One Last Risk

by Nancy Stopper

  ONE LAST RISK

  Book 1 in the Oak Grove series

  by

  Nancy Stopper

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dear Readers

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Copyright

  Dear Readers,

  WELCOME TO OAK GROVE, Pennsylvania. Oak Grove isn’t a real town, but it embodies the best of what I believe small towns to be: happy people, friendly neighbors, and people looking out for each other. This town has been dancing around in my mind for a couple of years, from the town green where friends and neighbors meet for picnics and festivals, to the wide sidewalks in front of the cute shops around the green.

  One Last Risk is Lucas and Sarah’s story. This is the first full-length novel in the series featuring the Bennett family and book of my heart because Lucas and Sarah were the first characters to bug me to tell their story. After more than a year, I’m finally ready to share it with the rest of you.

  I hope you enjoy reading how Sarah helps Lucas overcome the guilt he feels about his best friend’s death and Lucas teaches Sarah how to love again after the death of her husband. And make sure you say hey to Lily, Sarah’s spunky 4-year-old daughter who captured my heart from the minute she stepped onto the page.

  If you enjoy Lucas and Sarah’s story, come back and visit again. When you finish this book, stay tuned for a sneak peek of Joey and Brittany’s book, One Last Dance, included in the back, as well as a link where you can pick it up on your favorite retailer. For now, kick up your feet with a hot cup of coffee or hang out on the Town Green with Lucas and Sarah.

  Want to know the day the next Oak Grove book is released? Sign up for my mailing list!

  Nancy Stopper

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  Chapter One

  LUCAS BENNETT’S HANDS shook, adrenaline coursing through his veins as the wheels of the engine ate up the pavement. When the engine finally pulled up to the house, thick, gray smoke billowed out of the burning barn. Horses’ panicked whinnies and mournful cries from the family filled the air. By the time his crew hustled to establish the perimeter and pour water on the fire, it would be too late. There wasn’t time. Flames darting out the barn’s doors and the melted holes in the metal shingles on the roof didn’t matter. He couldn’t let the beast take everything from this family.

  Flinging an oxygen tank onto his back, he charged into the burning barn. Thick smoke enveloped him, taunting him through the mask on his helmet. Straw blanketed the floor and stretched up to the loft. Fuel to feed the beast. His worst nightmare flashed before him.

  He shined his flashlight at the beams. Flames danced and licked at the main support for the barn. Damn. The thick layer of hay covering the barn floor was a big invitation for the beast, and if Lucas didn’t move quickly, fire would win. Again.

  Horses bucked and screeched on each side of him.

  He had to get to the animals.

  He lowered his head. The deadly heat pressed against him, waiting for the right moment to test his bunker gear. He ran his hand along the wooden slats framing the stalls. Each step toward the horses also brought him closer to the roaring flames licking at the wood. His racing pulse thumped in his neck. He breathed deeply, evenly, to conserve the precious oxygen in the tank. Before he reached the blaze, his hand connected with the latch of a stall and he flung it open.

  Come on. Out! You gotta work with me here.

  With teeth bared and eyes wild, the horse backed away from the open door and encroaching smoke and flames. Her screaming whinny echoed through the barn. As the heat from the stall seared her flanks, she leapt forward but still didn’t leave the stall.

  Of course, it couldn’t be that easy. Dammit.

  Fumbling until he could grab a lead rope on a nearby hook, he headed into the stall. The horse inside continued to buck. She lifted her hooves high into the air, obviously rattled by Lucas’s presence and the fire surrounding her. He approached the horse, his hands held up and out, a gentle shushing sound on his lips. If only she’d calm down enough for him to grab her. Finally, he got close enough, flung the rope around her neck, and dragged her toward the door of the stall. She braced her feet against the floor, fighting against his pull. Damn, this girl was strong. If he spent any more time freeing this horse, neither of them would get out alive.

  Sharp, piercing pain speared his chest. No, not again. This wasn’t happening. He was getting out of here no matter what… and the horse was coming with him.

  He’d just pulled the horse into the aisle when a deafening sound echoed throughout the barn, the floor shaking from the depth of the roar. His head snapped up as a flaming beam fell toward him. As the horse darted in one direction, Lucas leapt to the other. The beam glanced off his shoulder and knocked him to his knees then landed on the floor beside him. The fire licked at the straw, eating it up and filling the floor with flames. Like a beautiful woman, the flames drew him in, called to him, and he couldn’t turn away.

  The impact of another beam knocked him flat on his face.

  Dammit. Shit. How could I get so distracted?

  He shook his head and blinked. Fuzzy images swirled in front of him. Through the thick fog, red and orange flames nipped at the straw on the floor. He pushed at the obstruction on his back. Nothing. He tried to get to his feet. No dice. When he turned his head to the side, sharp knives of pain shot through his body. He wiggled left and then right. He was trapped. He couldn’t move.

  Lucas twisted and turned faster now. He refused to let the beast win. Eventually, he managed to turn to his side then rolled once more until he landed on his back. The fallen section of timber now lay across his chest, its heavy weight compressing his lungs. If he could just get free, he might get the upper hand over the blaze. He tried again but the gear and tank meant to save his life now hindered his escape. His heart raced, his breathing shallowed, and he flailed his arms and legs. He looked toward the stalls that housed the remaining horses. They reared and then slammed their hooves down, the floor vibrating each time.

