having you all to myself though.”

  “Well you have me.” She reached over and squeezed my hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I want you to know…” I lifted my head until our eyes were locked together. “If there ever comes a time when you do feel that same connection with Preston again, I will not be upset.”

  “Really?” She blinked in surprise.

  “I believe his feelings were true back then, and I believe that he’s carried the same pain I have over the years, even if his was a little different since he was the one that tore us apart. He hit rock bottom, and I don’t think he ever really pulled himself back from there. He just learned to put one foot in front of the other—which is exactly what I had to do after you left.” I squeezed her hand and smiled. “I love you—and I know deep down that I’ll never be the only one who does.”

  “I love you too, but I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to forgive Preston enough to want him to share our bed, regardless of what we had in the past.” She shook her head back and forth.

  “That’s okay too. I just wanted you to know where I was with that in case those feelings ever returned. I don’t want there to be any regrets, no matter what the future holds for us.” I looked down at the papers in front of us. “I guess I need to get dressed and start going door-to-door.”

  “I wish I could go with you.” She leaned back in her chair. “Melanie is going to need me today though.”

  “Her parents are coming back today?” I lifted my eyebrows.

  “Yeah.” Eliza grimaced. “That will be so much fun!”

  “Good luck.” I chuckled as I started to stand.

  My emotions had spun like a roulette wheel over the years when it came to Preston. There were times when I couldn’t even look at him, and other times when I just wanted to forgive him because he was my brother. Having Eliza back made true forgiveness a lot easier, especially as the days passed and I finally started to believe we were going to be together forever. Preston would always be connected to the two of us and those memories would always be there. I had felt enough pain not to wish that same level of agony on him, regardless of his sins. If there was a time when all of the old wounds healed, then I would never ask Eliza to ignore those feelings. I loved her too much for that. I had no idea if the moment would come, but a part of me believed that once love was allowed to flourish, nothing could extinguish the flame forever. Five years didn’t put out the one that burned for Eliza—not inside me at least.

  * * *

  I spent the early morning visiting the cafe downtown where a lot of people gathered for their morning breakfast and daily dose of gossip. I wanted people to start talking about my candidacy and I knew how the Andalusia grapevine worked. All I had to do was tell a few of the old ladies downtown and everyone would hear about it by the end of the day. It didn’t matter if I won them over with one conversation or not—they would hash things out on their own once the news spread. The initial results were promising, and a few of the people I talked to were immediately willing to support anyone willing to run against Mayor Stevenson. It was a good sign, but it wasn’t exactly the majority vote. Mayor Stevenson had a lot of allies—allies with a lot of money that would make sure he stayed in office, so they could continue chasing their ill-gotten gains at the expense of everyone else.

  “Hudson!” I heard a voice when I stepped out of the cafe and turned to see Dave waving me down.

  “Hey man.” I walked up and shook his hand.

  “Wow, that’s a politician’s handshake right there.” Dave grinned. “I hear you’ll be shaking a lot of hands pretty soon.”

  “I guess Melanie told you.” I chuckled under my breath.

  “Yeah.” He nodded. “She was going to wait, but she’s never been really good at keeping secrets.”

  “No wonder you feel in love with her.” My chuckled turned into a laugh.

  “I hear I’m not the only one falling love these days. Eliza Abner? You had a crush on her just like I had on Melanie.” Dave raised his eyebrows and his grin got a little wider. “It’s not too late to make it a double wedding.”

  “Oh god man.” I shook my head back and forth. “It’s way too soon to be picking out rings.”

  “Not when you know what want.” Dave shrugged. “I would have proposed to Melanie on the first date if I didn’t think it would make her run away screaming.”

  “I’m glad you managed to restrain yourself.” I chuckled slightly.

  “Yeah, it all worked out the way it was supposed to.” Dave nodded quickly. “Are you coming to the bachelor party?”

  “I need to network, right?” I tilted my head and shrugged. “We’ll see a few voters…”

  “You definitely have my vote.” Dave grinned again. “I’ll be working with my Dad after the wedding, but if you need any help, just give me a call.”

  “Thanks man.” I reached over and patted him on the shoulder. “That means a lot.”

  Dave was a good guy, and I needed an army of people just like him if I was going to take down Mayor Stevenson. I pulled out the list of names that I thought would be willing to offer support and started making house calls. A few people invited me in to talk, a few doors got slammed in my face, and I got a lot of maybes. I started to realize that the town was fully aware of what was going on, but they were scared to believe it could be any different than what they were used to. I needed some way to show them that hope could still live in Andalusia. I wasn’t going to get that without flipping some of Mayor Stevenson’s supporters to my side. Promises were easy but promises couldn’t fix everything. It was hard to believe in change when things had been bad for so long. I knew how they felt. I spent too long believing there really was no other option, and even longer being afraid to be the catalyst for that change.

  I guess I should stop and get gas, so I don’t have to drive all the way out here tomorrow morning.

