Chapter 9
“So,” David said as he and Tess watched the pinks and reds of a gorgeous sunset on his patio. A background chorus of cicadas chirped loudly. “We have to have this conversation.” He was both deliriously happy and furious with Tess.
She shook her head. “But you just got out of the hospital today, and you went to see Manwaring. You must be exhausted. Shouldn’t we wait?”
“No. Now.” He had to keep his voice stern, so she’d understand. But it was hard to do.
“Go ahead, then.”
“As your captain, what the hell were you doing taking on that man?”
She lifted her chin. “Saving your life, Captain.”
“You could have died. What if he stuck you with that needle?” The notion gutted him. “Weren’t you even thinking about her?” He gestured to her stomach.
Startled, Tess smiled broadly. “Her? Our baby’s a her?”
He bit back a smile. “I have a hunch. You know how good those are.”
Sitting opposite him on a chair, she tried to take his hand, but he shook her off. Touching her would lead to other things right now and he had to make this clear.
“David, I’m not going to apologize for protecting you. You would have done the same thing for me.”
“That’s different.”
“Why? Because I’m a woman?”
“No. Because you’re pregnant!”
She got up and dropped down on his lap, then looped her arms around his neck. “I see what you’re saying. Maybe I acted irrationally. But I couldn’t let someone hurt you.”
He couldn’t help it, his arms went around her waist. He buried his face in her shoulder. “Admit you should have gotten help with your suspicions.”
She held on tight. “I admit that.”
“I couldn’t have lived if you died for me. Don’t you know that?”
“Hmm. I’m coming to see how you feel.”
“In case there’s any doubt…” He drew back and took her lips. He consumed her. Willed her to absorb how he felt about her.
Tess understood what he was doing and let the joyous contact continue. All she wanted was to be with him, alive and well, get as close as she could. When his breathing escalated, and hers too, he drew back.
“Here’s how it’s going to be. You have to promise never ever to endanger yourself for me.”
“How can I promise that when our job is dangerous?”
He looked out at the sky, thinking. Letting out a heavy breath, he added, “All right. As much as you can prevent it. But no heroics like this morning.”
“I can promise that. While I’m pregnant.”
“Now, onto the next thing.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’ll get married. As soon as possible.”
“Um…”
“We’ll work out our issues—my issues—while we share a life, a bed together.”
She stared at his beloved face. “I accept, though that was a pretty shitty proposal.”
Laughing, deep and from his belly, he eased her back from him. “Think so?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Then stand up.”
She did.
Dear God, he got down on one knee. “Tess DiMarco, I love you more than life itself. I can’t live without you. Would you please marry me?”
She realized at that moment how much she’d longed, for years, to hear those words with so much purpose behind them. “I love you, too, David. I think you’ve always been the love of my life. I’ll marry you, have this little one and make you deliriously happy.”
He bolted up. “We can start now. In the bedroom.”
“That’s exactly what I want.”
Arm and arm, they went into the house, both grinning broadly. Life was going to make sense again, if they were together.
* * *
A week had passed after the event at the hospital had hit the news—in incredible detail—and Tess sat in Brooke’s house for another Sisters of Fire night.
“Tess, it looks like you have the biggest news.” Brooke’s eyes lit. “You took down a freakin’ arsonist single-handedly.”
A chorus from around the room…
“Not the biggest.”
“Not quite.”
“Hey, I object.”
“Me, too.”
Brooke laughed. “Seriously? All four of you have big news?”
“I’ll go first.” Trish grinned. Even after all that happened, she rarely called attention to herself. “We set a date to get married. You’re all invited with your significant others. Only my brother and Nathan’s dad and sister will be there. I want to keep it small.”
“Your coworkers will be pissed,” Annie put in.
“Colin can come with you. And maybe my group. I’ll think about that.”
“We could have a party for you.” Brooke, the entertainer, offered, even in her grief.
“Maybe later. I’ll see.”
The women fussed about dresses, location and who would be her person of honor.
“You’re all my attendants. We can talk about clothes later. But Carl’s going to be my best person.”
Trish and her brother had grown close after he risked his life for her when her ex came after her.
“All right, I’m done. Annie, you go next.”
Annie’s expression turned solemn. “I’m taking two more months of maternity leave. It’s been a horrific decision-making process, but I can’t hand Bridget over to someone else at only four months.”
