by Leigh Bale
“Nope, just that it was urgent that he speak with you in person.”
Andie nodded and headed for her office, calling over her shoulder. “Call them back and tell them I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
Clarice nodded and picked up the phone.
Wondering what the emergency was, Andie drove to the S.O.’s office. After entering the redbrick building, she checked in with the front receptionist.
“Go right in. He’s expecting you,” the woman said.
Andie turned, then paused. “And can you tell me if Matt Cutter’s in today?”
The receptionist nodded. “He’s always the first one here in the mornings, but I think he’s meeting with someone right now.”
Andie breathed a sigh of relief as she walked down the hall to Cal’s office. When she passed by Matt’s office, she peeked at the nameplate on his door. The door was closed, but she could see a stream of light shining beneath. At least he was here, safe and sound.
Thinking no more about it, she continued down the hall where Cal’s admin assistant immediately led her into his office.
“Andie! Thanks for coming in on such short notice.” Cal stood and rounded his spacious desk. He shook her hand before closing the door. “Have a seat.”
She sat in one of the leather chairs facing his desk and crossed her legs. Feeling self-conscious, she ran a hand down the pant leg of her crisp ranger’s uniform, trying not to feel nervous. “What’s up?”
His chair creaked as he sat down. “Let me get right to the point. I’ve heard that you and Matt Cutter are married.”
Oh, no! Was he angry with her? A blaze of dread shivered up her spine. “Yes, but…”
“And I understand you’re separated.” A statement, not a question.
She nodded, unwilling to trust her voice right now. Surely he’d spoken to Matt about this issue since his office was just down the hall. Yet Matt hadn’t mentioned anything to her about it.
“And you have a little boy,” Cal continued.
“Y…yes, Davie.”
Cal smiled. “I’ve seen pictures of him in Matt’s office. A cute kid. And from what Matt’s told me, he’s a natural athlete.”
“He is. A wonderful boy.”
And? What did Cal want? Her mind raced with urgency.
“I didn’t know you and Matt were married and separated when I hired both of you to work on this national forest. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have done so.”
“I didn’t know he was taking the job, either, until I’d already moved to Enlo and started working here. I’ve been going by my maiden name since Matt…since Matt and I separated. I think this was just a fluke.”
He nodded, not looking flustered in the least. “It’s a rarity, but it happens sometimes. I want to offer you a transfer to Evanston, Wyoming.”
Andie’s heart dropped to her toes. A transfer? That would mean packing up Davie and leaving Nevada. Because she and Matt happened to be married. She could just imagine what that would do to her son. Regaining his father only to lose him again. And what about her? She looked forward to Matt’s visits to her house. He’d brought a sense of security and happiness into her life, and she didn’t want to lose that ever again.
“But I just got settled here.”
“I know, but I sensed some difficulty between you and Matt several months ago, and now I understand why. I think you’ll remember that I asked you about it.” He lifted his brows in a stern look.
“Yes, but we’ve done fine working together. Our relationship isn’t a problem for us, Cal. Really. I’ve nosedived into the work and my marriage hasn’t impacted it in anyway.”
She couldn’t leave Nevada. Not now. Not when she and Matt were finally reconciling. Not when they’d finally forgiven each other.
Cal sat back and placed his hands on the armrests of his chair. “I’ve been extremely happy with both your and Matt’s work performance. In fact, I hate to lose either one of you. You’re an asset to this forest. But I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable working with Matt so that it starts to impact your work.”
“It won’t. Matt and I have talked about this. We’re professionals. We know what to do.”
He chuckled. “You don’t need to convince me, Andie. And you don’t have to take the transfer, either.”
“We don’t…er, I don’t? Really?” She shook her head, putting every ounce of seriousness into her expression.
“No. Do you want to stay here in Enlo?”
“Yes.” A quick, sharp nod.
Cal pursed his lips together. “It’s funny, but Matt said the same thing.”
