Page 17 of Not How I Saw That Going

I know it wasn’t entirely my fault that Ward got a concussion. He already had a bump there. But I certainly hadn’t done him any favors.

I purposely waited a few days—okay, a week—to stop by. Apparently concussions can set you back in work, and I already felt awful enough for mine and my child’s actions. I was also hoping that if I waited a few days, the uptight man they had wheeled from my apartment would be gone and the kind and dreamy man from the store would be back.

One could hope.

Regardless, I’m not here to ask him out. He’d made it clear to his buddy that he didn’t want to be set up, and I do possesssomeself-restraint. Even if the man looked like my favorite kind of celebrity. Tall, dark, and meaty—I mean muscly.

“Come on Crew,” I call, now that his bottom half is mostly soaked, “let’s go see the fire trucks.”

He listens, for once, and skips over to me. “Can I drive one?”

I run my fingers through his wild red hair. I hope he always dreams that big. “Not today, sweetheart.”

“Okay.”

I totally didn’t expect him to agree so easily and I fist pump the air.

A man in all black appears in the open garage. “Can I help you?”

I drop my fist to my side and school my smile.Totally natural.

“I’m looking for Ward?” Why did I say that like a question?

The guy studies me before his face breaks into a grin. “This way.”

He motions toward the back of the station and I follow, having to physically pull Crew a few times to keep up with the man’s large stride. He stops beside a fire truck with a pair of giant black boots poking out from under the front. I haven’t spent much time sizing up firefighters in calendars, or in their natural habitat, but his boots look more army-grade.

Dangerous. Maybe even a little sexy.

“Preston,” the firefighter I followed over hollers. A tool clatters to the ground, followed by a curse.

I attempt to shield Crew’s ears too late. Not that it matters. He’s heard that word a time… or twenty.

“What?” Ward growls in return.

“The woman who knocked you out is here.” The firefighter grins at me, clearly enjoying this. “I can see why you fell for her.”

Another curse.

Warmth rises up my cheeks. Of course, big macho firemen wouldn’t let that kind of information about one of their colleagues die a quiet and respectable death.

Ward grunts, then slides out from under the truck. He dusts off his pants and takes his time standing up.

Was he that tall the first time I saw him? And muscly?

Yes, I remember the muscle. And the tattoo,veryclearly.

He looks down at me with dark eyes, frowns, and walks away.

The other firefighter turns to me with a shrug. “Sorry.”

Little naïve me thought the firefighter I rendered unconscious would smile when he saw me. I guess that was my first mistake. Showing up at all was my second mistake.

But I didn’t put on thigh-crushing, soul-sucking jeans and force my child into socksandshoes just to be disregarded like that.

“Um, excuse me.” I tug on Crew’s hand and trail behind the brooding fireman.

Ward stops next to the offices and turns on me with a steely gaze. “What?”