Her Firefighter Hero

by Leigh Bale

  “Yay! I can see everything now.” Caleb laughed.

  Megan sat in her chair and pulled June onto her lap. The girl leaned back with a sigh of contentment, enjoying the view. Megan breathed deeply of June’s fruity shampoo. It felt good to sit down and enjoy the parade.

  The hotshot crew’s pumper trucks drove by. Several hotshots wearing yellow Nomex shirts stood in the back. And standing in the middle was Smokey the Bear, tossing candy into the street.

  “Look, Mom! It’s Smokey the Bear,” June cried, her eyes wide with awe.

  “And Jared!” Caleb said.

  Sure enough, Jared stood beside Smokey, tossing candy to the children.

  “Hey, Smokey,” Caleb yelled and waved his arms over his head to get the bear’s attention.

  The bear waved back. With the mob of people, it was difficult to tell where he was looking, but Megan saw Jared point toward them. She had no doubt that Smokey was responding to her children.

  “Come on, let’s get some candy.” Zach ran to the street curb with the kids to pick up a few pieces.

  Connie leaned closer to Megan. “They asked Jared to play the part of Smokey this year, but he said no.”

  Confusion filled Megan’s mind as she glanced at the woman. “Really?”

  Connie nodded and pointed at the bear. “Yes, he told Tim that he didn’t want to usurp Caleb’s and June’s memory of their father.”

  Megan froze. Once again, Jared’s thoughtfulness touched her deeply. She didn’t know what to think about this revelation. Seeing how much Jared cared for her kids did something to her inside.

  At that precise moment, Smokey lifted a fistful of candy and launched it straight at June’s and Caleb’s feet. The children crowed with laughter as they happily picked up every piece.

  Then both Jared and Smokey waved, their heads turned toward her. And heaven help her, she couldn’t keep from lifting her hand in the air to wave back.

  The pumper truck passed on by, and then came the high school marching band. The trumpets and bass drums pounded in Megan’s chest.

  “So, how’s it going with Jared?” Connie asked in a low voice for her ears alone.

  “What do you mean?” Megan said.

  “You know. With the catering gig.”

  Oh. Funny how Megan thought she meant romantically. “Fine.”

  Connie sat back in her chair.

  “And how about between the two of you?” Connie pressed.

  Okay, here it was. The heart of the issue. But Megan decided to play it cool. “Fine. Like I’ve been saying all along, we’re just friends.”

  “Has he asked you out again?”

  Megan didn’t look at her. She didn’t want to tell the waitress about their date in the park. “You know we can’t be anything more than friends. I’m never falling for another firefighter.”

  Connie snorted. “That’s a bunch of phooey. Jared’s a great catch. You should make an exception.”

  Megan didn’t respond. She was not going to get sucked into another discussion about this. Why wouldn’t people just leave her alone about it?

  Connie leaned forward and met her eyes. “And what if you avoid him and it ends up being a big regret in your life?”

  Megan froze. That thought had never entered her mind. She’d been so worried about being hurt again that she hadn’t considered the possible regrets. But the thought of never seeing Jared again left her cold and hollow inside.

  Her heart told her to just sit back, relax and enjoy the blessings life brought her way. But her memories sent a warning chill up her spine. Life wasn’t easy and it hadn’t always been good to her. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to fall head over heels in love with Jared Marshall, and then there’d be no turning back.

  * * *

  Immediately following the parade, Megan and the kids made their way over to the restaurant. Frank was already there, setting up the salad bar and firing up the grill. And within twenty minutes, the place was crammed to capacity. A dull roar filled the space, with people laughing and talking all at once.

  Megan was helping Connie wait on tables when Jared walked in. Caleb and June sat at the front counter, munching on ham sandwiches and fries. As Jared joined them there, Megan stayed busy doing other things.

  “Can you wait on Jared?” she whispered to Connie as she shuttled a tray of drinks over to the farthest booth in the diner.

