Ashes: An Everyday Heroes Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Gail Haris

  Okay, I couldn’t help myself. I decided to do something stupid. Leaving my window open and lights on, I waited for her to enter her room. When I saw her lights come on, I stood with my back to the window. Same thing she did last night. But I’m taking it a step further. I stripped down completely. After seeing how she responded to my calendar photo, I’ll let her see Mr. October’s pumpkins. I hear her gasp as I pull down my briefs. There they are.

  Then I walk around my bed and into my connecting bathroom, where I turn around, revealing the prime of my harvest, and shut the door. I’m not sure how good her eyesight is, and how well anyone could see from her window. But I’m sure with the size that I’m packing, she saw every last inch of it.

  Natalia

  “What’s gotten into you?” Teagan asks after I just slammed the box of non-latex gloves on the nurses’ station counter.

  “Nothing. Absolutely nothing is wrong.”

  “But your tone suggests otherwise.” Teagan leans against the counter and tilts her head toward me. “What’s wrong?”

  How am I supposed to tell her that I saw Carter naked, and now I can’t stop thinking about it? And that I kept one of those calendars, unbeknownst to him. God, I’m an idiot. That man is so emotionally unattached, but he’s also not. That doesn’t even make sense. He is standoffish, but then cares so much about saving and helping others. He takes care of his grandma, and always checks on the people he rescues from his job. That’s the signs of a good man. Good man, but does that make him a good partner?

  “Sometimes when I talk to him…ggrrrr. I could just scream!”

  “So, there’s a guy?” Teagan’s voice is bright and full of anticipation.

  “What? No guy. There’s no guy.”

  “You just said, sometimes when you talk to him you could just scream.”

  My shoulders drop and I bang my head against the cabinet. “I said that out loud?”

  “Yup,” she pops the p.

  “How much did I say out loud?”

  “Only that. But I can figure out the rest.” I can hear the smile in her voice. “What I can’t figure out is the who? What about this Mr. Anonymous makes you want to scream?”

  “I don’t know why you said that in the perviest way possible because that kind of screaming is not going to happen.”

  Teagan gently pushes my shoulder. “What straight man would turn you down? I’m not into women, but even I might…”

  “Shut up!” I laugh. Then, I sigh and frown. “This guy isn’t interested in anyone, I’m afraid. His walls are up and the only person who’s allowed to cross over is his grandmother.”

  I hear her intake of breath, so I look over just in time to see her look of pity. “I’m sorry, Natalia. You had to go and fall for the one guy who—well, if anyone could get to Carter Collins, I mean—”

  “Just stop. I got the memo. He isn’t looking, interested, zip, nada. What’s his deal?”

  Teagan licks her lips and then bites at her bottom lip. She looks around the nurses’ station and then whispers, “He wasn’t always like this. Back in high school, he was the party guy. Huge football athlete, prom king, everyone loved him. His parents died, but he bounced back. He had his grandparents—Lolly and Pops. Plus, he had his brother, Warren. Collins went to college and met Payton. Gorgeous city girl. While he was in college, Pops passed away. He came back to be a firefighter. We all knew he would. He was doing volunteer fire stuff even in high school. Still, Collins bounced back. He had to take care of Lolly, after all. Still had her and his brother, who was his best friend. Now he had the support of the firefighter crew, his new brothers. More than all that, he had Payton. He was crazy about her. Wasn’t too long before they got engaged.”

  A sinking feeling of dread settles in my stomach. Teagan pauses and I have a feeling I know what’s coming.

  “Collins lost his parents, his Pops, and has seen plenty through his job as a firefighter. We get it, we’ve seen some rough stuff as nurses. What finally changed everything, that he couldn’t bounce back from, was two years ago. He went out to a call that was a wreck.”

  “Oh no, Payton?”

  She nods. “Payton with Warren, his brother and best friend.”

  “That’s horrible. Were they hit by a drunk driver? What happened?”

