Page 14 of Mountain Man's Forgiveness
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Curious about Ryder Bannon? Find out what happens when the firefighter returns to town with a secret torch that he's still carrying for his best friend's curvy sister. Click here for Trusting the Firefighter, Book 2 of the Indigo Hills series, or keep reading for a Chapter 1 preview!
Trusting the Firefighter, Chapter 1
911. What is your emergency?
I’d like to report a small fire at The Gilded Trunk Antiques & Collectibles. 1221 Elm! Please hurry.
Where is the exact location within the structure?
The snack bar at the rear of the store.
Is anyone still inside the building?
Yes. My granddaughters are trying to put it out with the fire extinguishers, but it’s taking too long.
Mrs. Kaufman? Is that you?
Yes, Elijah. And if that truck doesn’t get here in the next two minutes, I will tell your mama about that time you and Ryder Bannon put those yellow sticky notes all over Coach Mendoza’s brand new truck to impress my granddaughters. Do you hear me?!
Yes, ma’am. Engine 4 is gearing up now. Captain Bannon is already on his way.
Ryder
I jump in my gear then race toward the command truck, roaring off before the seat belt’s even buckled. All I can think about is getting to Vanessa on time, fear gripping me as I imagine my best friend’s sister trapped inside the antique store with her safety hanging in the balance.
Although The Gilded Trunk sits within a mile of Station 8, electrical fires will overtake a building in a matter of minutes. I press the mic strapped to my shoulder. “C2 headed to fireground.”
“Copy that, Heartthrob.”
Damn Elijah. I have no regrets about posing for the Texas Hill Country First Responders calendar since proceeds help injured children in our community, but the nickname has got to go. Once my dad, Cobalt County’s current fire chief, got wind of it,I haven’t been able to live the name down even with all of my medals and awards. The man pushes me harder than anyone and views the calendar as showcasing “an ego-tripping cadre of indolent slackers.”
He’s always been a workaholic and doesn’t really understand employees who don’t do things his way. It doesn’t matter that I worked in San Antonio when I posed for it. My level-headed mom says Dad’s just jealous because he was never asked to do it.
Sirens blaring, I pull behind the antique store ahead of engine company as curious onlookers stop to watch the commotion outside. Both the blessing and the curse of living in a small town are that everybody knows everyone’s business. News about this fire will spread almost as quickly as the flames themselves, and with it being springtime, people will linger.
Within seconds, Deb Kaufman emerges from an open loading bay, tiny wisps of smoke already curling from the roof vent above her. Not a good sign.
“Oh, thank goodness, Will. Wait… Ryder?! Hurry!” Deb’s panicked shouts pierce through the truck window as I maneuver my vehicle into a secure location away from the building. It makes sense she thought I was my dad.
The first and only responder on site, my heart practically drums out of my chest as I snatch my equipment and jump out of the command truck. “Is anyone inside?”
“Yes. Vanessa and Sydney.” The woman’s voice breaks at the mention of her granddaughters. “They’re using fire extinguishers, but it’s not working.” My gut tightens at this news.
Only two years apart, Vanessa and Sydney Kaufman went to high school with me. I played varsity football with their older brother Bodhi, who is still one of my best friends. Syd cheered back then while Nessa was a bohemian art kid who gave zerofucks about anything sports-related except watching her siblings at games.
It rattles me to my core that my buddy’s sisters are trying to fight a fire inside The Guilded Trunk. That and the fact that Vanessa and I secretly dated during our senior year when Bodhi was away at college.
“Anyone else inside besides the three of you? Other employees? Customers?” A faint siren peals through the air, signaling that my team’s getting close.
“All our customers were escorted out front by floor staff. It’s just us three.”