  Damn. I know better. This is my own fault.

  If only he’d listened to the crew and not rushed in. The beast was not going to win. He couldn’t let it. But fire didn’t play fair. Didn’t follow the rules. He kept thrashing, challenging the fire in a fight for his life.

  Is this how Shawn felt just before the end?

  Would he suffer the same fate?

  He closed his eyes, resting for what would likely be his final battle. He opened them again and spied movement through the grey fog of smoke that filled the barn. Had someone come in after him? He writhed again, swinging his arms against the wood pressing him against the floor.

  The pressure and weight eased off his chest and a hand pulled him to his feet.

  The barn spun. Lucas bent over, acrid bile burning his throat. Each breath s
ent stinging daggers through his side. Shit. Bruised his ribs... again. He straightened and his knees buckled. He pressed his hand to his side. It didn’t work. Sharp knives kept pricking at him.

  The other firefighter gestured in the opposite direction they’d come. The man’s mouth moved, but the words were lost in the rumble of the fire.

  “What?” Lucas shouted through his mask.

  The firefighter shoved him toward the back of the barn. Lucas slung his arm around his buddy and together they stumbled through the gray, billowing smoke and darted around flames licking at the hay-covered floor. They rounded the corner into the last stall, backs pressed against the wooden slats as the final strokes of an ax fractured the thick wall.

  Daylight cut through the smoke. One firefighter shoved Lucas through to the other side where several hands grabbed him, yanking him to safety.

  With his arms wrapped around two company-mates, he stumbled around the building to where the crew had established a perimeter—the one he shouldn’t have crossed before the fire was under control.

  As soon as they released him, he ripped his helmet and mask off. Sharp pain speared through his side, his muscles trembled, and his legs gave out, throwing him to the ground. He hung his head, the pinch in his stomach growing intensely until it bubbled over and he wretched.

  He stayed there for a few minutes longer, his stomach churning and his head spinning. Eventually, he looked up to see Stacey in her blue uniform, a stethoscope draped around her neck and the medical box in her hand. Her face was pale. As he straightened up and sat back on his heels, Stacey reached out, pressing against his arms, his shoulders, and eventually, his ribs.

  He winced.

  “Are you hurt anywhere else?” she asked.

  “No, just bruised ribs and smoke inhalation.” And he should know. He wasn’t just a firefighter, but a paramedic, too. He could diagnose his own bruised ribs, thank you very much.

  After studying him for a moment, Stacey smacked him across the shoulder.

  He leapt up, pain stabbing him in the side. He fell back onto his ass. “Hey! What the hell was that for?”

  “For being an idiot… and an asshole. What were you—”

  “What the hell was that?” the Captain yelled as he ran up to the pair of them on the sidewalk.

  “I couldn’t let it win, Captain.” Lucas coughed and grimaced as he spoke.

  “That’s not good enough, Bennett. Not anymore.”

  Planting his fists on his waist, the Captain stomped away a few steps and then turned back to Lucas. “You’ve been spiraling down this path of self-destruction for months now. We’ve had this conversation. Each time, you’ve promised me you had it under control. Today, you not only risked your own life, but the lives of Justin and Drew. I had to send them in after your sorry ass and move Jake off fire control to cut a hole for your escape. You’ve gone too far this time, Lucas.”

  Damn. His first name. This was really bad. Lucas fumbled for the words to make this better. He needed to fix this—fast. In the past, he’d been the only one at risk. Not today. Today, he might have taken others with him. It was unforgivable.

  He pulled himself to his feet and stalked over to the engine. He ran his hand through his hair, then opened his mouth but closed it again. He turned back to the captain and leaned against the engine. “I know… and I’m sorry. I never meant to get anyone else involved. I don’t have an excuse, but it won’t happen again.”

  “You’re damn right it’s not going to happen again. I’m suspending you—”

  “Cap—”

  “No buts, Bennett. Not anymore. You can stay on the EMS crew as long as you don’t screw that up, too. You’re also gonna get yourself to the department shrink. If she doesn’t clear you to return at the end of your suspension, we’ll have to discuss your future here at the station.”

  His heart raced. This wasn’t happening. He couldn’t lose the one important thing he had in his life. “How long?”

  “Sixty days—”

  “Sixty days! Please, not that long, Cap. I’ll go see the shrink, I promise, but don’t take me off the crew. I need… I have to…”

  “You’re lucky I’m not terminating you, Bennett. I’m taking a risk leaving you on EMS duty. I’m trusting you to get your head screwed on straight. This is your last warning. I have no intention of walking up to your mother’s door to tell her you died because you were stupid. Do you understand me?”

  Lucas bowed his head. His family meant everything to him. He couldn’t do that to them. An image of his mother mourning his death filled his mind and a sigh of resignation escaped his lips.

  He hung his shoulders. “You’re right, Cap. I understand.”

