The Firefighter to Heal Her Heart

by Annie O'Neil

  Jack slowed the truck to a stop on the hard, iron-rich earth in front of the house, his father already walking out onto the front veranda as if four years hadn’t passed and he’d been expecting his son to turn up about now.

  Jack hated the look of disappointment creasing his father’s face when he saw the uniform.

  He would make his father proud. He would understand. One day. He just had to hang on to his principles. Hang on tightly to all he knew was true.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “I’VE GOT TO hand it to you, Kev. This one’s a real corker.” Liesel snapped off her protective gloves and popped them in the bin.

  “Thanks, miss!”

  “I should’ve known you’d take it as a compliment.” Liesel sent the brand-new teen an admonishing glare, albeit with a twinkle in her eye. “A black eye and a sprained wrist on your birthday hardly give you bragging rights.” She secured the brace on his arm before reaching into the cupboard behind her for a chemical ice pack.

  “They are when you finally popped Diggy Reynolds a good one on the nose. You couldn’t have asked for a better present, miss.”

  Liesel winced. She’d seen Diggy first. It had been an impressive nosebleed, but thankfully not a break. Deviated septums weren’t killers—but they sure did hurt. She’d have to talk to Cassie about the incident. Again. Kev’s file was now officially the fattest in her cabinet.

  Liesel gave Kev her best “harrumph” as she twisted the ice pack, felt the coolness flood through the packet and gently laid it across his wrist. The thirteen-year-old knew just as well as she did that she had a soft spot for him. Even if he was permanently in trouble. She was pretty sure an absent father was the cause, but she was hoping Cassie had things in hand. The counseling training she’d had in Adelaide was setting off all of the alarm bells that Kev was a troublemaker in training.

  “Look, you make sure you keep that wrist iced for the next few days, otherwise I’ll tell your mother on you.”

  “Tell your mother what, Kevin Alexander Monroe?”

  Cassie’s head popped out from around the corner of Liesel’s nurses’ station, lips pursed, eyebrows raised. Liesel quickly sent Kevin a look indicating it was up to him now and then wheeled her chair out of the way as Cassie entered.

  “What is it this time, bud?” Her tone was sharp, but Cassie’s face spoke of the volumes of love she felt for her son. “I’ve got a class to start in five minutes and a hot date with a fireman—so you had better tell me that this week’s injury doesn’t need a trip to the CMC.”

  Liesel’s attention level shot straight up and, disturbingly, into the a-little-bit-jealous territory as an image of a certain sandy-haired fireman flitted through her mind. Trying her best to quell the heroic poses he was enacting in her imagination, she smiled up at her friend. “A date? You didn’t tell me.”

  “Now, now, my little woodland fairy friend.” Cassie laughed, openly pleased she’d piqued Liesel’s interest. “We’ve both got a date with a fireman so don’t look so envious.”

  Liesel felt her nose crinkle—her go-to what are you talking about? expression.

  “Uh-oh, Miss Adler,” Kev broke in warily. “You’re Mum’s latest double-dating victim. Better beware!”

  “Right, you two.” Liesel stood up briskly, wanting to put an end to the conversation as soon as humanly possible. “Time’s up. I’ve got an assembly to prepare for.” She shuffled them both out of the nurse’s office and shut the door behind her with a satisfying click.

  Discussing her love life, or lack of one, in front of the students, let alone the son of her new—her only—friend here in Engleton wasn’t on the agenda. She leaned heavily against the door, allowing a slow breath to escape her lips. A breath she hoped carried away some of the ache she felt whenever she confronted the idea of moving on.

  Yes. She’d loved Eric with all of her heart, an over-the-moon-and-back-again young woman’s heart, but she’d never even got the chance to have her wedding day, let alone share the birth of her son. Now, at the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Liesel had a daily wrestling match with the feeling that she was “finished” in the romance department.

