Page 62 of Ink and Ashes

Colson

T wo weeks have passed since the fire that nearly killed Holland, and life has been a whirlwind since then.

The day after everything happened, we discovered that the other two fires that had been called in at the same time as that one were fakes. Welland was trying to get us to split our resources and hide the scene of the real fire, but clearly, it didn’t work.

I’ll admit, learning those were decoys was almost as much of a relief as finding out he was dead. Heading out to a fire the day after almost losing Holland would’ve nearly killed me. Instead, the crew spent the day mopping-up at the ranch before I brought Holland by for her welcome home party.

We didn’t get too much reprieve from flames though, because a holdover fire popped up not too far outside of town shortly after Holland’s release from the hospital.

You’d think the weather would’ve cut us more of a break after everything we’ve gone through over the past few months, but that would be asking too much.

Thankfully, it only lasted a couple of days before we had it controlled, and now we’ve all just been trying to adjust to life post-Whitlock/Welland.

The town has yet to pick someone to replace him, so it’s been even more chaotic.

They’re holding an award ceremony to recognize the bravery of everyone on the team tonight, and supposedly someone new will be appointed then.

Except none of us at the station have been told anything, and my all-knowing father has refused to say a single word about it, so no one really knows what to expect.

Everyone at the station is certain it’ll be me, and I truly hope they’re right.

I’ve been preparing for this day ever since I was in diapers.

Being chief of EGFD is my birthright—the one thing I’ve been working toward my entire career.

I know there is a strong possibility I’ll be chosen tonight, and if I am, I’ll vow to protect this town with my life.

But part of me can’t help but wonder if they’re going to pick someone else instead. My actions over the past few months have been nothing short of unprofessional, and I’m not sure if I’m cut out for the job anymore.

From not realizing sooner that this town had an arsonist, to keeping secrets from my team, to breaking every possible protocol the night Holland was kidnapped and leaving a man inside the burning house to die, I’ve made a lot of selfish decisions that don’t exactly inspire faith in me.

I worry that the rest of the town sees that too.

My self-deprecating thoughts are interrupted when I hear, “Hi, baby,” over a knock on my bedroom door.

I look over my shoulder through the mirror’s reflection to see Holland standing in the doorway wearing an emerald green satin dress that fits her like a glove.

It’s lacey up top with the skirt ending mid-calf, and she’s paired it with simple gold heels.

Her fiery locks fall in waves around her shoulders, and her makeup is soft but precise.

She looks absolutely elegant.

I clench my jaw tight as she makes her way over to me, trying—and failing—to focus on tying my tie. When I feel her warm body press against mine, I have to fight to keep myself from stripping her bare and fucking her right here, right now .

But I can’t do that, or we’ll be late. And this is one thing Holland refuses to let me miss.

“You look incredible,” is all I’m able to get out as I turn toward her, unable to tear my gaze away. She huffs a small laugh as she takes my tie in her slender fingers, finishing the task for me. I rest my hands on her hips, keeping my eyes locked on her.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Lieutenant.” She tightens the tie, then brushes her hands over my shoulders as her eyes finally meet mine. “Or should I say Chief ?”

I drop my shoulders. “You might be the only person who will ever call me that.”

She pouts. “If you think the town isn’t appointing you, you’re crazy. They’re giving you a medal of valour. You really think they would do that then not choose you?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know. I want to be chief, but I would understand if they go in another direction.

The station may be run by my family, but that doesn’t mean we get all the say in the hiring.

At the end of the day, it’s a majority vote from the whole town, and I’m not sure I’m the right person for the job.

I’m not sure I ever was. I didn’t figure out it was Whitlock until it was almost too late, and then I intentionally left him inside to burn alive.

That’s nothing to be proud of. That’s not chiefly . ”

Her brows furrow. “Anyone else would’ve done the same thing to him—you know that.

You can’t beat yourself up for not seeing it because no one else did either.

Not even your father.” She takes a step closer.

“And while the rest may be true, you also saved my life. You may have broken protocol in doing so, but I’m standing here because of you and you alone, Colson. That’s pretty damn commendable.”

She pushes up to press her lips to mine, and I smile against them. My hands find their way to the small of her back as she rests her arms over my shoulders.

“I didn’t have a choice. I think I would’ve died on the spot if you hadn’t made it,” I tease as I pull away from the kiss, though I’m not lying in the slightest. If she hadn’t made it, I wouldn’t have wanted to live to see another day .

She pouts. “But then I wouldn’t have been able to haunt you.”

I laugh again. “No, but at least we’d still be together.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “How’s your article coming along?” I ask, trying to delay leaving for as long as I can.

She fidgets with my tie again as she says, “I finished it.”

I grin. Holland has spent every day since the fire working on an article about the investigation, but the last time we spoke, she hadn’t decided what to do with it.

She’s been reminding me every day over the past few weeks that she’s not going anywhere, but it’s hard for me to believe her when she has yet to fully cut ties with her old life.

This article has been the only thing standing in the way of that.

Her original plan was always for her to take the story back to the Foundation, and though I haven’t said it out loud, I still have a feeling that she will.

And that if she does, she won’t come back to me.

“I’m so proud of you,” I tell her, pushing my anxieties down and pressing a soft kiss on the crown of her head. Then I inhale deeply as I brave myself to ask my next question. “Have you figured out what you’re going to do with it?”

She nods. “I’m going to self-publish.”

My brows pull together. In all the times we’ve spoken about it, that was never something that came up.

“Really?” I ask. “What made you decide to do that?”

“You did.” She shrugs. “You’ve given me strength and helped me realize that what I really want is to do things for myself from now on.

