The Fireman's Ready-Made Family

by Jules Bennett

  “Wow, man.” Eli sighed and walked around the spacious room that was now ready for the drywall. “I don’t even know what to say. I mean, this is great that you may be finally moving on. You haven’t even gone on a date with the woman and you’re already torn up. It may not be serious to her, but it’s turning into something for you.”

  “It’s crazy. I barely know her, but everything in me wants to.” Drake crossed his arms over his chest, twisting his neck from side to side to work out some kinks.

  Holding his arms out, Eli shrugged. “Hey, I’m not judging the time frame. Just because it took me and Nora years to get it right doesn’t mean you can’t feel something for Marly this soon. You know Andrea would want you happy, would want you to move on.”

  Drake knew this in his head, but saying he could move on and actually doing it were two different things. He was much stronger than he was even a year ago thanks to his family and his therapist.

  Yeah, he wasn’t afraid to admit he’d had to see a shrink after Andrea passed. What man wouldn’t have to deal with those demons? He’d loved Andrea with all of his heart and he’d blamed himself for so long for being unable to save her. But in the end, he knew there was nothing he or the first responders on the scene could’ve done.

  The survivor’s guilt would always be a nugget embedded deep in his heart, his mind, but Eli was right. Moving on was the only way he would conquer that nightmare. And Marly may just be the woman to help him do that...if he could get her to open up and relax around him.

  “What makes you think this woman is running from something?” Eli asked, turning back to face Drake. “Do you think it’s something illegal?”

  “No, nothing like that.” Drake swiped his arm across his forehead to wipe away the sweat. “She’s scared.”

  “Of you?”

  His mind flashed to the second in the nurses’ lounge when she’d gone pale after he’d gripped her shoulders, then again when he’d slid his hand over hers at her house.

  “No, but I’m laying money some jerk has damaged her.”

  “So she’s not from here,” Eli deduced. “Is she divorced?”

  Shrugging, Drake realized he didn’t know too much about her personal life. He also figured Marly wasn’t the type of woman who would give such information up easily, either.

  “I assume so, but I’m not sure. She has a little girl.”

  Eli smiled. “Really, at this point, all you know is she’s afraid of something, you’re attracted to her and she has a kid? Yeah, sounds like your protective instincts are all over this.”

  Drake sank down on the bucket of plaster and rested his elbows on his knees. “I’m screwed, Eli. I’ve put myself in a position where I’ll be seeing her fairly often, and each time I’m around her, I want to find more reasons to stick around. Maybe if she gets more used to me she’ll feel safe, feel as if she can let her guard down a little.”

  “Do I need to call Cameron?” Eli asked, referring to their other brother. “I mean, if we’re having a Dr. Phil moment, I think it’s only fair we include him.”

  Drake laughed. “I should’ve known your compassion would only last a minute before turning into sarcasm.”

  Eli slapped Drake on the back and settled down on the wood subfloor. “You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

  Drake eyed his brother on the floor and laughed harder. “I’m not helping you up, old man.”

  Eli flipped Drake the finger. “So why the hell are you and Marly spending so much time together?”

  Drake went into the details about the town festival, his harebrained idea to pull Marly in on the project and the fact that he’d found himself lingering at her house the other night.

  What Drake didn’t go into details about was how he’d felt the entire time he had to endure looking at her in those snug pants and T-shirt and how her bouncy ponytail had made her seem younger than he figured she was. Nor did he go into the whole saga of how fast she’d turned him inside out and twisted his insides all over the place with nerves and wants and needs.

  How could he have slid down this slippery slope so fast?

  At least his emotions weren’t one-sided. He’d seen that pulse at the base of her neck quicken, the widening of her big brown eyes and the way she held her breath when he’d laid his hand over hers. She may have had a layer of fear masking her desire, but the passion was there nonetheless.