  It had all happened so fast. A whirlwind love affair in an American ski resort. The spontaneous proposal. Their surprise pregnancy. Losing Eric. Never having the family that she had only just begun to imagine.

  She started at the tap-tap-tap against the door.

  “I know you’re in there, Liesel. I can hear you breathing.”

  Despite herself, Liesel giggled. Being friends with Cassie gave her little glimpses back to the “old Liesel.” The free-spirited young woman she used to be.

  Cracking open the door, she allowed her friend access to one of her eyes. “Friend or foe?”

  “Friend, you noodle! C’mon,” she pleaded. “Open up!”

  Liesel pulled open the door while simultaneously grabbing a light jumper from the hook on the wall. “Make it fast. I’m afraid I’ve got to get going down to the gym for an assembly. The principal just told me about it fifteen minutes ago.”

  “Cool your rockets. I’m heading the same way.”

  “Your class is coming?”

  “You could put it that way.” Cassie adopted her best nonchalant voice. “Or you could say that my class is coming to your date.”

  Liesel stopped in her tracks.

  “Cassie Monroe! What have you done?”

  “Oh-h-h-h...” Her friend was fastidiously avoiding eye contact now. “It might have been me who volunteered you to help with a little demonstration.”

  “What demonstration?”

  “The first-aid demo for the first, second and third years. It was meant to be a ladders demonstration, but...” Cassie used her best cheerleader voice.

  “But what?”

  “Now, that, I don’t know exactly. All I know is it has turned into a first-aid demo.”

  “And who exactly is leading today’s first-aid demo?”

  “Oh, I think he might have a familiar face.”

  Liesel felt her body go rigid as Cassie pushed open the door to the gym. Smack-dab in the center of the room a certain sandy-haired fireman was kneeling on the floor, setting up his kit. Seeing Jack again had the same effect on her nervous system as it did on the no-longer-dormant butterflies in her tummy. They were going crazy.

  “Oh, no, you don’t!” Cassie caught her arm as Liesel tried to turn and leave. “You’re the Murray River Valley school nurse and I don’t think there is anyone better placed to help our local CFS crew inspire young minds.”

  “But—”

  “Nope. I don’t want to hear it.” Cassie gave her a quick hug and a push. “Now, go and put on a good show for my class. They just might be the future doctors of Engleton. Back in a tinkle!”

  Liesel watched as her friend hastily retreated down the school corridor. If there was one thing she definitely knew about Cassie, she was persistent.

  * * *

  Jack first caught a glimpse of the familiar auburn curls through the gym door. As Liesel virtually hurtled through it, he felt bushwhacked anew by her fresh-faced beauty. Her petite features instantly made him feel like a klutzy brontosaurus who’d been charged with protecting a tiny and exquisitely beautiful tropical bird. His modus operandi at these gigs was usually big and loud, but something about her made him want to ratchet things down a notch.

  “Are you the set of helping hands I was promised?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  Jack took on board the microscopic flinch as she made eye contact with him. What had provoked that?

  “Apologies for the last-minute setup. The CFS are trying to do as much outreach in the local schools as we can and after we met the other day I realized we hadn’t done a demonstration here in ages.” Too obvious?

  She squinted u
p at him, waiting for more information.

  “I’m trying to score a few more points locally before I turn in my outreach stats to the big boys in Adelaide.” Too macho. Definitely too macho.

  “What exactly are we meant to be doing today? I heard a rumor it was going to be snakes and ladders.” Liesel crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping that demonstrating anything involving body contact was off the agenda. She was beginning to feel a little giddy in Jack’s presence and feeling that way—particularly in front of the student body—was definitely not in the rulebooks.

  Jack rose to his full height, arms spreading out in front of him as if preparing to sell his wares to Liesel. “Ahh. Well, HQ decided today was the day all the ladders would be checked out by one of their techs. Safety-first bureaucracy, and all that.” He gave her a knowing look and she couldn’t help but nod along. The world of school nurses was weighed down with thick ledgers of mind-numbing paperwork. It was little wonder his was, too.

