Page 61 of Through the Fire
“Food’ll be ready in twenty,” Jules hollered at the kids gathered around the table. “The game better be put away and the table set by then.”
“It will!” Dee and Ty chorused as they hurried even faster to finish setting it up.
“Hi, I’m Otto’s wife, Sarah.” The relatively quiet voice brought Kit’s attention away from the group playing the game to a small, almost fragile-looking woman standing next to her. By the way Otto was hovering right behind her, Kit would’ve known who Sarah was even without the introduction.
“Nice to meet you,” Kit said, hiding her surprise at the other woman’s delicately pretty appearance. For some reason, she’d expected Otto’s wife to be tall and strapping and Nordic, just like he was. “This is Wes March.”
“The fire lookout.” After shaking Kit’s hand, Sarah offered hers to Wes. “We’re sort of neighbors, give or take a few miles.”
As he shook her hand, Wes gave a jerky nod of his head, and Kit knew he was still feeling overwhelmed by the packed room. She shifted so that she could lean her shoulder against his arm in support. He gave her hand an appreciative squeeze.
Sarah didn’t press Wes to talk, simply turning back to Kit when he stayed silent, which made Kit pretty sure that she was going to like Otto’s wife.
“I’m glad they finally hired a new K9 officer,” Sarah said, glancing up at her tall husband with clear affection. “Winters are so short-staffed anyway, and with the lieutenant…” She trailed off, her lips pressing together. “I worry when these guys don’t have backup available.”
Although she wanted to know the full story of what happened with the lieutenant’s betrayal, Kit knew now wasn’t the time to get it. “It’s surprisingly busy here, too.”
Sarah winced even as she laughed. “This town…” Instead of finishing her thought, she looked over her shoulder at Otto. “Would you mind grabbing me some water?” He gave her a sweet kiss on the top of her head and crossed the kitchen to a cupboard missing a door that held a motley collection of glasses. “How are you liking the job?” Sarah asked, turning back toward Kit.
“It’s not boring,” Kit said honestly. “I haven’t had a chance to work with Otto much, since we’re on opposite shifts, but so far,” she leaned closer, lowering her voice, “he’s my favorite.”
“I heard that!” Hugh yelled from his spot at the table. From his green game piece, it looked like Grace had won the wrestling match.
Kit rolled her eyes at Sarah, making her laugh. “As I was saying, Otto’s so wonderfully quiet. He’s definitely my favorite.”
“He’s mine, too,” Sara said mock-seriously, giving a blushing Otto a huge smile as he handed her a glass of water.
“Mine, too,” Grace called, shrieking with laughter as Hugh immediately started to tickle her.
Leaning more heavily against Wes, Kit felt his free hand rest lightly on her waist, and her skin lit up under his touch, despite the multiple layers of fabric blocking his skin from contacting hers. Standing in the warm, crowded kitchen, Wes pressed against her, listening as her new partners and their families talked and laughed, Kit felt more content than she’d been in a long time.
Turning her head, she looked at Wes, marveling at how familiar his beautiful, bearded face was already, at how this man was quickly making Monroe feel like home.
A gust of cold air swept through the kitchen as the back door swung open.
“K-Kit?” Sam stuck his head inside. “D-do y-you have a m-m-minute?”
“Of course. Let me just grab my coat.” As she turned toward the hall, Wes reluctantly released her, but she kept hold of his hand, pulling him along with her. “You’re not getting away from me that easily,” she said quietly enough that only he could hear.
He gave her a sideways glance, looking both pleased and relieved.
After getting their coats and boots on, they went out the front door and circled around the house, rather than tromping back through the kitchen. The night was clear and cold and surprisingly still, the ever-present wind missing for once. The snow crunched under their boots as the air cooled Kit’s overheated cheeks, and she had a moment of thankfulness for the chance to be here in this beautiful place with this beautiful man on this beautiful night. Tipping her head up, she met Wes’s gaze. It might’ve been wishful thinking, but she was pretty sure the same gratitude was mirrored in his eyes.
They rounded the corner of the house into the backyard, and Fifi galloped over, breaking the mood but replacing it with an even happier one. After rumpling the dog’s ears, Kit crossed the yard to join Sam.
“What are you working on?” she asked.
He looked glum. “Recalls.”
Although she tried to hold back her laugh, she couldn’t completely, and Sam shot her an offended glance. “Sorry,” she said, restraining her amusement. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at memories of trying to teach Justice to come when I called. The crazy things I tried out of sheer desperation… Anyway, the trick is lots of repetition, and a huge reward.”
“I have treats.” He patted his pocket.
“You need to have the best treats, and”—she held up a dramatic hand, and he watched her, his mouth twitching with the barest smile—“you have to make it into a party.”
“A…party?”
“Every time she comes to you when you call, it has to be the most fun time she’s ever had.”