She curled her hands together in her lap. She didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. “You asked Matt if he wanted a transfer?”
“Yeah, several weeks ago. An FCO position in Oregon has opened up, and they requested Matt by name. It’d mean a promotion for him. Since he’s rehabilitated and doing so well, I offered him the job.”
She tensed. “And is he going to take it?”
“No. He said he’d quit the forest service before he left his family again. When I asked where he’d work, he said it didn’t matter as long as he could be near you and Davie. Knowing you two are separated, I figured he still cares a lot for his family.”
Andie’s mouth dropped open. “He actually said those things?”
“Much more graphically, but yes. He said nothing was more important than being near his family. He won’t go anywhere without you.”
An overwhelming joy enveloped Andie. So powerful that she almost wept with it. “I agree. I won’t let my family be separated again. If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer staying right where I am. I’m happy. Truly happy here.”
Cal threw back his head and laughed. “Okay, then. It’s settled. The Cutter family is gonna stay right here in Enlo. I hope this means a reconciliation might be forthcoming. Matt’s been through a lot, and I’d love nothing more than to see you two back together.”
She smiled, but didn’t reply. She liked this idea more and more. A reconciliation. The Cutter family. It had a nice ring to it. Now if she could just work things out with Matt.
When she returned to her ranger station, Andie stepped inside just as a fierce gust of wind whipped the door away from her hand. The door slammed closed with a loud bang and she flinched, grateful the glass panes didn’t break. She brushed hair out of her eyes, thinking such a wind would be disastrous for a wildfire.
Urgency caused her to hurry to her office. She planned to call Matt and schedule a meeting at her place later that evening. She’d see if Sue could watch Davie for her, and then Andie would fix dinner for Matt. They needed time alone. He’d been offered a promotion…and he’d turned it down. So he could stay with his family. Matt had changed after all.
The fire dispatch interrupted her thoughts, tapping against her door as he leaned through the threshold. “Andie, we’ve got a fire. A resident living in Lee was out hiking and spotted smoke.”
She blinked, transitioning her mind back to business. “Where?”
“Near Harrison Pass. It’s on BLM land, spreading fast. We’ve got a campground nearby.”
With these winds, the fire could spread fast. Numerous ranches dotted the valleys surrounding the Ruby Mountains along with cabins, mines and personal property. It all needed protection.
“We could have a number of small spot fires, too,” Andie said.
“Yeah, we could.”
“Okay, I’ll come down to your office for a more detailed report in just a minute.”
With a nod, he disappeared and Andie reached for her phone. Her personal desire to talk to Matt would have to wait. Knowing this routine well, she first called Susan. Davie was always her main priority, and she wanted to ensure he’d be taken care of while she was busy with the fire.
“Hello.” Sue’s voice sounded cheerful.
“Hi, sis. I just wanted to inform you that we’ve got a fire burning on BLM land that’s spreading rapidly. I may need you to watch Davie overnight for me
.”
“Of course. Where’s the fire?” Sue asked.
Andie explained the location.
“Is it a big fire?”
“Getting that way. I was just outside and the wind is horrible, so I’m expecting it to take a while to get things under control.”
“Whatever you need. Just take care of yourself.”
Andie scrunched her shoulder up to hold the phone to her ear. With her hands free, she reached for her fire pack sitting on the floor behind her office door. During fire season, she kept it packed and ready at a moment’s notice. “Will do. I’ll call you periodically to check on Davie and give you updates on when I’ll be home. Tell him I love him.”
“Of course I will. Is Matt involved?”
Andie hesitated, not wanting to get into an ugly discussion with her sister right now. She’d squared Sue on her treatment of Matt, but sensed her sister still didn’t like him much. “I’m planning to call him next. As the fire control officer, he needs to be aware of every fire impacting the forest. You know that.”
“Yeah, I know that.”
Andie released a sigh. “Look, Sue. Matt’s been spending more and more time at my house. We went out to dinner for our anniversary, and he told me about the wildfire he was injured on. We—we’ve forgiven each other.”
