Sweet Fire (Into The Fire Series Book 6)

by J. H. Croix

  This delighted my mother. With a laugh, she spun around to grab her jacket off the coat rack.

  Jesse glanced my way again. “You ready?”

  “Of course. I wasn’t sure if I should bring anything for lunch.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so. There are plenty of places to eat there. We should be all set. I’ve got water in the truck.”

  Snagging my purse, I tucked a few of my mom’s favorite snack bars in there, and then we were off. Within a few minutes, Jesse pulled up in front of Firehouse Café. I’d quickly grown to love this place after we first moved here. For starters, they had amazing coffee and baked goods. But it was Janet James, the owner, who made it one of the local favorites. She was warm and welcoming. She made me feel it was possible for us to eventually fit into the quirky little community of Willow Brook.

  My mother walked in with us. She loved getting tea here. There was already a line, but then that was usually the case. 6 AM wasn’t an unusual time for me to swing by here, not when I wanted to get to the office to do paperwork before my day started.

  Jesse greeted a few people, as did I. While we were waiting in line, another firefighter, whom I’d met in passing when he injured his hand, paused to greet us on his way out. Beck Steele was roguish and handsome and always ready with a quip.

  “Morning, Jesse,” he said with a nod.

  His eyes caught mine, and he reflexively winked. I imagined he winked at just about everyone—men and women alike. He proved my point by winking at my mother. Beyond his teasing, he only had eyes for his wife whom he clearly adored. I’d met Maisie when she’d come in with him the day he’d injured his hand. It had been one of my more amusing encounters. She’d bossed him the entire time, and I was pretty sure he loved it.

  “Morning, Charlie,” he offered.

  “Good morning,” I replied.

  My mom looked over at him, gracing him with one of her sweet smiles. Beck smiled right back at her. “I don’t think I’ve met you. I’m Beck Steele,” he said, holding out his free hand.

  My mother shook it and then winked at him. “I’m Olive, and you’re a flirt,” she announced.

  Beck simply flashed a grin and shrugged, entirely unabashed. “Maybe so.”

  “We’re going to the Bird Fest,” my mother added. “Jesse’s taking us.”

  I could see the curiosity in Beck’s gaze, but he didn’t say anything. Glancing to Jesse, he winked. “Well, the weather’s on your side today. Have a nice drive and enjoy it.” He started to turn away and then turned back, lifting his coffee cup. “Nice to meet you, Olive,” he called.

  My mom simply smiled. As we waited, I glanced around. The café occupied the town’s original fire station. The old garage had been transformed with seating for dining and an open style bakery and kitchen. Brightly painted fireweed flowers decorated the old fire poles. The café had dashes of bright colors throughout with pink windowsills and the concrete flooring stained light blue. Small wooden tables were scattered through the dining area with a counter that offered more seating. The space was warm, inviting and cheerful, ideal during the long winter days.

  When we reached the front of the line, Janet was there waiting. Her dark hair shot through with silver was pulled back into a braid. Her brown eyes crinkled at the corners with her smile when she saw us. “Well, good morning, Olive and Charlie.”

  When Jesse stepped to my side, a subtle gleam entered her gaze. I had no doubt Janet wouldn’t hesitate to ask me about his presence with us at another time, but likely not now with my mother here.

  “I’m covering everything,” Jesse said, glancing to my mother. “What do you need, Olive?”

  “Tea please,” she replied, casting a warm smile at Jesse.

  Janet looked to me next. “I’ll take the house coffee today. Whatever you’ve got as long as it’s strong.”

  “How about I add a shot of espresso just for good measure?” Janet asked. “You Jesse?”

  “I’ll take the same, but add two shots to mine.”

  With a smile and a wink, Janet spun away and started prepping our drinks. Jesse glanced down to me. “Anything to eat?” he asked, his tone low.

  “Why don’t we get some pinwheels? That should tide us over until lunch.”

  Jesse called over to Janet, “Do you mind heating up four of those pinwheels?”

  “Of course not,” she replied, not even looking over as she slid my mother’s tea onto the counter.

