Chapter Five
Teague sat across the dining room table from Nina, drinking pinot noir over the remains of their barbecue dinner and discussing the state of the local economy. From the living room, Keely’s laughter accompanied the high-pitched voices of the Muppets on the TV. He’d done his very best to keep the conversation on neutral topics, but the whole evening had been a little too . . . comfortable, considering the woman smiling at what he hoped was a witty remark was soon to be married. He couldn’t help wondering where her fiancé was and why he hadn’t been on hand to measure her broken window.
“Earth to Teague.” She swirled her wine in the bowl of the glass. “Did I bore you into a stupor?”
“Huh?” He blinked twice and realized he’d lost the thread of the conversation. “No, of course not. Actually, I was wondering why I hadn’t seen your fiancé around. Is he out of town?”
Something resembling pain flashed in the depths of her green eyes. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m sorry. Did I say something wrong? The first day we met, you mentioned trying on a dress for your wedding.”
The emotion in her eyes cleared. “Not my wedding. My friend Leah’s wedding. I’m co-maid of honor along with my other best friend, Paige.”
A burst of satisfaction filled his chest with warmth. “You aren’t getting married?”
“That would be a good trick since I’m not even dating anyone.”
He couldn’t seem to stop staring at the perfection of her face. “You’re kidding, right? Are the men around here blind or just stupid?”
That earned him a broad grin.
“Thanks. I appreciate the vote of confidence. I guess I’m having a hard time getting back into single life after . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she bit her lip.
Reaching across the table, he laid a hand on her arm. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.”
Her gaze rose to meet his. “You’d probably understand how I feel better than most since you’ve lost someone.” She drained the wine remaining in her glass. “I was engaged, but Keith died in Afghanistan a little over five years ago. People say I need to move on, that I’ve mourned long enough. Easier said than done.”
His heart ached for her. “We all recover from tragedy in our own way, in our own time frame.” He tightened his grip. “There’s no right or wrong way to go about it. That’s the best piece of advice I took from my grief counseling group after Jayne died.”
“I know, and I actually believe I’m finally ready to start feeling again. Maybe I just haven’t met anyone to suit me lately . . . or I’m too picky for my own good.”
“The way you look, you can afford to be as choosy as you like. I’m pretty sure guys would line up to date you.”
She smiled. “The same is true for you. Once the single women of Siren Cove realize there’s an unattached firefighter in town who’s possibly a thirteen on a scale of one to ten, you’ll be inundated with help getting settled in.”
He laughed out loud. “Beautiful with a dry humor guaranteed to entertain. Definitely a winning combo.”
“Daddy. Hello! I asked if I can have ice cream.”
“What?” He tore his attention away from Nina to focus on his daughter, who stood in the doorway wearing an impatient expression.
“We bought rocky road. Remember?”
“Sure.” He pushed back his chair. “I’ll get it for you.” When his phone rang, he glanced at the display and recognized his new boss’s extension at the fire station. “Just as soon as I take this call. It’s work.”
“I’ll get the ice cream for her.” Nina stood and herded Keely toward the kitchen.
“Thanks.” He shot her a grateful glance before raising his cell to his ear. “O’Dell here. What can I do for you, Captain Barker?”
“We have a fully engaged house fire near the east end of Pine Avenue. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation to keep it from spreading. I’ll throw your bag of gear in my truck if you can meet us at the scene.”
A siren blared in the background, and Teague raised his voice to be heard. “Of course. That’s close to my home, so I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Great.” The connection went dead.
He tightened his grip on the phone. Keely. Shit.
“Is there a problem?” Nina stood in the doorway with his daughter at her side, holding a bowl of ice cream.
“Unfortunately, yes. I don’t officially start work until tomorrow, but there’s a house fire. They need me now. Is there any way you could watch Keely for me?”
“Of course. Go. We’ll be fine here.”
“Thank you.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket and hurried toward the entrance. “I really appreciate this.”
“That’s what neighbors are for, remember?”
