Larry rushed to grab his dog. “Now, now, that’s not polite. Get away from her.”
“I was just leaving.” Connor clapped a hand on Larry. “Enjoy little Harley.”
“Sure, thanks, bud. Let’s go barhopping some time,” Larry said, referring to Connor’s favorite activity.
“Not sure I’m going to be doing much of that.” Connor’s eyebrows twitched. “Got to bone up on symphony orchestras and classical music, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh, wait, you’re going out with that Elaine again?” Cait butted her nose into Connor’s business.
“Now, I really have to run.” Connor took big strides to the door and opened it.
Ex-chief Pete Hart stood on the other side holding a bag of golf clubs, his hand frozen in a just-about-to-knock position.
“Well, well, well,” Mrs. Hart approached her husband. She suppressed another sneeze. “What’s your excuse? I thought none of us were interfering.”
“Not at all.” Jenna’s father stepped into Larry’s small apartment. “I thought Larry would like to play a few holes, that’s all. A nice Valentine’s Day activity.”
“Get real, Dad,” Cait, always the loudmouth, said. “No guy wants to play golf with his not-at-all-father-in-law on Valentine’s Day.”
“I’m sure no guy wants to talk to his not-a-chance-sisters-in-laws either,” Dale’s voice sailed through the door. “Hey, Larry, I have tickets to the rodeo at Berkeley.”
“Rodeo at Berkeley? You’re lying.” Cait’s yap filled the room while Harley joined in, baying and howling in competition.
Melisa went up to Larry and tipped her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “Jenna loves you. That’s what everyone’s trying to tell you.”
Her entire family stood shocked and glared at her as she walked calmly out the door.
“She’s definitely interfering,” Cait said. “No fair. We only brought food. Dad, do something.”
“Me?” her father sputtered. “I’m not the one who spilled the beans.”
“Wow, just great,” Dale said. “You all gave away Jenna’s secret. You should have left it to me. I would have figured out if this relationship stood a chance or not.”
“Actually, I had the right idea,” Connor bellowed. “I asked Larry if he loves Jenna and he was just about to tell me when Melisa barged in.”
Uh oh. What was left of Jenna’s family turned toward him, waiting for his answer.
Larry’s eyes bulged and sweat prickled his entire body. What did any man do when his future family of maybe-in-laws called his bluff?
“I, uh, need to talk to Jenna first.” His gaze traveled from one family member to the other. These were his dear friends, people who loved him and took him in after his foster mother got hit by a car and he came out of the burn unit, scarred, despondent, and alone.
They were truly the only family he had, but if he blew it with Jenna, he’d lose not just her, but all of them, too.
Outside, brakes squealed and car horns blared, followed by the crunch of metal on metal. A woman screamed and every male, trained as firefighters, ran to the window.
“Harley!” Larry yelled. His dog had caused a multiple car accident.
Chapter Twenty
Jenna wiped her eyes and continued pressing forward with her dress. At this point, it was the only thing that mattered to her. Fashion wasn’t just about looking pretty. It was the way she expressed herself by celebrating the beauty of the human form. Art in four dimensions combined with motion as her design draped and flowed over the body, moving as the model moved. There was truly magic in spinning a line drawing into body-hugging art, then watching it come to life on a living, breathing human body.
After Jenna finished cutting the ombré material to shape, she stitched row after row of blue fringe over the entire form. She’d have to give this dress a haircut later because at the moment, each row of fringe was obvious and she wanted the effect to look natural and evenly feathered.
After sewing the front and back together, she draped the dress over the mannequin and feathered the fringe with a sharp pair of scissors. The other benefit of the overall fringe covering was that it masked her waistline when she moved, the shimmering movement distracted and broke the eye and she was no longer static like a hand-drawn picture, but active through space and time. She was proud of what she’d put together. If only Larry could appreciate what she did as much as she loved it.
She ran her fingers over the dress. It was unusual and would definitely draw attention on the red carpet leading into the banquet hall. Her father had promised to wear a tuxedo, and she had no trouble envisioning herself walking in with him.
