The Fireman's Christmas

by Meg Lacey

  "Yeah, the poor little guy has claws the size of a grizzly bear."

  Tessa cuddled him close. "Oh, Danny, don't exaggerate. He's so thin. He must have been out here a long time."

  "Can we keep him, Mom?" Josie asked. "You said we could have a pet someday."

  "Well, I don't know. I'm not sure we can have pets in our condo."

  Eric added his please to Josie's. "He won't take up much room, Mom. No one will know."

  Tessa cast a pleading glance at Danny. "Danny, you were the hero. Maybe you would…"

  Danny backed up, hands in the air. "No, thanks. I've got a dog."

  "And the baby squirrel Kyle and me found," Kevin added.

  Danny sent Kevin a quizzical look. "What baby squirrel? Oh, never mind…and a squirrel. I don't need anything more."

  "Your house is so much big—"

  "You can bring him over to visit," Danny said, folding his arms.

  "Thanks a heap," Tessa said with a wry grimace.

  "Can we, Mom? Can we keep him? We can call him Fuzzface like Danny said."

  Tessa gave in. "Okay, fine, but the two of you have to take care of him—or is it a her? A 'her' can have kittens."

  "It's a him. Hims just get to make kittens," Danny said with a look that Tessa tried to ignore.

  Eric took the kitten from Tessa. "We'll take good care of him, Mom. Come on, let's go home so we can get him some food. I'll bet he's hungry."

  "Maybe there's something left from lunch," Alison said, leading the way back to the picnic site with Eric and Emma right behind her.

  "We might have cookies left," Kyle said, racing ahead with his twin right behind him.

  "Kitties can't have cookies," Josie said. "Can they, Mommy?"

  "No, they can't." Tessa slapped at a bite on her arm before calling after Josie, who was rushing to catch up with the others. "Josie, tell Eric that kitten needs a bath, too."

  Danny nodded. "He really stinks."

  "I noticed." For the first time since he'd brought the kitten out, Tessa took a really good look at Danny. "Oh my God, you're a mess. You're bleeding."

  "They're just scratches from the thorns. It's fine."

  "No, it isn't fine. They could get infected. We have to wash and disinfect those right away."

  Danny slung his arm around her shoulders. "That sounds promising. I have a big shower stall."

  Tessa slapped at his hand and shrugged his arm away. "Stop that."

  "Sorry."

  Looking up into Danny's twinkling eyes, Tessa couldn't help but smile back. "You are not."

  "You caught me."

  "Let's go home."

  "You got it, lady. Maybe I can change your mind about that shower."

  "Look, Danny. What happened before…well, it was…" She stumbled over a tree root and would have fallen if Danny hadn't taken her arm. She could feel his hand burning her flesh. She had to get herself under control. Danny Santori was way too attractive for her peace of mind. The best thing she could do was keep her distance from him and not let herself think of that kiss again.

  Danny caressed her arm. "Was enjoyable, you were starting to say?"

  "No. Yes, I mean, it was. But it can't happen again."

  "Why not? I'm single, you're single."

  "We have a professional arrangement, that's why. I don't want to screw it up."

  "I don't, either, but you can't deny that there's something between us. I don't see why we can't enjoy it."

  "It might get messy, that's why."

  Danny stopped and gently turned Tessa to face him. "Tessa, life is messy."

  "Don't patronize me. I know very well how messy life is. But I can't afford to split my focus between what I'm trying to accomplish and a romance. I have too much riding on making a success of my life now to fall for a sexy fireman who needs a diversion."

  "A diversion. That's what you think this is about?"

  "It can't be about anything else. I'm not the type of woman you want."

  "You could be."

  "And pigs can fly," Tessa quipped, thinking he was joking with her. Then, glimpsing his serious and determined expression, she sobered. "No. I couldn't, Danny. I admire women who are completely fulfilled with their marriage and all, but I don't want to be one of them. I've already tried it and it didn't work very well the first time."

  "Maybe your husband wasn't the right man."

  "He wasn't. But to be fair, I probably wasn't the right woman for him, either. He needed someone who would always take a backseat, not complain about anything and ignore his affairs. I could only do that for so long."