  Chapter Five

  Marly rested her hands on the edge of the counter at the nurses’ station and sighed. Jeremy was going to be transported to Nashville Children’s Hospital at the end of the week.

  Now more than ever Shawn and Amy would need support. The fund-raiser couldn’t come soon enough.

  “Hey.”

  Marly lifted her head and blinked back tears that threatened to fall. “Drake,” she greeted, trying to paste on a convincing smile.

  His eyes studied her, seemed to see beyond the exterior as if he could zero in on her hurts. “Is it Jeremy? Did he take a turn for the worse?”

  Marly shook her head. “No, no. He’s still on the road to recovery. I just...” She trailed off and sighed as she turned to grab her purse from the desk chair. She’d laid it there moments ago and had wanted to look over one last set of patient’s vitals before leaving. “I’m headed out, actually. Sorry if I worried you for no reason.”

  “If you’re upset, I’m still worried, and there’s definitely a reason.”

  Warmth spread through her. Beyond his physical appeal, Drake St. John truly had a hero’s heart. And from the few encounters she’d had with him, she already knew he was a natural-born protector.

  What did he see when he looked at her, though? Did he see the vulnerability she’d tried so hard to hide? Did he just see a single mom afraid to face each new day and the monsters that could creep up at any time and steal her happiness?

  “Can you wait just a minute?” he asked. “I want to pop in to see Jeremy and then I’ll walk you out. We can talk.”

  As much as she wanted to leave on her own, she figured if they were going to talk about the festival, this would be as good a time as any. If he wanted to talk about anything else, well, this would be the best place.

  “I can wait,” she told him.

  She didn’t wait long, but when Drake stepped from Jeremy’s room, the man had that sad, lost look about him again. Something haunted him, as well.

  Weren’t they just a pair?

  Those bright blue eyes met hers as he strode across the hall. “Ready?” he asked.

  Marly nodded and waited until they exited the pediatric unit before she spoke up. “You know, if it bothers you to see Jeremy, maybe you should stop coming by every day.”

  Drake glanced down at her but kept walking toward the main entrance. “It doesn’t upset me to see him. It makes me angry and frustrated. I’ve done all but tap-dance on the mayor’s desk to get his attention that we need to hire the rest of my men back on the department, but he’s a jerk and that’s a story for another time.”

  The passion in his tone confirmed the man was a hero doing a hero’s job and not just acting the part of a caring citizen. Drake St. John wasn’t so complex. She had a feeling what you saw was what you got with him. Unlike her ex, who delighted in putting on a show for the public and turning into a monster behind closed doors.

  As they exited the hospital, the late-afternoon sun greeted them, and Marly pulled her sunglasses from her purse. Before she could put them on, her cell rang. Juggling her purse on her forearm, her glasses in one hand, Marly pulled out her phone.

  “One second,” she told Drake as she answered without looking at the number.

  “Hello.”

  “You’ve not returned my calls.”

  Chills crept over Marly despite the heat from the sun. “I’ve been busy working.”

  Her eyes darted to Drake, who was studying her. This was the very last thing she needed. Being humiliated in private was bad enough; she refused to bring her dirty world out in the open.


  “Too busy to talk to your husband?” he scolded.

  Marly turned her back on Drake. “This is not a good time.”

  “You’ll make time for me,” he ordered. “We need to talk in person. I’ve allowed this charade to go on long enough. I am hitting the campaign trail hard shortly and my family needs to be with me.”

  “We’re divorced,” she whispered. “We’re not a family.”

  “We are a family, and we will present ourselves as such. I’ve kept this divorce from the media, but you will stand by my side during these next few months.”

  Like hell she would. “I’m hanging up, Kevin.”

  Months ago she wouldn’t have cut him off and disconnected the call, but she wasn’t afraid of his wrath now. No, right now she feared that he’d use his power to take Willow away. Not that he was interested in a tomboy with pigtails. He wanted a refined family, a family that would make his image spotless and win over the voters. But he would try to use Willow as a pawn, and that was something Marly refused to allow. It was only a matter of time before he’d had enough, when he realized she wasn’t coming back. Then he would exhaust all resources to find her and their daughter. Marly had to be ready and on guard.

