by Susan Stoker
She was alive. And for a couple terrifying seconds today, she wasn’t sure that was going to be a possibility.
Now she was finally alone.
She probably had a million work details to catch up on and trips to research and book, but she was too tired and hurting too much to even think about diving into that right now.
Shuffling into her kitchen, she opened her fridge to get a bottle of water and had to smile at the amount of leftovers that were stashed there. Her mom had gone a little crazy, wanting to make sure she had meals for the next few days.
Koren shook out one of the prescription, heavy-duty acetaminophen tablets Robin had run out and picked up for her, drinking half the bottle of water as she swallowed it. Recapping the bottle, she put it back in her fridge and shuffled to her bedroom.
After brushing her teeth, Koren stood naked in front of the mirror in her bathroom and examined her bruised and battered body.
There were bruises around her hips and across her chest from the seat belt. Her black eyes were already darker, and she had various other bruises on her arms and legs. Turning, she craned her head carefully to see her back. She had a bruise the size of a fist on her upper back. Koren didn’t remember anything hitting her, but obviously something had.
There were a few cuts and scrapes, but again, she had no recollection of being sliced. With the amount of glass flying through the air, though, it wasn’t surprising. She’d been so incredibly fortunate. There was no doubt.
As she continued to stare at herself, other thoughts creeped in.
No longer thinking about her wounds, Koren couldn’t help but notice the way her stomach pooched out a bit. Her boobs sagged a little too much, and there wasn’t even a hint of space between her thighs. She’d never thought of herself as fat, but looking in the mirror now, Koren couldn’t help but wonder what Taco thought of how she looked.
Koren had never been called skinny in her entire life. She just didn’t have the genes. She was average height at five-seven, and she had a perfectly average body to go with it. She wasn’t fat, really; she just wasn’t skinny. Yes, she had blonde hair and blue eyes, but she’d never come close to being what might be considered conventionally beautiful.
On those dating sites she’d mentioned to Taco, she’d received a total of five messages from men. She’d had to reach out to everyone else she’d talked to. No one would ever call her a bombshell, and it hadn’t ever really bothered her before now.
Before Taco.
Disgusted with her line of thinking, Koren quickly turned away from the mirror. She pulled out her nightgown and slipped it over her head. She padded into her bedroom and climbed under the covers, sighing in satisfaction as she did.
She was drained. She loved her family, but they were extremely tiring. And listening to Sue’s and Vicky’s innuendos all afternoon had been just as arduous. They were both happily married, and they desperately wanted her to find a man of her own. But just because she was interested in Taco didn’t mean they were going to live happily ever after.
She might find out he had some sort of terrible habit she couldn’t overlook. Or he might decide she was a little too quirky for his tastes. More than one man had told her that her sense of humor went a little far sometimes. Wanted to know why she couldn’t ever be serious.
Life was too short to spend it being grumpy and staid. She liked laughing. Liked having a good time. Drama was a huge turnoff for Koren.
Reaching for her phone on the nightstand, she turned onto her side and checked to see if she had any messages. She wasn’t really expecting any, as those closest to her had been with her all day, so she was surprised to see the number three on the text-message icon.
Clicking on it, she saw the first message Taco had sent with his number while they’d been in the hospital. But there were two others from him as well. She’d obviously missed them while she’d been visiting with her family all afternoon.
* * *
Taco: Just wanted to check up on you. Make sure you got home all right.
* * *
The next message was sent ten minutes after the last.
* * *
Taco: That last message wasn’t exactly the truth. I’ve been sitting here thinking about you and wondering how you’re feeling. I keep seeing in my mind what your car looked like as I came up to it, and I’m still amazed that you’re not only alive, but you had barely a scratch. I’m not a real religious guy, although I do believe in God, and I can’t help but think there has to be a reason you’re still here right now. I know you’ve got more than enough people there to make sure you have everything you need and to take care of you, but I still can’t stop worrying. Thank you for having the guts to ask me out. As I said before, my hesitation was because I had told myself I didn’t want to date, but you were so calm today, and every time you opened your mouth you surprised the hell out of me, and by the time I got you out, I wanted to know more. Okay, this message is way too long, but I wanted to make sure you knew that I didn’t say yes out of pity or obligation. I like you, Koren, and I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so intrigued by a woman before. Don’t be a hero, take your pain meds. You’re gonna need them. If this text hasn’t freaked you out, I’ll talk to you later.
* * *
Koren read Taco’s message three times in a row before closing her eyes with a sigh. Yeah, she’d made the first move, but Taco had more than made up for his lack of initiative with his text.
Frowning, she tried to figure out what she should say back. Ignoring him didn’t even cross her mind. She wasn’t one to play games and she wasn’t about to start now. Finally, she lifted her phone and began to type.
