Page 20 of Heart of a Hero

She met my gaze, her brown eyes filled with a quiet sadness. There was a story there, I could tell. Pain she kept hidden beneath that shy smile. I found myself wanting to know all her secrets, to be the one she opened up to.

“You know, I’m here for you, Nora. No matter what it is you need, even if it’s just a shoulder to cry on.”

Nora bit her lip, glancing away. For a moment I worried I’d overstepped, come on too strong. But then she looked back at me, the hint of a real smile on her lips. “Thank you, Dawson. That means a lot.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. I wanted to pull her into my arms, to promise I’d keep her safe, but I held back. Every time I wanted to rush ahead, I tried to tell myself to see the bigger picture. What was that saying? Slow and steady wins the race?

I cleared my throat. “Come on, I’ll show you the living quarters. That’s where the real fun happens -- epic ping-pong battles and burnt dinners galore.”

Nora laughed, the sweet sound sending warmth flooding through me. I helped her and Taylor down from the truck, savoring the feel of her small hand in mine.

As we made our way farther into the station, I found myself sharing things I rarely talked about.

“My dad has no idea I’m a firefighter,” I said. “He’d lose his shit.”

She glanced up at me. “You don’t think he’d be proud?”

I shook my head. “I know I said he was part of a club, but my dad is something of an outlaw. He’d never understand why I want to do this for a living. Sure, some of his brothers were in the military, but if my dad was, I’ve never heard about it. Far as I know, he’s been a biker just about his entire adult life. I figure he’d always planned for me to walk in his footsteps.”

“I don’t remember the last time I saw my parents,” Nora said. “I’m not even sure they’re still alive.”

“Why didn’t you keep in touch?”

She looked over at Taylor and I got the message loud and clear. She’d gotten pregnant and her family hadn’t approved. I’d heard that same type of story often enough.

With every word I felt the connection between us growing stronger, deeper. Like fate had brought this beautiful, wounded woman into my life for a reason. I just prayed I was worthy of her trust. That I could be the man she needed, the one to show her what real love looked like. No matter what, I knew I’d die trying.

As we stepped back out into the crisp December air, an idea struck me. “Hey, what do you say we go pick out a Christmas tree together? Get the apartment feeling more like home.”

Taylor’s eyes lit up, and she bounced on her toes. “Can we, Mommy? Please?”

Nora smiled softly, tucking a stray curl behind Taylor’s ear. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Thank you, Dawson.”

My heart swelled at the gratitude shining in her eyes. “Great. I know just the place.”

We finished the tour of the fire station, then got back into the truck. Twenty minutes later, we were wandering through rows of fragrant evergreens, Taylor darting excitedly from tree to tree. “Look at this one, Mommy! It’s so big and fluffy!”

Nora laughed, the sound warming me from the inside out. “It sure is, baby. But I think it might be a little too big for our apartment.”

Our. I liked the sound of that. Had she even realized she’d said it? I watched them, marveling at the bond between mother and daughter. The way Nora’s face softened with love and pride. The way Taylor looked at her like she hung the moon.

Something fierce and protective surged through me. A longing to be a part of their little family. To keep them safe and cherished, always. I hadn’t asked Nora how old she was, but if Taylor was five, I figured she had to be around twenty-three. Maybe a little older. Shit. Was she older than me?

“What about this one?” I pointed to a lush, full-bodied fir, just the right height for the living room.

Taylor raced over, circling the tree with a critical eye. “It’s perfect, Mr. Dawson! Can we get it? Can we?”

Nora met my gaze over Taylor’s head, her eyes shining with a mix of joy and hesitation. Like she couldn’t quite believe this was real. That someone cared enough to give them this little slice of holiday magic. Truthfully, they were doing the same for me. I hadn’t bothered getting a tree, even though Christmas was now less than a week away. It hadn’t seemed important with only me at the apartment. It wasn’t like I’d planned to spend Christmas day there. I always went home.

As the baby of the family, I always spent at least half of Christmas day with my parents. Sometimes Farrah and Mariah would come back, but not often. They had their own families now and lived with a different club. So much had changed over the years. Now Mom and Dad lived alone. Although, I had a feeling that suited them just fine.

I reached out, brushing my fingers lightly over Taylor’s head. “Absolutely, sweetheart. Let’s take this bad boy home.”

An hour later, the scent of sugar cookies filled the cozy apartment as Nora bustled around the kitchen. Taylor and I tackled the tree, untangling lights and sorting through boxes of ornaments. I hadn’t known what to get, so I’d just randomly grabbed things at the store. The tree would have everything from snowmen to Santas, animals, old trucks, and I’ve even found a motorcycle ornament.

“Mommy makes the best cookies,” Taylor informed me, her chubby little fingers struggling with a knot of ribbon. “We always leave some out for Santa on Christmas Eve.”

“Oh, yeah? I bet Santa loves that.” I smiled, imagining future Christmases spent together. Watching Taylor’s wonder on Christmas morning. Holding Nora close while we sipped cocoa by the fire.

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