Page 7 of Rescued Dreams (Last Chance Fire and Rescue #8)

SEVEN

A melia stepped out of her turnout pants, feeling the ache of spending a couple hours working at that house.

Making sure the fire was put out. Cleaning up enough that the family could get in and out when they came back.

And boarding up the doors and windows that had been destroyed.

No one wanted some enterprising thief going through the house and taking what they wanted.

“That’s twice now, right?”

She glanced over at Ridge. Trying to make small talk—about work—when he’d practically asked her out before. Amelia didn’t know what to say to that. Or what to do about him and the fact he was her boss now.

She managed to say, “Twice now, what?”

It was more than triggering having him in a position of authority over her. The awareness of him was in her bones. She’d made peace with that and had come to terms with working together.

She didn’t even care that he might be the other firefighters’ choice.

The simple fact was that her feelings would cloud her judgment. And with him as her lieutenant, he could use that sway over her. He could use it against her the way her ex, Nicholas, had.

“That we’ve seen someone run off from a scene.” He stepped out of his pants and waited for her to gather up her coat and pants.

She walked to the coat room with Ridge right behind her. “I didn’t see the guy’s face, did you?”

“I only saw a flash of dark clothing,” he said from down the aisle where rescue squad kept their things in cubbies.

She stood in the Truck 14 section. A nice arrangement, their things separate from each other, which meant she’d occasionally worked a whole shift without thinking about him. Doing her job, sticking to her office.

Now she would see him every time she got in the truck. Taking the lieutenant’s test again would put things back to rights, but would she get her position back, or would Chief James conveniently find her a spot somewhere else—like Westside Firehouse?

She shoved her boots onto the shelf. “You know, when I get my bars back, I want my seat back as well.”

Ridge glanced over. “I filled a gap in the lineup in a pinch, that’s all. Rescue squad has had two lieutenants before.”

“That doesn’t mean I get my seat back. That’s a justification for me staying in this seat while you have mine. Long-term.”

“I don’t want your job, Amelia.” He took a step toward her, rested his palm on the wall and braced himself like that. Taking up the whole aisle with the breadth of his shoulders—or it seemed like that, at least.

“Good, because you can’t have it.”

“If I’d turned Macon down, he’d have brought in a lieutenant from another house or found a float to fill the position. I didn’t want that to happen.”

Amelia said, “Well, thanks. I guess.”

“No one is trying to take anything away from you.”

She sniffed. “Good, because I don’t have anything to give.”

Ridge let go of the wall and came closer. “Why do you think that’s true?”

“Because I’m not a liar.”

“Amelia—”

She knew that look. “Can we not do this? I’m not a challenge you need to best. I’m not a problem to solve. I just want to do my job and then go home—” Her voice broke. She cleared her throat. “Home.”

Home was the firehouse.

She had to shut this down before he said something else. “I don’t need any help from anyone. I can deal with this. I don’t need to talk, and I definitely don’t need coffee.”

She might miss coffee, but she didn’t trust it. Not ever. She wasn’t going to touch another drop again the rest of her life after what her ex had done.

Ridge frowned, that strong jaw and those concerned eyes nearly making her want to stay. But she wasn’t going to spend the shift in this closet. “What happened to you? I know it’s something.”

She flinched. “It’s none of your business or anyone else’s. Don’t ask me again.”

Amelia ducked around him and hurried out of the coat room to the girls’ bunk. She closed the door behind her and heard the slight sound of crying. Someone sniffed. Amelia moved farther into the room and saw Della sitting on her bed.

“Oh, hey.” Amelia had no idea what to do. She was used to her office and having her own space. This was going to be a nightmare. “Is everything okay?”

She might not want to talk about her business to anyone, but she figured she could listen pretty well. It just meant keeping your mouth shut, right?

Della swiped at her cheeks and shoved a folded paper under the edge of her blanket. “Hey, Amelia.”

“Did you get bad news or something?” The other woman seemed almost scared.

Della had a mixed heritage and lived with her grandmother, who was from India. Her dark hair was curly, but she kept it pulled back the way they all had to while they worked. She usually wore a little makeup but not much. She bit her full bottom lip. “It’s fine.”

Now Amelia knew how Ridge felt. “If you want to talk…I can listen.”

“Thanks.” Della stood, and Amelia spotted a fake lily in a slim vase beside the bed. “I’m going to see how dinner is coming along.”

Amelia nodded, staring at the lily and wondering what had made Della choose that flower.

Lilies had been Amelia’s favorite flower.

But her ex had used any kind of romantic gesture as a way to curry favor.

To get her to do things she never would have done otherwise, until she realized she’d humiliated herself and wanted out of the relationship.

But it was too late because the damage to her reputation had already been done.

When she went to her superiors in the Benson Fire Department, she was told not to spread rumors about an officer with good standing.

Then her behavior had become erratic, thanks to whatever substance he’d laced her coffee with.

From there, things had descended into a situation where she’d had to cut ties and run in the middle of the night.

If she’d stayed, Amelia wasn’t sure she would have survived.

She was barely surviving now, but at least she got to do the job she loved.

She’d gone years without anyone questioning her sanity.

Blissful years of working and resting and then coming back for another shift.

Saving lives. Protecting the town the way firefighters were supposed to.

Not the way her father had, using it as a cover for his sick crimes.

The old man had kept the town in a stranglehold.