  "People can change if they want to, Tessa."

  "That's the point, Danny. I did. He didn't," she said, her gaze as serious and determined now as his as she stepped toward him. "Look, I've taken a huge chance moving here and starting a business. I can't risk getting personally involved, regardless of how tempting it is."

  His mouth grim, Danny stared at her for a long moment. "Well, that's clear enough."

  "I'm sorry. But I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding another—"

  "Diversion?" he asked. "Don't worry about me. I'm not so hard up that I have to push myself on someone who doesn't want me."

  At his harsh tone, Tessa winced as if he'd struck her. "Danny," she said, reaching out to him, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

  Danny backed up to avoid her touch. He gave her a bright brittle smile. "Don't give yourself so much credit."

  Tessa didn't know what to say.

  "Come on," Danny said, "let's get back. I'm on call later and I'd like to get closer to home in case I'm needed." He stalked out of the woods, grabbing the picnic basket as he passed. Silently Tessa picked up the blanket, hugging it to her as she followed him to the canoes.

  Chapter Seven

  A few days later Danny was in the firehouse garage, still brooding over the incident with Tessa. He didn't understand the woman. It wasn't as if he was proposing or anything. It was just a kiss, he thought, a kiss that had a lot of promise, but still just a kiss. Why did she have to make such a big deal about it?

  "Women!"

  "What's that? Did you say something, Danny?" CJ Doren asked as she walked over to where he stood checking the equipment on the fire truck.

  Danny glanced at the tall attractive woman. "I said women."

  "I heard that part. What I didn't hear was why."

  "You're a woman, CJ…."

  "Yeah, so?"

  "So, okay, here goes…Can a woman say she wants something but not know that what she wants is something else?"

  "Oh boy, this is going to be one of those discussions, isn't it?" Obviously stalling, CJ pulled off her firehouse baseball hat to readjust her ponytail. "Are you referring to anyone in particular? Or is it a general question?"

  "Never mind," Danny said. "Forget I asked."

  "Okay. Listen, I came to tell you that the chief wants to see you. Maybe you should ask him."

  "Mike Crezinski isn't a woman."

  CJ rolled her eyes. "Well, jeez, no kidding, Sherlock. I said that because he's been involved with more women than you have, and so has Jake."

  "Jake? You want me to ask Jake about women? The lothario of Firehouse 173?"

  Jake Doren, CJ's twin brother, popped his head around the hallway door, peering in at Danny and CJ. "Is someone maligning my reputation?"

  CJ turned to stare at her brother. "Nope. I think Danny was sort of complimenting it."

  Danny hit his forehead with his hand. "No offense, Jake, but I don't want tips on brushing a woman off, but getting her to stay."

  Pursing his lips, Jake blew a long whistle. "Whewwww, that's a tough one, Dan. I've never had that problem."

  Danny blew his hair off his forehead. "I can see you two won't be any help. I don't know why I asked you."

  CJ and Jake started laughing. "Sorry."

  "Did you want something, Jake?" Danny asked.

  "Yeah, the chief wants you."

  CJ punched her brother's ar
m. "I already told him."

  Scowling at his sister, Jake rubbed his arm, then brightened. "Hey, why don't you ask the chief about it? Mike probably knows."

  Danny just shook his head and walked to the door, leaving the twins arguing about who had that bright idea first. As far as he was concerned, asking Mike was a hopeless task. The guy was in his thirties and never married. He'd be as much help as Jake.

  Chief Mike Crezinski's door was open, so he entered and closed it behind him.

  "Sit down, Danny," Mike said, and then got straight to the point. "You know that promotion we were talking about? It's off the table."

  Danny winced. "Can I ask why?"

  "I've decided that it will be better suited to Ron Sullivan."

  "Ron? Why?"

  "He's had some health problems and has to hang up his hoses. He's a good man and still has a lot of good years before retirement, so a daytime schedule with more desk work and preinspection would be the right thing for him."

  "I didn't see that coming. I didn't know Ron was having that many problems. I understand your decision, Mike. Ron will do a good job," Danny said, trying to put a positive face on the situation. He'd have to tell Tessa that his hours wouldn't be changing as he'd indicated.