  Teagan’s eyes hold so much pity. “Warren ran off the road. His pants were undone, and Payton was topless. It was nighttime and they ran off in a ditch. They think…he might’ve gotten distracted while driving.”

  Oh, God no! Poor Carter. No wonder he doesn’t want any close connections or relationships.

  “I can’t believe you hadn’t heard yet. I figured it was part of the Sunnyville orientation. Most women as soon as they spot him run straight for him, and then they learn quick.”

  I can’t help but laugh. “No. The first time I met him was here in the hospital, he wouldn’t even look at me. Then he saved me from my apartment fire. I was naked.”

  Teagan burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. I still can’t get over that. That was horrible.”

  “Yeah, you seem real shook up over my near-death experience.”

  “But you’re okay!”

  I roll my eyes. The call signal starts flashing for one of the rooms. “I’ll take it!” Giving her a mock frown, I groan, “That’ll give you time to recover.”

  As I’m leaving the hospital my cell dings, sending me a reminder that I have a photoshoot with Macy tonight. I have no idea what I’m going to wear yet, or not wear considering the type of shoot this is. I can’t help but giggle. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m both excited and nervous as hell. With only an hour to prepare, I hurry to Lolly’s house to get ready.

  Luckily, my good lingerie and “special” undergarments were tucked safely in a dresser drawer, so they were safe from the fire. I spend a fair amount of time pampering myself, shaving again just to be safe, and apply more makeup than I typically wear. As I’m on my way out and passing through the living room, I spot some of Carter’s fire gear. Not sure why it’s left there, and not really caring either, I make a quick decision and grab it.

  What if there’s a fire? I’m sure he has backup gear…right? I almost turn around to put it back, but instead I promise myself I’d be quick with it. To anyone who sees me right now I must look absolutely ridiculous. I’m hurrying as fast as I can in red heels, wearing white stockings, and a red trench coat with my arms full of heavy fireman uniform items. I’m not concerned what any of them think, but I do not want a certain fireman to show up.

  When I arrive at Macy’s studio, her eyebrows pull together and she takes in my armful of props. “What’s with the suit?”

  “I was thinking it would be fun to do a sexy firefighter shoot. I saw the calendar you did for the guys. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what I was thinking. It was sitting there as I was leaving, so I thought it might be fun.”

  “I love it! Wanna do a sexy nurse as well?”

  “No,” I clip. Macy flinches and I feel guilty. “I’m sorry. I just had a lot of guys over the years who would want me to play out a fantasy. Dress up as a sexy nurse for Halloween or want me to show up dressed as one. Now I want to gag at the thought.”

  “I get it. Come on! Let’s get this started. I have a newborn session later today. My day is full of naked booties.”

  “I’m not—”

  “Oh, come on, we’ll just show a little bit of cheeks.”

  What have I gotten myself in to?

  As I’m driving home, I can’t stop smiling. That was so much fun! I’ve never felt so sexy in my entire life. It was freeing! It was incredible! I’m definitely going to call my sisters and tell them they have to do a shoot like that. Maybe when they come visit, Macy can do theirs. I wonder if Lolly would want to? Who am I kidding…of course, she would. I laugh to myself and turn the radio up. When I turn on the street to Lolly’s, I notice a man in the yard across the street from Lolly’s house. He is putting a sign that says “For Rent” up.r />
  Instead of turning into Lolly’s driveway, I pull into the driveway next to where the man is standing. When I get out of the car, I see that he appears a few years older than myself.

  “Hi,” I ask and extend my hand, “Natalia Vasquez.”

  “Well, hello there,” he takes my hand and shakes it. “I’m Seth Bohnert.”

  I hold my hand out, indicating the sign he just put out. “This is available for rent?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to know for how much, would you?”

  He smiles at me and places his hands on narrow hips. “I would. Want me to give you a tour?”

  “Do you have the keys?”

  He chuckles and begins walking toward the front door. “I guess I should go ahead and inform you that it’s my company that purchased this house and is now leasing it.”

