by Amie Denman
“Everyone’s safety is my responsibility,” he said.
“And?” He hadn’t answered her question.
“And we’ll talk about this as a group at our next meeting,” he said. “You go home. The rest of the volunteers have left.”
She was being dismissed. Politely and mercifully before she said more than she should. She didn’t want to argue with Tony, but she did want something from him. His approval, yes, but something more than that.
His friendship.
He wasn’t like a lot of the men she knew back home. The male teachers at her high school had emotional fortitude, the willingness to keep trying with adolescents in the classroom and on the field. A few guys she had dated were mostly interested in themselves. But Tony had physical and emotional bravery, and she highly doubted he got up every day wondering how he could improve his own situation in life.
She admired him, liked him. But that was as far as her feelings could possibly go.
She turned and walked away and was almost to the big overhead doors still open to the night air when she heard him say her name quietly.
“Your heart was in the right place,” he said.
She’d be able to go to sleep with those words quieting her mind.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SUMMERS IN CAPE PURSUIT were hot, and even though Laura loved to run, the heat discouraged her from putting in miles unless she got out very early or very late. On the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, Laura helped register runners for the Cape Pursuit Fire Department 5K. Held downtown at a tourist location, the goal was to raise money for the department and raise awareness of the need to check smoke-detector batteries twice a year.
She’d already convinced her fellow volunteers to attend the event, and some of them even to run it. Marshall said he was a decent runner and, to her surprise, Allen also said he enjoyed running. It was the first personal thing she’d learned about him. Laura imagined Allen probably wished he’d taken the running portion of their exercise in the rain the night Laura had fallen on her face. But then she would have missed out on the chance to humiliate herself for the cause.
She would never forget Tony’s face as he looked down at her, obviously fearing she’d maimed herself.
“I never thought I’d own a jogging stroller,” Jane said as she dropped off brochures about city events to be handed out at the registration table. “Much less push one in a race. But I feel obligated as a member of the city council and the fire department family, so here I am sweating it out like a good mom.”
“You’re a great mom. Tell you what, if it’s close at the end, I’ll let you beat me,” Laura offered. “That will make you feel better.”
Jane laughed. “No way is it going to be close.”
Laura cocked her head. “Don’t be too sure. I’ve decided to join the firefighters who run in full turnout gear. Boots, bunker pants, helmet, everything. So I’m not going to break any speed records, and I’ll be lucky to finish.”
“You’ll die in this heat.”
“Gloriously,” Laura said. “Like a hero.”
“A hero would push my jogging stroller for me.”
“Get Charlie to do it. Tell him it’s the price of fatherhood.”
“He’ll be at the station tonight,” Jane said. “So he won’t even be able to see my triumph with the baby buggy. I think he volunteered to be on call just to avoid stroller duty.”
“He’s not that shallow. I’m sure he’s making a sacrifice for the greater good,” Laura said.
Jane’s baby started fussing, and Jane grinned apologetically at Laura and started pushing the buggy around the downtown parking lot where the race would begin and end. Runners were already hanging around, fastening on their race bibs and warming up with short jogs up and down the street.
A cool ocean breeze blew away some of the day’s heat, but Laura still worried she’d wilt over the course of three point one miles. She wasn’t going to embarrass herself, especially dressed in CPFD gear, so she would tough it out. Kevin would be running, as well as Gavin, Ethan and Travis. And, of course, Tony.
Laura picked up a small bottle of sports drink and downed it, hydrating her cells and willing them not to let her down. The other people helping at the registration table were all wives of full-time firefighters or volunteers. Laura wore her favorite black running shorts and a sleeveless top emblazoned with the name of the high school where she worked.
Used to work. She still had a few weeks, but her time in Cape Pursuit was teaching her something she hadn’t learned in four years on the faculty. She didn’t want to be in Indiana where winter lasted forever and she measured time by which American history posters she put up in her classroom. She couldn’t face going back there.
“Either you’re mad, or that’s your game face and you’re plotting a way to smoke the competition,” Tony said. “Should I be worried?”
Laura laughed. “Neither one. I was thinking about my classroom.”
Tony raised both eyebrows but didn’t say anything.
“And how I was dreading the thought of eventually tacking up the Civil War poster showing the major battles and then moving on to the inventions of the Industrial Revolution.”
“I liked that part of history,” Tony said. Instead of his navy blue pants, Tony wore shorts with a fire department T-shirt. He looked more approachable than he usually did at the station. “The fire service really became important during the age of manufacturing. I should have you teach a class on the history of fire brigades in America.”
“Only if there’s no test at the end and I don’t have to sign any hall passes.”
“Deal,” Tony said. “I found you some gear I hope will work. It’s in the truck.”
He pointed to the pumper he’d driven over from the station and parked prominently at the entrance to the parking lot where the race would start.
“Does it have a built-in air conditioner?”
“No, but it’s close to fitting you. Belonged to a guy who used to be on our department.”
“What happened to him?” Laura asked.
