“We really appreciate all you’ve done for our family today,” Marilyn said to Jamie, Leon, and Noah. “May we offer you a little snack before you head back to the fire station?” She pointed to the back porch. “My daughter and daughter-in-law have cookies and lemonade for you.”
“That’s really kind of you,” Leon said, hedging. He looked between Jamie and Noah.
“We’d love to.” Jamie waved a hand to include them all, sure Brody would approve. “Danki.”
“Great.” Marilyn clapped her hands together as if their acceptance meant the world to her. “Willie and I will ask the other fire companies to join us as well.”
The three firefighters started walking across the rock driveway toward the house. Jamie decided he’d ask Leon how he and Brody knew this family later.
“I’m so tired I can hardly move.” Leon pushed his hand through his hair. “We still need to load up the truck. It’s around three thirty now, isn’t it?”
“Let’s just have a quick snack and then head back.” Jamie’s boots clomped up the wooden steps to the long porch that spanned the back of the large, white, two-level farmhouse. He noticed a one-level addition jutting out from the right side. He’d been too high on adrenaline to notice when they arrived.
That must be where either the parents or the son and daughter-in-law lived. But where is the older son?
When he reached the top of the steps, Jamie leaned back against the porch railing and folded his arms over his chest. He swiped the back of his hand across his forehead and blew out a deep sigh. He was still hot and sweaty from the combination of the fire and the humid June night. He longed to get back to the fire station to enjoy a cool shower, followed by some sleep.
“Would you like some kichlin?”
The question yanked Jamie from his thoughts. He glanced down at the brunette who’d just come from inside. He’d briefly talked to her on the porch when they first arrived at the scene. This must be the daughter-in-law.
“Ya. Danki.” He reached for a cookie and hesitated.
She balanced the tray on one hand and pointed to each selection. “We have chocolate chip, macadamia nut, and peanut butter.”
“Peanut butter is a favorite.” He lifted one of the large cookies and nodded. “Danki.”
“Gern gschehne.” She held out her hand, and he shook it. “I’m Eva.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m James.”
“Danki for all you did tonight for my brother-in-law.” Her smile faded, and her lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly. “We were really scared when we realized he’d run into the barn.”
“I’m just glad we were here in time to help him.” Jamie bit into the cookie and savored the sweet taste.
“How are you doing, Eva?” Leon asked as she stepped over toward him.
Jamie’s eyebrows lifted. Renewed curiosity filled him as he again wondered how Leon knew the Dienner family.
“I’m okay. I have gut days and bad days.” Eva nodded toward the tray. “Would you like some kichlin?”
“Are you kidding? The Dienner women make the best kichlin. Of course I want some.” Leon took one of each variety. “Danki.”
Jamie studied Leon. Brody seemed to know the family too. How did they know them so well?
Noah introduced himself to Eva and took two cookies before he leaned back against the railing, next to Jamie.
“How is Elsie doing?” Jamie asked before taking another bite.
“She’s gut.” Noah grinned. “Christian is keeping her hopping. He’s walking all over the place. She turned her back for a second yesterday and realized he was gone. She found him in the linen closet, yanking out all the bath towels. Last week he pulled out all the pots and pans from the bottom of the cabinet and started drumming on them.”
Jamie and Leon laughed.
“How old is he now?” Leon asked.
“Eighteen months.” Noah shook his head as his smile deepened. “I can’t believe how big he’s grown.”
“Would you like lemonade?”
Jamie turned to see Kayla standing in front of him as she held up a tray with a pitcher and plastic cups. He studied her sky-blue eyes, trying to determine what the intensity there meant. Was she still upset with him or just upset about the fire? He recalled finding the same fierceness in her expression earlier when he suggested firefighter training for Nathan. She seemed as if she wanted to say something, but she was hesitating.
The tray teetered, and he reached for the pitcher. “Let me help you with that.”
She quickly pulled it away. “Danki, but I’ve got it.” She raised her eyebrows. “It’s fresh. I made it earlier today.”
“Ya, please,” he said.
She turned toward Leon and Noah to offer them each a cup, and they nodded as well.
Kayla set the tray on a small table behind her and filled three cups. She handed one to Jamie first, and he thanked her.