  I pulled into the gas station on the edge of town and filled up my truck. My throat was parched from after spending so much time going door-to-door, so I headed inside to grab a bottle of water. Old Man Wrigley lifted his head slightly as I walked in, but then went back to reading the newspaper that was spread out on the counter in front of him. Preston and I used to come to his gas station every weekend when we were younger. Old Man Wrigley would sell beer to anyone, and that we took advantage of it. We weren’t even old enough to drive the first time we walked in and bought a six pack. It wasn’t like people in town didn’t know what he did, but like everything else, they just looked the other way. I got my bottle of water and walked up to the counter. Old Man Wrigley didn’t look up from his newspaper as he rang up my purchase and took my money.

  “I hear you’re running for mayor?” His tone was casual and matter-of-fact.

  “I—am.” I blinked in surprise.

  I don’t remember the last time he even spoke to me—it’s been years.

  “Good. It’s about time someone put Mayor Stevenson in his place.” Old Man Wrigley lifted his head and nodded.

  Apparently, he talks to someone in this town if he’s
already heard that I’m running for mayor.

  “Does that mean I have your vote?” I tilted my head inquisitively.

  “Maybe.” A slight smile formed on the edge of lips. “You’ll need more than a big set of balls to beat Mayor Stevenson though.”

  “That’s all I have at the moment.” I chuckled slightly.

  “You should talk to Henry Walford.” Old Man Wrigley nodded.

  “He’s—one of Mayor Stevenson’s biggest supporters.” I raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Why would he even want to talk to me?”

  “Things aren’t always what they seem.” Old Man Wrigley looked back down at his newspaper and flipped the page.

  “Thanks…” I grabbed my bottle of water and started walking towards the door.

  Henry Walford is the last guy in town I would have even considered talking to…

  20

  Eliza

  “This is all wrong.” Melanie’s mother flipped the pages in the notebook we had put together with everything for the wedding. “You can’t sit Aunt Hannah next to Aunt Fiona at the rehearsal dinner—they’ll be fighting before dessert!”

  “Mom…” Melanie walked over and closed the notebook. “I love you, but this is my wedding. I’m sure your sisters can be civil for a few hours. I want the families to sit together.”

  “I should have come sooner. This is going to be a disaster.” Melanie’s mother threw her hands up in a way that would have been comical if she wasn’t serious.

  “Mom, calm down.” Melanie patted her mother’s hand. “This is going to be okay.”

  “Does your dress fit? I need to see it on you.” Melanie’s mother started walking towards the stairs. “Come on, we might still have time for alterations.”

  “It fits…” Melanie groaned, but followed her mother up the stairs.

  “How do you put up with her?” I turned towards Melanie’s father and rolled my eyes.

  “I’ve gotten used to it.” He shrugged and picked up the wedding notebook. “You really have done a good job helping Melanie plan everything—much better than my wife would have done, trust me.”

  “Thank you.” I smiled and sat down. “So, how have you been? How’s Florida?”

  “Sunny days and warm beaches.” He sat down and grinned. “Maybe you girls can come stay with us next summer after Melanie’s honeymoon bliss wears off.”

  “I’d like that.” I nodded quickly. “I could use a few days on the beach.”

  Melanie’s father and I made small talk until the arguing upstairs got so loud that he couldn’t ignore it any longer. He went upstairs and calmed his wife down, or at least managed to get her to stop yelling. Hearing her mother flip out while her father did his best to maintain peace was normal in the Andrews household. At least Melanie only had to put up with it until she got married and they went home. Once I was alone, my thoughts returned to Hudson. He was out making rounds, and I wished I was there with him. Our time together would be limited until Melanie’s wedding was over, and I still needed to find a place to live. As nice as it was to crash at Melanie’s place, it wouldn’t be quite as much fun once Dave moved in. I definitely didn’t want to be there while they were still enjoying the honeymoon bliss her father mentioned. I scanned a few listings in the newspaper and tore out a couple of them that looked promising.

  I wish it was this easy to find a job…

  “She’s impossible.” Melanie angrily stormed down the stairs and grabbed her purse. “Let’s take a walk.”

  “Okay.” I nodded and followed her as she walked towards the door.

  “You’ve only got two cigarettes left.” I looked in the pack as she opened it once we were away from her house. “Are you sure you want to waste one of them on your mother’s nonsense when she’s only been here a couple of hours?”

  “She’s going to drive me crazy!” Melanie lit the cigarette and exhaled with an angry grumble following the smoke.

  “You knew she would…” I chuckled under my breath.

  “Yeah, I know.” She sighed and shook her head.

  Melanie vented her frustrations and I listened, just like I used to do when we were teenagers. It was strange to see Melanie revert back to the same girl I knew in high school after only being around her mother for a short period of time. Some things definitely didn’t change. After she finished her cigarette, she doused herself in perfume and headed back home. I told her about my discussion with Hudson and asked her if she would be okay for a little bit, so I could go see my foster parents. She was reluctant but understood. I grabbed my purse, along with the list of apartments I wanted to check out. I hoped to swing by a few of them after the visit with my foster parents. I needed to at least check out the neighborhoods they were located in. Some of them were decent when I was younger, but I wasn’t sure if that was still the case, and if I could at least lay eyes on the locations, it would help me narrow down my decision without meeting with a bunch of landlords.