Sue made an ugly sound. “What did you do that requires his forgiveness?”
“I said some pretty ugly things and sent him away. I’m just as much to blame as he is.”
“You didn’t hog-tie him and force him to go. We all have disagreements in our marriage, but that doesn’t mean our men are gonna take off because of it.”
Andie took a deep breath. “Sue, I say this with love and compassion. It’s not your business. It’s mine. And I just want to forget and move on with our lives.”
“That’s good, I suppose.” Sue’s voice sounded hesitant.
“You suppose?”
“Well, if you can forgive me for deleting Matt’s phone calls, I suppose I shouldn’t hold a grudge against him for deserting you. He really told you about the wildfire he was injured on?”
Andie’s heart beat faster just thinking about what Matt had gone through. “Yeah, he’s hurting inside, with good reason. I want to help him.”
“You’re not falling for him again out of sympathy, are you?”
Andie gripped the phone hard. “Not out of sympathy, but I think he’s suffered enough, don’t you?”
Sue coughed. “I suppose.”
“He’s still my husband, sis. You may need to adjust to the idea of us getting back together again.”
“Do you love him?”
“I never stopped.” Saying the words out loud seemed to take away Andie’s fear. She loved him. She wanted to be with him. Forever.
“And does Matt love you?”
“He’s made it clear he wants to be with Davie and me.”
A pregnant pause followed. “But has Matt said the words to you?”
Andie took a long time in responding, her voice whisper soft. “Not exactly, but I haven’t been too receptive until now.”
Sue asked another question. “You don’t think it’s too soon to get back together?”
Andie released a deep breath. “I think we’ve been apart long enough.”
Sue gave a half-hearted laugh. “Yeah, you have. If you love each other, then it’s time. But don’t worry about me. I’ll be nice to him and support you in whatever you decide. No matter what, we’ll always be sisters.”
A feeling of relief warmed Andie’s heart. She adored her sister and didn’t want her marriage to come between them. “Amen to that. Thanks, Sue. I appreciate it. And I love you. Now I’ve got to go.”
“I love you, too. Talk to you later.”
Andie hung up the phone, a strange feeling of elation pulsing through her veins. If she and Matt got back together. She could actually imagine her fondest wish becoming a reality. She’d forgiven Matt. Really forgiven him. And he’d forgiven her. In place of the anger and hate, she felt peace and love. A lightness of heart she hadn’t felt in years. As if they could forget the past and start over fresh. Like they could be great together and a real family again.
But did Matt love her? He’d told her he never should have left her. That he wanted to be a family again. But he hadn’t said the word love. Which made her wonder if his regret was inspired by guilt.
She shook her head. “You’re overthinking this, Andie. Just focus on the fire, and you can talk with Matt about this later.”
Rather than have the dispatcher call Matt’s office, Andie dialed the number herself. As she did so, the truth nagged at her. What if he didn’t love her? What if he just felt guilty for leaving her? She had no doubt he loved Davie. But loving a child and loving his mother were two different things. Before she got back together with Matt, she had to know the truth. They still had a lot to talk about.
“Minden National Forest. Sherry speaking.”
“Hi, Sherry. It’s Andie Cutter, er, Foster. Is Matt available?”
“I’m sorry, Andie, but he’s in a meeting. Can I take a message and have him return your call?”
Andie sighed. She longed to hear Matt’s voice. She’d been so happy, confessing her love for him. Uncertain whether he felt the same about her.
She’d just have to wait. In a few concise sentences, she relayed the fire information to Sherry, then headed down to her dispatcher’s office. Within thirty minutes, she was dressed in her yellow fire-resistant shirt, white helmet and Nomex pants. She gazed out the windshield, concentrating on the road as she and her range assistant drove west on Interstate 228 toward the Ruby Mountains. An engine and fire crew accompanied her: twenty men and women composed of a resource crew boss, a squad boss, an advanced firefighter, and sixteen less-advanced firefighters. They were ready for battle.