That means taking control and writing what I want to write.

If I send this off to another organization, it’s going to have their name on it, and they’re going to pull the strings.

But it’s my story; the only name I want on it is Holland Rhodes. ”

My eyes widen. “You’re publishing as Holland?”

She laughs. “That surprises you?”

I shrug, nodding. “A little. I guess I hadn’t given it much thought.”

“Well, I didn’t need to. I hold nothing but resentment and regret toward Hollis Rothwell, and no one here knows me as that anyway. Holland Rhodes is who I was always meant to be. ”

I smile, my heart surging at her words. “What are you gonna do after then?” I ask, curious about if she has plans to find more stories. I can’t imagine life without her in it, but I’m also not going to be the one to hold her back from chasing her dreams.

“I’ll probably keep freelancing, but I’m not sure yet. And honestly, I’m not really worried about it. Not now that I’m dating the fire chief.”

I huff a laugh as she grins up at me. I tangle my fingers in her hair as she holds my gaze, but as I stare into her deep brown eyes, a wave of sadness washes over me and I glance down at the floor.

“What’s wrong?” She shifts so she’s in my line of sight. “This is good news.”

“I just don’t want you to end up resenting me,” I tell her honestly.

Her face falls. “What on Earth could I resent you for?”

I sigh. “There are only so many stories to chase in Ember Grove. And I think you caught them already.”

“I’m not worried about that. I’ll probably never stop investigating, but I’m sticking close to home.

Maybe I’ll start a blog or a podcast.” She shakes her head with a smile.

“If money’s your concern, it shouldn’t be.

Life in Ember Grove is much cheaper than Toronto, and I’m a politician’s daughter.

I have a trust fund, Colson. I work because I want to, not because I have to. ”

My jaw falls open slightly. I really should’ve seen that coming.

“So you’re saying you’re my sugar momma?” I tease.

“Always, baby,” she says over a laugh and a wink. Her expression turns serious again as she adds, “Stop pushing me away, because I’m not leaving. And I would never resent you for being the reason I stay. Not when you’ve taught me how to live.”

She places her hand on my cheek. “I don’t care what I do next, truly.

All I know for sure is I don’t want to do it from anywhere but here.

I thought coming to Ember Grove would be the thing that helped me get back to the life I was missing.

But as it turns out, the life I’ve been missing has been here all along.

With Cass. With Dom and Ollie. With everyone else down at the station.

” Her thumb swipes under my eye. “With you . I don’t care what comes next.

I just care that you’re beside me when it does. ”

My lips quirk, and I lower my mouth to hers. I feel her laugh against me as her hand wraps around the back of my neck, pulling my lips tight against hers.

“We should get going,” she breaks the kiss to tell me. “But just in case no one else says it to you tonight, I’m proud of you, Colson. Regardless of the outcome. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, and I’m so damn glad to call you mine.”

I jerk my head, my throat tightening. I tangle my fingers with hers, squeezing twice in a silent thank you , then hand-in-hand, we leave to make our way to the station.

“Let’s give these courageous men and women one last round of applause,” Mayor Stanton says after presenting each team member with a commendation medal, as well as Medal of Valour to myself and Dom for everything we did to help find the arsonist.

The crowd of probably a thousand people claps and cheers loudly for us, and my heart surges with each minute that it goes on. I stare out over the crowd, scanning all the faces. Nearly everyone in town is here to celebrate us, and I’ll admit, it feels damn good.

Even if this doesn’t end the way I want it to, it’s been a great night, and regardless of who our new chief is, I get to go home with the prettiest woman in here.

My eyes lock in on Holland, who smiles back at me with tears in her eyes.

Love you , she mouths with a look of pure adoration on her face. I smile as I mouth the same back to her, and when the crowd starts to settle, the mayor begins speaking again.

“We have one last announcement to make tonight,” he says. “And I invite William Caldwell Jr. to join me on the stage for this one.”

I swallow roughly as my dad stands from his seat, making his way up the stairs of the stage at the town hall. He shakes Mayor Stanton’s hand, thanking him, before moving toward the microphone.

“Thank you all for being here,” my dad starts, and the crowd waits in rapt anticipation for him to continue.

“This incredible group of men and women behind me has faced the worst fire season in Ember Grove history, all due to a man many of us came to know, love, and trust over the past decade. A man that I had personally promoted to fire chief after my retirement a few years back and had every single one of us fooled.”

Dad clears his throat, then continues. “Knowing what I do now about Pierce Whitlock, making him chief is my single greatest regret. But there’s no changing the past. The only thing we can do now is make sure that the next person who holds this position will do the title justice.

“As you all know, EGFD is a Caldwell family legacy. Whitlock was the first chief this department saw that wasn’t directly part of our family, but we made him feel like such, which makes his betrayal hurt that much more.

At the time of his promotion, he was the best suited for the job, and we gave it our best shot.

But it didn’t work out the way we wanted, which is why I—and all of you—have decided it’s time to return this station to its former glory. ”

I swallow roughly and keep my eyes trained on the floor, hoping my dad’s saying what I think he is. When the next words out of his mouth are, “Son, please step forward,” my heart works its way into my throat.

I do as he says, holding my breath.

He moves to stand in front of me, then says, “Colson William Caldwell, you’ve been part of this department for over a decade, and after four years of being the team’s lead Lieutenant, I think it’s about time you’re given the title you’ve worked so hard for.

” He clears his throat, his eyes glassy as he holds his hand out to mine.

“What do you say, son? Are you ready to be Ember Grove’s next Fire Chief? ”

I choke back tears as I grasp my hand in my father’s, then say five words I’ve always dreamed of saying.

“It would be my honour.”