Hometown Fireman

by Lissa Manley

  Something was up. She peered at him. “Have you had news from Atherton?”

  He sucked in a breath. “Yes.”

  “And?” she asked, holding her breath just a bit. Okay, a lot.

  “And I’ve been accepted.” He looked right at her, his blue eyes pinning her in place. “Academy starts next week.”

  Ally blinked, trying to buy some time while her heart reacted to his news with a jolting squeeze. Then she chided herself; this news shouldn’t bother her, right? She’d known all along that he was leaving.

  And she’d begun to believe she could fall for him—just a bit, ha!—and remain unscathed. What a fool she’d been. The pain echoing in her heart was a warning to back away now, before the damage was lethal.

  Somehow, she managed to plaster a smile on her face. “Hey! That’s great.” She hoped she sounded genuine, because, really, this was what he wanted, and that should make her happy.

  “Yeah, it is.” He swung away, his shoulders noticeably tense. “Except I’m going to call Chief Jamison back and tell him I’m not accepting the offer.”

  Her heart gave a little leap. “Oh. Why not?” Surely not because of her…?

  He rubbed his jaw. “My dad needs me. What kind of son would I be if I just took off?”

  Foolish hope died. Of course she had nothing to do with his decision. Okay, no surprise there. Even so, he’d told her how much he wanted this move, and she wanted what was best for him, even if that meant he would leave her behind. “But going to Atherton is your dream,” she softly said. “Are you just going to give that up?”

  With bleak eyes he looked at her. “Yeah, I am.”

  She shook her head. This decision seemed wrong on so many levels.

  “Aren’t you just a little glad I’m staying?”

  Her gaze flew to his. He stood there, the sunlight coming from the window shining in his face, turning his eyes into the color of chocolate caramels. He regarded her with what looked like…hope? Could that be? Again, the question arose: Was he staying, even in part, because of her?

  Oh, how she wanted to hold on to that idea. But…she knew better than that. No one stayed for her. Even so, she couldn’t help asking, “Would it matter if I said yes?” She deliberately held his gaze so he couldn’t look away and avoid the question.

  “I…don’t know,” he said. “Maybe.”

  Something deflated inside her, even though his answer was expected; she would have said the same thing. Just went to show that what the heart wanted wasn’t always the best option. “Drew, neither one of us wants to depend on maybes, right?”

  He tried to look away.

  She caught his rough jaw. “No, don’t look away. Answer honestly, okay? I think you owe me that.”

  Holding her gaze, he paused. “Right.”

  The bubble of hope in her chest deflated fully. “That’s what I thought.” She stepped back.

  He caught her hand. His warm fingers burned. “Isn’t maybe enough?”

  I wish it could be. Another warning flashed bright lights in her head. “No,” she replied firmly. “It’s not. I’m not sure a hearty yes is even enough.” Although, that response from him would be pretty tempting. Until her common sense prevailed. Which it would because she would make sure she held her sanity close.

  “You’ve been wounded by all that’s happened to you, haven’t you?” he asked, his voice soft and husky. His hand tightened on hers. “I wish that weren’t true.”

  Her heart twisted. All she could do was nod.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, too,” he said.

  “And I don’t want you to,” she whispered.

  “I wouldn’t ever intentionally do that,” he added.

  “I know,” she reassured him. He was a good guy at heart. “But we both know nothing in love is certain. And that’s not a risk I’m willing to take.” She made an effort to sound upbeat. “Isn’t it nice that we’re on the same page?”

  “Great,” he said in a flat tone, letting go of her hand.

  Yeah, fantastic. So why did it feel as if her heart was cracking into a million pieces?

  Silence descended. There was nothing more to say.

  “Guess I’d better get to that meeting,” he finally said.

  “Yep, guess you’d better,” she replied, looking at a point over his shoulder, then moving back. Away. Far away. Maybe doing the best thing would be easier without those brown eyes of his penetrating her defenses like a loaded weapon.

  “I’ll see you later,” he said. His car keys jingled as he pulled them out of his pocket.