Amelia slumped on her cot and pulled the blanket over her head, too tired to eat.

She slept a few hours, awakened by a call for rescue squad.

They took the incidents involving trapped people or equipment failure in warehouses and factories.

Other industrial accidents. Elevator failures.

Truck didn’t get another fire call until the morning, and that was thanks to a cigarette tossed into a dumpster.

Back in time for breakfast, Amelia headed right to the kitchen. The smell of coffee drew her. But she’d made a promise to herself that she’d never be vulnerable again, so she hit the button on the kettle to make tea. Strong black tea with milk, robust enough to wake an elephant.

The other firefighters moved around her, getting breakfast set up. She had to clean the women’s bathroom later, before the shift ended at dinner time, and she wasn’t on cooking duty until next shift. Trace sat at the table, reading a worn paperback novel.

Amelia had just sat down when a guy stepped into the doorway. She said, “Can we help you?”

He had a broody face, dark-blond hair, and the build of someone who did the kind of work they did. Strong and capable. “I found him.” The man’s face split into a smile.

“Kane!” Ridge jogged over from the fridge and practically jumped at the guy. The two of them hugged. The others came over, and Ridge stood with Kane beside him, his hand on the guy’s shoulder. “Everyone, this is my cousin. Kane Foster.”

Amelia sipped her tea while the others shook Kane’s hand. A couple of the guys had obviously met him, given the way they greeted him. He was so excited to introduce them all to his cousin that she couldn’t help watching the look on his face the whole time, seeing his affection and the pride he had.

She had cousins. She hadn’t spoken to them in years and didn’t care enough to text. If they showed up, she definitely wouldn’t act like he was.

“And this is Zoe. Her husband is Army—he’s deployed.” Ridge said to Zoe, “Kane was Delta Force.”

“Wow.” Zoe shook his hand and said something that made Kane laugh.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Amelia nearly rolled her eyes. He was one of those guys.

The kind who said “ma’am” like it was normal.

Who held doors open for others and gave an older person their seat on the bus.

Given how Ridge acted, she wasn’t entirely surprised.

But Ridge had never mentioned his cousin before. He barely spoke about his sisters.

She was better off thinking about hooded men running from fires, the fact she’d been shoved the other day, and her childhood home burning down yesterday.

“This is Kianna.”

Kane shook another hand.

“And over there is Amelia Patterson. She’s, uh, another firefighter here.”

Thankfully Ridge caught himself before he said “lieutenant,” saving them all from having to hear the whole explanation.

She let go of the mug and waved. “Nice to meet you, Kane.”

“You too.” Broody guy studied her a little too long.

Yeah, no thanks. “Who’s cooking breakfast?” She moved to get up.

Zack said, “It’s ready,” and set a casserole dish in the center of the table on a hot pad. Cheese bubbled around the edges, and she spotted sausage and potato.

Amelia eased back into her seat. Plates were passed around, and each person took a turn getting a portion. Across the table from her, Eddie squirted far too much ketchup on the breakfast casserole.

Ridge looked at Kane, now seated beside him. “What brings you here?” He took a bite of breakfast.

Kane said, “Actually, I think I might do the tryout to be a firefighter here in Last Chance County.”

Amelia got herself a slice of the meal and set it on her plate. She grabbed her fork, hesitating as always. Looking around like she needed something. Waiting for a few of the others to eat a couple of bites. That way she knew it couldn’t possibly be spiked with something.

It wasn’t like she could personally supervise what went into every meal.

This was the only way she could get close to being sure it wasn’t going to send her into a tailspin because it had been dosed with a drug that had no business in her system.

After no one reacted to it right away or watched her too closely, she took a small bite.

Ridge said, “Thought you were looking at search and rescue.”

“That’s the problem.” Kane shrugged. “I kinda have no idea. It’s driving me crazy, asking God and asking again and hearing silence.” He shook his head and took a bite.

Kane’s attention came to Amelia, too fast for her to look away.

She ducked her head. They seemed like brothers.

More like Bryce and his twin Logan in Alaska.

Logan had recently suffered one too many blows to the head and now worked at the jump base up in Copper Mountain as a coordinator for the Bureau of Land Management.

He wasn’t ever going to fight fire or jump from a plane again.

If anyone knew what it was like to lose everything they’d built, it was Amelia.

She just had to get her rank back, then she’d feel like she had her equilibrium again. That was all. Then Ridge would have to give her spot back.

Amelia wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

She lifted her head and looked at Ridge and his cousin, feeling all the frustration of her entire life bubble up inside her.

“Hey, maybe I’ll get fired and then Kane can have my spot.

” Her fork clattered onto the plate, and Amelia strode from the room.

She didn’t stop in the hall but pushed through the heavy front doors and stepped outside.

Trying to get some air.

She heard a car door slam, but that was the only thing to enter her awareness. Amelia looked up at the wide expanse of sky, tinted orange with the rising sun. Hands on her hips. Breathing hard. So what if the best part of her life was falling apart?

It didn’t mean she would just let it happen, roll over and say nothing.

Pounding footsteps approached her from behind. Amelia twisted around just in time to see two men run over. Both had hoods pulled up to disguise their faces. “What do you?—”

They didn’t stop but slammed into her, knocking her to the ground.

Hands grabbed at her.

Amelia’s back pressed into the ground, and she cried out.

A gruff voice said, “Where is it?”