Tucker gave him a wide smile as he climbed in the passenger side. He’d evidently taken a moment inside the building to do a lightning-fast change, out of uniform and into a blue polo and jeans that showed off his impressive array of new muscles. “And thanks for meeting me. Good distraction for tomorrow.”
“It’s going to be fine.” Luis headed away from the air base and toward the barbecue-themed eatery he’d already programmed into his GPS.
“I know. I’m just...” Tucker trailed off as he let his head fall back against the seat rest.
“Overly emotional about your babies graduating?”
“That. I just hope the flight isn’t delayed. Wish I had more leave, but as the newest guy, I guess I’m lucky I got the time off at all.”
“Yep. That’s rookie life for you.” Luis teased because he knew how much Tucker was loving the job. After spending the fall and winter getting his certifications current, he’d decided to try for the helitack firefighting unit with the state along with a few other opportunities both state and federal. He’d wanted to find something close enough to Luis’s work to be feasible, and to his great delight, he’d been picked to start spring training with this crew. It wasn’t smoke jumping because no parachutes were involved, but Tucker’s inner adrenaline junkie seemed to love it all the same.
His role on the team was mainly fire recon, using all his years of forestry experience helping decide on a plan of attack and working with the captains to carry out the plan. His prior wildland firefighting experience had also come into play, and he joked that he was in better shape than he’d been at twenty.
It had been fun during his fall visits, watching him ramp up his already pretty decent fitness and discussing various job options on late-night phone calls. Luis couldn’t lie—knowing the work was dangerous wasn’t easy, but he was also so darn pleased that Tucker had figured out and gone after his dream.
“Are you going to drag the twins here too?” Luis asked as he parked at the restaurant. The long-awaited Disney graduation trip was happening later in the month when Tucker had next been able to arrange some consecutive days off.
“Probably. The portions are huge, so that should do Wade for about an hour.”
“Sounds about right.”
“I can’t wait to see them tomorrow. I’ve missed them so much.” There had been a few visits after Tucker accepted the job, including a longer one at spring break for the boys, but it had been several weeks since the last one, and Luis knew well that video chat simply wasn’t the same thing.
“I know. They’re proud of you though.” Luis had been at Tucker’s the night he told the boys about the job offer, and they had both voted that he go ahead and accept it instead of waiting until after their graduation. Even now, his throat got a little tight remembering how enthusiastic both twins had been, how very much they wanted Tucker to be happy.
“I’ve got a great story for them too.” Tucker proceeded to tell Luis all about his shift, when they’d dealt with both a spot fire as well as assisting in the rescue of some stranded hikers. He was so animated that Luis couldn’t help but smile along. He worried about Tucker every day, but he also hadn’t ever seen him happier either.
And later, belly full of pulled pork, as he parked in the apartment complex lot, he realized he could say the same for himself. The new place was farther out of the city, more of a drive to see his mother, but it let them each have roughly equal commutes, and more importantly it was theirs. They were giving Tucker a year in the job at least before they went house hunting, but they’d been careful in their selection of a rental, finding the best pool for Wade and the biggest kitchen for Luis.
Blaze was on the shelving unit near the patio door, same as always, but the kitten was there at the door to greet them and remind them it had been hours since she last saw them. Tucker had shown him the animal shelter ad for Sparky mere weeks after his arrival.
“They call her Sparky. It’s meant to be.”
“You’re lucky I love you.”
“You do, don’t you?”
And thus Blaze became a grumpy big sister to Sparky, the world’s most cheerful cat, who was as clingy as Blaze was aloof. Luis picked up the kitten and headed for the kitchen. Tucker trailed behind, changing the cat water dishes and handing him the can of wet food even before he asked.
“You confirmed the pet sitter, right?”
“Twice. It’s not like Blaze doesn’t know the drill, but Sparky will be fine. And so will you.” Luis finally got to give him the kiss he’d been waiting for all evening.
“I know. I don’t know why I’m so nervous.” Cats taken care of, Tucker leaned into Luis’s embrace.
“Because it’s a big day and you want it to go perfectly for them. And it will.”
“At least we’ll get one more use of my shower tomorrow night,” Tucker laughed. He’d been renting the house out through a vacation rental company, but had reserved the weekend for themselves.
“There is that. But the one here isn’t too terrible.” Luis steered him in that direction.
“You offering to take my mind off my nerves?” Tucker gave him a heated look, one that had Luis already reaching for his shirt buttons.
“Always.” Abandoning his undressing efforts, he pulled Tucker in for another kiss, and as he caught sight of their reflection in the bathroom mirror, he knew the truth of his earlier realization. He was happy, truly happy, in a way he hadn’t been a year ago. Tucker had been more than worth the wait, both to find him again, and then the months of long-distance until they’d arrived here at this place together. Home. That’s what this was. It was a home and it was a family and it was everything Luis had ever wanted, Tucker included.