Her talk with Matt would have to wait.
Chapter Fifteen
Andie leaned her hip against the map table her crew had set up at base camp beneath a large open-air tent. Hand crews of firefighters, engines fully loaded with retardant foam, large cats with plows attached, water tenders holding fifteen-hundred gallons of water, dozers and pumper trucks all moved across the area like a well-oiled machine.
The staging area rested at the base of the Ruby Mountains, just outside of Lee, Nevada. Catering stands with eating tables, portable toilets and showers, tents for sleeping, and telephones had been brought in, turning the base camp into a small community of three thousand men and women overnight.
The command team stood around the table, all of them gazing at the map. As the operations chief, Matt led the discussion. He leaned over the map and pointed at key areas, his strong fingers a bit dirty from working. “What we’ve got here is a Class D fire, covering over five thousand acres. We’re fighting the main fire out of Harrison Pass. We’ve also got hand crews working to flank and pinch out a number of spot fires.”
“Where are our spot fires?” Hank Dittmer, the incident commander, asked.
“Here by Ruby Dome, Griswold Lake, Verdi Peak and Echo Canyon.”
“Echo Canyon? Don’t we have a crew working just below Echo Lake?” Andie asked.
Matt straightened, his gaze meeting hers. “Yes, a type-one crew. They should have six programmable radios, but I’m concerned. We lost communication with them over an hour ago. They haven’t checked in.”
“That terrain is rugged and inaccessible. Why’d we send a crew up there?” Hank asked.
Andie had heard this before. Rugged and inaccessible had become a justification for inaction. “It’s inaccessible for pumpers, but a crew can handle it as long as they can work safely. If we ignore this fire, it’ll just get bigger and we’ll lose the opportunity to take control. They learned that with the South Canyon fire back in 1994.”
Matt frowned. “That’s right, but now Echo Canyon is acting like a chimney and we’ve got a buttonhook fire creeping over from below.”
Andie nodded in agreement. “I doubt
the fire crew is aware of the danger. That canyon is filled with flash fuels, high temperatures, low humidity and squirrely winds going in and out. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen.”
Hank Dittmer pressed his palms against the tabletop as he perused the map. “We need to send a chopper in right now to see if we can find and warn the crew of the danger.”
“We certainly do,” Andie agreed.
“I’ll do it,” Matt offered.
Everyone looked at him, no one seeming to think his proposal odd, except for Andie. “Matt, you can’t go in. You don’t know the area.”
“Yes, I do. I hiked a number of the canyons on Ruby Mountain while I was training for my work-capacity test. Echo Canyon was one of them, although it took me two days to hike up to Echo Lake. It was rough going, but if I hike in from above, I should be able to reach the crew within an hour.”
Andie stared at him, her mouth hanging open. So much for trying to claim he didn’t know the area and couldn’t go in. “You did?”
“Yep. I’ll take the small spotter chopper and see if I can find the crew.” Matt picked up his binoculars and peered through them as he scanned the mountain, training his gaze south toward Ruby Dome—the vicinity where the fire crew was working.
Without looking, Andie knew a cloud of black smoke billowed across the mountain with red flames licking beneath. Spot fires dotted the mountains, running downhill toward the numerous ranches sprinkled across the valley below. They’d called in hotshot crews from states across the nation and firefighters from almost every agency in Nevada to help. This was a big fire, and they had yet to gain control.
“That sounds like a good plan. Let me know as soon as the crew is evacuated from the area,” Hank said.
Matt lowered the binoculars and glanced at his watch. “It’s noon and already the air is hot.”
Hank nodded. “Yes, and the winds are escalating the fire. I’ve called in smoke jumpers to help the hotshot crews.”
Matt set the binoculars aside. “My past experience tells me the temperatures will climb high enough by midafternoon that the fire could explode up the canyon. The hotshot crew is working at the top of a chimney. If it explodes—”