“It’s gut to see you, Leon,” Kayla said as she gave him his cup.
“How are you doing?” Leon looked concerned. Why?
“We’re okay.” She shrugged. “We’re making it, but it’s tough.”
“I’m sure it is.” Leon shook his head. “I think of your family often.”
“Danki.” She lifted her tray. “Let me know if you need a refill.”
Jamie fought the sudden wave of envy nipping at him. What did Leon know about Kayla that he didn’t? And why did it bother Jamie so much?
“Excuse me,” Kayla said softly as she started to move past him toward another group of firefighters.
“Kayla, wait,” Jamie blurted without forethought.
She stopped and looked up at him, her blonde eyebrows knitted together. “What?”
“Could I speak with you privately?”
She hesitated, but then gave him a curt nod. “Ya.” She pointed to the far corner of the porch. “We can go over there.”
He followed her. She rested the tray on the corner of the railing and then turned to face him. He took another sip of lemonade and then set his cup on the railing.
“What is it?” She folded her hands over her middle.
“I want to apologize.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry for butting into your business earlier. I didn’t mean to upset you by suggesting your bruder start training to become a firefighter.”
Kayla looked across the porch to where Nathan and Willie stood talking to Brody. Then she swiveled toward Jamie, and her eyes narrowed to a steely gaze. “You have no idea what you did by putting those ideas into Nathan’s head. Now he’s trying to convince mei daed to allow him to sign up.”
He blinked. Where is this hostility coming from? “I realize it’s none of my business, but I honestly don’t understand why you’re so upset. Are you really that worried about his safety? We don’t take risks with our youngest volunteers. He won’t actually enter a burning building until he’s older. It’s very safe.”
“I can tell you it’s not always safe.” She took a step toward him. “I’d prefer you not discuss firefighting with mei bruder again. In fact, I think it would be best if you stayed away from Nathan.”
He held up his hands in an attempt to stave off whatever this animosity was. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I only thought that—” Before he could finish his sentence, she was gone, stalking toward the opposite side of the porch with the tray in her hands. She stopped in front of two firefighters, smiling sweetly. Her hands shook slightly, though. What had he said to affect her so deeply? What had he done wrong?
Noah appeared at Jamie’s side. “What did you say to her?”
“You sure do have a way with maed.” Leon snickered. “I see now why you’re still single.”
“Do I have to remind you that you’re also single, Leon?” Noah retorted as he lifted his cup to his lips.
“That’s by choice,” Leon quipped.
Jamie did his best to ignore their banter as he gazed at Kayla. Tension and confusion swirled in his gut as he mentally replayed their conversation. He couldn’t fathom what he’d done to warrant such a rejection.
“What did you say to her?” Noah’s repeated question wrenched Jamie from his thoughts. He explained his conversation with Nathan and Kayla while Nathan was being treated at the ambulance and then his conversation a few moments earlier before she’d stormed off.
“I don’t understand why she’s so upset with me.” Jamie turned up his palms. “I was just being honest with Nathan and her. I thought it would be safer for him to take the training than to run into burning buildings without any firefighting knowledge at all.”
Leon’s smile faded, and his expression grew serious. “You don’t know who these people are, do you?”
“What do you mean?” Jamie turned to Noah, who shrugged.
“Do you remember Simeon Dienner?” Leon lowered his voice. “He was the firefighter killed last year. Kayla is his schweschder, and Eva is his fraa.” He nodded toward where Kayla now stood with Eva.
Jamie gasped. Simeon Dienner and his company at Station 5 were saving a family whose farmhouse had caught on fire. Simeon was the last one to head for an exit, but he never made it. The floor in the mudroom gave way, and he fell into the basement. As soon as he hit the basement floor, the house collapsed on him. Simeon was crushed and died at the scene.
Jamie’s breath came out in a whoosh as a chill ran up his spine. Simeon was the older son missing from this family. Jamie and Noah were both assigned to a different fire station then, but Jamie had met Simeon a few times when the two fire companies responded to the same incident. Simeon had been friendly and a good firefighter. Jamie heard about the accident on that tragic day. “No. I didn’t make the connection with this Dienner family.”