  Mike leaned back in his chair and studied Danny across the desk. "Look, Danny, I know you were hoping for something with more convenient hours for your family, but that position isn't the right career move for you. I don't think you'd like it for long."

  "I filled in when the previous supervisor was on leave and I didn't mind it."

  "That's because you were filling in. Full-time, you'd be bored as hell." When Danny didn't say anything, Mike continued, "Come on, admit it. Could you sit in the supervisor's chair when the alarm went off without aching to hop on the truck?"

  A reluctant chuckle burst from Danny's lips. "You've got a point. And I've got to admit that I've been wondering about that, too."

  Mike grinned back. "It's too soon to say anything official yet, but there's something else in the works for you. It's better for your career and your talents. Trust me, I'm taking care of you."

  "I know you are, Mike, and thanks for that. I mean it. You've been a great boss and a great friend."

  "I'm still great on both counts," Mike commented, drawing a laugh from Danny. Then in his usual straight-to-the-point way he peppered Danny with questions. "Meanwhile, how's everything going at home? Getting much time to work on that boat you're restoring? It should be easier with Tessa, right? How's it going with her?"

  "It's good, really good. I work on the boat when I can, and Tessa and I have settled into a routine. I like her kids. She likes mine. I can work. She can work. It's all cool."

  Mike leaned back in his chair. "So why do you flinch when you say her name?"

  "Whose name?" Danny tried to form an innocent look—one that failed miserably, from his chief's reaction. Folding his hands, Mike directed a piercing blue gaze across the desk. Danny sighed. "I'm…Look, there's this attraction between us, but it's awkward. Tessa is an independent woman. At least, she's determined to be. One thing she made clear is she doesn't want to go back to the type of life Laurie led."

  "You've lost me, Danny. What type is that?"

  "A homemaker. A capable woman who gives up a potential career to stay home and create a warm, loving home for her husband and children."

  "Tessa thinks there is something wrong with that?"

  "No, hell, no. She said she admires women who are fulfilled doing that." Danny held up his hand as Mike started to interrupt. "I know, I know…It doesn't make sense to me, either. All I know is she says she was a corporate wife and she did all that perfect home stuff, was at her husband's beck and call, and she—I think her husband played—Oh hell, Mike. How should I know? Once women start talking about this emotional stuff, I don't know what to do." Unable to sit any longer, Danny leaped to his feet and paced the room. "Give me a fire any day. Fires you can figure out. You assess the situation, have a plan of attack and then you adapt to the circumstances, but women…" A frustrated Danny shoved both hands through his hair. "Hell if I know about women."

  Mike burst out laughing. "Join the club, pal, join the club. When someone finds the key to women, I hope they sell copies. Now, get back to work. You'll figure it out."

  * * *

  DANNY WASN'T THE ONLY ONE brooding over that eventful kiss in the woods. Tessa was still unsettled. As always when she was upset, she visited Rhonda. There was nothing better than sharing a problem with your best friend for compassion, followed by a dose of Rhonda's usual bracing perspective.

  "Let me get this straight," Rhonda said. "You and Danny engaged in a heavy make-out session on a blanket in the woods with the kids around?"

  "What?" Tessa turned so abruptly from watering Rhonda's plants that she sloshed water onto the floor from the watering can. "We did not make out."

  "What do you call it? Because from where I sit what you described was pretty hot and heavy."

  "You make it sound so, so—Our clothes were still on."

  With a reminiscent expression on her face, Rhonda settled back in her chair. "The best making out involves leaving the clothes on and using your imagination about what is underneath."

  Tessa groaned. "You have sex on the brain."

  "Well," Rhonda said in a reasonable tone, "that's the only place I'm getting any."

  "What happened to that guy you were dating?"

  Rolling her eyes, Rhonda replied, "No real chemistry. Why bother if there is no umph when you kiss him?"

  "Umph?"

  Rhonda frowned. "Tingle, thrill, that 'oh my God, I can't believe it,' feeling. Don't tell me you never had that."

  Tessa turned back to Rhonda's pathetic plants and tried to change the subject. 'You have a black thumb, Rhonda. These plants must cringe every time you come near them.'

