The Firefighter's Family Secret

by Shirley Jump

  Harry had called last night and asked him to come by and meet before reconstruction got underway for the day at the hardware store. Harry had said they needed to talk before the sun got too high in the sky and ruined the day for man and beast. He gestured toward the seat opposite his desk and waited for Colton to take a seat. “Coffee?”

  “No, sir. I’m good. Thank you.”

  “I can’t start the day without a caffeine drip. My wife keeps trying to sneak decaf into my cup. Says I’m too high-strung,” he scoffed. “You know what makes me high-strung? Drinking decaf. Waste of hot water, I say.”

  Colton chuckled. “I agree.”

  Harry leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk. “So, you going to start with the department as soon as you can settle your affairs in Atlanta? Because I’m a man short, and you’re just the firefighter I need to fill some empty boots.”

  Colton had thought about Harry’s job offer most of the night. He’d tossed and turned, thinking about Willis and Foster, thinking about the mistakes he had made, the moves he wished he could do over and the regrets that hung heavy on his shoulders. Every thought circled back to the same thing—one of the last things Rachel had said to him yesterday.

  There’s always hope for a new beginning, for a new start.

  Hope. An emotion he hadn’t allowed himself to have in a very long time. Maybe he needed to start looking forward, instead of wallowing in a past he couldn’t change. But first he needed to be honest with Harry Washington, so that if he did come to work at the Stone Gap Fire Department, it was with a clean slate.

  “There’s something you should know first, sir,” Colton said. “And if it changes everything, I understand.”

  Harry dropped his feet to the floor and leaned forward. “Okay. Shoot.”

  Colton ran a hand through his hair and let out a breath. Even now, months later, talking about that night was akin to dragging a fish hook up his throat. “About six months ago, I...I lost two of my guys. I was the incident commander, and this was one of my first big fires. We got the call at 1320, rolled out at 1326 and pulled up on scene at 1338.” All those details didn’t matter, but somehow, delivering the information like an incident report made it easier for Colton to talk. “We secured a water supply, and I assigned Engine 4 to ventilation, keeping Engine 3 on fire attack. The building was almost fully engulfed before we got there. Access was impeded by an adjacent construction site.”

  Harry just listened, nodding once or twice. Colton went on, the words coming slower now. “I had a lot to assess when I first got on scene, a lot of pieces to set into place, you know?” How could he describe how overwhelmed he felt? Even though he had almost eight years of experience with the department, that first time when it was all on his shoulders—

  Colton cleared his throat. “The building was a known location for transients. We had a report of a man trapped inside, and at 1358, I sent two of my most experienced guys in to attempt a rescue. Soon after they entered the building, the winds shifted, which forced the fire into the location where my men had gone. The flames had already leaped to the second floor, and—” Colton paused, forced the words out of his throat “—there was a catastrophic failure of the roof. My men were trapped under the debris. Engine 3 attempted an extraction, but—” He shook his head and let out a curse. He could see it now, the falling timbers, the way the fire chased behind, eager and hungry. The screams, oh, God, the screams. Colton had to struggle to keep his composure, to breathe. To speak. “I’m sorry, sir. The two men were DOS and I—”

  “What were their names?” Harry said, his voice quiet.

  “Sir?”

  “What were the names of the men you lost?”

  “David Willis and Richard Foster.” He hadn’t spoken their full names since the incident. As soon as he did, he could see David’s wide grin, hear Richard’s deep laughter. He could see them raising a beer at the Pint & Slice after a hard day on the job, hear them teasing him about his terrible cooking skills. As soon as Colton said their names aloud, they were alive again in his head, and that made the loss sting ten times more.

  Harry nodded. “You write those names on the inside of your helmet, Barlow. Write David Willis and Richard Foster in big letters so you see their names every time you turn out. You remember them, son, and you remember that you are only human, and try as you might, you won’t be able to save them all. You’ll save the ones you can and remember the ones you can’t.”

