The Firefighter's Christmas Reunion

by Christy Jeffries

  Sammy flung the door open before Isaac could knock. Big Dot darted past the boy and was halfway down the front porch steps when Isaac caught the escape artist. Easily scooping the wiggling puppy into one arm, he put the other around Sammy and asked, “Hey, big guy, is your mom here?”

  “Yep. So is Chloe,” Sammy said. Behind him, Isaac saw one of the teenaged Patrelli girls sitting on the living room sofa, not bothering to look up from her cell phone as her fingers flew over the screen. “She’s gonna babysit me so you and Mama can go on your date.”

  As much as Isaac was pleased by the classification, he was surprised that Hannah had admitted as much to her son. When she’d responded to his text last week about what time he should pick her up, she’d clearly stated that she didn’t want Sammy knowing that there was anything going on between them. “Did your mom say we were going on a date?”

  “No. But Aunt Kylie and Aunt Carmen both called it that when they were here to help Mama pick out a fancy dress to wear.”

  “It’s more like a playdate,” Hannah said as she came down the hallway and entered the living room. “Like the kind Mrs. Meadows is trying to set up with you and Sierra after school next week. Chief Jones and I are just friends.”

  “Well, Sierra always tries to chase me on the playground at school. She said that if she catches me, she’s gonna kiss me. But I’m too fast.” Sammy covered his mouth and did a stage whisper to Isaac. “If you chase Mama on your playdate, Chief Isaac, you could probably catch her.”

  At this, Chloe finally looked up from her phone long enough to glance at Hannah. Then she went right back to typing, speaking as she tapped. “That sure is a fly outfit for just going on a playdate, Miz G.”

  Isaac’s gaze traveled down the length of Hannah’s formfitting red dress. Despite the fact that it had long sleeves and hit below her knee, the fabric clung to her every curve and his fingers itched as he thought about peeling it off her.

  Hannah pulled on her coat, interrupting his fantasy as she gave the babysitter some last-minute instructions about only using the microwave and where the first-aid kit was. Ten minutes later, Isaac was leaning against the doorframe, jiggling his keys in his pocket as she told Chloe for the eighth time that she would have her cell phone on her and to call if she needed anything.

  “I have six younger siblings, Miz G, remember? Me and Sammy will be just fine.”

  “Sammy and I,” the teacher murmured under her breath. “Okay, sweetie, give me a kiss goodbye.”

  When Isaac finally got Hannah out the door and into his SUV, he climbed behind the wheel and allowed his eyes to roam over the bulky wool coat as he thought of the red knit dress underneath.

  It was certainly going to be a long night if she wanted to keep up the “just friends” routine and pretend that this was some sort of playdate. Isaac started the car and stuck to the most neutral of topics as they made small talk on the ten minute drive to the Snow Creek Lodge. Despite the fact that this was their first opportunity to privately discuss their feelings for each other, they shied clear of the subject he knew was on both their minds. He asked her about the kids in her class, she asked him about his Reserves training weekend. They talked about themselves without really talking about themselves.

  And Isaac wasn’t about to push for more. Mostly because he wasn’t sure what else he wanted from her. Or, more importantly, what she wanted from him.

  “This feels weird,” Hannah finally said as they sat in his vehicle in the parking lot, watching the other couples walk toward the entrance.

  “What does?” he asked, already knowing exactly what she’d meant.

  Hannah shifted in the leather passenger seat to face him. “I don’t remember us ever really going on a planned date. At least, not to anywhere formal.”

  They’d been friends first, despite the fact that Isaac had always wanted to be more. Just when things finally started getting serious, they’d both had to go home for their senior year. The summer after graduation, it had been like they were getting to know each other all over again. Then, as quickly as their relationship had turned physical, it turned into nothing at all.

  “I had a similar thought when I pulled up to your house,” Isaac admitted. “But then you told Sammy it wasn’t a real date.”

  She leaned back against the headrest. “That’s because I don’t know what it is.”

  “What do you want it to be?”

  “I just don’t want it to be awkward anymore. Or for people to keep bringing up what happened between us all those years ago.”

  “Hell, Hannah, even we don’t talk about what happened between us all those years ago.”

  “Then let’s make a deal tonight. No more awkwardness. We put away all that stuff from our past and refuse to give anyone in this town a reason to bring it up.”

  “Deal.” He stuck out his palm to cement their truce with a handshake. He would’ve pulled her toward him to seal it with a kiss, but a knock on the passenger window caused them to jump apart.

  “Hey, you two.” Scooter Deets knocked a second time, then cupped his gnarled hands around his eyes and peered inside. “Let’s get inside and boogie!”

  * * *

  Hannah was relieved that Isaac wasn’t the boogying type, since being on the dance floor would’ve put them at the center of attention. Although after a couple of hours and two Mistletoe Martinis, even she was swaying along to the music. Big Rhonda and the Roadsters had a long and diverse repertoire and were a Sugar Falls staple, playing at every local event. They’d not only performed that night at the VFW, but they’d also doubled as the Dixieland Quintet for the Ski Potato Festival. Tonight, though, the members had swapped out their punk-rock attire and seersucker suits for matching elf costumes.

