After the beer, I decided to visit the fire station to hang out with the boys for a little while. I didn’t get much of a chance during the day, and after the beer, I wasn’t in the mood to sit around at home with Brady. I enjoyed his company, but I was a bit tired of doing the same thing every night after work.
The boys seemed happy to see me and invited me to join them for pizza. They’d all ordered takeout, and they had plenty to spare. I called Brady to tell him that I wouldn’t be home for dinner and then sat down to join them.
“Thanks for all the help the other day, Grant,” they said to me.
“Thanks for letting me join you. It’s really something being out there.”
“You’re made for this sort of work. I tell you what, most people think they want to be a fireman, but then they freak out when the time comes to actually go in there and do the job. It’s not easy, and I don’t blame them for freaking out. But I always say that it takes a certain person to do a job like this. And you’ve got what it takes. Come on, when are you going to join us full time?”
I beamed. “Thanks, man, that’s nice of you to say. I’m not sure. My brother really did me a solid by letting me stay with him. And I know he needs help at the ranch. So I’ll probably stay there for a while longer. Also, I’m really enjoying it. But we’ll see. I enjoyed working with you guys too.”
“Cool, man, we understand. Come help out as much as possible. The chief told us that the more involved you get, the more likely he is to let you in when you are ready. You can do your training with us.”
“Oh yeah? He said that?”
“He did. And trust me, the chief is not an easy man to please.”
“I’m not, am I?”
We all looked around and laughed as the chief walked in. He was, in fact, a rather scary-looking man, but the boys all loved him. They were constantly talking bull about one another when it was clear that they all loved each other like a family. The chief hit one of the guys on the head, then grabbed a slice of pizza and joined them at the table.
“Nice to see you again, Grant,” he said to me. “Thanks for your service the other day. We appreciated both the call and the help. You did very well out there. Far better than most people do their first time out on a call.”
“It’s no problem. I was glad to help. I think I was just acting on impulse. Get in, and get out. Like I said to the guys, I’m just glad you let me join in.”
“So, any idea what the story was? Because that didn’t look like a case of a candle left to burn or something. And I’ve met Emily. She’s got her head screwed on straight. I wouldn’t expect her to accidentally leave anything that might cause something like this.”
“Actually, that’s what I came to tell you boys about,” the chief said, and we all turned to look at him.
“Oh yeah? Did you find out what happened?”
He nodded. “Yeah, you won’t believe it. Turns out it was a case of arson.”
“Arson? Whoa, man! Serious? Someone would actually do that to her? Dude, that’s crazy!” one of the boys said.
“Do they know who did it?”
The chief shook his head. “Nah, that’s all the information I got so far.”
Arson? I wondered if Emily knew. Was someone really trying to hurt her? The men’s voices blurred around me as I thought about my talk with Brady that morning.
Just be careful with the women from this town.
Did I have to be careful with Emily? Or was this just a complete coincidence?
Chapter Ten
Emily
I missed my home. I’d been keeping busy for most of the week, but that morning I’d woken up to a note from Terra telling me that she’d gone out early to stop in at her mother’s before going to work.
I’ll see you at work. Help yourself to anything in the fridge.
And just like that, the enormity of what had happened hit me. Even though I knew the fire was real, part of me kept thinking that I’d still be going home. That somehow someone would be able to fix what had happened. But that morning, as I looked into a fridge that didn’t belong to me, and ate food that wasn’t mine, and sat in the home of someone else, I felt a heaviness that I’d never felt before. My home was gone. Everything was gone. For a long time, I just sat there crying. I was grateful that Terra wasn’t home to see me, although I knew that if she was, I probably wouldn’t have gotten so emotional. She’d been keeping me busy all week, and now that I couldn’t stop the emotions that were running through my head. It was the first time that I’d really allowed myself to feel sad.
I cried until I felt like I had no more tears. And, when it was time to go to work, I washed my face about ten times to stop myself from looking like I’d been crying. I’d never been the most elegant of criers, but I was hoping that nobody would notice.
Of course, Terra was my best friend, so it was the first thing she picked up on when she saw me.
“What’s wrong?”
“My house burned down,” I said. My lips were trembling, and I started crying all over again.
“Oh no, I shouldn’t have left you. I’m so sorry.”
“No, don’t be sorry. It’s good to cry. I need to get this part over with. But it’s like I’ve only just realized now that I’ve lost my house. I don’t think it hit home before this. Ha! Hit home! Now that’s funny.” But it wasn’t that funny, and it only made me laugh even more.
Terra made me a cup of coffee, and the two of us sat in her office to talk.
“When is your first appointment?” I asked her.
“Not for another thirty-five minutes. And yours too. I checked your books. So we have time to just sit and relax for a while.”
I smiled at her through my tears. “I’m such an ugly crier.”
She chuckled. “No, you’re not. Your nose goes all red, but that just makes you look cuter than you already are. But don’t worry. You won’t look like you’ve been crying when we’re finished talking. You’ll see.”
“I hope not. I don’t want the kids to see me cry.”