* * *
Koren: I got home and everyone stayed until after dinner. I didn’t see your text until just now, which is why it took me so long to get back to you. Truth be told, I’ve been thinking about you too. I wasn’t calm today, not in the least, but hearing your composed voice telling me that I was all right made me believe it. I was panicking until you got there. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable when I asked you out. I hadn’t planned on it, but the words just kinda snuck out. But, I’m not sorry I did it. Life is too short to not go for what you want. I was reminded of that today. And don’t worry, if things don’t work out, I’m not going to go all stalker on you. We might find that whatever connection we’re feeling (I’m feeling?) may only be because of the accident. I took a pill tonight, and I’ll definitely continue to take them as long as I need to. Good night.
* * *
Hesitating a second before hitting send, Koren muttered “fuck it” and sent the text. She put the phone back on the nightstand and closed her eyes, willing sleep to come.
Two minutes later, her phone vibrated.
Surprised, Koren reached for it and read the short text Taco had sent.
* * *
Taco: We definitely have a connection. I was interested that day I met you in the grocery store.
* * *
His words made her smile. Koren remembered that meeting. Quinn, a woman she’d met in the grocery store previously, had introduced them, and she’d thought Taco was hot then, just as she thought he was hot now. She put the phone back on the table next to the bed and closed her eyes once more. She was asleep within minutes.
On the other side of the city, Nadine Patterson sat at a rickety table she’d found next to a trash heap and sorted through her notes. The trailer around her creaked and moaned and she could feel the wind coming through the cracks and holes.
But she didn’t care about any of that.
Didn’t care that she had a warrant out for her arrest for failure to appear on her DUI case.
Didn’t care that the authorities had cleared her in the death of her son, because of course she’d had nothing to do with that.
All Nadine cared about was revenge.
Hudson Vines had killed her son.
She’d found his name when his picture had been in the paper the day after he’d killed her boy—a
nd he’d been called a hero.
Some fucking hero. She knew the truth.
His one and only job was to rescue people from burning buildings, and he’d failed. He’d taken too long to go into her house and get her Stevie. Probably because he was fucking scared.
He was a coward—and he couldn’t be allowed to continue as a firefighter. Other lives were at stake.
But the police had done nothing.
She’d have to prove to everyone that he had killed her son!
Stevie hadn’t died because he’d had alcohol in his system, like the coroner said. He hadn’t died because she’d left him home alone while she went and scored some meth. He was thirteen. Plenty old enough to handle a little beer. And she’d been leaving him home by himself since he was seven.
No—her baby had died because of that damn firefighter, Hudson fucking Vines!
He would pay.
She just needed a bit more information before she could put her plan in motion. She knew who his friends were, where they lived, where he lived…now she just had to discover the most important thing in his life. She had to take that away from him. Then they’d be even. He had to feel the pain she’d felt when the most important thing in her life had been ripped away. The pain she still felt.
Once she’d done that, her little Stevie could rest in peace.
Shuffling her notes around, Nadine took a swig out of the vodka bottle next to her, wincing as the liquid burned its way down. She noticed her hands shaking, and she knew the alcohol wasn’t going to cut it for much longer. She needed something else. Needed just a bit of meth to keep her awake, so she could plan.
“He’s gotta pay,” she slurred as she stared at the names of the men and one woman Hudson Vines worked with most frequently at Station 7. “He’ll be sorry he didn’t try harder.”
Chapter Four
Koren had exchanged a few texts with Taco over the last few days, but they hadn’t pinned down a time and day for a date. It was making her nervous. Maybe he’d had second thoughts about going out with her.
She was feeling much better, and even the black circles under her eyes had faded. She covered the rest of the color with makeup and had decided today was the day she was getting out of the house.
Liam had picked up a rental car for her and dropped it off at her condo. Koren knew it was just an excuse to check on her, but she didn’t mind. She didn’t know when the check from the insurance company would arrive, but she’d see if Liam or Carter could go with her to buy a new vehicle when it did. Or maybe her dad. Gavin Garner might be in his sixties, but he was still a man to be reckoned with when it came to bargaining.
As she got into the small rental, Koren was already having second thoughts. She wasn’t sure she should be doing what she’d planned, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. And Vicky and Sue had helped talk her into it.
Making sure the plate of cookies was secure on the seat next to her, Koren carefully pulled out of her neighborhood. This was the first time she’d driven since her accident, and even though she wasn’t going far, she still felt a little nervous.
She drove cautiously, making sure not to go above the speed limit and to fully stop at all stop signs. Surprised at how close Station 7 was to her condo, Koren was pulling into their parking lot before she knew it.
There seemed to be a lot of vehicles there, including a Kia and a few pickup trucks as well. She parked and grabbed the plate of goodies and headed for the front door.
Koren had never been inside a fire station and wasn’t sure of the proper protocol. She stood outside the door for a moment, trying to decide if she should just leave the cookies and run or if she had the guts to see this through.
Deciding she’d rather know now if Taco had just been humoring her or if he really did want to see her again, she knocked loudly on the door.
It took a few moments, but before she had to make the decision as to whether to knock again or leave, the door opened.