  “You’re too valuable to this company, and I’d hate to lose you. More importantly, I do not intend to bury any of my men because they’re taking too many risks. Take this time to chill out. Maybe spend more time with your family, or find a girl to take out dancing down at J.J.’s. Whatever you need to do to get your head on straight. Then I’ll see you back, hopefully healthier and happier.”

  “Will do, Cap.”

  Lucas would chill, even talk to the shrink, but he had no plans to follow the captain’s last suggestion. Bringing a woman into his life wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t selfish enough to have her mourn him if he lost the fight like Shawn had.

  Shawn.

  Everything he did, every risk he took, was for his best friend. Shawn’s wife and child still grieved his loss to the beast. Lucas wasn’t about to let that happen to anyone he loved again. Not on his watch. He’d go see the shrink, do his time on suspension, then get back on the engine as soon as he possibly could.

  Chapter Two

  SARAH ROBINSON STEPPED out her front door and drew in a deep breath, the fresh, clean air filling her lungs. She glanced up and down the street she now called home. Cottage-style houses sat side by side in both directions as far as she could see. Each boasted a wide front porch, but unique touches had been added by their occupant. A swing hung on one. Maybe she’d get one of her own, a place she and Lily could rock away the sun with Lily’s favorite book between them. Probably an Angelina Ballerina book, if she knew her daughter. A huge overflowing pot of impatiens, its bright colors cascading from the basket as it swayed in a gentle breeze, would brighten the doorway. She could fill the now-empty flower boxes with happy daisies next spring.

  She looked forward to warm evenings, enjoying the summer weather on her neighbor’s porches, or her own, an iced tea or a glass of wine in hand. She’d only met a few nearby residents so far and couldn’t wait to meet the rest. In Philly, she’d barely known her immediate neighbors except to wave and say hello. But here, the prospect of having friends nearby excited her. On a street like this, she couldn’t be anonymous; she couldn’t shut herself away from the world outside her door, as much as she would like to.

  Large maple trees lined both sides of the street. Their brilliant red leaves hung in stark contrast to the bright blue, cloudless fall sky. The sidewalk that wove a serpentine path in front of the homes sat empty now, but, by the end of the day, it would be filled with kids on bicycles, skateboards, and roller blades. Before long, Lily would be old enough to join the neighborhood children playing out front of her house—under Sarah’s watchful eye, of course. She pictured herself in one of the white wicker rocking chairs on her porch, smiling as Lily dug in the dirt or rolled in the grass. When it came to her spirited daughter, she just never knew what to expect.

  As much as she loved her home on the tree-lined street, this was not the life she’d planned for herself. How could she have expected to be raising her daughter alone at twenty-eight years old? Alex should be here, standing beside her—with her—to take their daughter to her first day of preschool. Her breath hitched and she slammed her hand over her aching heart. As their daughter got older, the problems got bigger, the questions harder. She needed Alex with her to tackle parenting together.

  Quick, little footsteps thumped on
the hardwood floor behind her. Sarah turned and laughed as her curly-haired, tow-headed daughter spun in a circle, showing off her favorite purple, sparkly shirt with pink leggings, rainbow sneakers, and a fuchsia tutu.

  “I’m ready, Mommy.”

  “Are you sure that’s what you want to wear?”

  “I want my new friends at preschool to see my tutu.”

  “Okay. If you’re sure.” Sarah grabbed the new backpack Lily had picked out at the store yesterday. “Here, put this on.”

  Lily extended her arms, and Sarah slid on the backpack. She placed a gentle kiss on her daughter’s head. Sweet moments like this, just the two of them, made everything she’d been through worth it. But today, the feelings of unrestrained, unconditional love she felt for her daughter mixed with sadness. Another milestone—another first in Lily’s short life—without Alex.

  Lily hopped down the three front porch steps and ran to the car, her laughter mingling with Sarah’s. Her daughter had two speeds: running and asleep. After locking the door, Sarah hurried down the stairs and, before long, they were both buckled in and pulling out of the driveway.

  The preschool was on the other side of the town green, so the drive only took a few minutes. Not nearly long enough to calm Sarah’s racing heart or settle the nerves that beat in her stomach. She pulled up to the house. “We’re here, baby.”

  “Yay!” the sweet voice from the back seat squealed. Lily fumbled with her buckles and reached for the door handle.

  Once out of the vehicle, though, Lily pressed her back to the car and grabbed for Sarah. She’d expected this. Lily gripped her hand tighter, and Sarah smiled down at her daughter, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth and her restless feet shuffling on the pavement. Sarah didn’t want Lily to see the butterflies that danced in her own stomach. Lily needed this. They both needed this step toward independence and a new life.

  Sarah’s eyes scanned the street and her stomach tightened. She noted a fire hydrant close by and another just at the corner. Her muscles still tight, she turned back to the home, taking comfort in the brick construction. Weren’t brick houses less likely to burn? With all of her being, she wanted to throw Lily back in the car and drive home where they would be safe. And together. But that wouldn’t be healthful for Lily… or Sarah. For both of their sakes, Lily deserved a normal childhood. Full of happiness and love and none of the grief that had shrouded the past two years of their lives.