Rescued by the Firefighter

by Gail Gaymer Martin

  Paula’s lungs collapsed against her heart, and her head spun. Elise wanting what she wanted didn’t have to be spoken. She’d seen it in the woman’s determined expression. Even if she loved a man with all her heart and soul, she could never walk into an intimate situation such as this one and stake a claim so obvious it coiled around Paula like a snake.

  Cobra came to mind.

  She slid her soup aside, drew her salad closer but ignored it. Later she forced down two of the six perch fillets that were probably delicious. No matter what Clint said, his words rolled off her, and she drowned in uncertainty again. He’d shown his disgust, but the past had strength to undo the present. She’d almost allowed that to happen, and though Clint had fortitude, Elise had been the woman he’d promised to marry years ago, and despite her embarrassing attempt to impact their date, she had only put a small dent in it. The woman had persistence. Viewing their past and Elise’s determination, what guarantee did she have that Clint wouldn’t think back and honor his past promise to Elise? She had beguiled him once. She could do it again.

  Paula clung to her self-esteem, the faith beginning to settle in her heart and the image of her life with Clint, but it all seemed too good to be true. Somehow when her life held promise, reality dashed it to the ground.

  What now? She could only pray to a God she’d rejected for so long, but a God she hoped loved her as He’d promised.

  * * *

  Devon had signaled to Clint before the morning meeting. He wanted something, but so did Clint, so he welcomed the opportunity. He settled into a chair, only half listening to the review of the past shift. Since the dinner Friday, his thoughts had dwelled on the coincidence of Elise showing up at Clawson Steak House.

  Even though he’d been snide about the possibility, he’d worked it through in his head, and logic told him it had to be just that. A coincidence. But logic had a short life. The situation left him with the feeling she’d put one over on him. But how would she have known? No one knew about the date except Devon, which meant Ashley knew, but how Elise fit into the picture made no sense.

  With that question hanging in his mind, Clint had wanted to ask Devon about the situation all day yesterday, but they’d been busy fighting a grass fire started by someone who knew burning trash was against the city ruling. The fire was followed by releasing a child whose head was stuck between the rungs of a staircase, and visiting the woman who fell and couldn’t get up, which had become a weekly event since she loved the crew’s visit and so did her dog. Loneliness was a sad situation. Something he’d learned from experience. Another fire blazed through much of the night, and he had been too tired to talk about anything.

  Devon wound down the review, and the new lieutenant took over for the next crew’s tasks and duties. When his part of the meeting ended, he rose and waited for Devon.

  “Could I ask a favor?”

  “Sure.” Clint walked beside him to the locker room to change out of their uniforms.

  Devon held the door. “My car’s in the shop. Ashley dropped me off on Thursday, but she has the kids, and I hate to drag her into the cold. I told her I’d hitch a ride home. Do you mind?”

  “No problem. I’ve been wanting to talk with you, anyway.” He stepped into his jeans and pulled a knit shirt over his head.

  Devon had finished and sidled over to him while Clint put on his shoes. “What’s up?”

  Clint tied his sneaker and rose. “Have you run into Elise anywhere?”

  “Elise? No.” His face twisted to a scowl. “Why?”

  “Somehow I think she knew I was taking Paula to the Clawson Steak House last Friday.”

  Devon’s back straightened. “It wasn’t me, and it wouldn’t be Ash. We both know how you feel about that.”

  “I thought so, but someone must have said—”

  “No. He wouldn’t have.” Devon’s color heightened as his eyes narrowed. “If he did, I’ll—”

  “If who did?” Clint held his breath.

  “Sal. He asked me the day you called her, and I didn’t think a thing of it. You’d been talking about the gift card when he was there.”

  “But why would Sal—”

  “Maureen used to be good friends with Elise.”

  Clint’s hands rolled to fists. “If it was Sal, I’d have a few words for him, but Maureen’s another story. I tell you, Dev, no matter who stirred up this trouble, I’m rabid.”