  Cessy Walker and her Snow Ball committee had gone all out with the white and silver decorations, turning the grand ballroom of the ritzy Snow Creek Lodge into a sparkling ice palace, minus the ice. In fact, with all the merriment and dancing and pressed-in bodies of at least four hundred townspeople, it was downright warm in there.

  Hannah tugged on the neck of the red knit dress she’d borrowed from her sister-in-law. Just like before, she’d been misled by the long sleeves and below-the-knee hem, thinking that this had been the more modest option in Kylie’s closet. What Hannah hadn’t taken into account was that the dress would fit her like a glove, and despite the fact that she wasn’t showing any skin, the cut didn’t leave much to the imagination. It was also made of some sort of wool and cashmere blend, which, coupled with the cranberry and vodka cocktail warming her blood, had Hannah suddenly feeling the need to cool down.

  Of course, it also didn’t help that Isaac had his arm casually draped over the back of Hannah’s chair, his long, deft fingers hidden under the loose waves of her hair as he stroked the nape of her neck and spoke to several other firefighters and paramedics seated at their table.

  A couple of hours ago, when she’d suggested that they put aside their past and all the awkward baggage that came along with it, she hadn’t meant they should go in the complete opposite direction, either—putting their current feelings out there for everyone to comment upon. Despite the curious looks and whispered comments that were still floating their way, her head was at risk of falling back dreamily as his magical fingers drove her to distraction. It would be so easy to just say to hell with it and fall completely into his arms.

  But she had her son to think of. Sammy was still adapting to living in a new place, surrounded by new people and a completely different culture. He didn’t need the added stress of hearing the playground rumors—since gossip happened at all ages—about his mother and her questionable behavior with her old fling. No matter how carefully she’d tried to shield Sammy from the stressors going on her life, kids were intuitive and could pick up on things like that. Just look at the way he’d been reluctant to bond with her mother, how he sensed her fragility and was clea
rly frightened by it. It was important that Sammy think everything was hunky-dory when Hannah’s whole world had gone completely topsy-turvy.

  Yes, the heat of the room was getting to her, and it wasn’t helping that the constant barrage of thoughts racing through her mind kept going back to whether or not being here with Isaac was a mistake. Whether dating Isaac Jones would be too much to take on.

  “I think I’m going to step out onto the terrace and get some fresh air,” she whispered into Isaac’s ear.

  “I’ll come with you,” he offered, but she put a reassuring palm on his arm as she scooted her chair back. Even under his crisp, striped dress shirt, she could feel the outline of his rounded biceps.

  “No, stay and visit with your friends. I’ll be right back.”

  Hannah wove through the crowd, making her way to the French doors that led out to the cobblestone terrace. Several other partygoers must’ve had the same idea and were standing near the massive stone firepit in the center. But Hannah wasn’t up to making any more small talk. In fact, she set out toward the low-walled perimeter where the lack of twinkling lights provided more shadows and less chance of running into someone else. As she navigated the uneven ground in her borrowed black suede heels, she began thinking that maybe she should take a break from volunteering and socializing and everything else she’d been cramming onto her already full plate. There were plenty of other endeavors Hannah could be dedicating her time to. Like seeing her mother more often. The doctors said it could be five months or five years. Nobody knew how long she had left.

  Hannah was brainstorming ways to get Sammy and her mom together when another voice from her past stopped her in her tracks. “Long time no see, Gregson.”

  Carter Mahoney.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Her heart lightened as she pivoted, a welcoming smile on her face.

  “Hey, Carter. How’ve you been?” Hannah asked, stepping into his arms for a hug hello, just as she’d done many times that first semester they’d been at college together.

  “Busy.” He squeezed her in response, but instead of the brief contact putting her at ease, she could feel the hair on her arms lifting to attention underneath her long sleeves. She withdrew from the embrace first, feeling someone’s eyes on her back as Carter continued speaking, unfazed. “I haven’t had a vacation in almost three years, but my dad is slowing down so I took a couple weeks off to fly home and spend time with him for the holidays. Glad to see some things around here haven’t changed.”

  “Actually...” Isaac’s deep voice intruded on them in the dark. “Some things around here have changed quite a bit.”

  “Isaac Jones.” Carter’s voice sounded pleasant enough, but her old friend’s raised brows were directed at Hannah, silently asking plenty of questions. Instead of accepting Carter’s outstretched hand, Isaac put his arm around Hannah’s shoulders, drawing her to his side.

  Neither she nor Isaac were wearing their coats and it was easy to feel the tautness of his tense muscles, the flexing of his biceps behind her shoulder. Now she knew why she’d had that apprehensive feeling when she’d first seen Carter. He and Isaac had never seemed to like each other, a quiet sense of competition always lingering under the surface any time they were in the same place. However, all of that shouldn’t matter now that they were grown men, both successful in their own lives. Or, at least, Hannah assumed Carter was doing well, based on the small glimpses of him she’d seen over the years on social media. They’d lost contact after he transferred to a different college.