“Okay, let’s change the subject then. Tell me about this date you have tomorrow night. Where is he taking you? And what does this guy look like now that you finally saw him up close?”
I chuckled. “I don’t know where he’s taking me. Maybe I should come up with a place. Poor guy doesn’t know the area at all, and I doubt Brady is going to be any help whatsoever. And what does he look like? He’s pretty damn fine. He has short black hair and dark-green eyes. He has a kind face, but he also looks a bit rough around the edges. He looks like someone who thinks a lot but who keeps the thoughts to himself. And he’s crazy muscular. He’s just started at the ranch, so I don’t think it’s from that. Maybe he had an outdoor job before or did a lot of gym. I hugged him, and trust me, he has muscles.”
“Wait a second . . . you hugged him? Since when?”
“Remember when I said he came to help me rummage through the house?”
“Yeah, but you didn’t me about the hug.”
“He was the one that found my grandmother’s diary. I was so overwhelmed that I hugged him. It wasn’t a very long hug, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“Emily Wessler, are you blushing?”
I fanned my face which suddenly felt as hot as the cup of coffee in my hand. “No, I’m not. It’s just this coffee making me hot.”
“I cannot believe you hugged him. And the way you talked about him. It was very . . . descriptive.”
“Well, when you ask someone what a person looks like surely you are looking for a descriptive answer,” I said defensively.
She laughed. “Wow, I cannot believe you are going on a date. And there you were telling me just the other day that new men never come to this town.”
“That’s true. But it’s not really a date. It’s just dinner.”
“A dinner date.”
“Terra, stop it. You’re making me nervous.”
“This is the first time I’ve known you to go out on a date wit
h someone that’s not from around here. A big city boy.”
“Terra, you’re making me more and more nervous.”
She chuckled. “Oh, I’m just kidding. You deserve to go out and have a good time. And look, your face has cleared up. You’re still blushing a little, but at least you don’t look like you’ve been crying anymore.”
I took a look in the mirror and smiled. She was right. The blotchiness around my eyes had almost disappeared. “You’re a miracle worker,” I said.
“Yes, yes I am,” she said and chuckled.
“And just for that, I’m going to treat you to some mac and cheese tonight.”
“You are?”
“I am!”
“Ah, I like having you as my roomie.”
The day went by quickly, with Wendy as my final child for the day. This time it wasn’t her father who dropped her off, but some woman that I’d never seen. Wendy said it was her nanny who helped out when her father was too busy with work. I’d breathed a sigh of relief that I wouldn’t have to deal with Brett that day.
But, I was wrong. Because just as I was finished with Wendy and waiting for the nanny to return, Brett showed up. He looked a little bit different today, but I couldn’t figure out why. He had on his usual jeans and shirt combo.
“Hi, Emily, it’s good to see you again. You look beautiful today.”
“Oh, uh. Thank you.”
“I hope you enjoyed the chocolates last week. They’re my personal favorite.”
I smiled weakly at him. I wasn’t really in the mood to talk to him but he was a paying customer, and I had to be polite. Also, his little girl was standing nearby, and I was sure she was listening in.
“I did. They were delicious. Thank you so much again. Wendy is doing so well. I think we’re only going to need a few more lessons at this rate. She’s advancing quicker than I thought she would. Smart girl you have,” I said and smiled at Wendy instead of at her father. She beamed back at me. As usual, I tried to deflect the conversation of him and me toward his daughter.
“She is doing so well. I keep telling her to slow down, but it’s good that she’s done so well. That’s good to hear. Although, I’ll keep her here for a bit longer. She really enjoys these lessons.”
I heard a sound coming from Terra’s room, and I knew she was listening in. I took a step closer so that she could hear the conversation and come in to save me if Brett took it too far.
“Look, Emily,” he said and moved in closer too. “I heard about your house. I’m so sorry. That is just awful.”
“You did? Wow, news travels fast in this town.”
“Are you okay?”
I nodded. “I’m fine. It was quite a shock, but I’m doing okay. I’ve had a great deal of support through it all. It’s one of those crazy things that you just never think is going to happen to you.”
“I’m sure. It couldn’t have been easy for you. Are you sure you’re coping?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Thanks for asking. At least I wasn’t in the house, you know. I have to concentrate on the positive.”
“That’s good of you. Would you like a place to stay? I have a spare room, and you are more than welcome to take it. It wouldn’t be a hassle at all. And we’d love to have you.”
I gulped. In a way, it was like he was asking me on a date for the fourth time. I shook my head and forced myself to smile.
“Thank you so much for the offer. That’s so nice of you. But it’s okay. I’m actually staying with a friend.”
“Are you sure? I have the space. That way you won’t have to put your friend out.”
“Oh goodness, no, it’s fine. In a way, it’s nice for the two of us to catch up again. She has the space, so I’m all sorted. Thanks, Brett. Well, I better get going. I’m making her dinner tonight, and I still need to go out and buy the ingredients.”
The moment he was gone, Terra came rushing out.
“Can that man get any creepier?”
“Remember when we thought he was nice? You even said he was cute. I actually thought so too. But now I just look at him and all I can see is some weirdo who won’t stop asking me out. Does he really think I’d go and stay with him?”
