Page 49 of Fire and Icing (The Firemen of Waterford TN #1)

“I know. I probably shouldn’t have been so hyper-aware of how my news would hit. I could have eased you into it by at least saying I’m seeing someone. But I knew you’d want to know who and I knew it would level you.”

“Syd. I just want you to be happy. Do you not have enough faith in me to get over my own issues with your choice in men?”

“I do. I did. I just knew it was going to be a blow to you and I was trying to soften it by finding the right moment.”

“Like before he proposed?”

“Before that, for sure.” She looks at me sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I really messed up. But my heart was in the right place. Not excusing myself. Just, I hope that helps you see why I did it.”

“Lied.” I reiterate it because she needs to own it.

“Yes. I lied. And I hid the truth, which is just as bad.”

“Right.”

“Right.” She stares at me, a sad expression on her face.

“We’re not breaking up,” I tell her.

“Thank you.”

“But you broke trust, Syd. And now we have to patch that up and it’s going to be hard and take effort and I’m already tired just thinking about having to question you and to wonder what else you’re hiding.”

“Nothing. I’m not hiding anything. I never have. Well, except when your parents threw you that surprise party. That nearly killed me.”

“I knew it was happening.”

“That also killed me. Here I was keeping that secret and agonizing over not telling you and you already had it figured out.”

I smile remembering us at that age.

“So, Evan? Really, Syd?”

“I went to the bank one day and he was working, of course. He’s the manager, after all.

Anyway, he came up to the window behind the teller who was helping me and said, ‘Hey, Sydney.’ It’s so dumb, but the way he said it made my eyes linger.

He’s attractive. I guess I checked him out for a minute.

I never thought about him much in high school because he was three years older than us. But we’re not in high school anymore.”

“We’re not,” I agree.

“Anyway, I was walking to my car after I made my deposit and Evan followed me out. He asked, ‘How’ve you been?’ It caught me off guard.

I turned around and told him about the bakery and my life.

We stood there talking for about ten minutes.

Then he said he should get back inside. He said, ‘Nice seeing you, Sydney. Have a great day.’ Then he turned to walk back into the bank.

I was climbing into my car and he stopped, pivoted and said, ‘You wouldn’t want to grab a cup of coffee sometime, would you? ’”

Syd’s hiding it, but there’s a smile on her face. She really likes him. And it’s obvious she liked him pursuing her that day.

I try to set aside the fact that it’s Evan we’re talking about here.

“That’s sweet,” I say.

“It really was.” She lifts her head and smiles over at me.

“You know me. I’m not shy. So I stopped getting into my car and walked over to Evan and said, ‘Evan, are you asking me on a date?’ He actually blushed a little.

But then he said, ‘Yes. I am. Is that okay?’ And I said, ‘I think it is, actually.’ So, we made plans.

That was six weeks ago. We went to coffee.

And it was so nice. He’s nice. He’s the perfect gentleman.

He pays attention when I talk, and he opens doors and he … well, he really likes me.”

“So I saw.”

Syd’s lips go tight. “I know. Gah! That was awful.”

“Tell me about it. Did you bleach the kitchen?”

“Emberleigh.”

I stare at her. Evan of all people. He sounds like he’s being nice. But she knows how he was to me when Drew and I dated. Distant, aloof, complicit in the way his family treated me.

“He’s not his family. He even said he didn’t like the way you were treated when you were with Drew. He didn’t agree with his family acting better than and keeping you out of important events or trying to undermine your relationship.”

I’m quiet, digesting what Syd just said.

Even though Evan never was directly mean to me, he was cold and rejecting.

He went along with his family. And they were awful to me.

It always felt like he was party to their treatment.

I never considered that he didn’t feel the way they did because he never did anything but comply with their rejection.

They did not approve of me and Drew. He’s from the country club set.

I never measured up to their standards and they let me and Drew know at every turn.

His mom even had the nerve to invite other girls more “Drew’s caliber” to events he brought me to as his date. I don’t miss that treatment. Not a bit.

“You could’ve told me,” I say after a beat of silence. “I might’ve hated it at first, but I wouldn’t have hated you.”

“After what his family did to you? I didn’t want to make you feel like you weren’t enough all over again.”

“But it wasn’t your job to protect me,” I say gently. “It was your job to be honest. You’re my best friend. That means something.”

“He wants to talk to you when you’re ready.” Her eyebrows raise in an expression of reluctant hope. “He’s so sweet to me, Emberleigh. He makes me feel … cherished. And I like him. I want you two to get along if you’re willing.”

“I’m sure I’ll be ready at some point. Just not right away. If it means a lot to you, I’ll talk to him.”

“It does. He’s not Drew. He’s becoming increasingly special to me the more time we spend together. And you’re the most important person in my life. I know I didn’t help things by the way I set you up to find out the way you did.”