* * *
“Are you going to propose?” Wade’s grin was almost as wide as the platter of food he was balancing.
“Propose?” Tucker sputtered as he glanced around. Heidi’s house was as packed as he’d ever seen it, people in every room and spilling out into the backyard, where he’d escaped to a lawn chair. Luckily no one else appeared to have heard Wade’s latest outrageousness. “What on earth gave you that idea?”
“Isaac made his mac and cheese for the party. Huge pans of it. You’re always calling it proposal worthy.” Wade’s head tilted as he considered Tucker more carefully. “Wait. You thought I meant—”
“Never you mind what I thought.” Tucker gave him what he hoped was a stern stare and not a nervous one. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been thinking along those sorts of lines a lot lately, but he wasn’t ready to share that with Wade. He was still wearing the cap from his graduation outfit, tassel waving in the breeze, the tie Heidi had forced on him already lost, and somehow looking even bigger and taller than when Tucker had seen him the previous visit.
“Are you going to ask him? Can it be at Disney while we’re there? That’s romantic, right? I could help you pick which ride—”
“Slow down. Please.” Tucker rubbed his temples. Wade was a whirlwind, and if he wasn’t careful, he’d have Tucker married off before Tucker even got a chance to pick out a ring himself.
“Fine. Steal my fun.” Wade sighed dramatically as he flopped in the chair next to Tucker, narrowly avoiding disaster with his plate of food.
“I can promise you that you’ll be the first to know,” Tucker assured him.
“First to know what?” Heidi chose that moment to stride over, drink in hand. In a pretty purple sundress she looked way too young to be the mom of high school graduates.
“When Dad pops the question. Or Luis does.” Wade’s grin hadn’t flagged one bit.
“Dad is not—” Tucker started to protest.
“Today? At the party?” Heidi frowned.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t want to take attention off the real point of the gathering.” The party was a rousing success, and if Tucker or the boys were missing Tucker’s family, the ho
use full of Heidi’s family and friends was a good distraction. Tucker’s parents had sent cards with small checks. He supposed that was something, but considering they lived close enough to attend the ceremony if they chose, it wasn’t much.
“Oh, okay.” Heidi shrugged as if either option were okay with her. “Boys have to be at the school soon to catch the bus to the safe-and-sober overnight. Think you could take them? I don’t want them leaving their car there all night.”
“Absolutely.” Tucker was more than happy to play dad again, take them places, cheer them on. He was still a little hoarse from the graduation ceremony. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been so proud as watching the boys walk across the stage, first Wade practically dancing his way toward the principal, then Walker more sedately striding but same megawatt grin.
They’d done it, he and Heidi, journeyed with the boys all the way to this moment when they were on the cusp of launching into their own adventures. It felt like a triumph, one he hadn’t been so sure was possible when he’d been a teen dad all those years before.
“Do I have to go to the safe-and-sober thing?” Walker joined them. Unlike Wade, his tie was still in place and his hair nearly styled, the recent super-short cut suiting him. “I’m not sure I’m up for it.”
“Dude. We got tickets weeks ago.” Wade clapped him on the back. “There’s going to be paintball and your last chance to see people.”
“That would be the part I’m not crazy about,” Walker grumbled, staring at the ground.
“The best way to show her that you’re over it is to go,” Wade argued, but Walker wasn’t over it, might not be over it for a long time. Tucker knew from experience how deep the pain of young heartbreak could cut, and he’d do anything to shoulder Walker’s pain a little.
“Want to stay in and watch movies with Luis and me?” he offered. He’d watched hours of mindless movies with Walker in January when the breakup happened. It had been the perfect storm of attractive foreign exchange student catching Mary Anne’s eye, Walker deciding to apply broadly to colleges, and some minor arguments blowing up into a big breakup.
“You guys are going to get sick of me,” Walker protested.
“Never. We’ve got your room all ready for you. I’ve got pictures.” He dug out his phone, eager to show his and Luis’s handiwork. “It’s going to be a great summer.”
“Yeah. It is.” Walker gave a little smile as he studied the pictures on Tucker’s phone. His mood had lifted as they’d firmed up the plans for the summer. While both twins were coming for the Disney trip, along with Heidi, Isaac, and Angelica, Walker was staying in California for the rest of summer, working at a nearby waterpark where he’d found a lifeguarding job.
Tucker had a feeling that the abundance of attractive young people at the waterpark had helped Walker start the healing process, start seeing a new future for himself. In the fall, he’d be moving south to the dorms at Long Beach, where he had a marine biology scholarship, but Tucker was looking forward to having him for the summer as well as the occasional weekend.