“I remember.” He dropped a kiss on the top of Keely’s head in passing. “Be good for Nina. Bed at eight-thirty, okay?”
“Do I have to?”
“Yes, you do.”
“Teague?”
He glanced back at Nina and met her wide-eyed gaze as he opened the front door. “Yes?”
“Stay safe.”
“You bet.”
He hurried down the steps and ran to his truck, thankful he’d taken the time to study a map of Siren Cove the previous evening. He knew exactly where he was going since his destination was only three blocks away. A siren wailed in the evening dusk as he approached the turn onto Pine Avenue. He stopped to let the ladder truck roar past with a blare of its horn, then turned in behind the fire captain’s vehicle. Parking out of the way of the blazing structure, he approached Barker as the man stepped out of his truck dressed in full gear.
“Quite an initiation to the team, O’Dell.” He tossed him a large duffel bag. “I’m glad you stopped by the station yesterday to get outfitted. Suit up then find me.” He took off at a run, shouting orders to his men as they unrolled hoses.
Teague scrambled into his gear before joining the captain, who was speaking to an older man with gaunt cheeks and watering eyes.
“My dog is in there, probably hiding in the bedroom closet.” He coughed and drew in a ragged breath. “You have to get her out.”
The captain glanced toward the two-story home as a downstairs window exploded, showering glass onto the ground. “Mr. Murphy, I can’t risk lives for a dog, but we’ll do our best.”
“Then let me go back in, damn it! My room is in the upper right corner. It’s not burning yet since the fire started in the kitchen on the other side of the house, but the smoke—” He broke off in another coughing fit.
Teague nudged the captain’s arm. “If we put a ladder up to the side egress window, I can go in. That section of the structure still looks stable.”
He nodded. “Only take a quick look then get back out. I’d say we have about ten minutes before that corner goes.” Raising his voice, he shouted, “Rod, I want a ladder at the northeast second-story window.”
Teague lowered his helmet and adjusted the ventilator as two men moved the ladder into position. When the captain gave him the go-ahead, he ran up with each rung vibrating beneath his boots, broke out the screen, then slid open the window. A gray haze filled the room as he crawled over the sash and dropped to the carpet. Rounding the bed, he hurried toward the open door in the corner and felt his way to the back of the closet. At floor level, eyes gleamed in the dark, and a low growl greeted him.
“Easy, girl. Don’t make this hard for me.”
The air down low wasn’t too thick with smoke yet. Grabbing a flannel shirt off a hanger, he scooped the dog up in it and held the quivering bundle against his jacket, thankful the animal wasn’t any larger than a sack of potatoes. Timbers creaked and groaned as he headed back toward the window. Below him, more glass blew out in a piercing blast, and the smoke creeping in around the door grew heavier.
Reaching his goal, Teague thrust his burden through the opening to one of the crew who had scrambled up the rungs behind him. He stepped out onto the ladder as flames licked in under the bedroom door. Hurrying down, his booted feet hit the ground with a thud.
“Good work getting out of there fast.” The captain thumped him on the shoulder. “Move that ladder out of the way, then go string some caution tape out on the street. We’ve got downed power lines across the driveway. Keep the looky-loos back out of harm’s way. I think half the neighborhood is out there now.”
“You got it.”
An hour later, they were mopping up the smoldering ruins when one of his new coworkers approached. “O’Dell, isn’t it?”
He nodded and held out his gloved hand. “Teague O’Dell.”
The other man shook it. “Mateo Torres. Hey, can you go door to door and spread the word to the neighbors the power company will be back out in the morning to restore service once the scene has cooled down.” He nodded toward the truck with the electric company logo on its side as the vehicle turned around in the street. “Their technician told me the box on the pole is a main breaker, and they can’t turn it back on safely until they get those downed wires off the driveway. There should only be a handful of houses affected by the outage.”
“I’ll take care of it and deliver a safety speech while I’m at it.”
“Thanks, and welcome to the team.”