  I hurry and follow him up to the front door. The house is simple, a little outdated, not as big as Lolly’s, and certainly not as large as Carter’s across the street, but it’s perfect for me. I walk through the house with a smile on my face, eager to explore each room. There’s one bedroom with a private bathroom, a guest bedroom, one bathroom, a decent-size living room, and the kitchen has a small area for a dining table. There’s a small pantry closet, and one hallway closet. It’d be nice to have a guest bedroom for when my familia comes to visit. It’s perfect.

  “From the smile on your face, I take it that you like it?”

  “It’s great,” I whisper with longing, while looking out the kitchen window and admiring the small, but well-kept yard.

  “Well, it’s available,” he says in an upbeat voice.

  I want this house. It’s in a nice neighborhood, and I already know my neighbors. But this is a house. It’s twice the size of my apartment even if it is small. How can I afford this?

  “I’m almost scared to ask how much?”

  Seth places his hands in his pockets and leans against the kitchen counter. “Where do you work?”

  “The hospital. I’m an RN.”

  He nods. “You have a job. That’s one point in your favor. Pets? Kids?”

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “This may sound horrible, but they tear up property.”

  “No. It’s just me.”

  “But you’d keep it clean? Keep the yard nice? Upkeep and such?”

  I cross my arms and smile. “I would.”

  He pulls his hands from his pockets and crosses his arms, mimicking my stance. “Nobody is really renting or buying right now. It’d be a shame for this nice of a place to just sit here neglected. How about I rent to you for half the asking price?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “I never joke about money.”

  “Me neither.”

  “Do we have a deal?”

  I squeeze my lips together to fight the huge, goofy grin that’s about to break out. “I think so.”

  “All right. Let me get you my card, and if you want to swing by the office tomorrow, we’ll get the paperwork taken care of.” He gestures toward the door, and I follow him out. There’s a sleek black sports car that I hadn’t noticed earlier since all I could focus on was the sign. I wait by my car as he walks toward his.

  “Natalia! What are you doing, dear?”

  I wave to Lolly who is standing on her front porch in a bright pink shirt and beige slacks. “I’ll be there in just a minute!”

  Seth walks up to me smiling. “So, you already know your neighbors?”

  “Yes. I’m new to town, and I’ve been staying with Lolly for the past few days while I searched for a place of my own.”

  He smiles and nods toward the house. “Now you have.”

  “Lucky me.”

  “I’d say, lucky me.” His brown eyes are full of amusement as he smiles at me. His brown hair is trimmed and styled neat. His face clean shaven and smooth. He’s a tiny bit taller than me, and dressed in a blue polo and denim jeans. “You know, I typically don’t bring the signs out. We have a guy who is in charge of going around, putting the signs out and taking photos of the properties. But, um, I’m really glad that I came out here today.”

  “Maybe you need to put the signs out yourself more often.” He continues to smile at me, so I continue. “Or keep offering to take half the price.”

  He laughs. “I’m sure I would sell more if I cut the prices in half. Yes, definitely. But that’s not exactly why I’m so glad I came out.”

  “Natalia!” Lolly yells.

  I chuckle and hold up the card he gave me. “I better go. I have your card, and I’ll be by tomorrow.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  I hop in my car and wave to Seth as I reverse out of the driveway and turn right into Lolly’s driveway. She remains standing on her porch with her arms crossed, shooting death glares at Seth as he gets into his car. I wave again to him as he drives away.

  “What was that all about?” Lolly asks me.

  “Lolly, what’s with the tone?”

  “I’m sorry. You’re right. It’s none of my business, and I’m acting like a meddling old woman.” I walk up to stand next to her on the porch. She turns to me with pitiful, puppy dog eyes, and sighs. But then just as quick her eyes turn stern and her voice is firm, “But that’s because I am a meddling old woman. What did he want? And why were you standing so close to him?”

  “That was Seth.”

  “I know exactly who Seth Bohnert is! What I want to know is why was he giving you a card? Was he trying to ask you out?”