  Colton swallowed hard. “Yes, sir.”

  Harry leaned forward and crossed his hands on the desk before him. “When I was two years into this job, I lost a man. His name was Joe Dunlap. I’ve never forgotten that, and never forgotten him. His name is written inside my helmet, inside my coat and inside here.” He leaned back and pulled open the center drawer of his desk. “He’s my DOS, Barlow, but he’s never going to be dead in here.” Harry smacked at the space above his heart. “That’s what keeps us from getting burned out. From getting to the point where we don’t care. It’s what gives you heart. And that’s the kind of man I want in my department. One with heart.”

  “Sir, are you sure—”

  “I saw you out there, rebuilding Ernie Morris’s place with your bare hands. You didn’t do it because he was going to give you a lifetime supply of fishing tackle—though if he does, I want in on that action.” Harry grinned. “You did it because you have heart. Soul. That’s why I don’t give a crap about your résumé, Barlow. I don’t care what’s on a piece of paper or on an incident report. I care about what’s inside the man. And what’s inside you is exactly what I want to hire.” Harry got to his feet and put out a hand. “So...what size uniform should I order?”

  * * *

  There was a definite spring in her dad’s step as he headed out to Rachel’s car later that morning, as if a weight had been lifted from both of them by finally talking about the subjects they had avoided for years. Maybe there was something to this facing your fears thing that Colton kept urging her to do.

  In the car, they chatted about the work Colton had done the day before on the short ride over to the shop. As Rachel turned onto Main Street, she stopped dead. “Oh, my God. There’s got to be fifty people there, helping.”

  Her father’s eyes filled as he took in the dozens of parked cars, the multitude of people working on the job site, as busy as bees in a hive. “All these people? Helping me?”

  “It looks like that, yes.” A lump formed in Rachel’s throat. She’d known Stone Gap was filled with good folks, but this many? Being this generous? To her dad? It was overwhelming and touching. And wonderful.

  “Well, then, let’s get to work,” her father said. “Best thing I can do is open up the store as soon as possible, and thank everyone by being ready to help someone catch the biggest fish at this year’s derby.”

  Rachel parked, and the two of them headed toward the store, her dad moving faster and with more eagerness than she had seen in a long time. It was good to see her father so excited about his business again, as if this setback had recharged him, rather than added to his despair. She hurried to keep up with her dad, then slowed her step as she neared the center of the construction site.

  Colton stood in the middle of the parking lot, a pad of paper in his hands and a circle of people around him, waiting for him to dispense directions. He was wearing jeans and another button-down shirt, with the sleeves rolled up. The morning breeze ruffled his dark hair.

  Dad leaned into Rachel. “That man’s a keeper, I’m telling you.”

  “You might just be right about that, Dad.”

  “I’m your dad, I’m right about everything.” He winked then strode forward and into the crowd. He grabbed Colton, gave him a quick hug and thanked him for his help. “Now, what do you want me to do?”

  Colton greeted her father with a clap on the shoulder. “Morning, Ernie. Nice to
see you here and glad you want to help. If you could direct people inside, that would be great. We need help restocking the inventory that we saved, and figuring out what needs to be reordered.”

  “Can do. I know that shop like the back of my hand.” He grinned. “Can’t wait to get back in there.”

  Rachel watched her father head off to the shop and marveled at the change in him. She had all but given up hope that he would ever get back to his old self. She felt that lump in her throat again, and thought if she didn’t get busy doing something, she was going to turn into a sobbing mess right here in the parking lot.

  “You want something to do, don’t you?” Colton said.

  “How’d you know?”

  He just grinned and took her hand. “Come on, help me sand these shelves.”

  She gave the long boards a dubious look. “I don’t know anything about sanding shelves.”

  “Good thing I do.” He handed her a rectangular block of sandpaper. “Go with the grain and keep your strokes even. Nothing too hard and fast, or you’ll create a divot, and you don’t want that.”