  Connie shook her head, speaking low. “No can do. My boss said she’d take the counter and refill drinks today. I’ve got the tables and dining room.”

  Megan almost groaned at the reminder. “You know, I am your boss. I’m allowed to change my mind.”

  Connie just laughed and hurried past, balancing four plates of food. “You definitely are my boss, but I didn’t think you were a coward.”

  Hmm. Megan would love to fire Connie right now, but knew it’d do no good. She loved the snippy waitress dearly, and she definitely wasn’t a coward.

  Or was she? Where Jared was concerned, Megan wasn’t sure anymore.

  No matter, Connie obviously wasn’t going to wait on the man, so Megan would have to do it whether she liked it or not. “Hi, Jared. What’ll you have?” she asked in a crisp, businesslike tone as she slid a stack of menus into their holder.

  He flashed that amazing smile and jerked his head toward the kids. “I’ll have what they’re having. And a diet cola.”

  He brushed his fingertips against Megan’s arm. A soft, gentle caress that sent a zing of awareness racing down her spine. His eyes sparkled like sapphires. A dimple showed in his left cheek and she caught a whiff of his spicy aftershave.

  “One ham and cheese with fries, coming up.” She quickly wrote the order down and snapped it up for Frank.

  “Wow, you’re busy today, huh?” Jared asked.

  “Yep, we are. One of the busiest days of the year.”

  “Did you enjoy the parade?”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  “I saw you and waved.”

  A cold part of her heart went all warm and mushy inside. She couldn’t deny his smile. “Yes, I understand that you didn’t want to be Smokey this year.”

  She spoke low, so no one would overhear her. The identity of Smokey the Bear was usually kept a secret from the kids.

  “No, I didn’t think it’d be right... Who told you that?” he asked.

  “Connie.” Her voice wobbled, betraying her nervousness.

  “I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings by being in the parade. But as the FMO, I’m kind of expected to ride along...”

  She held up a hand, cutting him off. “No, it’s okay. Really. I’m fine.”

  He released a giant exhale of relief. “It looked like Caleb and June were having fun.”

  “Of course. They love the parade every year.”

  Scooping ice into a glass, Megan filled Jared’s drink and slid it onto the counter with a straw, then bustled on to the next customer. Giving him no more than a nod. Giving him no more time to chat.

  Ten minutes later, she set his plate of food in front of him. The kids finished their meals and went into the back office to watch some TV. Even they didn’t want to be out in the crazy chaos of the restaurant today. Megan glanced over at Jared’s seat, but he wasn’t there. Just a crisp twenty-dollar bill tucked beneath his plate.

  Good. He must have gotten tired of her ignoring him and left. That’s what she needed him to do. And yet, she felt an inkling of remorse. When he wasn’t around, she actually missed him. And that insight stunned her.

  A moment later, she got another good shock. She looked up and saw Jared balancing a gray tub as he cleared a vacant table. Pete Rawlins and Dave Winton, both squad bosses on the hotshot crew, sat nearby heckling him.

  “Hey, boss, I didn’t know you were
a dishwasher as well as an FMO.” Pete grinned.

  “Yeah, you clear dishes away real well. Is this a new side job you’ve taken on?” Dave asked.

  Jared didn’t stop working as he showed a good-natured smile. “I’m just helping out a friend. I’m multitalented, boys. Laugh it up. I’ll be sure to think of something fun for you two to do on the next wildfire.”

  Though spoken with a laugh, his words held a veiled threat. Megan didn’t think he’d do anything mean, but he got Pete’s and Dave’s attention. The two men ducked their heads over their double cheeseburgers and didn’t say another word.

  Ignoring the din of noise, Megan walked over and touched Jared’s arm. “Thanks for the help, but you don’t need to do this. I’ll get to it soon.”