“Moved on to the big city department in Norfolk. Happens once in a while that we’re a stepping stone to the big departments, but most people are happy to stay here,” Tony said.
“Like you and your family.”
He shrugged. “This is our home. Come try on your gear. I’ll put mine on, too, and we’ll drum up pledges and support for the burn unit at the hospital. People are generous, especially if we’re willing to run three miles in bunker gear.”
Laura followed Tony over to the truck and stepped into the pants and boots he set out for her. He was right; it was much closer to her size. She could almost picture herself surviving the race, even though she knew she was risking saucer-sized blisters on her feet by running in boots. Tony held her coat while she slid her arms into it, and he hiked it around her shoulders. His fingers grazed her neck and she felt very warm.
“Decent fit?” he asked.
Laura nodded, and Tony handed her a helmet. She gathered her hair into a low ponytail at the base of her neck so it wouldn’t interfere and then she strapped on the helmet.
“Looks good,” he said.
Laura almost said thank you, but she realized he must be talking about the safe fit of the helmet instead of offering any compliment on her appearance. Tony slipped off his street shoes and put on his bunker pants and boots. Laura considered helping him with his coat, but he had it on and buckled so fast she didn’t have time. Experience.
“Have you run in gear before?” she asked.
“Every year since I’ve been on the department. This year is hotter than usual, so I hope I don’t ruin my record of finishing in a decent spot. As long as I beat at least one other guy on the department, I can live with myself.”
“Does that include me?”
Tony laughed. “I don’t expect to beat you to the finish line unless Allen shows up and trips you with a hose.”
“Not proud of that,” Laura said.
Tony’s smile faded. “I was just glad you were okay.” He swallowed and looked away, then turned his helmet over and adjusted the straps on the inside. “I’d hate to lose a good volunteer.”
“I keep waiting for you to say something about the fire at the boat factory,” Laura said, blurting out the thing that had been weighing on her mind for days. “About me, us, disobeying your direct orders.”
He put his helmet on. “I’d rather you’d stayed at the station, but I can’t deny you were helpful. The only thing is, I...found it distracting.”
“But I thought we were helping get rid of distractions, keeping bystanders from creeping too close or reporters from asking questions.”
“You did. But I kept looking in your direction to make sure you were okay.” He met her eyes. “I mean all of you, all the volunteers. You’re my responsibility.”
“We were well away from the fire, out of harm’s way.”
He shook his head. “You never know. Things happen.” He handed her an empty boot with a laminated sign pinned to the side. There was a picture of a red-faced firefighter running in gear with sweat flying off him and a note asking for donations for the burn unit. “Let’s get some cash. If we’re going to suffer during this race, we might as well make it worthwhile.”
Laura fell into step beside Tony and she was glad he did all the talking to spectators waiting for the race to start as she held the boot and collected money. It gave her time to think about what he’d said—about watching her to see if she was okay. Although he’d immediately clarified that he meant everyone, his expression and tone made her wonder if he felt something between them that was more than the relationship he had with the other firefighters.
It shouldn’t be. And it couldn’t be good. Laura was not going to be a walking cliché and fall for a man in uniform who also happened to be her boss. She and Diane would be the first female members of the Cape Pursuit Fire Department, and she wasn’t going to mess that up by doing something embarrassing. Tony was a respected firefighter and leader. She could learn a lot from him.
More importantly, everything she learned about responding to emergencies and taking control of a situation that could be possibly out of control put her closer to realizing her own potential and happiness.
* * *
TONY LINED UP at the front of the pack with five other firefighters in full gear. He told them all to pace themselves and not try to be heroes, but he knew darn well they would all compete with themselves and each other. He’d run with three of them before, but Marshall and Laura were wild cards.
It was past sunset, but it wasn’t dark. The evening light would last another hour, and all the runners had glow sticks, necklaces and bracelets. It added a layer of safety and fun. The firefighters running in gear already had reflective stripes, and he noticed Laura had attached a glow stick to her helmet, anyway.
One of the police officers fired a starter’s pistol, and the dozens of runners took off. Athletes in shorts and sneakers quickly overtook Tony’s group, but he didn’t let it bother him. Instead he focused on the sizable donation for the burn unit. That was what mattered.
As long as he wasn’t the last firefighter across the finish line.
He passed familiar local businesses in downtown Cape Pursuit. They all had their lights on and lanterns out front for the summer solstice event. Bystanders clapped for all the runners, but especially for the firefighters running in full gear. Marshall dropped back after the first mile, but Laura kept pace with the group. Tony glanced over several times and noticed her flushed face in the streetlights they passed. She took off her helmet once and swiped back stray hairs.
As they approached the two-mile marker, Tony felt as if he were standing unsheltered in front of a raging inferno. He remembered the incredible heat from his previous nine runs, and he vividly recalled nearly passing out once and being tempted to strip off his coat or quit three other times. He slowed his pace to accommodate the heat. Took a cup of water from a race volunteer and noticed Laura did the same.