  When she handed over our coffees, Jesse paid, nearly glaring at me when I tried to offer to pay. We sidled out of the front of the line to wait for the pinwheels. One of the teens who helped Janet at the register came out front, and Janet leaned on the counter to chat with us while we waited. My mother had wandered over to the windows.

  “So, how is she doing?” Janet asked.

  Janet was sweet to my mom and always checked in on her. I shrugged, taking a sip of my coffee. “As well as could be expected, I suppose. She hasn’t wandered off in the last two weeks.”

  “Well, I was thinking about her the other day. My friend, Norma, helps run one of the groups at the local nursing home. She doesn’t have to be a resident to go spend the day there,” Janet suggested gently.

  I felt Jesse’s gaze on me, but he stayed quiet.

  “I don’t know…” I started to say and then Janet narrowed her eyes, her gaze warm but somber.

  “Hon, you can’t do this all on your own. You’ve got a teenager and that’s enough of a handful. Something to help you not worry so much would mean a lot. It’s just a thought.”

  I knew she meant well. I really did appreciate it, but I supposed I was still struggling to realize that this was where things are headed. I took another sip of my coffee, savoring the bitterness. “Maybe I’ll bring her by for a visit sometime next week and see how it goes. I’m not as stubborn as you think. It’s just whenever I bring up things like this, she gets upset.”

  “How about you come here, and I’ll go over with you?” Janet offered.

  I knew Janet’s presence would probably help, but I felt the tug of my internal resistance. I knew it wasn’t rational, I knew I needed to let go, but I was having a hard time facing what was actually happening with my mother. When it came to her, my emotions were winning the battle against my intellect.

  “Okay text me a day when it would work next week, and I’ll make it happen,” I replied, nearly forcing myself to speak.

  My mother wandered back over to us. “Are we ready?” she asked.

  “That we are,” Jesse said just as Janet handed over a small bag with our pinwheels. “We’re headed down to Diamond Creek for the Bird Fest for the day.”

  Janet smiled widely. “It’s the perfect day for it. I want to hear all about it,” she said to my mother just before we turned away.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jesse

  Driving south along the Seward Highway and then along the Sterling Highway, I enjoyed my coffee and a relatively quiet drive. Charlie had warned me sometimes her mother could get on conversation loops, which I didn’t mind actually. I also didn’t mind quiet either.

  The view was spectacular along the way. Olive oohed and ahhed a few times as we rounded the curves on Turnagain Arm. The narrow stretch of highway was stunningly gorgeous with mountains rising tall on either side and the sun coming up above them. The sky held lingering bursts of color from its arrival, a soft pink hue coloring the horizon.

  Occasionally, Charlie or her mother asked questions about areas we were passing through. When we reached Diamond Creek, I pulled over at the lookout on the side of the highway. We climbed out and walked to the railing. The view spilled out in front of us. Kachemak Bay was one of Alaska’s coastal jewels. Encircled by mountains, the deep blue water sparkled under the sun. Diamond Creek was one of several communities situated on the shores of the bay.

  The highway dipped down into the small community. From this vantage point, the elevation offered an absolutely stunning view of the town an
d the mountains surrounding it. An eagle flew above us, its distinct, screeching call carrying through the air.

  Olive clapped her hands, turning to beam at us. The mountains across the bay were still covered in snow, tall against the bright blue sky. Charlie glanced to me. “Thanks for bringing us. I know I could’ve…” Her words trailed off when I shook my head.

  “I offered to take you because I wanted to. Plus, I get bonus time with you.”

  Her cheeks flushed and she sighed, biting her lip. “Where do we go to see the birds?”

  It so happened one of the largest shorebird migrations in the world occurred in coastal Alaska. Millions of shorebirds migrated from South America to Alaska to nest during the summer. In several communities along the Kenai Peninsula and other parts of coastal Alaska, there were bird watching festivals to celebrate the massive migration.

  “We need to go to the beach,” I replied, unable to keep from grinning when she smiled. With a chuckle, I continued. “Come on, we’ll head down to the harbor. We can park there and see where to go.”