  “Sure.” True, she would see him later. She was living with his parents. He’d be around a lot. She wouldn’t be able to get away from him. Her stomach pitched.

  He waved, and then he was gone. She walked over to the sink and looked out the window, making herself stand there and watch him back out of the driveway to hammer home what they’d just decided.

  Once he was gone, to her utter horror, tears came. For a few minutes she let herself cry silently so Grace wouldn’t hear. And then Ally did what she always did and pulled herself up by her bootstraps. She cut the tears off and occupied herself unloading the dishwasher.

  Once every dish was put away and she’d started on the silverware, she decided that living here with Grace much longer was a really bad idea.

  She needed a job to supplement the money Carson was paying her to babysit Heidi and the small amount she’d make cleaning Myra Snow’s house. Quick. Quicker than she could find more housecleaning jobs. And then she could move out, away from Drew Sellers, and start the rest of her life in Moonlight Cove, just as she’d planned. Without him.

  Her heart cracked a little more, and she had a feeling it wasn’t done falling apart. Nope. Not for a long time to come.

  How had she let this happen when she knew so much better?

  Chapter Twelve

  Drew peeked around the door to his parents’ bedroom. Dad was awake and reading the golf magazine Drew had left on the nightstand. He pushed the door open further. The late-afternoon sun lent just the right amount of warmth and light to the spacious room, creating a cozy place for his dad to recuperate from yesterday’s surgery.

  “How was your nap?” Drew asked. He and Mom had brought Dad home from the hospital earlier today, and he’d gone straight to bed to rest. He suspected Mom and Dad had talked at some point because there had been no question that Dad would recuperate here, in his own bed. Had they worked things out? Drew hoped so.

  After they’d settled Dad in, Drew had headed to the office to hold down the fort there. Now he was back to give Mom a break while she “relaxed” in the kitchen whipping up who-knew-what. Honestly, he thought she should be napping herself, but she was stubborn and claimed she unwound best by preparing food. Whatever, as long as she didn’t drop into an exhausted heap.

  Dad looked up and grimaced. “I’ve had enough naps lately to last a lifetime.”

  Drew moved into the room. “Dr. O’Rourke said you have to take it easy.”

  “I’m not used to lying around.”

  “I know.” Dad had always been active and vital, so it had to be hard to have his wings clipped like this. “But try to remember that the more you rest now, the faster you’ll be back on your feet.”

  “Yeah, I heard the doc’s instructions,” Dad groused, shifting to a higher position in the bed. “I just didn’t factor this little hitch into my life.”

  “Who does?” Drew asked, sitting in the wingchair next to the antique four-poster bed.

  “Good point,” Dad replied, putting the magazine down.

  “How’re you feeling?”

  “Better than I did two days ago when this whole thing started.”

  “Good.” Drew decided to just get the subject of Dad and Mom out in the open. “Listen, have you and Mom talked?”

  Dad’s face softened. “Yes.”

  “And?” Drew asked with bated breath, his chest tight.

  “And…I took your advice and to
ld her everything.”

  About time. “And?” How had Mom reacted?

  Dad blinked several times, and then reached for the glass of water on the nightstand. “And she forgave me for keeping things from her.”

  The knot in Drew’s chest unwound some. “Did forgiveness go both ways?” he asked, leaning his forearms on his knees. Dad had been devastated by Mom thinking there might be another woman, and rightly so. That would be hard to forgive. But not impossible.

  “Yes, it did,” Dad said solemnly. “By keeping secrets, I had a part in her thinking the worst.”

  Drew sucked in a big, relieved breath, and his world felt calmer. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  “Me, too. Amazing how something like this makes you really see what’s important.” Dad cast his gaze up for just a second. “Thank you, Lord.”

  “God helped you, then?”

  “I should have prayed to Him for guidance a long time ago.”

  “I’ll have to remember that.”

  Dad took a sip of water and then regarded Drew, his eyes probing. After a long moment, he said, “Ally?”