Teague left the charred wreckage that had once been a kitchen and flipped up his visor to take a deep breath of air not saturated with smoke once he reached the end of the driveway. The fog from earlier in the afternoon had receded, and stars shone in the night sky. Turning on his flashlight, he approached the nearest house affected by the outage.
The residents of the first four homes he visited answered their doors before he could even knock, obviously keeping a close eye on the proceedings. After explaining the power situation and cautioning each family to stay clear of the burned-out home, he moved on. Pine Avenue, like all the streets in the area including his own, ended in a cul-de-sac that backed onto forest land. His boots thumped against the asphalt as the shouts from the fire crew faded. Rounding a slight curve, he stopped in front of the final two homes on the street.
A Honda motorcycle he recognized stood in the driveway of a ranch-style house. The beam of his flashlight reflected off the shiny chrome. Smiling, he knocked on the door then stepped back. When it opened moments later, Stella Lange faced him holding a fat orange candle clutched in her fist.
He lowered his flashlight. “Hi, Stella. I didn’t realize you lived so close to me.”
“And I didn’t realize my newest employer would be working for our fire department. How is Hank Murphy doing?”
“Just a little smoke inhalation. His house is a total loss, I’m afraid.”
“Who’s at the door?” A young girl’s voice echoed, high and tinged with a hint of fear, from somewhere inside.
Stella turned. “One of the firemen. Go back to bed, hon. Everything’s fine.”
“I can’t sleep.”
A hint of frustration flashed in her eyes. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I won’t keep you.” Teague gave the woman a sympathetic smile. “Hearing all those sirens can be frightening for a child.”
“Especially since she’s timid to begin with. Her parents are going through a rough patch, which doesn’t help, but my plan is to buck up her courage while I’m watching her.”
“I hope you succeed.” He backed up a step. “Anyway, I came to tell you your power won’t be restored until morning. Make sure you and your guest stay well clear of the wreckage when you leave the house tomorrow.”
“We certainly will. Thanks, Teague.”
He pointed toward the residence opposite hers with the beam of his flashlight. The house was similar in style to his Victorian and possibly in worse shape, if the sagging shutters were any indication. “Do you know if anyone is home next door?”
“Probably. The woman who lives there with her daughter doesn’t socialize with any of the neighbors, but she’s usually around.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I plan to drop off my charge and be there bright and early. Good night, Teague.”
After Stella shut the door, he crossed the street to approach the front porch of the neighboring house. He knocked on the door and waited. When no one answered, he knocked again with the same results. Shrugging, he headed back down the walkway. It was nearly ten, so maybe the residents had gone to bed, despite the commotion on their street.
When he glanced over his shoulder, a flicker of movement and light upstairs drew his attention. Curtains parted, and he caught a quick glimpse of a face framed by pale hair before the material twitched shut. Apparently, the homeowner didn’t care to hear an update on the power situation. Or maybe she didn’t trust strangers knocking on her door this late in the evening.
He didn’t blame her.
Returning to the scene of the fire, Teague went back to work on the cleanup, and it wasn’t until well after midnight when he finally pulled into his own driveway. Exhaustion weighed his steps as he shut the car door with a click, then trod up the path to the front porch. Using his key, he unlocked the door and entered the dimly lit house. The glow of a single lamp illuminated his way to the living room where he stopped just inside the doorway.
Nina was stretched out fast asleep on the couch, covered with the dark blue afghan his grandma had crocheted when he moved away to college. At her feet, Coco raised her head and gave a low woof, then jumped to the floor and trotted over to his side. After he reached down to scratch her ears, she scampered up the stairs, her tags jingling with each step.
After a moment, he headed to the laundry room where he stripped off all his gear and dumped it in a stinking heap in the corner. Pulling a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt out of the basket of clean clothes, he quickly donned them and shut the door behind him. Moments later, he was back in the main room, feeling a little like a voyeur as he gazed down at Nina.