  “Divots are bad?” She gave him a teasing grin.

  His gaze slid over her, hot and slow. “Depends on where they are.”

  “Yes, indeed. Some divots are very good.”

  “Maybe later,” he murmured against her ear, sending her pulse racing, “we can explore some of the very, very good divots.”

  “Maybe, Colton. If you’re good.”

  He chuckled. “I’m good. Very good.”

  That made her mind go down some very dark, very naked paths. “Uh, I should get to work on this before...” Before she did something crazy.

  She took up a space at one end of the board, Colton at the other. She tried to concentrate on sanding, but every fiber of her being was aware of him, just a few feet away. Every once in a while, she caught the scent of his cologne, or saw him smile, and her heart did a little flip.

  “So, how did you learn how to do all this stuff?” she asked, because if she didn’t start making conversation, she was pretty sure she’d start kissing him.

  “Actually, I didn’t. Not until this week, anyway. I mean, I knew some basic stuff—my uncle Tank showed me how to do things like paint a wall and replace the washer in a faucet. But working with my dad...” He smiled. “It was great. Really great.”

  “I’m so glad. I’m happy things are going well for you.”

  “Actually, things are going really well all around.” He stopped sanding and turned toward her. “You’re looking at the newest member of the Stone Gap Fire Department.”

  “You took the job? That’s great. That means you’ll be staying in Stone Gap.”

  She should have been excited. Overjoyed. Instead, this weird little fissure of fear ran through her. Colton was staying in Stone Gap, which meant there was no excuse not to get involved with him. No excuse not to risk her heart.

  Except...risk. Yeah, she wasn’t big on that. In any area of her life.

  “So I was thinking...” Colton started to say, when a car pulled into the lot, decorated with Just Married in fading chalk paint on the windows. Jack and Meri emerged and were immediately surrounded by townspeople and the Barlow family. “Hey, Jack is back.”

  “Let’s go say hi,” Rachel said, because then she could put off the conversation she was having with Colton. The one where he asked her for more, and she had to decide if she wanted to take that risk.

  She’d seen happy endings, and she’d seen heartbroken endings. What guarantee did she have that her own would be happy, like Jack and Meri? Or Luke and Peyton? Mac and Savannah?

  “Rachel!” Meri broke out of the crowd and came over to Rachel, drawing her into a hug. “Just the person I wanted to see!”

  Rachel had known Meri in high school, and had helped Meri over the years with finding gowns for her pageants. That had led Rachel into becoming a wedding planner, because she found she really enjoyed the planning, the shopping, the process of helping someone else create a fantasy. Now Meri was working as a photographer and settling into life in Stone Gap as Jack’s wife. “Congratulations again. I hope you had a wonderful honeymoon.”

  “I definitely did.” She smiled, the kind of secret smile that only women in the in-love club had. “If you want to marry a good man, marry a Barlow.”

  Rachel definitely wasn’t thinking about marrying anyone. Especially not Colton Barlow. Yet her gaze strayed to him, talking to Jack, the two brothers looking so much alike they could be twins. Luke and Mac joined them, the four brothers joking and laughing as if they’d been together all their lives. Colton had fit right in with his family, with this town. With her.

  “So, are you still doing the wedding planning?” Meri asked.

  “I...” Rachel saw her father, bustling in and out of the store, his arms filled with boxes of supplies. He looked energetic and excited and raring to get back to work. “Yeah. I am.”

  “That’s awesome!” Meri grabbed Rachel’s hands. “What do you think about joining forces? I’m trying to get my photography business off the ground, and I’d be glad to give your clients a break on my rate.”

  That would be a wonderful thing to offer in her wedding packages, and she knew Meri would do a terrific job. “That’s awesome, Meri. Yes, definitely. And just in time, because Ginny wants me to plan her wedding.”