  What followed was simply a plain good morning. Olive was enchanted with the birds, and they were truly everywhere. The tiny birds coated the beaches, gathering in different areas and feeding in the shallow waters along the sand. We meandered along a boardwalk, which offered viewing points with mounted binoculars for people to watch the birds.

  Somewhere along the way, I caught Charlie’s hand in mine, surprised when she didn’t nudge me away.

  Olive was a friendly sort as I’d already discovered. She was happy to chat with other birdwatchers as we made our way along the beach. She took tons of pictures with her phone with Charlie helping her. We grabbed a bite to eat at a small café by the beach. After lunch, Olive was starting to look tired, but she insisted she wanted to take one more walk. She declared she needed to feel the sand under the soles of her shoes.

  We walked along the beach, pausing to watch a raft of otters floating in the bay. A curious seal followed along as we walked, rising out of the water occasionally to survey the beach. We looped back when Charlie pointed out it was getting late in the afternoon. As we started to walk up the stairs from the beach onto the deck that led to the parking area, Olive stumbled and fell.

  “Oh!” She appeared more startled than hurt.

  Charlie had been coming up behind Olive. Her eyes met mine, wide with concern. “Are you okay, Mom?”

  I stepped to Olive’s side, leaning down to check on her. Although she still didn’t seem upset about her fall, she wasn’t moving.

  “I’m fine,” she said, waving us away. She tried to move and then grimaced. “Well, I thought I was fine.”

  Catching Charlie’s concerned gaze, I said, “Let me see if I can carry her.”

  Charlie leaned over and quickly checked to make sure it was safe to lift her. Though I was a trained emergency responder, Charlie was the doctor, so I deferred to her. When she deduced it was safe to carry Olive, I lifted her carefully into my arms. She was light as a feather with her slight build.

  I’d been to Diamond Creek before, so I knew where the hospital was. Once we got to my truck, I glanced to Charlie. “Your call. We can drive up to the hospital ourselves, or call for help. It’s probably gonna take more time to wait, but it’s up to you.”

  Charlie nodded quickly. “You drive. Let’s just go.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Charlie

  I paced back and forth in the waiting room. I couldn’t believe what had happened. Mom seemed fine actually. If she was in pain, I couldn’t see it, at least not substantially. She had seemed primarily uncomfortable when they wheeled her in to check her out.

  I was debating whether I should call Em now, or wait until we had more information. Rationally, I knew it was best to wait, but my anxiety was whirring through my thoughts and muddling everything. Meanwhile, Jesse had gone to get some coffee for us from the cafeteria. What had started out as a really great day had ended with me a ball of anxiety and worry.

  I felt Jesse approach from behind, turning just as he rested a hand between my shoulders, his touch sliding down my spine. “She’s okay. Take it easy. Someone should be out with an update soon.”

  He handed me a cup of coffee. Just holding the cup in my hand and having his touch on me eased the tension bundling up inside of me.

  “I can’t believe this happened,” I muttered before taking a quick sip of coffee. It was surprisingly good.

  My eyes widened, and Jesse shrugged as he guided me over to sit in the chairs. “I know, it’s really good.”

  “Yeah, this is the best hospital coffee I’ve ever had.”

  Jesse chuckled. “I was just surprised as you. It’s better than decent.” His arm rested across my shoulders once I settled in the chair, the weight of it relaxing me. “I know you’re stressed about your mom’s fall, but all signs point to something minor.”

  As a doctor, I knew he was right, but it was next to impossible to be objective about my own mother. When I cast my eyes to him with a sigh, he rubbed my shoulder. “Hey, she had a great day. My guess is she threw something with her hip, or something like that.”

  “I know, I know. I just get worried.”

  “Right, but maybe you can wait to decide how freaked out you should be?”

  “Maybe,” I murmured.

  We sat quietly, sipping coffee and watching the activity around us. It wasn’t long before a nurse came into the waiting area. “You’re with Olive Lane, right?” she asked. She had a warm air to her with bright brown eyes, a slender build, and her brown hair twisted into a braid.