  “Yeah.” Among other things. Drew cleared his throat; he had to tell his dad what was going on with his firefighting gig, even though it was a sore subject. Well…maybe not anymore, since he wasn’t going to Atherton, which is what his dad had wanted all along. “And…there’s more.”

  “I’m all ears.”

  “Well, I got a call yesterday, and I was accepted into the Atherton Fire Academy.”

  Dad’s face broke into a huge grin that looked genuine enough. “That’s wonderful, son.”

  Drew did a double take. “It is?”

  “Certainly. I know this is what you wanted.”

  Drew stood, thrown a bit by Dad’s reaction. “Thanks. But I’m not going.”

  Dad almost dropped his glass of water. “What?” He sputtered. “Why not? I thought that’s what you wanted to do.”

  “It was, but not anymore,” Drew said, turning to look out the window. Funny how the sun was shining brightly today of all days. “I see now that you need me here.”

  Silence.

  After a long beat of time, Drew turned around.

  Dad just sat there, staring at him, his jaw visibly tight.

  “What? I thought you’d be happy about this,” Drew said. “You wanted me to stay so badly you were even going to put out feelers about firefighting positions closer to Moonlight Cove.”

  “I said that, yes. But…I’ve changed my mind.” Dad waved a hand in the air. “I’ve been a selfish jerk about this firefighting thing. I’m sorry about that and that I kept the true state of affairs at the office from everyone.” He laughed under his breath. “Guess I need everyone’s forgiveness.”

  “You’re asking for my forgiveness?” Talk about a turnaround. “I figured I needed yours.”

  Dad scowled. “Why would you think that?”

  “Because I was selfish, too.”

  “Stop,” Dad said. “You weren’t selfish at all. You were simply following your dream, and that isn’t ever something to regret.”

  Drew shook his head. “How can I leave now, though?”

  “You mean because I’ve spent more time in a hospital gown than regular clothes for the last few days?”

  “Well, yeah.”

  “Oh, pshaw,” Dad said with a shake of his head. “I’m going to be fine, trust me. I’m going to follow the prescribed diet, start exercising more and enjoy the company of my lovely wife.” He smiled. “This was just the wake-up call I needed.”

  “Me, too. It’s made me realize that I need to stay.”

  “Well, that’s my fault all around, and, again, I’m sorry. But I’m not asking you to stay.” He paused. “In fact, now that I think about it, you’re fired.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You are now officially being delivered a pink slip,” Dad said firmly. “Have fun in Atherton, and be sure and come visit once in a while.”

  Words failed Drew for a few seconds, but then a weight lifted off his heart. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive, and I should have said this years ago, right about the time you graduated from college and moved back here.”

  “What about the business?”

  “Sellers Real Estate will be just fine. Steve Carroll approached me a few months ago about merging our two businesses, and I’m taking him up on the offer.”

  Drew felt his jaw fall to his knees. “You’re kidding.” Steve Carroll owned Carroll and Company, the only other real estate firm in town, and was Dad’s biggest competitor, not to mention bitterest rival. There had never been much love lost between the two men. Drew had actually been afraid of Steve when he was a kid.

  “No, I’m not,” Dad said firmly. “Both of the companies are struggling in the current market, and it’s a good business decision to merge. Besides, Steve’s younger than me and still wants to work the long hours. I can stay involved in the business, but I’ll be able to cut back a bit and enjoy spending time with your mom.”

  Made sense, even though merging with Carroll was the last move Drew had expected his dad to make. Another thought occurred to him. “Have you talked to Mom about this development?”

  “She’s the one who suggested it.”

  “So she approves.”

  “She does,” Dad replied.

  More weight lifted off Drew, and excitement bubbled in his blood. Looked as if he was free to go to Atherton with nothing in Moonlight Cove keeping him here.

  He shook his head, frowning.

  Except Ally.