  “This is what we’re going to do today.” He waved an arm across everything he’d been laying out on the gym floor. “It’s what you find inside a proper first-aid kit—one you’d find at a school, in a restaurant, the science lab. I know these kids are too little to reach one, let alone use it, but we can try and make it fun.” His eyes twinkled down at hers and if she wasn’t mistaken she saw the beginnings of a wink form, reconsider, then withdraw. Shame. Her butterflies were just about ready for another whirl round her tummy.

  Liesel knew her eyes were meant to be following Jack’s to take in the array of splints, plasters, bandages, wipes and protective glasses—a deluxe edition of first-aid kits. Instead, they were working their way from one of his long-fingered hands along his golden-haired forearm—she had a weakness for a well-defined forearm. Tanned, well-toned, his definitely measured up. Her eyes slid up and over the biceps filling his short-sleeved CFS T-shirt to a set of awfully broad shoulders—

  “Like what you see?”

  Heat instantly spread across her cheeks. Obviously. She hadn’t ogled anyone from such close range in years. Three years, to be exact. A twist of guilt knotted up her butterflies and as she looked up at him she realized in an instant he was referring to the contents of the first-aid kit.

  Doubly embarrassing.

  Even if he hadn’t seen her do an ocular tiptoe up his arms and on to the expanse of his shoulders, he would be sure to spy the flush of embarrassment continuing to heat her cheeks. Say something, you idiot!

  “It’s great. You’ve really got the full Monty here.”

  She clapped a hand over her mouth. The full Monty! Her brain did a whiz-bang dress and undress of the unsuspecting man in front of her and before she could stop it, Liesel felt herself succumbing to a full-blown case of the nervous giggles.

  * * *

  Jack had no idea what Liesel was finding so funny but was glad to see, whatever it was, that it brought a happy glint to those kitty-cat eyes of hers. He took a swipe at his chin. Maybe he still had some egg yolk on there from this morning’s egg and bacon roll.

  “I’m sorry.” Liesel spoke through her fingers, actively trying to stifle her laughter. “I don’t know what’s got into me this morning.” She cleared her throat and gave her feet a little stomp on the gym floor, as if the motion would add some sobriety to the moment. It worked. For a second. As soon as their eyes met again she burst into another peal of laughter that was about as infectious as they came.

  Feeling at an utter loss as to what would have caused it, Jack was relieved to see a flow of students start to make their way into the big gymnasium. He bent his head in their direction and stage-whispered, “Quit your laughing, Miss Adler. You’ll take away my tough-guy image.”

  Hardly. She didn’t know a single thing about Brigade Captain Jack Keller, but there was little to nothing that would diminish from the all-man mojo he was exuding.

  Liesel took herself off to a corner to choke down a few more mortified giggles as the students made their way in. Being a few dozen meters away from him made it easier to spy on him. Well, not spy really...assess. Jack had clearly thought out the presentation more than he’d let on and was soon directing the children according to age toward floor seats or the stands.

  He was good with them. A natural. He started off the talk with a few jokes that immediately captivated the children’s attention. Liesel had to admit it, if there was anyone who could get this boisterous group of young kids interested in first-aid training and the CFS cadets, Jack Keller was the man for the job.

  * * *

  “All right, Miss Adler, time for you to come over here and for us to find out just how smart you are!”

  Liesel did her best who, me? double take before realizing all eyes in the gym were focused on her and Jack was genuinely waiting for her to join him. The old Liesel would’ve loved being center stage, playing the jester to his brigade captain. The new Liesel? Not so sure about being in the limelight anymore.

  Twenty minutes later Liesel realized she shouldn’t have worried a bit. Jack Keller wasn’t out to embarrass her—or anyone, for that matter. He really struck her as one of those genuinely kind guys who just wanted to help.