  Devon dropped his hand on Clint’s shoulder. “I don’t blame you.”

  Outside, a breeze swept through Clint’s hair, and he sucked in the fresh air to rid him of the tainted smell of someone prying into his business. And he had no recourse. “Let’s keep my life to ourselves from now on, Dev.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t even think of Maureen until you asked.”

  He slapped Devon on the back. “I know you didn’t mean anything, but you should have seen the show. I can’t believe Elise would lower herself to groveling, but that’s how it came across.”

  “She was always a manipulator, Clint. Love is blind. You never noticed, and I didn’t plan to break the news. I figured one day you’d see it and take care of it yourself.”

  A puff of air shot from him as he wondered if he would have ever seen the truth. Elise was the first woman he’d thought he’d loved. If he’d experienced then what he had now, he would have known better.

  Devon slipped into the passenger side, his thoughts seeming to be on the Elise situation. Having no interest in dragging it on, Clint changed the subject. The problem was one he had to resolve, and he could only hope Elise would lie low and realize she’d lost whatever she was after.

  When he pulled into the driveway, Devon jumped out. “Come in. Ashley asked me to do a project, and I need a talented carpenter’s advice.” He gave Clint a wink.

  “Happy to.” Clint turned off the motor while Devon waited and then followed him to the house.

  Devon opened the door, and footsteps pounded down the stairs. “Daddy.” Kaylee opened her arms and clung to his legs while Joey charged behind and joined her. He crouched down and gave them both a big hug. “Tell your mom Clint’s here to help me with the shelves she wants.”

  “Me, too.” Joey pointed to his chest. “I can help.”

  Clint couldn’t help but chuckle, and he scooted Joey into his arms. “Let’s go, big man, and see what your mom has in mind.”

  “Shelves,” Joey piped up, sweeping his arm toward the back of the house.

  Clint gave him a squeeze, and as he came through the kitchen doorway, he skidded to a stop. “Paula. This is a nice surprise.”

  She gave a faint grin. He suspected her tinge of uncertainty resulted from the confrontation with Elise.

  Ashley pointed toward the nook in the dining room. “I’d like to put some shelving in that wasted niche.”

  “Niche.” Joey’s voice split the air.

  Everyone laughed, even Paula.

  Ashley flagged the kids toward the living room while he and Devon studied the space, rather useless as he noted but shelving would add something useful. They tossed around ideas, measured and made some progress.

  When he’d finished, he wandered back to the kitchen, hoping to join the conversation with Paula, but Joey tugged his arm and he followed him along with Kaylee into the living room.

  The children had set up a toy village with a schoolhouse and playground, along with a school bus, and Kaylee seemed to be in charge of the house with pieces of furniture, little people and even a pet cat.

  “Come, Clint.” Joey beckoned him to sit. “You be the bus driver.” He settled beside them, his long legs folded Indian fashion but too big to get close to the schoolhouse. When Joey rang the school bell, he rolled the bus forward, and Kaylee lifted a child from a chair and placed her in the bus. Joey took his turn, and soon he had a bus full, dri
ving it across the carpet to the house. The children’s laughter tickled him and he loved seeing their fun with the plastic village. One day... His chest tightened, imagining a day he would stand in a hospital and watch his child—his very own child—make his way into the world.

  Prickles lifted on his skin, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Paula leaning against the doorjamb watching him.

  “Having fun?” She ambled into the room, her focus on the children.

  But seeing her expression, he sensed her mind was far away. More than once she’d indicated she would never be a mother, and her persistence took a chip out of his hope. He’d often told her she’d be a wonderful mother. He had no doubt she’d learned good attributes from living with a mother who’d lacked so much. He wished he could convince her to believe it.

  Before he could hoist himself from the floor, she’d walked away, and his thoughts went with her. Helping Devon with the shelves reminded him that he’d nearly finished her storage unit. All he needed to add were the drawer pulls and hinges, and he couldn’t wait to give it to her, but he needed to seek Ashley’s help to find a way she could distract Paula so he could sneak it into the house.