  Isaac leaned in even closer as his eyes narrowed in Carter’s direction, as though he was sizing up an opponent. When he was apparently done, he turned to Hannah and brushed one of her loose curls behind her ear before saying, “Why don’t we go dance?”

  Okay, now she knew that something was definitely up. Not only did he hate dancing, she was pretty sure that he was throwing menacing looks over his shoulder at Carter as she allowed Isaac to guide her back toward the ballroom.

  “What was that all about?” she finally asked when he pulled her into his arms on the dance floor and they were close enough that nobody would be able to overhear them.

  “I never did like that guy,” Isaac replied, his hands settling on her lower back.

  “Yeah, I picked up on that vibe. But why were you so rude? You didn’t even shake his hand before dragging me inside. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were getting territorial...”

  His eyes finally stopped appraising the other couples around them and zeroed in on her. But he didn’t deny anything.

  “That’s it, isn’t it?” she asked, her palms pressing against Isaac’s chest so that she could lean back and read his face. “You’re trying to lay some sort of claim to me. In front of Carter Mahoney, of all people.”

  “I don’t think anyone here could blame me for that,” he said, and Hannah realized that they were no longer swaying to the music or even making a pretense at dancing.

  Nor were Elaine Marconi or Marcia Duncan or several other people standing along the edge of the dance floor. In fact, it was as if a crowd was forming around her and Isaac, making Hannah’s flight instinct rage inside her.

  He’d made a deal to try and act normal. To not draw any more attention to them. Yet they were standing in the center of a circle of people, people who were watching them and murmuring out of the sides of their mouths, most likely eager to witness some sort of show. Why did the ballroom of the Snow Creek Lodge suddenly feel like the center ring for a heavyweight title match?

  “Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else,” she said between clenched teeth, despite the fact that she would’ve preferred not to talk about it at all. He was stiff and his jaw was set as he looked past her toward the terrace doors. Something was clearly wrong with Isaac and everyone else in town seemed to be clued in to what it might be, but Hannah was at a complete loss and she hated being at a disadvantage. Her skin was on fire, and not in a good way. She spotted the clock near the coat check area and latched onto the one thing in her world that made sense. “I’ve got to get home to Sammy.”

  “But we’re just getting to the good part, now that Carter’s here,” Elaine Marconi said before letting out a tittering hiccup. Hannah attempted a scathing look in her direction, but the woman only smirked before throwing back the rest of the wine in her glass.

  Isaac lifted his hand from Hannah’s waist and glanced at his wristwatch. He probably was well aware of the fact that the babysitter wasn’t expecting her home for another hour, but he didn’t protest. Somebody behind them let out a giggle, but it didn’t affect her nearly as much as the weight of Isaac’s gaze as he studied her. His voice was low and cautious when he said, “People are going to talk about us if we leave now.”

  It seemed to Hannah that people were going to talk regardless. The best thing she could do was get out of here before making whatever this was into a bigger show. Before she was forced to relive those humiliating months when she’d been the sole subject of the town’s titillating entertainment. Isaac had flown home that Labor Day weekend—or so she’d heard—leaving Hannah to deal with the aftermath of their breakup all alone.

  She never used to worry about what others thought of her, but then Isaac Jones came along. Her skin prickled with anger at him for making her feel this way and anger at herself for succumbing to it.

  “Then you can stay,” she offered as she inched back, trying to draw as little attention to herself as she could. “I’ll catch a cab.”

  He arched a dark eyebrow. “A cab? In Sugar Falls?”

  He had her there. The town wasn’t exactly big enough to necessitate a cab company, let alone a single cab. She doubted Uber had made it to Sugar Falls since she’d been gone. Lifting her chin, she said, “Don’t worry about me. I can always find a ride with someone.”

  If she hadn’t been looking right into Isaac’s face, she would’v
e missed the slight flaring of his nostrils. She turned toward the door, not wanting to care about why her words had bothered him. The band had just finished the last bars of the slow song and Hannah was only ten feet away when he called out, “Maybe you can ask Carter Mahoney? I seem to recall him always being available to give you a ride.”

  Hannah’s entire body recoiled at the implication as several gasps sounded across the dance floor. Sure, she’d always been a fighter, but it was different when the cause wasn’t her own. Five minutes ago, Hannah would’ve been rooted to the spot, waiting for a sinkhole to open up and swallow her right then and there. Now, she was past the point of caring about a scene. Hannah had a son and a career and a reputation to fight for. And she also had the sudden image of Elaine’s smug face swimming in front of her.

  “Here we go,” Elaine said to nobody in particular, but the woman’s eyes were bulging out of her head with excitement at the merest hint of scandal.

  Hannah’s shoulders went back and her spine went ramrod straight as she turned back to Isaac. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that you always seem to run to him whenever you’re done with me.”

  “Done with you?” Hannah closed the distance between them, feeling like a wild animal stalking her prey. She wasn’t quite sure what Carter had to do with anything, but there was no mistaking that Isaac was bringing up the past. Too bad he was clearly misremembering how things had gone down between them. Luckily, she was ready to set him straight. “If I recall, you’re the one who moved on and bragged about it. You got what you wanted back then and you got what you wanted the night of my brother’s wed—”