“Do you think you love him?”

“I might. Whatever this is, it’s more than a little bit of like.”

This is going to take some getting used to.

But the way Syd’s smiling right now? It’s one of those goofy smiles people get when they’re falling.

Thinking of that reminds me of Dustin saying we could fake those kinds of smiles at one another.

Only, I never had to. He always draws a smile out of me, even on my worst days.

“Okay. Just give me time. Will you?”

“All the time in the world. I’m so sorry, Emberleigh. Truly.”

“I know. And I forgive you.”

“I won’t hide anything from you again.”

“Please. Not even an Easter egg. Okay?”

“Deal.”

I pick up my phone and look at the time. “Do you want to stay and watch Dustin on that late night show he’s on tonight?”

“Really? I’d love to.”

“Let’s make popcorn and tea,” I suggest.

“I know we’re not over this,” Syd assures me.

“We’ll get there. I don’t want to stay mad at you.”

“I deserve it if you are.”

“True. You do.” I look over at her and smile.

She smiles back. “You’re the best. I’m sorry.”

“Okay. No more sorries. Just let’s build forward.”

“Yes. Good. That’s what we’ll do. Thank you.”

She looks like she could use a hug, so when I stand to make the popcorn and she stands to join me, I step toward her.

“I’m happy for you,” I say, pulling her into a hug.

“He’s pretty awesome,” she says.

“He’d better be.”

She laughs into our embrace.

I pull back—not because I’m withdrawing, but because I don’t want to miss Dustin’s performance.

In the kitchen, we move in quiet synchronicity. Syd still knows where everything is in my cabinets. She pops the popcorn while I brew the tea, like we’ve done a hundred times before.

When we return to the couch, we sit a little closer than we had before—like something between us has found its old home.

Gran calls. “Hey, Sunshine! Do you have the TV on?”

“I do. I’m about to watch Dustin perform.”

“Just checkin’.”

“Thanks, Gran.”

“Okay. I’m watchin’ him over here. And to think. He lives in my basement.”

“He’s just Dustin,” but even as I say it, I know he’s not just Dustin.

He’s so much more than I ever thought a man could be. And the world deserves their piece of his awesomeness.

The show starts and the host does an introduction, and then the cameras move to the spot where Dustin’s standing alone in front of a microphone with his guitar strap slung over his neck.

He talks into the mic. “Hey, everyone. I’m Dustin. I’m gonna sing a song for you. This one's for someone special back home.”

I think he’s going to sing the song he wrote for me, but when he starts in, the first line is different.

Instead of “You’re sunlight through a screen door, barefoot dancing on the kitchen floor,”

He sings a different song entirely.

I dreamed of bright lights, a crowd that knew my name

Chasin’ songs and stages, thought I’d play the game

But all these miles just feel like I’m running in place

Now I’d trade it all to put a smile on her face.

He’s staring into the camera, and I swear he sees me. A tear comes to my eyes. I wipe it away.

Syd nudges me. “He’s singing about you.”

I smile at her. I’m glad she’s here, watching this with me.

I would have felt her absence if I wouldn’t have let her come over.

We may have a tear to mend in the fabric of our friendship, but the quilt is still intact.

All the squares we’ve patched together over the years can still be a comfort despite our recent snag.

Dustin keeps singing, looking straight at me. He might be singing for the masses, but in his heart, he’s singing for me.

Give me dirt roads and a front porch light

A small house with her and the stars at night

Two kids runnin’ barefoot in the yard we mow

And a floppy-eared dog we named Toad,

He pauses, shrugs, grins and says, I don’t know.

Then he sings the rest of the chorus.

How I ever thought the spotlight could compare

To Sunday morning pancakes and her mess of tousled hair

If chasing dreams means leaving love, I wouldn’t dare

Then it’s not the dream I want, no sir

I’d trade it all to stay right there

I’m tearing up, ready to hop in my car and drive to Nashville before the song even ends.

She keeps me grounded like roots in this quiet little town

I was fire and thunder ‘til she slowed me down

She believes in me more than I ever could

And she loves me better than I imagined anyone would

He sings the chorus again and then he lands on two lines that nearly break me in the best of ways.

Let ‘em keep the city and the sold-out show

I’ve got everything I need in the place I call home

Syd looks at me and says, “That’s not a man looking for fame. That’s a man looking for you.”

“I know. I thought he might leave me behind. But he’s waiting for me to catch up. I’ve been dragging my feet.”

“No. You haven’t. You’ve been honest with him. And you’ve been trying to get here. You’re here now.”

“I am. And I’m going to Nashville. I need to get to him. I need to see him perform tomorrow.”

“Yes. You do. And I’m coming with you. We can close the bakery for a day.”

“You’re coming with me?”

“If you’ll have me.”

“Absolutely. I want you to come.”