No one outside her family needed to know about the disaster in her personal life, but she had to stop weeping. Her eyes were already puffy and red, and no amount of makeup could cover it. Unless …
She dug in her scrap bin for a strip of dark blue crisscross lace. Could she make a band and drape a veil over her eyes? That might work since her fringe dress was simple and the veil would add a dramatic effect.
She crossed over to the ironing board she managed to wedge by the window and pressed the lace flat. It didn’t quite have the right look, but she could spin it as a veil of mourning, the blue widow on Valentine’s Day, going out despite her soul shriveling up behind the veil.
Jenna tried the dress on and stitched the veil over a flexible wire, then propped it over her eyes. She adjusted it one way and then another, but it looked tacked on. Frustrated, she flung it aside and stomped from her room to get some water from the kitchen. Where was everyone?
The house had been way too quiet all day, since everyone had gone to church. But had they stayed all day?
She descended the stairway. “Mom, Dad? Cait? Anyone want to give me an opinion?”
Strange. Her mother was usually around in the afternoon to cook, but then if her father and Connor were going to the Valentine’s Dinner, maybe they gave Mom a break from cooking. After all, she’d stolen Mom’s date for the evening.
There was no message on the refrigerator. The TV was off and other than someone scratching at the door, it was deathly quiet, except for the pitter-patter of a light rain.
Jenna strode to the door and looked out the peephole. No one was there.
“Wooarrrooh, woof.”
“Harley?” Jenna opened the door and the little puppy bounced in. He jumped up and smeared his muddy paws over the bottom of her dress.
“What happened to you? You’re all wet.” Jenna rushed to the powder room and grabbed a towel. “What are you doing here?”
Harley shook himself, flapping his ears and spraying her with more rainwater before she wrapped him up.
Jenna figured Harley would be hungry, but at the same time, her mother was allergic to dogs. She couldn’t let him stay indoors, so she took him to the garage. “Sorry, little guy. I better call Larry and let him know you’re here.”
Not surprisingly, Larry didn’t answer his phone, so she tried Connor next and explained that Harley had appeared at their house.
“Thank God he’s safe,” Connor said. “He caused a bunch of fender benders, and we just finished detangling everyone. I’ll let Larry know.”
“What exactly happened with Larry and Harley? Cait says he took him back last night.”
“He did and I gave Harley to him. I hope that’s okay with you.”
“I think Harley belongs with Larry,” Jenna conceded. “I’m glad he has him. Do you know where everyone is? Is Dad going to be ready to pick me up for the dinner?”
“Yes, he’ll be there. Don’t worry. Did you get your dress ready?”
“Yes, I did.” Jenna’s heart fell. It wasn’t that she didn’t want her dad to be her date, but maybe, she’d hoped Connor would have interfered just a tiny bit and talked to Larry. “Will Larry come by and get Harley?”
“Do you want him to?”
Jenna bit her lip and nodded, then remembered her brother was on the phone. “Yes, I would like to speak
to him.”
“Then hold still. Don’t go anywhere.”
She agreed and her brother hung up.
Jenna went to the garage and set out a bowl of water and another bowl of roast beef hash. This would have to do, since they didn’t have dried dog food.
Harley seemed happy to wolf the food down, so she left him in the garage while she ran upstairs to get her makeup kit.
Maybe Harley was her good-luck charm. For sure, Larry would come get him and she’d have a chance to clarify how she felt. Except the same obstacles still stood in their way. Larry would want her to give up fashion designing and take on a more normal job. She’d better be ready to give concessions. Could she do it? Quit the dreams that defined who she was and exchange them for a once-in-a-lifetime love?
Jenna finished her makeup and cleaned her gown. She put on her grandmother’s diamond earrings, the ones she would sell to pay for Larry, then stepped into her runway stilettos.
