Page 36 of The Runaway Bride's Vow

She realized she’d never vocalized how much she cared about him. The abundance of her emotions scared her. What if he didn’t feel the same way?

She just didn’t think she could go through another rejection. Even though calling off the wedding had been the right decision in the end, it didn’t mean the way Josh had gone about it by waiting until they were at the altar with all of their family and friends around them hadn’t hurt her deeply.

And maybe she’d let her mother’s words of caution about her new relationship with Logan feed into her fears. It kept her from confessing her true feelings. It also didn’t help that their relationship was moving quickly. And yet she knew if she waited a year that she would still feel the same way about Logan.

I love him.

The admission scared her to her very core. She’d never cared about someone with such intensity. Staring at the raging fire made her prioritize things. In the end, love won out over fear. If only she had another chance, she would tell him how she felt.

“Logan!” she cried out, but her voice got lost in the crackling and hissing of the fire. “Logan…” Her chest ached. “Please, come back to me.”

She didn’t know how long she knelt there, staring into the smoke and flames, hoping and praying both Logan and Mabel would make it out alive. Her mind told her it wasn’t going to happen. Her heart stubbornly refused to give up hope.

A hand gently touched on her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin. She’d been so focused on the fire that she hadn’t noticed the firefighter approach her.

His alert gaze swept over her. “Are you hurt?”

She pointed to the house. “Help them.”

The firefighter followed her arm pointed to the house. “Were you the only one inside?”

Fear clogged her throat. Tears rushed to her eyes. When words failed her, she shook her head.

The firefighter spoke into his mic. “There are people inside.” He looked back at her. “How many?”

“T-Two.”

He relayed the information on his radio. There were other voices speaking on the mic. It crackled, but she couldn’t grasp what they were saying.

The next thing she knew firefighters with masks covering their faces and oxygen tanks on their backs rushed toward the house. Her heart swelled with hope. Logan and Mabel just had to be all right.

The firefighter next to her, helped her to her feet. As he walked her away from the house, she fought him. She wasn’t leaving without Logan and Mabel. This was her fault. She shouldn’t have let Logan run inside. She should have immediately called 9-1-1 instead of going to him for help. He’d felt obligated to rush into the house without his equipment and without his fellow firefighters by his side.

Another firefighter rushed over to her as the original guy went back to barking out orders.

The young man looked at her with concern in his eyes. “Are you injured?”

When she didn’t answer, he started to examine her. In that moment nothing mattered but them finding Logan and Mabel.

When he reached for her hand, she winced. “You are hurt.”

She glanced down at her hand. It was bright red and some of the skin was beginning to blister. It was only then she noticed the pain. Why hadn’t she felt it before? Was it shock? It didn’t matter. Her gaze strayed back to the house.

“We need to get you to the medics. They’ll take care of you.” He turned and began walking.

She didn’t move.

“Come on,” he called out to her.

“I… I can’t. Not until they’re found.”

He retraced his steps. “The guys are working on it. Let’s get your hand treated. That burn is pretty bad.” Someone yelled out to him. “I’m coming.” The young guy turned a concerned look in her direction. “I’ve got to go. You really need to have that hand treated.” He gestured to someone to come to her aid.

She ignored it all.

And then he was gone. She didn’t know where he was headed as she immediately turned her attention back to the fire. She refused to give up on Logan and Mabel. They were going to be all right. After all, he was a firefighter. He knew what to do.

Firefighters rushed about. Hose lines were laid. The flames and smoke continued. Her heart continued to ache. Water blasted on the roof, dousing the flames. And still there was no sign of Logan or Mabel. Please, be okay.

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