  He tossed her a friendly smile and shrugged. “I don’t mind. I don’t have anything better to do. Besides, I’ve never seen you this busy before. It’s a good thing you hired extra waitresses, but even with that, I think you need the help today.”

  Yes, she did, but this wasn’t his job.

  “Really, don’t do that. We can manage without you.” She tried to take the dishcloth away from him, but he moved it out of her reach.

  “It’s okay. Really,” he said.

  With a few quick wipes of the clean table, he nodded and carried the tub to the back washroom.

  Thinking that was settled and he’d move on now, she hurried about the diner, meeting everyone’s needs. Too busy to spend any more time worrying about Jared and his generosity. But she couldn’t seem to get him off her mind. And she admitted only to herself that she wished things could be different between them. Much, much different.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Megan locked the front door behind the last customer of the evening. Finally, it was closing time. Finally, she could go home and soak her aching feet.

  From the wide windows fronting the restaurant, she saw that bright stars glittered in the night sky, the tall lights outside adding a yellow glow to the street below. Slinging his jacket over his shoulder, Frank walked out into the dining room, his car keys dangling from his fingers. In his other hand, he held a pack of gum. He’d quit smoking five weeks earlier and had started chewing gum furiously to help alleviate his cravings. Megan was proud of his accomplishment and continued to encourage him not to give up the fight. So far, it was working.

  Connie stood beside him, her short curly hair looking wilted by steam from the dishwashers in the back room. They’d both worked hard today, and Megan loved them for it. They were good friends as well as employees.

  “Thank you so much for all your help today. You guys are the absolute best,” Megan said.

  Frank’s face flushed red with pleasure. “Anytime.”

  “You’re welcome. Will you be okay if we head out now?” Connie asked.

  “Yes, I’m just going to finish up a few things and go home,” Megan said.

  Connie shook a large foam cup that jingled pleasantly with coins. A wad of green bills stuck up over the top. “Lots of good tips today.”

  Yes, they’d been crazy busy, but the business was good. Megan smiled and let them out the front door before locking it again behind them. Shoving the key into the pocket of her apron, she turned to assess the order of the diner. Connie hadn’t failed her. Everything looked in great shape for the next day’s breakfast shift, except the floors that needed to be mopped. But that would have to wait until tomorrow. Nothing left to do tonight except total the receipts, then turn off the lights and go home.

  Walking to the back office, she glanced in at her two children, sleeping together on the little cot she’d set up for them. She gazed at their serene faces, so sweet in the dim light. Another thirty minutes of counting out the receipts, then she could gather them up and take them home. Tomorrow was Sunday. A day off work for her.

  Thank goodness.

  A slight noise caught her attention. She tilted her head to listen. A whooshing sound came from the kitchen. Maybe Frank or Connie had left the water running.

  She stepped over to the doorway and peered around the corner. Jared stood in front of the sink, mopping the linoleum floors. He twirled the heavy mop around an area, then dipped it into the sudsy water of the bucket and sloshed the mop up and down to rinse it out.

  For several moments, she watched him work, stunned that he’d stayed until closing time. She’d been so busy that she’d almost forgotten about him. She thought he’d left hours ago. But no. He’d obviously been washing dishes all afternoon and evening. He’d worked as hard as her staff, and she was grateful.

  “I thought you had left,” she said, leaning against the doorjamb.

  He jerked and snapped his head around, almost losing his grip on the mop stick.

  “Hey! You startled me.” He flashed her a smile so bright that it brought a hard lump to her throat.

  She jutted her chin toward the bucket. “You don’t need to do that. You’ve already done too much. Thanks for all your help today. I already owe you so much.”

  Oh, maybe she shouldn’t have said that. If he asked her out on another date, she’d have to say no and she didn’t want to hurt him again.

  “It’s no problem.” He lifted the stringy mop into the wringer and pressed hard on the lever. Water gushed through the holes on the wringer plate.

  “Really, I can finish up,” she said.