Where was everyone? Jenna paced back and forth in front of the grandfather clock. What was taking Larry so long? Maybe Connor couldn’t convince him to come pick up Harley. It was almost time for the limo to arrive and take her and her father to the hotel where the benefit dinner would be held.
The doorbell finally rang, and Jenna rushed to open the door. Chad and Jackson stood at the threshold.
“We came to pick up Harley,” Chad said.
“Connor sent us,” Jackson explained.
“Oh, sure. Come in.” Jenna let them in.
“You’re looking fabulous,” Chad said. “The rain’s stopped and I heard there’s going to be a red carpet.”
“I wish I were escorting you,” Jackson said, winking at her. “All we get is the dog.”
Jenna led them to the garage where Harley had already licked the entire plate clean. He let out a long fart while wagging his tail. Jenna stepped back in case the fumes were caught in her dress, and watched them put him on a leash and walk him out to their firetruck.
They sent a firetruck to pick up a dog?
She shut the front door and took deep breaths. Now was not the time to get a panic attack, but the limo was late, and no one in her family was answering their phone. Harley was gone, and Larry had obviously decided not to show up.
She climbed the stairs to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror. Maybe she should forget about the dinner. Forget about this stupid gown. Monique would be there to accept the accolades for the successful show and schmooze with the celebrities and politicians. No one needed her.
Jenna sprayed and styled her hair. Nothing looked right. She wet it and combed it out, then tried teasing it. She considered making another veil, but it wouldn’t fit with her design. Nothing fit. The dress she was so proud of was worthless—not when it meant losing the man who’d captured her heart.
Heart comes first.
Decision made, Jenna bent over to take off her dress, then jolted as smoke alarms screeched throughout the house. An acrid smell seeped under the bathroom door. Smoke!
Had she left the iron plugged in? She opened the door, and smoke rushed in. Fire was coming out of her bedroom and blocking her way to the stairs.
She was trapped.
Coughing, Jenna wet towels and wrapped them around her body, holding one across her face. She’d have to run for it—through the fire.
The sheer heat, the cracking of the wood, the shooting flames, and the smoke and ashes paralyzed her. But the longer she waited, the more trouble she’d be in.
“Jenna, Jenna!” Someone’s muffled voice called for her.
“I’m up here. Second floor. The stairs are catching fire.”
A large man rushed up the stairs right through the fire. He was fully clothed in protective gear and she couldn’t see who he was through his respirator. He wrapped her in his arms and dragged her toward her parents’ bedroom. He broke the windows and held her as another man grabbed her, pulling her through the window.
Jenna was choking and coughing, burying her face into the wet towel, but she was safe. The man who’d saved her followed her down the ladder, and they covered her with a rescue blanket and attached an oxygen mask to her face.
That was when a very wet tongue licked her, slathering her with drool.
Harley. Thank God they’d taken him before the fire started. Jenna was so glad to see the dog, she wrapped her arms around him and cried into his fur.
Other engines arrived, shooting water onto the fairytale house. Everything was her fault. She’d been so distracted by fashion, she’d burnt her parents’ house down.
She’d never design another dress. Never care if she saw another sewing machine. Never wear another red carpet gown. Jenna held onto Harley, until the paramedics arrived.
They pried her loose and transferred her into an ambulance. Right before they shut the door, the same fireman who’d saved her stepped into the ambulance. He removed his helmet and respirator and took her hand.
“Larry.” She spoke into her oxygen mask. Her heart was all a flutter and she could do nothing but stare at him. The man she loved had saved her life.
He put his hand over her head and bent over her, kissing her forehead. “You’re going to be okay. The house is going to be fine. Some damage in the upper floor. I’m sorry, but it looks like your room and your brothers’ bedrooms were destroyed."
She closed her eyes and let the tears well in her eyes. He only cared about her house, but had nothing else to say to her. Even Harley had shown her more love.
* * *
Larry stayed at Jenna’s side while Rob, the ER doctor, checked her out.