  “Eliza? Oh my goodness!” Linda threw open the door and immediately hugged me.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call first.” I leaned into her embrace.

  “Nonsense, you’re always welcome here. Come inside.” She took a step back and motioned towards the living room. “Do you want anything to drink? Tea perhaps?”

  “I’m okay.” I smiled and followed her into the living room.

  “When did you get back in town?” She sat down and looked up at me.

  “I’ve been back for a couple of weeks.” I sat down across from her. “I would have come by sooner, but I’ve been busy helping Melanie with her wedding.”

  “I saw the announcement in the paper.” Linda smiled warmly. “I wondered if that would bring you back to Andalusia.”

  “It did.” I nodded and looked around inquisitively. “Is Mr. Fowler here?”

  “No, he’s at work right now. He’ll be late, but I know he would love to see you. Why don’t you come by for dinner one night before you leave?” She tilted her head to the side.

  “I’d like that—but there’s no rush. I don’t think I’m leaving this time.” I felt a smile form on my face as I said the words—a strange feeling considering how much I was looking forward to leaving the instant I arrived.

  “That’s wonderful!” Linda’s face lit up with delight. “I always hoped you would come back one day.”

  “I didn’t think I would, but you know why…” My words trailed off.

  “Yes, sometimes I regret telling you to follow your heart.” She nodded, and her smile faded.

  “It wasn’t bad advice—far from it, actually. Some of the things I thought I knew when I left didn’t turn out to be as true as I believed them to be.” I leaned back against the couch.

  “I guess that means you’ve reconnected with Hudson?” Her smile returned. “He always seemed like such a nice young man—and he’s a firefighter, right?”

  “He was.” I nodded quickly. “Now he’s planning to run for mayor.”

  “Against Mayor Stevenson?” Linda’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I don’t want to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams, but…”

  “Yeah, it’s not going to be easy.” I sighed and nodded in understanding. “He wants to try and made a difference in Andalusia though, and Mayor Stevenson is the biggest obstacle out there.”

  “Yes.” Linda exhaled sharply. “He is. I’m not sure the town really cares though. People hate change, even when it could be for the better.”

  “Some people have to care.” I leaned forward. “You cared—even when you didn’t have to. I know it wasn’t easy taking care of an angst-ridden teenager.”

  “No, but you needed some stability. I knew how hard it was for you growing up being bounced around from one foster home to the next.” She sighed and shrugged. “We were just happy to be able to provide that for you.”

  “I’m eternally grateful.” I felt tears start to well up in the corner of my eyes. “More than you’ll ever know.”

  The conversation shifted to t
he foster system and Linda told me some of the horrors that she had seen over the years. She thought that it was an excellent platform for Hudson as he began his campaign. The people in Andalusia understood that things were fundamentally broken with the way the town was run, but nobody had the individual strength to do anything about it. She promised that she would talk with some of the foster parents in her network and was pretty sure they would be responsive—especially the ones that weren’t just in it for an extra paycheck. We said our goodbyes after talking for a couple of hours, and I promised that I would come by for dinner, so I could see Mr. Fowler. They would never be the parents I lost, but they were the closest thing I had, even though I had only spent a couple of years with them before I left Andalusia.

  Ten missed calls from Melanie? Oh my god. Things must really be going to shit with her mom.

  “Melanie?” I pushed the phone to my ear as I cranked up my car. “I just got done visiting with my foster mom—sorry, I missed your calls.”

  “Eliza, oh my god.” There was a definite panic in her voice.

  “Calm down, I’ll be back to your house soon.” I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Your mom means well, I promise…”

  Her mother really is impossible.

  “No, you need to come to the hospital—now!” Her panicked voice cracked, and she was practically yelling into the phone.

  “The hospital? Why?” I felt a stabbing sensation in my gut, even though I didn’t know what happened.

  “It’s Hudson. There’s been an accident. Please hurry!” I realized that it wasn’t panic I was hearing—it was fear.

  Oh no. Oh god no.

  “I’ll be right there!” I threw my phone in the passenger seat and hit the gas so hard that I nearly took out a mailbox before I shifted my car from reverse to drive.

  I didn’t ask what happened. I was scared to ask. Scenarios played in my head as I drove, and none of them were good. My head spun so hard that I struggled to keep my foot on the accelerator—but I had to. I had to get to Hudson’s side as fast as possible. An accident could mean anything, but I couldn’t stop the fear from consuming me. I didn’t even park my car when I got to the hospital. I drove up to the emergency room entrance, hopped out of my car, and left the door open as I ran inside. The emergency room was vacant except for four people—Preston, Melanie, Dave and Hudson’s father. Their eyes were rimmed red, and I could tell that they had all been crying. My knees started to get weak, and I almost fell to the floor before Melanie ran up and grabbed me.