  “Great! I’m surprised I didn’t hear about her engagement all the way in the Bahamas, given Ginny’s power of publicity,” Meri said. “I’d love to help you. It should be a win for both of us.”

  “I agree.” The free advertising with Ginny spreading the word was yet another reason why handling the former debutante’s wedding would be great for business. In that moment Rachel decided to take the leap. To call up Ginny, agree to take on the rushed, too-pink, too-loud wedding from hell and recharge her business in a big way. “It’ll be awesome to work with you, Meri.”

  Meri drew Rachel into a one-armed hug and the two of them faced the quartet of Barlow men. “So, when are you going to be planning your own wedding? Don’t give me that look. News of you and Colton did, in fact, reach the Bahamas.” Meri laughed. “Blame Luke. For a former playboy, that man is a huge romantic.”

  “Let me just get back to the business of planning other people’s happy endings,” Rachel said. “And leave my own for...later.”

  “Uh-huh. If I remember right, I was saying the same thing myself a few months ago.” Meri wagged her left hand and the sparkling diamond band sitting there now. “Things can change in a blink of an eye, so be ready.”

  Rachel let out a little laugh. “I’ve never felt less ready for change in my life.”

  Meri looked her in the eye. “If you ask me, that’s the best time to fall in love.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Colton’s mother Vanessa took the news poorly. She started to cry on the phone, saying she would never see her son again. Colton assured her he would visit Atlanta often and that Katie would drive down to see him and bring their mother along. His mother never had handled change well, but Colton hoped that without him to rely upon, she might finally be more inspired to take charge of her own life.

  Katie, on the other hand, was overjoyed. “So, what’s this town like? Lot of single men?”

  Colton laughed. “I’m not exactly checking out those particular stats. But...there is one woman I really like.”

  “Oh, really?” Katie let out a low whistle. “I never thought I’d see the day when you considered settling down. I thought you said you didn’t want to have anyone depending on you ever again.”

  “Rachel isn’t like that. If anything, she’s trying her best not to depend on me for anything at all. She’s determined and stubborn and—”

  “In love with you? Because you sure sound in love with her.”

  “Me?
No. No way. We haven’t known each other that long.”

  Katie laughed. “That is an awful lot of denials, big brother. I think you fell hard and fast, and I think she’s part of the reason you’re staying in that town.”

  “Maybe...” He wasn’t going to give any more of an affirmative than that. For one, it was too soon, like he’d said.

  On the other hand, he couldn’t put Rachel from his mind. When he was standing right next to her, all he wanted to do was kiss her. When she was away from him, she lingered on the fringes of his every thought. He wondered what she was doing right now. On a Saturday in a town so small, someone could sneeze and they’d hear it on the other side of the street. Was she thinking of him? Was she out with friends? Walking the beach? Curled up in bed with a good book?

  “Maybe?” Katie said. “Sounds pretty definite to me. I’m happy for you, though. Really happy.”

  “And a wee bit envious?”

  “Maybe.” His sister sounded a little distant. She usually kept whatever she was going through to herself, and that made him worry about her.

  “Why don’t you come down and visit once I get settled in for real?” Colton suggested. “And check out the single male population for yourself?”

  Katie let out a faux gasp. “Are you telling this workaholic to take a vacation?”

  “I am indeed. An entire week would be great. Maybe even give you a minute to catch your breath.”

  Katie thought for a second. “Okay, I will, but only if you introduce me to this woman who has your head all ajumble.”

  “‘Ajumble’? Is that even a word?”

  “It is now.” Katie laughed again. “All right, speaking of work, I have to get back to my job. I’ll see you soon, big brother. Good luck with the new job.”

  Colton said goodbye then hung up. The sun had gone down, so work on the hardware store had come to a halt an hour ago. There were a few things to finish up first thing tomorrow, then the rest would wait for the shipment of replacement inventory. All in all, though, Ernie should be able to open up on Monday morning and get right back to work.