A large Native American man dressed in a pair of cargo pants and a T-shirt with the Station 7 logo on it stood there. He had long black hair pulled back in a ponytail, and he nonchalantly crossed his arms and eyed her up and down before saying, “Can I help you?”
“Um…yeah. I’m Koren. I brought cookies.” She hefted the plate a little, drawing his attention to it.
He smirked and dropped his arms. “Can’t say I’ve ever met a cookie fairy before.”
It took her a second, but Koren chuckled. “Sorry, apparently I haven’t had enough caffeine today. I wanted to thank Mick and Taco for helping me the other day. I wasn’t sure what they liked, and I didn’t think a huge bouquet of flowers would go over as well as sweets.”
When the large man just continued to stare at her, she went on nervously. “I don’t know if they’re allergic to anything, or if they’re on any kind of diet. You know, like gluten-free, Keto, carb-free… These cookies are full of peanuts, carbs, and gluten, so they might not even like them, but I had to do something. It’s not every day that you find yourself trapped under an eighteen-wheeler and have a couple of firefighters show up like your own personal guardian angels.”
“From what I heard, sweetheart, your guardian angels weren’t Mick and Taco. Those angels had worked overtime long before our guys showed up.”
Koren nodded. “You’re right. By all accounts, I shouldn’t be standing here today. But I am. And I have cookies. If I’m not allowed to come in, can I leave them with you?”
The handsome firefighter shook his head as if berating himself. “Sorry. You’re absolutely allowed inside. Come on.” He held out a welcoming hand. “I’m Chief. Mick isn’t on shift right now, but Taco’s here. I’ll even snag one or two of those cookies and put them aside for Mick, because if I don’t, there’s no way they’ll last until the next shift.”
Koren returned his smile and followed him into the fire station. There was a slight scent of smoke on the air, which she attributed to the nature of the job. She followed Chief, still gripping the plate of cookies as if it was the only thing holding her together.
She heard the group of people before she saw them.
The moment she stepped into a large, open living area, she stopped.
She’d expected a bunch of guys to be sitting around, eating pizza, maybe playing video games. But what she got looked like a casual dinner party or something. Yes, there were guys hanging out, but they were all doing so with women in their arms.
Koren recognized Quinn right away. She was sitting on the lap of the man she’d been with in the grocery store. The way he was looking at Quinn was beautiful. He gazed at her with such love, it was easy to see even all the way across the room.
Chief abandoned her at the entryway of the room and headed for a tall woman with white-blonde hair who was standing in the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and the woman relaxed into him.
A pregnant woman was sitting sideways on the couch, and one of the firefighters had her feet in his lap, giving her a massage. Sitting in an oversized recliner was another man and woman—and a black lab. The woman had her eyes shut and seemed to be sleeping, from what Koren could see.
A behemoth of a man stood at the large table, wiping it down, and a diminutive woman was at the sink doing dishes.
But the second Koren’s eyes met Taco’s, everyone else faded.
He’d just come in from a back hallway and was staring at her with a look she couldn’t interpret. Koren was so nervous, she wanted to turn and walk right back out. Instead, it seemed like time stood still as she waited to see what he would do.
If he seemed even one little iota upset that she was there, she would turn around and leave.
But after seeing surprise in his eyes, Koren was relieved when his mouth turned up in a smile. He immediately headed straight for her.
“Someone’s here to see you, Taco,” Chief said unnecessarily.
“Hey,” Taco said as he got close. “What are you doing here? Are you okay?”
“I’m good. I brought cookies,” Koren said, holding the plate up once more.
Taco’s gaze brushed the plate, but his eyes came right back to hers. He examined her from head to toe before meeting her gaze once more. “You look good.”
Koren knew she was blushing, but couldn’t help it. She could count on one hand the number of times a man had told her she looked nice. She knew he meant good as in healthy—as in, not in hospital scrubs with two black eyes—but it still felt good.
“Thanks. I feel much better than a couple days ago.”
“I should hope so,” he said quietly.
“I hope I’m not intruding. I’ve been cooped up in my condo a bit too long and figured it was time I emerged from my cocoon. My eyes are at the stage where I won’t frighten small children, so I thought I’d bring a little thank you to you and Mick.”
“You didn’t have to.”
She knew he was going to say that. “I know. I wanted to.”
“In that case…” Taco said, and lifted the edge of the aluminum foil. He leaned forward and inhaled deeply. Then he looked up at her. “Peanut butter and chocolate?” he asked.
Koren nodded. “And a few butterscotch and chocolate thrown in for good measure, as well.”
“Shhhhh,” he admonished, crowding her. “Don’t let the others hear you.”
“Too late!” a man called out. “Bring ’em here. You know the rule.”
“Shut it, Squirrel!” Taco yelled back.
“What’s the rule?” Koren asked.
Taco sighed. “Whenever someone brings us goodies, they’re fair game for everyone.”