“My summer’s going to be fabulous too. And that’s my point, bro, we need to make the most of the time we’ve got left.” Wade had a summer job at one of the Bend resorts, one last chance to hang with his friends, but Tucker figured the fact that Mitch’s older sister was also working there had been a deciding factor in his decision.
“All right. I’ll go.” Walker rolled his neck and shoulders, sounding more enthusiastic. “But prepare to be obliterated by my superior paintball skills.”
“You can call and I’ll come get you,” Tucker promised. “Any time. Even the middle of the night.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“What about me?” Wade mock pouted. “Will you come get me?”
“Something tells me any call to come get you is going to involve trouble, but yes, you too.” Tucker laughed. “Let me go find Luis for the rental car keys, and we’ll get you guys back to the school.”
“Awesome.” Wade hefted himself out of his chair. Somehow he’d managed to pack away all his food while they’d been talking.
Tucker found Luis talking with Garrick and Rain. Heidi’s expansive guest list had included several of his former work friends, and Tucker had a feeling it was to distract him from the absence of his folks, but it was a nice gesture nonetheless.
Luis decided to come along for the ride, and they made their way through the house. “You were right. Isaac’s mac and cheese truly is proposal worthy.”
“It is.” Their eyes met, and in that moment, Tucker knew that it wouldn’t be long. Not at Disney and probably not with a huge audience, but soon. Either he’d ask or Luis would or maybe it would simply be a mutual slide into ring discussions and wedding planning, but whatever the case, there would be a yes. They already had the foundation for a life together—the place together, the cats, the room for the boys, and the hours and hours of conversations about the future they’d both like to see. No one had been more supportive of his career change than Luis, and there was no one he’d rather see at the end of his day or first thing in the morning. Luis was the one for him, and while it had taken them a meandering path with some rather serious boulders to get here, he wouldn’t change a thing about their journey.
“Love you,” he whispered, emotions suddenly catching up with him.
“Love you too.” Luis gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m so proud of you. And the boys. It’s a great day, right?”
“The best.” Tucker swallowed hard because every day with Luis had the potential to be the best. It was the best of days because they were together, surrounded by people they cared about, excited about the next segment of their journey—the part they would travel together. The future was glittery with the love they shared, and he couldn’t wait to experience it together.
* * *
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Author Note
My research into the world of wildfire fighting and forestry took me deep into fire management and unusual firefighting professions. Rather than trying to copy an existing smoke-jumping base with its specific procedures, policies, and ways of handling rookies, I combined various parts of many into one fictional base and town. The town of Painter’s Ridge and my forest service headquarters are entirely fictional and staffed with characters from my own imagination. However, the area’s geography and attractions absolutely helped to add authenticity to the series.
While Tucker and Luis both work for the federal Forestry Department, the reality of modern fire management usually involves multiple agencies and interagency coordination at both the state and federal levels. Arson investigations in particular are very complicated with state and federal law enforcement involved along with forestry and fire personnel. Some of these details were simplified to allow the focus to remain on the characters and their growth and their story, but I did try to include as much realism as possible.
My research showed great variety in how fire behavior specialists and fire investigators are used during an active fire and in long-term and investigatory efforts. Work-related travel to meet ever-changing wildfire needs is common, but exact procedures and protocols can vary.
Finally, this book came through edits right as the world changed with the response to Covid-19. I very deliberately chose not to have these events affect the storyline, but I absolutely appreciate all our first responders and all that they do for our communities. My heart goes out to all affected by this ongoing situation.
Acknowledgments
Like with all my books, I am so grateful for th
e team supporting me, especially at Carina Press and the Knight Agency. My editor, Deb Nemeth, always guides me through the revision process with a deft hand and astute feedback that enables me to better meet my vision for the book. My revisions were also assisted by invaluable beta comments from Edie Danford, Karen Stivali, and David, who gave especially insightful comments on Luis’s cultural background.
My behind-the-scenes team is also the best. My entire Carina Press team does an amazing job, and I am so very lucky to have all of them on board. A special thank-you to the tireless art department and publicity team and to the amazing narrators who bring my books to life for the audio market. Judith of A Novel Take PR goes above and beyond to help me, and I am so very grateful to her. A special thank-you to Abbie Nicole, whose assistance to my writerly life is making a giant difference for me.
My family remains my rock and is so appreciated for their cooperation and assistance. My life is immeasurably enriched by my friendships, especially those of my writer friends who keep me going with sprints, advice, guidance, and commiseration. I am so grateful for every person in my life who helps me do what I love. And no one makes that possible more than my readers. I can’t thank readers enough for their readership and encouragement over the years. Your support via social media, reviews, notes, shares, likes, and other means makes it possible for me to continue to write stories that mean the world to me, and I don’t take that for granted!
About the Author
Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bedcovers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer. Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and particularly loves uncovering unique main characters. In her personal life, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two active children.
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