“We’re looking for signs of smoke inhalation,” Rob said. “You’re very fortunate. I don’t see any burns, except for the second degree you already had on your thigh.”
Indeed, her fluffy gown was perfect, if a little sooty, and incredibly, she was still wearing her super high heels. Larry hadn’t had a chance to check out her looks until she was perfectly safe. Everything had been a blur, from the time Chad and Jackson took Harley until he’d found her trapped on top of the stairs.
Rob took a reading of the pulse oximeter. “You’re breathing fine right now, but I’ll send you home with a list of symptoms to watch out for. Sometimes, smoke inhalation doesn’t present until twenty-four to thirty-six hours later.”
“I’m going to be okay?” Jenna’s voice was weak and shaky.
“You’re fine.” He patted her shoulder. “Beautiful dress. If you hurry, you can still make the dinner and dance.”
“I’m not sure if I should go. I burned down my parents’ house because of this stupid dress.”
“It’s not a stupid dress. You have a real talent.” He turned to Larry and said, “She’s going to be okay, but if she has shortness of breath, persistent coughing, change of mental status, bring her back.”
“Sure, thanks Dr. Reed.” Larry shook Rob’s hand. “I’ll take good care of her.”
“I know you will.” The doctor waved and retreated from the examination room.
Larry took Jenna’s hand and helped her off the examination table. “I think we should go to the dinner and dance. I’m hungry, and I think you are too.”
She didn’t answer, but walked quietly by his side through the emergency room waiting area. Her entire family gathered around her. Her mother and Cait burst into tears, hugging her. Melisa rushed to Larry and hugged him. “You saved my sister. You’re a true hero.”
Her brothers seemed too choked for words. Connor and Dale joined in on the group hug. Jenna’s father patted Larry on the shoulder. “I know you’re the right man for my daughter. You’re a true, blue hero. Go ahead. Make her Valentine’s Day a night to remember.”
“I’m sure no one will ever forget this one.” Larry gave his former fire chief a bear hug. “I promise you, I’ll always look after Jenna, no matter what happens between us.”
“I believe you, son. Now, go, before time runs out for the red carpet.” Jenna’s father said, then broke up the hug fest sur
rounding Jenna. “They need to get going. Looks like Larry stole my Valentine from me tonight.”
“Wait, I have something,” Melisa said to Jenna. She handed her a folded construction paper heart taped to a box of candied hearts. “Your Valentine date is waiting for you.”
Jenna glanced up at Larry, and the smile that creased her face was the prettiest sight he’d ever beheld. Sooty, but radiant, her entrance down the red carpet would be unforgettable. And this time, he’d walk proudly at her side, wearing his badges of love and courage.
He took her hand and led her out to the curb where the fire engine waited for them.
Chad was in the driver’s seat and Jackson rode shotgun. Harley welcomed them with a bark, as Larry helped Jenna to the passenger compartment full of jump seats where the firefighters rode.
“What’s going on?” Jenna seemed confused when he strapped her in. “Why are we in here?”
“This is my carriage to take you to the ball,” Larry said as Chad started the engine.
“I’m not getting any of this. Why did they pick up Harley? Why didn’t you come to the door earlier?”
“I should have come earlier.” Larry unbuttoned his flame-retardant jacket, then lowered his turnout pants.
“You’re wearing a tux under all that?” Jenna asked.
“Yes, that was what took me so long.” Larry yanked the boots off and dug under the seat for his dress shoes. “I’m going back to firefighting as soon as I get my knee fixed, and I wanted to wear this gear to pick you up. I had my speech all prepared, but when I knocked on the door, all I heard was the smoke alarm.”
“I’m so glad you guys were there. I can’t believe I left the iron plugged in.” Jenna rubbed her face, her eyes wide. “I don’t know how to thank you. You saved my life.”
He knelt in front her and swept her hair from her face. “You saved my life. I wasn’t living after my burns. I was existing. Forgive me, Jenna, for hurting you. I didn’t want to hold you back from your fashion career. I’m so sorry.”
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