  After dropping her phone into her purse and sliding on her glasses, Marly took a deep breath and turned back to Drake, who had his dark brows drawn.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, taking his aviator shades from his pocket and sliding them on to cover his vibrant eyes.

  “Fine,” she lied.

  The wind started moving her hair about and she quickly reached for her side bangs, but they’d already flopped the other way. Marly jerked them back over and turned her head, hoping he wouldn’t say anything, hoping he hadn’t seen the puckered, jagged scar.

  “Jeremy is actually getting moved at the end of the week,” she told him, steering the conversation away from anything remotely regarding the phone call or the scar she figured he’d seen. “Were you able to talk with the mayor about having the festival in the park?”

  Drake groaned and started heading toward the parking lot. “The mayor and I aren’t exactly on great terms right now, so I sent someone else.”

  “Who did you send?” Marly asked, falling into step beside him.

  “My brother, Cameron. He’s the police chief, so I figured the chances of us getting the park for the day we want would be greater coming from the man who would provide some security.”

  Keys clutched in her hand, Marly gestured toward her SUV. “This is me. So you’re the fire chief, your brother is the police chief. Anybody else in your family ruling this town?”

  With a chuckle, Drake opened her driver’s door after she clicked the button to unlock it. “No, but we do have another brother, Eli. He’s a doctor and actually took over my father’s practice just a few months ago.”

  Marly’s head was spinning. Three powerful men, all pretty much holding vital roles in the town. Were his brothers handsome and potent like Drake? Marly couldn’t even imagine. Surely all the single ladies in town were beating down the doors of the St. John brothers.

  “So what did your messenger brother say?” Marly asked, tossing her purse onto the passenger seat and crossing her arms to face Drake.

  “The mayor was completely on board. Of course, his reelection campaign is coming up, so anything to look good for the community.”

  Marly quirked a brow. “I’m assuming he feels just as warm and fuzzy toward you.”

  Drake’s smile spread across his handsome face. “We’re pretty much on the same page of warm and fuzzy feelings.”

  “So the date and the place are all set?”

  Marly really tried to focus on the project, but Drake’s broad shoulders and towering height blocked the sun and gave her ample opportunity to appreciate what great shape he was in. The man did physical labor, earning his muscles the old-fashioned way as opposed to in an air-conditioned gym like her vain, pampered ex. The list of differences between the two men was adding up quickly. Odd how at first she’d considered the two so similar simply because of their size and powerful positions. Drake and Kevin were at opposite ends of the male spectrum.

  “The guys at the department are all on board, too,” he went on. “One guy is already drafting up some flyers and another guy was calling some area businesses to see if they’d donate some prizes for an auction.”

  Marly smiled. “You’re really taking control of this.”

  Shrugging, he added, “I have to.”

  She wasn’t sure if he was blaming himself for Jeremy’s accident, but she knew guilt and sorrow when she saw it.

  “None of this is your fault.” She reached out, placed a hand on his biceps. The thick muscle twitched beneath her palm. “Jeremy will be okay.”

  “I know this isn’t my fault. This accident falls on the mayor’s shoulders, since he cut funding and took three good men from my department.” Drake glanced down at his feet, shaking his head. “I just hate that Jeremy will lose a good chunk of his school year and he’ll be emotionally scarred from the nightmares of living through a fire, and then with all these upcoming surgeries...”

  Marly squeezed his arm, waiting until he looked back up at her. “He’s a strong boy,” she told him. “He’s young and healthy. He’ll recover faster than you or I would in this situation. Trust me when I say you’re a hero to him.”