“How will that work, honey?” Lynne asked.
“I already had three months maternity leave and then my vacation time, with a guarantee that I go back to my group. By taking more, they’ll have to have a spot for me after sixty more, but not necessarily in my same house.”
“That’ll be hard,” Trish put in. “To go to a new place.”
“Yeah, this whole thing has been excruciating. Poor Colin is overwrought by our situation. Though he originally was concerned about money.”
They commiserated.
Finally, Annie gave the go-ahead to Lynne.
“Well, first off, I discovered that the town council decided to close two fire houses in Dannerville. Ken, who’s on that council, didn’t tell me, of course, because it strengthens my argument for leaving Dannerville. So I decided to take a position at Engine 4 as a lieutenant on November 1, but I’ll have a captain as chief officer on my group.”
“Did Ken agree to move?” This from JJ.
“No, he didn’t.” Her pretty green eyes shadowed. “He’s wants to stay in Dannerville, damn him. It was bad enough when he didn’t move up here three years ago when his business closed.”
“Yeah,” Annie said, “But then he said he had to stay put to get the business going, right?”
“So he said. And silly me, I believed him. But I want this move now and I’m going to make it. I’ll have to wait three months to wind things down at the firehouse and probably help close the two others. I’ll commute at first if I have to, but I’ll move eventually. And my kids will come with me.”
“Do you think Ken will ever come?” Annie asked.
“I don’t know. Things haven’t been right between us for a long time.” She blew out a heavy breath. “No more talk about me. Your turn, JJ.”
“If you’re sure, Lynne.”
Lynne nodded.
“Okay, I should be done studying for the captaincy exam in 2 months. I’ll be ready by the time Jed retires.”
“That’s terrific.” Brooke sounded genuinely happy about all their news.
“I hope so. I’m already getting some grief about women getting special treatment.”
“Fuck them,” Lynne put in. “I’m sick of us always having to put up with that kind of shit.”
“Tell us how you really feel,” JJ joked.
“All right, Tess.” Annie again. “What’s going on with you? You’re glowing.”
“I know.” She nearly giggled and reached inside her blouse to pull out a chain.
Eyebrows shot up. A couple of gasps. Finally, Trish asked, “What’s that hanging off it?”
“My wedding band.”
“You still wear yours from Vinny?” Annie asked.
“God, no. David and I got married at City Hall a few days ago?”
“What?”
“What?”
“What?”
“After all that happened, we decided we couldn’t waste any more time.”
“How cool is that?” JJ commented.
“More cool than you know. I—”
Annie interrupted. “You’re pregnant.”
“How do you know?”
“The contours of your face. The change in your center of gravity which starts right away.”
“I’m a month along.”
“I don’t mean to be a downer,” Annie said. “But how could you take on Lance Manwaring when you were pregnant?”
The other women voiced the same concern.
“I felt I had to protect David. He’s furious about that too, and I’m contrite, but what’s done is done.”
Silence. Well, that was a first, Tess thought.
Lynne broke it. “I guess you are getting fat, kiddo.”
Everybody laughed.
“We’re not telling anybody but you guys and David’s son.”
“Why?”
“It’s too soon after Hope’s death. We’ll reveal we’re together in a bit and later, spring the wedding on everybody.”
“Where are you living?”
“Mom knows, so I can get away with staying some nights with David on the excuse we’re working. Or when the kids have sleepovers.” She giggled. “Once I crawled into my bed at dawn before they awoke.”
“That sounds exciting,” Lynne commented. “And spices up your relationship.”
“You know, it does. I’m so happy. David’s delighted. So much is right with the world.”
Brooke got up, walked into the kitchen, and came back with a bottle of champagne and glasses. “I think all of this deserves a toast—Trish’s plans, Annie’s decision, JJ and Lynne’s professional news and a new baby in our midst soon.”
“Brooke, no,” Tess pleaded. “I shouldn’t have said all was right so soon after Zach.”
“Hell, you should’ve. You’ve all made me happy. I just wish Diane could have been here to see how you’re all faring.” After pouring champagne, she lifted her glass. “To the Sisters of Fire.”
They all chanted together, “To the Sisters of Fire.”
* * * * *
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