  Rhonda wasn't having any. "Don't try to distract me. You've never had that tingle with a man?"

  Adopting an attitude with her hand on her hip, Tessa slowly turned to face her friend. "Don't be silly."

  Rhonda leaned forward and stabbed an accusing finger at Tessa. "You're not answering my question. You sound like a politician."

  "Well, in the beginning, Colin—"

  Waving her answer aside, Rhonda said, "I don't care about Colin. Did you feel that tingle with Danny?"

  Tessa sighed, knowing that if she didn't answer, Rhonda would keep hammering on her until she did. "You'd have to be dead and buried last year not to feel that with Danny."

  Satisfied, Rhonda settled back in her chair again and motioned Tessa to a chair. "Leave those damn plants alone and sit down."

  Knowing when she was beaten, Tessa placed the watering can on the floor and sat. She braced herself for Rhonda's curiosity. "Okay, I'm sitting."

  "You told me what happened, but you didn't tell me how you felt."

  Clasping her hands in her lap, Tessa imagined her lips meeting Danny's again, shivering at the memory. "It was…magical…and dangerous. Too dangerous. I didn't want to stop. I'm not sure what might have happened if the kids hadn't interrupted us."

  Rhonda whistled. "Wow, that good, huh?"

  Tessa sighed. "Better. That's why I have to do something about it."

  Rhonda bounced so much she almost fell off her chair. "Hot damn, now you're talking. What do you want to do? Do you want my help?"

  "Yes, I do. I want you to fix me up with that guy you keep talking about."

  Rhonda's jaw dropped. "You want me to what?"

  "Arrange a date for me."

  "What the hell for? You've got a sexy fireman panting to put out your fire and you want to date someone else?"

  "Yes, it's the only way I can erect a wall between Danny and me. I'm going to tell him that I've been dating this guy for a while and…" Tessa hesitated for a moment. "And this way, Danny and I can go back to our business arrangement with no problems or upsets."

  "Tessa, I think you have finally gone downriver, around the be
nd and over the falls. This is one of the most idiotic plans I've ever heard from you, and I've known you since the eighth grade. It's because of me…"

  Tessa stood and began pacing. "Don't start. I know the story. I only moved here because you were here and I needed some support after Colin and I divorced. I appreciate everything you've done, so please do this for me, too." Tessa must have sounded more desperate than she thought, because Rhonda instantly got up and walked over to throw her arms around her.

  "Okay, you can count on me. We'll try for next Saturday, so see if Danny is off to watch the kids."

  "Danny? You mean you can't watch them? I mean, I talked to Danny about dating in the beginning, but things have changed now and I really think you would be—"

  "Look, Tessa, regardless of the change in circumstances, it will be much better if Danny does," Rhonda replied with a sly look that Tessa instantly mistrusted.

  "What are you up to?"

  "Nothing."

  "I don't believe you."

  "I might have a hot date myself, so I want to leave the night open, that's all. What did you think I was up to?" Rhonda asked with her most innocent expression.

  "I don't know. I just…" Tessa thrust her hands through her hair. "Okay, never mind. I have to go. I have an appointment after lunch. Let me know if—"

  "Don't worry," Rhonda soothed. "I'll call you this afternoon."

  * * *

  TRUE TO HER WORD, an enthusiastic Rhonda called to inform Tessa that her date was set for Saturday. The news made Tessa more nervous than ever as she approached Danny's house to pick up her children that evening. As usual, Danny was sitting on the porch, but he had a beer in his hand instead of his usual lemonade. With a self-conscious wave she called, "Hi, Danny. How did it go today?"

  He leaned back against the swing. "Let's see. Kids laughed, kids cried, General got out of the yard and dug up the neighbor's marigolds, Emma skinned her knee, Alison and I had a blowup and then she sulked around the house like a displaced princess. The boys climbed trees and started building a tree house, Kyle fell out of the tree just missing the box with the baby squirrel, who ran back up the tree and wouldn't come down, so Eric and Kevin climbed up after him only to have the squirrel leap to another tree, and finally, Josie talked us all to death. Same old, same old."