  He had devised a really clever game where he would call out the name of an item in the first-aid kit and then he and the children would count how many seconds it took her to find it. Then, when she had found it, he would equate the time it took her to find it with what would have been happening to the patient while they were waiting. The children loved it and at the same time were learning how important it was to get help quickly in an emergency. They were putty in his hands and Jack seemed to be having just as much fun as the students.

  “Right. I think it’s time to pull out the big guns.” Liesel watched as Jack’s head turned a quick right, left and back again. Whatever it was he was looking for clearly wasn’t there. Liesel thought she might be mistaken...but was he looking embarrassed?

  “Right. We’ve just come onto the CPR part of our demonstration and it appears my good friend Resusci Annie decided to cop out for this particular trip.” He scanned the room, his eyes coming to rest on Liesel, complete with that cockeyed smile of his. Oh, no. She was in trouble now.

  “Who thinks Miss Adler should come and stand in for my dum—my good friend Resusci Annie?”

  Jack knew he was going out on a limb here, but he might as well find out now whether or not Liesel gave as good as she got. She’d been great in participating in his game and seemed to know how to play along with him to maximize the learning potential for the children.

  The whoops and hollers of the kids were all the confirmation Jack needed to usher a blushing Liesel to the center of the gym floor. He had to remind himself the blushing wasn’t for him— it was for the children. Right? Either way, the flush on her cheeks was having a nice effect on his ego.

  “Who’d like to see what it looks like when someone faints or passes out?”

  Another cheer filled the gym and Liesel gave Jack a sidelong thanks a lot, pal look before performing one of the most melodramatic faints he had ever seen.

  Score one to Liesel.

  * * *

  Oh-h-h-h, he’s close. Really, really close. Not safe territory!

  Jack was right in the middle of explaining the need to check for breathing when Liesel became a little too aware of him kneeling next to her. Then leaning over her. Then whispering in her ear, his soft breath an indicator as to just how close his lips were. His very, very kissable lips. Had her lips just quivered? Please, say that didn’t just happen.

  “I’m going to touch you, touch your head, is that all right?” She tried her best to nod slowly, maintaining the illusion of being unconscious. It was just as well she was lying on the floor. With her eyes closed. The effect of that low voice on her central nervous system seemed to get more results on her than a defibrillator. She felt one of those bi
g capable hands of his gently touch her forehead. It was strange to her that she didn’t feel vulnerable. Everything about this man seemed capable, safe. But he was close. Too close. She had to lift her head. Now.

  “So, to check for breath you just want to lean over and—”

  “Oh!”

  Jack’s mouth swept across hers as if by design. She found her lips breezing across his and meeting his stubbled cheek in virtually the same movement. It was softer than she had thought it would be. Not that she’d thought about it. Much.

  His warm scent, a delicious sunbaked salty-sweet combo, filled her nostrils, her body’s responsiveness quickly shooting to code red. Cheers and squeals of laughter pealed from the children. Liesel instinctively began to pull back as if she’d been set alight. In a lightning-fast move, she pushed herself away from Jack and up into a seating position. A thousand thoughts clamored for attention as she tried to put together what had just happened.

  “That’s one way to give the kiss of life, children. Not necessarily approved by the Red Cross, but nevertheless...” She could see him smiling at the children but was more aware of the questions flying through his blue eyes as he locked onto her own.

  It’s such a good thing I’m sitting down already.

  I want to kiss him. For real.

  No, you don’t!

  Yes. Yes, I do.

  In front of half the school? And forget about Eric?

  Eric.

  Liesel was sure you could see her heart beating through her light summer top. Jack extended a hand to help her up. She didn’t dare accept it.

  “I think we should wait until Captain Keller comes back fully prepared to explore this lifesaving method.” She pushed herself up and looked at her watch-free wrist as if willing a timepiece to appear. The not-so-artful dodge. First-class confirmation that I am not ready for this. It seems my body is—but not the rest of me.