  He barely glanced her way. “It’s okay. I’ve got this. If you’ll give me just a few more minutes, you can get the kids up and I’ll walk you out to your truck so you can go home. I want to make sure you’re safe before I leave you.”

  His consideration touched her heart. It’d been a long time since a man had looked after her, and it felt good. Too good.

  “You mean your truck, don’t you?”

  “Hmm?” He released the lever and slapped the mop back onto the floor before swirling it around another section.

  “The truck belongs to you,” she reminded him.

  “Oh, yeah. That.” He waved his hand, as if the truck was no big deal.

  Great. He just kept making it more difficult not to like him. If he wasn’t so handsome and nice, she could find a way to get angry at him. But as it stood, she couldn’t very well dislike a man who was always bailing her out of trouble. Could she?

  She folded her arms, admiring the way his back muscles flexed and moved as he swirled the mop around on the floor. His strong hands held the heavy mop stick effortlessly, as though it weighed nothing at all.

  “Where’d you learn to mop like that?” she asked.

  With the toe of his boot, he propelled the bucket past her and out into the dining room. With swift, short movements, he kept working while he talked. “From my mom. My dad died when I was about June’s age. It was tough on the family, but my mom was strong, just like you. She worked hard and kept us together, the way you’re doing for your kids.”

  “Oh.” Megan looked away, feeling more confused than ever. Somehow knowing this bit of personal information about Jared only showed how much they had in common. If anyone understood what her kids were going through by losing their father, Jared did.

  Trying to ignore him, she opened the cash register and sat in a corner booth to count up the receipts. If he wanted to help her, she wouldn’t argue. Her lower back ached and she was too tired to care. She just didn’t have the strength to fight him tonight.

  He mopped his way around the room, reaching far beneath each table to clean the floors. And after all the customers they’d had that day, the floors needed it.

  Finally, he circled back around to her. Clutching the receipts in her hand, she slid out of the booth as he drew near enough to touch her. He stuck the mop into the bucket for a final rinse, then stood there, strong, safe and dependable. The kind of man she could rely on to look after her kids. And her heart. But that had no
bearing on the turmoil rumbling around inside of her mind. God would determine their futures. Neither she nor Jared had a say as to whether or not he was killed in a wildfire. And she hated feeling vulnerable. Hated being afraid.

  She looked up into his eyes, feeling mesmerized and frozen in place. She couldn’t move. Could barely breathe.

  “Megan, trust me. Just trust me. I’ll never do you wrong. I promise.” He whispered the words, his lips curving into a slow, melting smile.

  He leaned his head down and kissed her. Gently. A soft caress she readily embraced. He tasted of peppermint, and she lifted her free hand to place her palm against his chest, just over his heart. Her fingers tightened in the folds of his shirt, the solid wall of muscles warm and vibrant beneath her touch. She longed to confide in him. To tell him all the doubts rumbling around inside her heart. To cast her fears aside and rely on him forever more.

  She burrowed nearer, feeling the solid beat of his heart beneath her fingertips. She shifted her weight, returning his kiss. Breathing him in.

  “Jared, I just— I’ve already lost one husband. I can’t lose another one. I’ve got two kids to think about. We can’t do this.”

  “Yes, we can,” he whispered against her lips. “We’ve both been afraid for a long time now. Afraid of commitment. Afraid of being hurt again. But I think it’s time for us to trust again. To believe in the Lord and in each other. It’s going to be okay. I promise you that. I want to see more of you and the kids. Just say you’ll give me a chance. Please.”

  She melted against him, her lips pliant beneath his as he kissed her again. She wanted to believe him. She really did. But what about the future? What if...?

  “Mommy?”

  She broke away and inhaled a trembling breath.

  Caleb walked into the dining room, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

  “I’m right here, son.” Her voice sounded shaky to her ears.

  “Can we go home now?” the boy asked as she lifted him into her arms. He wrapped his legs around her waist as she cuddled him close against her neck.