One more mile. He could do it. A runner Tony had known since high school dropped back, pressing a hand to his side, so Tony ran alongside him and talked for a few minutes. When the man stopped at a water station and waved Tony on, Tony noticed that Laura was no longer next to him.
Had she dropped back without his noticing? Been overcome by the heat? He turned and looked behind him, encumbered by his helmet and the darkness. He saw reflective turnout gear on the ground, a glow stick lodged in a helmet, also on the ground.
Tony stopped, pivoted and ran back. Was Laura okay? His heart burned in his chest and he thought he would burst into flames as he raced toward the firefighter on the ground. When he reached her, he realized immediately that the problem wasn’t with Laura. She was helping a woman who sat on the ground clutching her lower leg.
“Charley horse,” Laura said. She massaged the woman’s leg. “Used to see it all the time with the kids on the cross-country team.”
Tony dropped to his knees beside Laura and immediately felt his own leg seize up. He gritted his teeth.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Just hot,” the woman said, “I shouldn’t have bypassed the water station, but I was trying to place in my age category. Some of these women in the forty to forty-five group are monsters.” She flopped back on the ground.
Laura laughed. “Maybe their legs will be so sore tomorrow they’ll have to go backward down steps.”
“That makes me feel better,” the woman on the ground said. “I’m going to picture that as I limp across the finish line.”
A race volunteer dashed over with two cups of water and Laura made the woman drink an entire one while she continued to rub out the cramp.
“Ready to get up?” Laura asked, and the woman nodded in agreement. Laura gave Tony a strange look, probably surprised he wasn’t being more helpful, but he was trying to keep a neutral expression on his face despite the murderous cramp in his own leg.
Laura handed him the other cup of water. “You drink this,” she said.
She stood and helped the other woman up, steadying her for a moment and then watching her take off with an awkward gait to rejoin the race. Laura held out a hand to Tony, but he shook his head. “Need a minute.” He downed the cup of water and tried to imagine it reaching all the overheated parts of his body and rejuvenating them.
“You have leg cramps, too?”
He nodded. “The mother of all leg cramps. I stopped suddenly and squatted, and now I’m probably going to lose the leg. You can leave me here for dead.”
Laura laughed. “You won’t die.”
“Okay, Chief?” Marshall asked as he jogged by.
Tony groaned.
Jane race-walked past with her jogging stroller. “Need a lift?” she asked.
“Get me up,” Tony said, holding out a hand to Laura. “I’m begging you.”
Laura pulled his arm across her shoulders and helped him to his feet. They took a few steps forward together, and bystanders burst into applause.
“My finest hour,” Tony muttered. He broke into a painful slow jog, and Laura kept pace alongside him.
“You don’t have to run to the finish line. In this heat, no one will judge you if you walk. You could talk to bystanders and remind them all to check the batteries in their smoke detectors. It would be a public service.”
“Only a half mile to go,” he said through gritted teeth.
Laura jogged next to him, though Tony suspected she could have left him behind. The pain in his leg eased, and running became easier as the bright lights at the finish line came into view. With only twenty feet to go, Laura said, “Do you want me to throw the race so you can beat me a
nd preserve your pride?”
“No way,” Tony said. He couldn’t believe she had asked, and he wasn’t going to take advantage of her kindness or his position as her commanding officer. “You deserve to beat me.”
Their steps synced up, and they ran the last ten steps in unison. When they crossed the mat, Tony could not have said which of them was first.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“RIDE HOME?” NICOLE offered as she caught up with Laura after the race. Laura had shared a ride with her sister on the way to the race because Nicole had also volunteered to help organize the registrations, race start, food and awards. Laura’s muscles were tired, but she was emotionally wide-awake from the exhilaration of the nighttime 5K and the sports drinks and bagel afterward.
Laura shivered in the night air now that she had taken off her heavy gear and stowed it back on the fire truck. Her running clothes underneath were damp, and her hair stuck to her neck.
“Thanks, but I’m going to stick around and finish the cleanup. I’ll get a ride or walk home. It would probably do me some good to walk after sweating it out in that gear.”
“I’ll make sure she gets a ride home,” Tony said. He had a folded table under one arm and two chairs under the other. “Several of us are sticking around.”
“Are you sure?” Nicole asked.
“You have an early morning at the gallery,” Laura said. “I’ll be fine.”
After Nicole left, Laura helped Tony gather up the leftover supplies, many of which they would reuse next year. Would she be here next year, volunteering on the fire department and working a local job? The race through the lighted streets of the town with locals and tourists cheering reminded her what a fun place Cape Pursuit was to live and how much her home on the outskirts of Indianapolis paled in comparison.
She helped Tony lower the pop-up tent and fold it into its carrying case. Together they hauled it across the parking lot and hoisted it into the back of his pickup truck. Their arms brushed as they pushed it into the bed and closed the tailgate, and Laura shivered, gooseflesh popping up on her skin. Wordlessly, Tony grabbed a sweatshirt from the front seat of his truck and handed it to Laura.