“I don’t like this guy, Em. Are you sure you don’t want to tell the boss about him? I’m not sure I want him coming here. And you heard him; he doesn’t want Wendy to stop having her lessons. That’s because he needs an excuse to come and see you. If Wendy doesn’t come here, then what is he going to do? And why does he want Wendy’s progress to slow down? No, that guy is just too strange. Why didn’t we pick up on it before?”
I shook my head. “I can’t do that to Wendy. And anyway, I think I need to be smarter about this whole thing. I don’t want to piss him off either, and I don’t want a target on my back.. I’m going to propose three more lessons with Wendy. That’s it. After that, I’m going to tell him that there is no point as she has learned all that she can with me and that I need the space for other kids. I’ll be nice, but I’ll also be firm about it.”
“Three more lessons. Okay, that’s a good idea. That way he won’t think you’re trying to get rid of him.”
“Yeah, if I told him to go now, then he’d know I was trying to avoid him. Three lessons and that’s it.”
“Okay, but do you promise to tell the boss if he continues to harass you after this? Or if he doesn’t anything weird again? I know you don’t want to hurt Wendy, but you also have to think of your own safety. There is just something off about that guy.”
“I promise.”
“Good, because if you don’t, then I will.”
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go. I don’t want to think about my house, or about Brett anymore. The only thing I want to do is make you a huge bowl of mac and cheese.”
“I almost forgot about dinner in the middle of all this chaos. You know things are bad when I forget about mac and cheese. Come on, let’s go.”
Chapter Eleven
Grant
“So, have you spoken to Pop lately?” I asked Brady even though I knew what the answer would be.
“Nope. Why are you bringing this up now?” Brady asked. He seemed angry, which was unlike him. Brady was one of the only Maxwell brothers that didn’t have much of a temper. So when he was angry, it always came as a surprise.
“Why am I bringing this up? Because Pop has cancer, that’s why.”
“You said he was getting better. You said it wasn’t life threatening.”
“It’s still cancer! It’s not something that should be taken lightly. And he needs us right now. Just a phone call won’t hurt you.”
“Look, I don’t have the sort of relationship that you have with him. You were always his favorite, Patriot. You and Gunner. Although Gunner didn’t see it.”
“Gunner didn’t see it. And neither do you. Pop doesn’t have favorites. He loves us all. And he needs us now. I know all about what went down with the two of you. But you can at least talk to him. Think about it, okay?”
“Sure,” Brady said, and I knew that he wouldn’t think about it at all.
“Thanks,” I said and smiled. It probably wasn’t any of my business, anyway. If he didn’t want to talk about it or think about it, I shouldn’t force him. “So, what are you doing today?”
“Probably a bit of work.”
“But it’s Saturday.”
“The ranch doesn’t run by itself just because it’s a Saturday.”
“Ah no, now I feel bad not helping you. Is there anything I can do?”
He smiled. “Nah, that’s okay. Thanks, Patriot. Just because I work like a maniac doesn’t mean you have to. Besides, isn’t tonight your big dinner date?”
I grinned. I hadn’t stopped thinking about the dinner all day. I nodded. “Yep, tonight is the night. Do you have any idea where I can take her? I was thinking of asking her, but I sort of feel bad as I’m the one who asked her out.”
“I’m probably the wrong person to ask. Oh, but wait, I heard someone talking about th
is restaurant the other day. It’s apparently the oldest restaurant in Wyoming, and it’s been recently renovated. It’s been made to look like an old barn. It sounds nice. Maybe take her there.”
“Hey, that actually does sound nice. Thanks, man.”
“No problem. I’ll get you the details. So, what’s going to happen after the date? Because you live with me and she lives with her friend Terra at the moment.”
“What do you mean? We’re just going for dinner. We don’t need a house to go to afterward. I doubt she’s the sort of woman that sleeps with someone on the first date anyway.”
“Well, that’s true.”
I shook my head. If things did actually go well with Emily, then we’d have to cross that bridge when we got there, but who knew if that would even happen. That was a thought or concern for another day.
Later that day, I got ready for the date. I laughed when I looked at myself in the mirror. Before moving to Wyoming, I spent most of my time dressed in black. It was just what you did when you were part of the motorcycle group. But just last week I’d gone to buy a load of more comfortable clothes, because working in the hot sun wearing only black was not the greatest idea. My go-to outfit for a date would usually have been black jeans, a black or white shirt, and my black leather jacket. But now, I found that I didn’t want to dress that way anymore. It didn’t suit the environment. I still didn’t look quite as ‘farmer’ as Brady did, but I put on a pair of blue jeans, a white shirt with the long sleeves rolled up, and sneakers. The clothes were simple, but they felt comfortable. And if there was one thing I had figured out about the people in this farming community—they liked to be comfortable.
“Wow, you look beautiful,” I said the moment I went to get Emily.
She started laughing. “Look at us. We match.”
I looked at her and chuckled. She was right. She was wearing blue jeans and a white top with sneakers.
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