  As soon as the kids had lost interest in the village, he rose and headed for the kitchen, but instead he found Ashley and Paula in the dining room, involved in the final plans for Neely’s baby shower. His plan to have a private moment with Ashley faded. He said his goodbyes and gave Paula a hug before he made his way outside, frustrated with Elise and the mess she’d made.

  In the cold air, he had second thoughts. Maybe she’d done him a favor. If Paula didn’t trust him enough to accept the truth, he needed to face it. He’d hoped to share his life with her, a life to outshine the old, but did he have it in him? Today he didn’t know.

  Still, no matter what happened between Paula and him, he had to stop Elise.

  * * *

  Neely waddled across the room and sank into the chair. Paula had opened a card table and piled her gifts nearby so she and Ashley had access. Recalling Neely’s slender body when they came to Roscommon for her mother’s funeral, today she looked more like Tweedledee or Tweedledum in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. Her round belly blocked her from getting close to the table.

  “Great lunch. Loved that broccoli salad with bacon.”

  She thanked Neely’s friend, whose name she’d already forgotten. She’d met too many people while trying to play hostess, something she’d never done in her life.

  Ashley had bustled around, placing each guest’s shower gift on the pile and steering her to the punch table. She remained in the kitchen organizing their menu of salads while the women gathered around the room, filling the sofa and chairs. Ashley had added folding chairs to the seating so they had just enough.

  The room buzzed with sound. Women of all ages pointed to their gifts, seeming proud of the gigantic bows and appropriate adornments of pacifiers, rattles and stuffed animals hanging from the lids. When Ashley got their attention, the chattering stopped and the unwrapping began.

  She handed Neely the gifts while Ashley added the type of present to the gift card so later Neely could send out thank-you notes. The whole tradition overwhelmed her as she realized she’d never attended a shower for any reason—wedding or baby. Her life had been sterile. She’d missed so much.

  As she watched Neely display the gifts, her heart wrenched with envy. For years she’d set her mind to remain single despite Clint’s differing argument. Yet today she had second thoughts. Maybe Clint made more sense than her warped viewpoint. Was it possible to take a negative and make it positive? Could the rotten experiences of her past make her even more determined to give her child a beautiful life filled with love, hope and even faith?

  Though Elise’s appearance in Clint’s life had knocked her off her path, she’d dragged herself back onto her journey and reviewed the woman’s aggressive behavior, her too-sure-of-herself attitude. Witnessing Clint’s ex-fiancée’s lack of tact, she’d finally recognized that Clint had looked at her with scorn not desire.

  She knew him now. His heart spoke to her as much as words, and she’d allowed the envious woman, who’d either realized her mistake in letting him go or couldn’t accept that she’d lost, to undo the foundation she and Clint had made in the months they’d known each other. They hadn’t jumped into anything but inched along, each step bringing them closer together. She’d allowed herself to doubt the man she knew, in favor of a woman whose actions belied her confidence. Elise had lost her battle.

  Yet whatever the woman had done, Paula recognized her behavior was worse. Her edginess with Clint since Elise had ruined their dinner deserved an apology. If he didn’t accept it, she would do whatever she had to do to rectify the damage. Fortifying her trust in Clint and the Lord still needed work, but apologizing to Clint would be a wise start.

  Chapter Twelve

  Clint slipped his credit card along the card reader and signed his name. With the bag in hand, he left the hardware store, anxious to get back to work on his project for Paula, since he still had a few things to finish.

  His quick naps on the days he arrived home from his two-day shift had gotten to him. Being tired had become his middle name. Though he longed to see Paula, the storage unit of shelves and drawers was a housewarming gift. She’d moved in nearly two weeks ago.

  The biggest surprise was she hadn’t said a thing since the day she’d brought it up at her mother’s house, but she still wanted something to fill a space in her living room between the staircase and the foyer, the perfect spot for it in size and purpose.