  Standing, I nodded quickly. “Yes, is she okay?”

  “She’s fine. She has a hairline fracture in her hip. I’m guessing that’s where she landed when she slipped and fell.”

  I absorbed her explanation, a mix of tension and relief clashing inside. On the one hand, this was manageable and common for someone my mother’s age. On the other, I didn’t want her to be in pain.

  Jesse nodded. “Sounds about right.”

  “What is the doctor recommending?” I asked. Mostly, I knew she needed rest and limited mobility.

  “It’s a small fracture, and it’s stable, so the doctor thinks bed rest and physical therapy will be enough. She would like to keep your mother for the night, just to monitor her and make sure she’s not in too much pain. I understand from Olive that you all live in Willow Brook. We can schedule follow ups with the local doctor there…”

  Jesse cut in. “That’s her,” he offered with a wink.

  The nurse smiled. “Oh, well, that makes it easy. Anyway, our scheduler can still call your office to make sure everything is in place.”

  “That would be great. Dr. Johnson has been seeing her, so our receptionist will make sure everything’s set up. Is there anything she needs tonight?”

  The nurse shook her head. “I don’t think so. The doctor gave her something for the pain, which doesn’t seem too bad so far. She was worried that it would set in during the night. Seeing as it’s getting late, she’s already asleep. We can monitor her tonight and make sure nothing else is going on. Tomorrow, we’ll do some blood work, get her fitted for a cane and send her home with a walker.”

  I felt myself nodding along. In a way, I was relieved. There was the obvious relief that a hip fracture was minor and fairly common at my mother’s age. Recovery could be complicated, but for now, she was fine. I’d also been trying to persuade my mother for months to try a walker, but she’d been fighting me on it. A flash of guilt rose inside. I suddenly worried if I should’ve taken her on this day trip, no matter how much she’d wanted to come. With a hard shake, I forced my mind off that track. I couldn’t turn back time.

  The nurse’s pager went off. “Any more questions?”

  “I don’t think so,” I replied, spinning through a few logistical ones, but aware the nurse couldn’t answer those for me.

  “Would you like to check in on her? She’s asleep, but if you want to see her, that’
s fine,” the nurse said.

  “Yes, that would be great,” Jesse said, answering for me.

  “She’s in room 34. It’s down the hall to the right.” She hurried away with a quick wave.

  Jesse caught my eyes. “Doing okay?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. I have a few things to figure out at the house, but she’s okay and that’s all that matters.”

  He caught my hand in his and walked with me down to the room. My mother was sound asleep. She looked peaceful and comfortable, so the tension knotted inside loosened a little more. As we were standing by her bed, another nurse came in. She checked my mother’s vitals, casting a smile our way. “Your mom is a funny one,” she offered.

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Oh yes. I’m sure you’re worried, but she’s going to be fine. All she could talk about was what a great day she had seeing the birds. Slipping and falling is part of getting older, and she took it in stride.”

  I smiled, relief washing through me. “Is there anyone else I need to check in with before tomorrow?”

  “Check in at the desk on your way out. They’ll give you the schedule for the morning.”

  I dropped a kiss on my mother’s forehead and then we left the room. After Jesse tossed his empty coffee cup in the wastebasket as we passed it by, he caught my hand in his. I loved the feeling of his grip—warm and strong. It was nice not to feel alone in this, not today. When we got in the truck, I glanced over at him. “I think I’ll call Em now. I don’t want her to worry.”

  “What would she be worried about? She doesn’t even know anything happened,” he said with a grin.

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re right. I suppose I’m projecting my worry onto her. But, we won’t be home tonight, so I at least want her to know that. All in all, it’s a good thing she’s with a friend for the weekend.”

  I slipped my phone out of my purse to call when Jesse spoke. “Hey, quick question.”

  “What?”

  “I’m thinking we should grab a hotel for the night. Okay with you if we head down to the harbor? There are a few hotels down there.”