Dark lashes fanned perfect skin above high cheekbones. The woman was so beautiful, his heart ached a little just looking at her. Her full lips were open slightly, and movement behind closed lids indicated she was dreaming. He couldn’t help wondering what about. Did she still long for her dead fiancé, even in sleep? The nights he woke from dreams of Jayne came less often lately. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
Before he could step away—or bend to wake her—Nina’s eyes slowly opened. The confusion in their depths cleared after a few seconds, and she struggled to sit up.
“I guess I fell asleep.”
“It’s late. I’m glad you did.”
She pressed a hand to her mouth to cover a yawn. “I assume the fire is out. Where was it? I heard sirens right after you left.”
Too tired to stand, and feeling awkward staring down at her, he moved around her knees to drop onto the leather cushion beside her. “On Pine Avenue, Hank Murphy’s home.”
“Oh, no. He owned the hardware store before he retired. His son runs it now. I think he’s been living all alone since his wife died a few years ago.”
“Just him and his dog. I got the poor little thing out before the house was fully engaged.”
Nina reached over to lay her hand over his. “I’m sure he was thankful.” She studied him for a moment. “You look exhausted. You should get some sleep.”
“I will in a minute. Right now, I’m too comfortable to move.” He let out a sigh. “Did Keely give you any backtalk about going to bed?”
A smile curled those full lips. “Only a little. She was asleep by nine. I like your daughter, Teague. She’s funny and bright. You’re doing a great job raising her.”
He turned his face sideways to meet her gaze as warmth stole through him. “Thank you. That’s the best compliment you could give me.”
“It’s the truth. Anyway, I enjoy her, so don’t hesitate to ask me to watch her in an emergency. I’m usually home.”
He blinked, trying to keep his fuzzy brain focused on the conversation when all he really wanted to do was lean his head against soft-looking breasts cupped by the silky material of her shirt. Only the knowledge that he stank of smoke kept him from giving in to the impulse.
“I appreciate that. I made it clear to the captain before I took this job I can only work day shifts, but when there’s a situation that requires more manpower, I’ll be called in no matter what the hour. The department here is a whole lot smaller than the one I worked for in Southern California.”
“I bet, so please feel free to reach out when you need help.”
When she tried to pull her hand away from his, he turned his palm up and held on. “I got incredibly lucky moving in next to you.”
She kept her tone light. “As I mentioned earlier, all the single women in town will line up to help you out.”
“Nina?”
“What?” Her voice was breathless, and the fingers he held quivered in his grasp.
Everything below his waist kicked into gear. “I really want to kiss you right now, but I smell like an ashtray. If you’re not interested, maybe this would be a good time to go home.”
“I’m interested . . . in a kiss. I’m not sure about anything else.”
The seconds ticked by as he held her gaze. “I’m okay with that. For now.”
“Okay, then.” Her breath escaped in a rush. “I don’t care how you smell. Just kiss me so we can both stop wondering what it’ll be like and go get some sleep.”
“You’re sure?”
She nodded and scooted closer until their thighs pressed tightly together. He used his free hand to cup her chin and looked into her eyes.
“You’re unbelievably beautiful, but I like what I see inside you even more.”
A rush of moisture entered those green eyes before she leaned forward and took away whatever words he might have said next. Teague opened his mouth over hers and kissed her with the pent-up need of someone who hadn’t let himself be attracted to a woman in a very long time. The taste and heat of her was addictive. When she caressed the back of his neck and feathered fingers into his hair, he nearly came unglued. Finally he was forced to pull back in order to breathe.
“Wow, I guess you satisfied my curiosity . . . and then some.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “Sleep might not be an option after all.”
“You really do need a shower.” Her tone held a hint of humor. “Make it a cold one.”
“I’ll have to.” After a moment, he forced himself to his feet, then pulled her up after she untangled the afghan wrapped around her legs. “Good night, Nina, and thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She flipped her wrist to indicate the couch. “We’ll have to do this again.”
“Yeah?” Her smile made his heart stutter.
“Yeah. Good night, Teague.”