Page 18 of Steamy Dreamy Hearts

I heard him scamper to catch up with me but did not pause to look at him.

We walked through a smoke-filled area to a patch of green and turned toward some homes. They might think they were safe, but it was an illusion.

Caleb and I first approached an older man, standing outside his home, his feet braced for battle. He had an unkempt beard and red-rimmed eyes.

“Fiddlesticks!” the older man shouted at Caleb and me. “You weather people or firemen are always saying it will be all doom and gloom. There’s no fire here. And I got nowhere to go.”

I tried for a patient tone. “The fire isn’t here yet, but we have reason to believe some embers might cause issues in this direction. We can recommend some safety zones. Find you a place to be cared for?—”

“Ain’t leaving my property. No way. If a fire comes here, I aim to defend my home.” The old man huffed.

“Is that worth risking your life?”

“Yeah, son, it is.” The old man spat on the ground. “I got nothing if I leave here.”

I nodded. He was a lost cause who wasn’t going to be persuaded. “Let’s go over to the next one.” I motioned to the second home.

Caleb nodded, following me. We knocked at the next house, and a couple answered. I explained about the new evacuation orders.

They listened politely, not engaging in the conversation. The husband was small and wiry, his wife clearly pregnant. Somewhere behind them, a small dog barked.

I tried again, stepping closer to the man. “If the fire comes this way, you won’t be able to stop it. And our trucks might not get to this area in time. Please reconsider.”

“Nothing to reconsider.”

The wife’s eyes were afraid, her lip trembling. She held one hand over her swelling belly.

“Please, Tim.” She gazed at her husband. “I don’t want to be here.”

“Even inhaling smoke is not good for her condition,” Caleb said.

She gave him a grateful smile but didn’t look directly at Caleb’s face. Her husband grunted and looked from his house to his wife. “You go, then, Donna. I’ll meet you when it’s safe.”

“But I want you with me.” She placed his hand on her stomach. “We want you with us.”

But her husband wouldn’t be moved. He did help her pack a bag, and we dropped her and their yappy dog, Princess, at the nearest safe zone.

I drove to the next set of homes. Much of the same thing occurred. We convinced one family with small toddlers to leave, but the rest of them opted to stay.

“I’m getting a goddamn headache from this. What the fuck is wrong with these people?” Caleb croaked.

“You can’t force people to evacuate.”

“Why not?” he grumbled. “All that happens is firefighters have to try and rescue them. And they get hurt in the process.”

I patted his shoulder. “We tried. And maybe the winds will spare them.”

“They were so suspicious of us.” He met my eyes, his own full of worry. He walked alongside me back to the truck. “As if we had other motives other than to give them our best advice. Do we sometimes get it wrong? Sure, but it’s all with the best of intentions.”

“Agreed. And better safe than sorry when it comes to Mother Nature. But, regardless, we do our job.”

“That older man was actually mad at us for wanting to help. I’ll never understand. And they wasted our time arguing with us. Even the guy with the pregnant wife. What the hell?”

“Yeah…” I offered a sad smile as we halted outside the truck.

A guilty look skittered over his face before Caleb took a deep breath. “Sorry.”

“For what?’

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