Page 73 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
“It’s about a lot more than just the trees and wildlife and you know it. Wildland fires left unchecked can reach towns with thousands of homes and tens of thousands of lives. I want to help prevent that from happening.”
“You know Ben’s just giving you a hard time,” Cole said, eyeing him over the crossword puzzle book. “Mostly because we aren’t too sure about you breaking up a good thing.”
“I’ve already told you that Morgan and I were never a thing. Not really.”
“I was talking about us,” Cole pointed out. “Not Morgan. No worries, though, I’ll do my part by taking over as Greyson’s hero while you’re gone.”
Andrew’s heart squeezed.
“You do that.” It would be best if Cole really did. “I expect you both to watch out for Morgan and Greyson, make sure they’re okay.”
“You’re not sounding too uninterested there, bud.”
“Lack of interest was never the problem,” he admitted. “I’m the wrong guy for them. I thought Morgan and I could be friends, but that was a mistake. She needs someone who is safe and secure and who doesn’t take risks. Maybe a dentist or something. Y’all find her one.”
“And what about you?”
“I don’t need a dentist. My teeth are good.” He bared them to prove it.
Cole rolled his eyes. “I meant what about you if Morgan finds someone else?”
“I’ll be happy for her.” He’d also tar and feather the guy if he hurt Morgan and Greyson, but other than that...yeah, he’d be happy for her. He wanted her to have all the things she deserved in life. Things like a husband who came home every night to her and Greyson.
“And too stubborn to admit you care about her,” Cole added.
“Stubbornness has nothing to do with this.” Andrew shook his head. “It’s because I care about her that I’ll be happy she’s with someone else. So long as the dude is good to her and Greyson. If not...” his voice trailed off.
“If not, that ‘dude’ will be answering to all three of us,” Ben finished. “We got your back, bro.”
Andrew started to reply but the alarm sounded, signaling a call had come in.
Looked as if it wasn’t going to be a slow night, after all.
Smoke billowed all around him and Andrew didn’t think he, Ben, and Cole were ever going to reach the section of the automobile parts factory where Bob, Jules, and a female factory employee were trapped. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to do to get them all out of here.
Going back in was crazy. Leaving part of their crew trapped inside was crazier and had never been an option. Chief hadn’t even had to ask. He, Cole, and Ben had already grabbed their Rapid Intervention Team packs, gleaned where in the building to look, and busted into the building from an outside door closest to where they expected to find the others.
Thick smoke limited visibility. The stench of burning plastic and Lord only knew what cut through his respirator and made his eyes water. The fire roared around them, almost deafening him to the cracking of beams and wood as the building around them threatened to collapse.
Finally, through the smoke-filled passageway, they reached the area where Bob and Jules had been searching for the missing plant employee. Through the dusky haze, a movement caught his eye.
“There,” Cole said.
Jules was bent over a pile of rubble, trying to clear it. When Andrew rushed over, he saw that beneath the rubble was Bob and the missing employee. Good grief. Of course Jules wouldn’t have left Bob behind—but she must have known there was no way she could have cleared that mess before the fire reached them. Andrew worried that the four of them might not be able to.
“I almost had them out, but another section fell,” Jules said, continuing to pull rubble away.
They immediately jumped in and began helping to clear the rubble on top of the two. Around them, the smoke grew thicker. Finally, they uncovered a small opening where Bob was sharing his respirator with the employee, letting the woman take big, clean breaths of oxygen. Andrew and the others continued to lift wood and tiles. Although it had probably been two or three minutes, it felt as if hours had passed since they’d found them. They had to hurry. At any moment another part of the ceiling could cave in.
Or the fire could reach them.
As soon as they had them uncovered enough to reach, Ben handed over the spare respirator from the RIT pack for the woman to put on.
“Missy’s leg is broken,” Bob told Andrew as the man helped to push a beam off his lower body. “Jules and I were dragging her out when the roof caved in and trapped us. Jules got free. We couldn’t. And then another load crashed onto us. Now, I’m useless and going to make this even harder on y’all.”
He gestured to his own legs. Andrew winced. His buddy’s legs were crushed. There was another loud pop then the sound of falling debris came from nearby.
“We’ve got to get out of here fast. Where’s the closest outside wall?” he asked Missy. He had a good idea, but since she’d worked there, wanted to verify.