“I should have told you.” Leon leaned back against the railing. “I’m sorry, but I thought you knew Brody was Simeon’s chief. Brody moved to Station 5 just before that happened. It was horrible.”
“I can’t even imagine.” Noah clicked his tongue. “I met Simeon a few times on calls, but I didn’t know this was his family. And I wasn’t assigned to this station until after he passed away, just like Jamie.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t common knowledge, but some of the crew asked for reassignment after Simeon died, and Brody understood how they felt. That’s why you two ended up reassigned to Station 5.” Leon lifted his cup. “Simeon was a great guy. He was funny, but he was also serious when he needed to be. He loved his family.”
Regret and guilt rained down on Jamie as he studied Kayla. “Now I understand why she’s so upset with me. I don’t blame her for not wanting Nathan to train.”
“You didn’t know,” Leon said.
Jamie cupped his hand to his forehead. How could I be so stupid? “I need to apologize to her.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Noah frowned. “She seemed pretty determined to avoid you.”
“No, I need to tell her I was wrong and explain I had no idea Simeon was her bruder.” Jamie started toward Kayla, determined to make things right.
“Would you like more?” Kayla held up the pitcher as she stepped over to where Brody was talking to Dat and Nathan.
“Yes, thank you.” Brody smiled as she refilled his cup, emptying the pitcher. “We really didn’t expect you to feed us. Then again, my Amish friends are always so welcoming.”
“We wanted to do something nice for you since you all worked so hard for us.” Dat patted Brody on the shoulder. “I appreciate what you and your company did, especially for Nathan and our horses.”
Brody took a sip of his lemonade. “I’m sorry we couldn’t do more. Barns just go up so quickly, not only because they’re wood, but because of the hay. All we can do is spray the fire until it fizzles out.”
“My family and I are grateful.” Dat glanced toward the barn. “You stopped the fire from spreading.”
“Will we have a barn raising to rebuild?” Nathan asked.
“Ya.” Dat rested his arm on Nathan’s shoulder. “I’ll see if I can get someone here right away to clear the land. Then we’ll rebuild.”
“We can cater it for all the volunteers,” Kayla said.
“That’s a great idea,” Eva said. “We’ll have to think about a menu.”
Kayla nodded in the direction of the back door. “I’m going to get more lemonade. I’ll be back.”
When she turned around, she slammed into James. The tray slipped from her hands and everything on it fell to the floor with a loud clatter. She could feel an embarrassing blush crawling up her neck and heating her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry,” James muttered. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s okay.” Her face flaming, Kayla immediately bent down to retrieve the plastic tray, pitcher, and cups. But James did as well, and their heads collided with a clunk! She straightened and moaned in pain as she cupped her hand to her head.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” James repeated as he rubbed a red spot forming on his forehead.
He grinned, and to her surprise, a soft laugh escaped her lips. James had a nice smile that lit up his entire face and made his blue eyes sparkle. She shoved the thought away as quickly as it popped into her mind.
He swiped his hand down his clean-shaven jaw as he turned his gaze to the porch floor. “I really made a mess of things.”
“It’s fine.” She looked down. Thank goodness everything was plastic. Relief flooded her as conversations once more resumed around them. She couldn’t stand the thought of everyone staring at her.
“Let me get it.” He gathered up the cups and pitcher and balanced them on the tray. “Were you taking these into the haus?”
“Ya. Danki.”
She reached for the tray, but he held onto it as his smile faded. “I came over to apologize for upsetting you again.”
“There’s no need to—”
“Ya, there is,” he said, interrupting her. He looked serious. “Leon just told me you’re Simeon’s schweschder.” He nodded over his shoulder toward Leon and Noah, who looked on with interest. “I met Simeon a few times, and he was a really gut man. It would be devastating if I lost one of my siblings, and I’m so sorry you went through that. If I had known Simeon was your bruder, I never would have talked to Nathan about volunteering. Please forgive me.”
“Of course I forgive you. It’s our way.” She yanked the tray out of his hands and took a step back. “Excuse me. I need to make more lemonade.”
As Kayla stepped into the house, she felt James’s gaze follow her, and she tried to ignore the wild thumping of her heart.