  I think he was leading up to that… Would I have said yes? He is very handsome and seemed sweet. But there’s something about him that doesn’t set well. Maybe he reminds me a little bit of Randy in the beginning. That’s not fair of me though, is it? He’s clean-cut, well-dressed, and drives a fancy little sports car, so I should rule him out because of my last boyfriend? No, Seth is very charming with the sweetest smile.

  “Get that dreamy look out of your pretty eyes. He will only go after one thing and be done with ya.”

  “Lolly,” I say sweetly.

  “Don’t you Lolly me, little miss. I know him and his kind.”

  “You’re right. He was after one thing, and he got it.”

  Lolly gasps. “You…over there? Just now? I saw you go in the house but…”

  I burst out laughing. “I am going to be your neighbor. He’s renting me the house across the street. That’s what he was after and got. Get your mind out of the gutter.”

  “You have a home. You can stay here. For as long as you like.”

  I give her a hug. “I need this. I love staying with you, but it’s important for me to be on my own for a little while. But I promise to come drink coffee with you every morning before I go to work.”

  She reluctantly nods. “Well, as long as that’s the only kind of transaction you’re making with him.”

  Carter

  “Lolly!” I call out for her as I enter the back door of the house. “Lolly!” I walk through the kitchen and stop to grab a muffin off the table. The sound of giggling has me pausing before calling out again. “Oh, he was a character. Always so full of mischief.”

  “It’s hard to imagine Carter Collins full of mischief. He seems so serious.”

  “Serious? He’s a little grouchy these days, but…”

  “What’s wrong, Lolly?”

  “I’m sorry. He’s a good man, Natalia. Be patient with him.” I hear Lolly sniffle, but then a smile returns to her voice. “He just needs someone to relight the fire within him.”

  “I hope he… hey, don’t you give me that look!”

  I wish I could see Natalia’s face. I can only imagine the face Lolly is giving her. Meddling old woman. Do I want a relationship? Absolutely not. But I am a tiny bit curious as to what the beautiful Natalia thinks. She’s so full of life and has this warmth radiating from her. What would a woman like that want with a grouch like me? A broken man who fights his demons every night in hi
s sleep. I’ll never find peace; therefore, I’m doomed to bring restlessness and heartache to any woman.

  “Why? You don’t think my grandson is handsome?” My ears perk up at hearing that. I slowly creep closer to the door, praying these old floors don’t creak. They didn’t hear me yell, but knowing my luck, they’d hear this damn floor. I wish I could see her face when she answers, but I’ll have to settle for hearing her answer. And it’s not what she says, but how she says it, that I’m most eager for.

  “Of course, he’s handsome! But looks aren’t a priority for me. I’ve been with handsome men before, and you know what? I wasn’t happy. Besides, say I find him handsome. What if he doesn’t find me attractive?”

  Any man who likes women would give his left nut for a chance with her. How can she even doubt that I’d not find her attractive? Those curves—God Almighty!

  “Carter is very attracted to you. He’s talked to you more than I’ve seen him talk to anyone in the last two years. Besides me, of course. But he has to talk to me because I feed him and do his laundry. Not that he asks me, but I know he appreciates it.”

  “It’s sweet that you two look after each other. It makes me miss my family.”

  “We can’t replace your family, but you know we’re happy to be your family while you’re here.”

  “Thank you, Lolly. I appreciate that.”

  “And if you get lonely, Carter is lonely. You two might find comfort in each other.”

  “Lolly!” Natalia gasps and laughs.

  “Oh, get your head out of the gutter. I was only suggesting…”

  “Yes. You were only suggesting. Little Miss Leave the Windows Open. You’re something else.”

  Lolly huffs. “Is this over Seth? What does he have that Carter doesn’t?”

  Seth? Who is Seth? Which Seth? Surely not Seth Bohnert. I take another step. I have to see her face. Gently placing my foot forward, I take another step and ease against the door frame as Natalia begins telling Lolly that she is going to meet him tomorrow at his office.