  “I was doing my job, that’s all.” Drake reached up, took her hand from his arm and held it between his own strong, warm hands. “You’re still new to town, so you should know, hero material is the last thing that comes to mind when people here think of me. My teen years set a precedent that I can’t seem to shake. I’m human. I make mistakes.”

  He dropped her hand abruptly, leaving a shiver that coursed through her. What else was he referring to? He realized Jeremy’s accident was out of his control, but there was something else that bothered him. He’d alluded to the fact that the residents of Stonerock knew, but what? What demons chased him?

  “Sorry,” he muttered. “I just...hate that label. I mean, I love my job and I’m good at it. I don’t need to be elevated to a status beyond that.”

  Only a true hero would be so humble and sincere. Those defensive walls around Marly’s heart continued to crumble.

  “I’ll talk to the art teacher at the school and see about maybe having a painting station set up or even face painting. Even if we just charged a buck, that would really start to add up.”

  Drake nodded. “Perfect. Cameron even mentioned having some guys from the department doing fingerprinting of the kids to keep on file for safety.”

  “That’s a great idea. Not that any parent wants to think of their child missing, but better to be safe, and the kids would love it.”

  Marly hugged her arms tighter around her waist. Her daughter may not be taken by a stranger, but there was a very good possibility she’d be taken by a justice system that could be bought for the right price. Just the idea sickened her.

  “You okay?” Drake asked, taking a step closer.

  Her back was still against the open door of her SUV, and she hated how her body responded to his nearness. The overpowering man should frighten her, but other than his physical appearance, there was nothing intimidating about Drake St. John. The fire chief was all heart from what she could see. He truly cared and wasn’t afraid to show it. And that made him infinitely sexier.

  Which made her wish she were at a different point in her life right now where she wasn’t afraid to open up and let someone in. But she simply wasn’t ready.

  “It’s just been a long day,” she told him.

  “Listen, I realize we don’t know each other that well, but I told you before I’m a good listener and I can be a good friend.”

  Oh, how she wished she could trust him. She honestly had no clue how she’d fight this battle on her own, but dare she confide in Drake, who threatened her from so many angles?

  The biggest threat was the feeling that slithered through her whenever
she was around him. More than anything she wanted to take him up on that friendship proposal, and perhaps she could, but there were still things she couldn’t discuss with him.

  Would he think her a terrible mother for taking Willow away from her father? Would he think she should’ve stayed married for the sake of the child?

  “I’m just having an issue with my ex,” she told him honestly. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “That who called you earlier?” he asked, straightening his shoulders. “Is he causing problems?”

  Instantly he came to her defense, and she so wanted to share her fears, her worries. He had no idea what she’d done, what her ex had done...yet he was immediately on her side.

  Still, Marly had to be cautious and keep her secrets close to her heart, because she couldn’t drag Drake into her world, leaving him vulnerable to Kevin’s wrath, because Kevin could have Drake off the fire department in the proverbial blink of an eye. Kevin wouldn’t think twice about throwing his power around to prove that he could hurt anyone in Marly’s life just because he wanted to.

  “No more problems than usual.” She took a deep breath, pleased that she’d shared a very minor part of herself with her new friend. “I need to get home to Willow. She’s expecting dinner, and she’s suddenly asking about fish eggs.”

  A corner of Drake’s mouth tipped up. “Shall I bring a specialty pizza?”

  Marly laughed and realized that she’d done more of that with Drake in just the short time she’d known him than in the past several months.

  “No,” she replied. “I’m actually going to cook a real meal, sans fish eggs.”

  Part of her wanted to invite him over, but the logical side of her brain told her she’d better steer clear of temptation.

  And as much as she hated to admit it, Drake St. John was becoming more and more tempting by the minute. “Can I call you later?” he asked.

  Surprised, Marly jerked back. “Um...”

  “To discuss the festival,” he added.

  “Oh, yes. I put Willow to bed at eight on school nights, so if you want to call after that I’ll be free to talk.”