  Drew’s happiness came crashing down. Going to Atherton would mean leaving her behind. Suddenly, his stomach hollowed out. He recalled their conversation in the kitchen last night. Neither one of them was ready for anything serious. Yet…there was something there, something he was having a hard time denying. What was it about her that pulled at him? He couldn’t get her out of his mind, and when he wasn’t with her, he wanted to be. When he was with her, all he wanted to do was take her into his arms and kiss her again.

  Dad’s voice cut in. “Ally’s really caught your attention, hasn’t she?”

  “How did you know?”

  Dad rolled his eyes. “Your mom told me.”

  “I do care about her,” Drew replied. “But…it’s complicated.”

  Dad made a face. “Complicated?” He waved a hand in the air. “Only if you make it complicated. If you want it to work, it will,” Dad said.

  “It’s not that easy.”

  “Sure it is,” Dad replied matter-of-factly. “And coming from someone who almost lost the love of his life, trust me, falling in love isn’t about timing or anything as concrete as that.”

  Drew couldn’t help but ask, “So what is it about?”

  “It’s about how you feel in here,” his dad said, laying his hand over his heart. “And whether or not you can see yourself living without someone forever.”

  “I’m not sure I believe in forever anymore,” Drew said quietly. “I thought you and Mom were forever, and look at the rough patch you’ve been through.”

  “Patch being the key word,” Dad said. “We’re fine now.”

  “I know, but after what happened with Natalie, and then you and Mom…well, my faith in love has been really shaken.”

  “I hear you, son, and I regret your mom’s and my problems have had such an impact on you.” Dad reached out and squeezed Drew’s shoulder. “But if anything, try to view what’s happened as a lesson in love prevailing, even after a lot of pain and emotional trauma.”

  “I’ll try,” Drew said. “Thanks for the new angle.”

  “You’re welcome,” Dad replied. “Speaking of new angles, have you thought about asking Ally to try dating long distance?”

  Drew considered the suggestion with fresh eyes. “There’s an idea.” His heartbeat accelerated. Could work, but… “What if she turns me down?”

  “Well, then, at least you’ll know where she is with this, won’t you?
”

  Yeah, he’d know, all right. And, frankly, Drew wasn’t sure he was ready for that particular piece of information.

  For Ally, could he face the answer?

  *

  The day after Ally and Drew talked in the kitchen, she returned to the Sellerses’ house employed part-time. And immensely relieved.

  Last night, after Drew had left, Phoebe came by to see her dad. She’d told Ally that her best friend, Molly Roderick, the owner of Bow Wow Boutique on Main Street, was looking to supplement her staff since her lone employee wanted to go part-time.

  Ally had jumped at the chance of a job lead, and, luckily, Molly had been able to interview her on the fly this morning. Even more luckily, she’d hired Ally on the spot, apparently liking her experience with dogs. And, Ally was sure, Phoebe’s recommendation. Molly had agreed to schedule Ally’s hours around the times she babysat Heidi, and she’d also expressed keen interest in using a corner of the store to feature Ally’s rescue dogs on an ongoing basis. So everything had jelled perfectly.

  Now Ally had three part-time jobs, which hopefully would be enough for her to make ends meet; down the road she’d go back to her original plan to clean houses if she couldn’t make it babysitting Heidi and working at Bow Wow Boutique. Next on the list was finding a rental home she could afford. She was hoping Mr. Sellers would help her with that. Drew could help her, too, of course, but she was still feeling off-kilter from their conversation yesterday and felt keeping her distance would be best. Why risk her fragile grip on self-control?

  She pulled into the driveway in the sedan Grace had loaned her, and her heart sank, yet, oddly, perked up at the same time. Great. Drew’s truck sat in the driveway. He was here, undoubtedly visiting his dad. So much for distance.

  She parked Grace’s car in the garage and then headed into the house. Maybe she could just sneak in, go to her room and miss seeing him. Except she needed to stop and check on Sadie and the puppies. Their space was due for a cleaning.

  Steeling herself to see him—she’d deal, as always—she put the car keys on the hook in the kitchen and headed for the laundry room where Sadie and the pups rested.