  Feeling weariness overtake his enthusiasm, he eyed the coffee shop a few doors down. A mug of caffeine might help.

  He unlocked the driver’s door and tossed the sack holding hinges and drawer pulls into the passenger seat and locked the door. As he headed for the coffeehouse, he hoped he could get a couple of hours work done on the project before Paula wondered why he hadn’t dropped by to see her this morning.

  He stepped inside and stood in line as he read the posted menu. Settling for a plain mug of regular, he put in his order, paid the clerk and spun around to find a table. His heart skipped when he spotted Elise near the front window, and his intention faded. He turned toward the exit, preferring to drink the coffee in his car.

  But before he acted on his plan, he had second thoughts. Maybe this meeting was meant to be. It offered him time to level with Elise and, as kind as he could be, put her in her place. But if he did, he would call Paula as soon as he finished. He’d learned his lesson. Then, using good sense, he forced his feet to retreat. It was too late. He heard her call his name, and a chill ran down his spine.

  She beckoned, and he followed the wave of her hand, ignoring the knot in his stomach. This time he couldn’t blame her for the meeting. “Elise.” He eyed her overbright smile, wishing he’d acted on his first instinct. Run.

  “How nice to see you.” She motioned toward the seat beside her. Instead, he sat across from her, keeping his legs wrapped around the legs of his chair, fearing she might try to make foot contact. He didn’t know what to expect from Elise anymore, and the concept of trust faded when he dealt with her.

  “I’m pleased to see you.” He grasped a napkin and wiped up the slosh from setting his cup on the table. “We need to talk and there’s no time like the present.”

  “I agree.” She leaned closer, glancing at the chair beside her.

  “First, I know that Maureen told you I would be at the Clawson Steak House the night you ran into us.”

  Her head pulled back, and she opened her mouth as if to respond but closed it before she spoke.

  “You don’t need to make excuses. I’m just disappointed in you.”

  She lowered her eyes. “I made a bad decision. I’m sorry.”

  He ignored her apology. “You obviously see that
I’m dating someone, but you need to understand that it’s more than dating.”

  Her head lifted, inching upward as her eyes met his. “Really?” She gave him a coy look. “I’ve heard through the grapevine you hadn’t dated for years since...” She added a teasing grin to the look. “So what caused the change?”

  “Wisdom, and realizing I didn’t care anymore.”

  Although she tried to cover her surprise, she failed. “Talking about grapevines, that sounds rather sour to me.”

  “No, Elise. You’re wrong. It’s a sweetness I’ve never experienced before.”

  This time, he’d struck an unwelcome chord. “With all your Christian upbringing, it appears you don’t know how to forgive.” A haughty expression gave her turned-up nose an extra tilt.

  “No forgiveness needed.”

  Her eyes bored through him, piercing his spirit of kindness.

  “But I would like to thank you. If you can remember, I have a strong feeling about marriage and what it means, and if I’d not been freed by your decision, I would have made one of the worst mistakes of my life.”

  She’d been vindictive with others but never with him, but today the stench of retribution sickened him. He’d approached their conversation without thinking about vengeance, and he could only wonder what she might do to get even. As far as he could see, the damage was done, but he needed to try.

  He reached across the table and touched her hand, and though she recoiled, she reconsidered and wove her fingers through his. “You’re trying to hurt me because I hurt you. Is that it?”

  As he shifted his hand away from her grasp, he considered his responses and came up empty. “I never wanted to hurt you, Elise. That’s not who I am. What I had wanted to do was understand what I lacked as a husband. What could I have done to change your mind? What you could have said to, at least, have given me a sense of closure rather than walking away. That’s all I’d wanted.”

  Her bitter expression softened, and she looked down at their knotted fingers. “You’ve always had nice hands, Clint. Strong yet gentle. I’ll always remember that.” Her head inched upward until they were eye to eye. “What could you have done?” Her gaze drifted off into the distance. “Probably nothing. I became a pawn, I suppose you could call it. A trophy wife.” Her eyes met his again. “Do you understand?”