Chapter 2
Jayce had done a little checking on the firehouse he planned to visit. “Pride of Midtown” didn’t even begin to cover it. This particular station had lost fifteen firefighters on 9/11. More than any other. Its firefighters were considered experts in high-rise rescues, so they had been among the first on the scene.
As for the part of the patch that said “Never missed a performance,” well, what Kristine had said was true. The station was in the heart of the theater district. Jayce passed the acting school as he walked around the neighborhood. He almost missed it because it looked like a church.
But the firefighters’ performances were worthy of more incredible awards than a Tony or Emmy. In one recent year they responded to more than nine thousand calls between two companies. How they managed to do that blew his mind.
He had hoped this trip would put Kristine out of his mind by seeing her again, but as just a normal woman. Unfortunately, it looked as if his plan might backfire with his respect for her already growing.
He had checked in at a nearby hotel and deposited his stuff in his room. He’d brought only enough for a week’s stay, and the place was so small he could touch both walls with his arms outstretched. Suddenly, he was glad he hadn’t decided to spend two weeks there. Now it was time to stop puttering around and seek out the woman he had come to visit. He didn’t know if his presence would be welcome or not, but there was only one way to find out.
Bravery came in many different forms.
Fortunately, Jayce was an extrovert. He usually excelled in social situations and could charm the pants off almost any female. He hoped Kristine had forgotten about his chipper mood at Ryan’s “funeral.” He felt that enough time had passed and he could let his personality shine through now. She might actually enjoy him.
Hands in his pockets, Jayce stood outside the second-oldest fire station in the country. He gave his appearance a quick mental check. Hair clean and slightly tousled. Recent shave. Well-worn brown leather jacket and blue jeans with no holes or rips.
He took a deep, fortifying breath and walked past Engine 54 into the open bay. Ladder 4 was absent, so they might have been out on a call. Not knowing if Ms. Scott was assigned to the ladder, he’d just have to find out when he breezed in and asked for her.
No backing out now.A tall guy wearing an FDNY T-shirt was checking some equipment near the inside door. Jayce approached, and without waiting for him to look up, he smiled, stuck out his hand, and said, “Hi. I’m Jayce Fierro, a firefighter from Boston.”
The guy faced him and shook his hand. “Hey, Jayce. I’m Lieutenant Jack Mahoney. Welcome to Hell.” Jack gave him a knowing grin.
“Yeah, I’m impressed with what I’ve heard about the Hell’s Kitchen firefighters.” Then Jayce cleared his throat and got down to business. “Do you happen to know where I might find Kristine Scott?”
“Yeah. She’s inside. Probably in the kitchen. It’s her turn to clean up after lunch. I’d take you there, but I’ve got to finish this equipment check before we’re called out on another job.”
“Yeah, I hear that happens frequently here.”
“It hasn’t been too bad since the weather’s warmed up. Only two or three jobs a day.”
Jayce nodded, knowing how many fires were caused by poorly attended woodstoves and fireplaces. In the inner city, they even had to worry about homeless people starting small fires in or near abandoned buildings to stay warm.
“Just point me toward the kitchen, and I’ll see if she’s there. If nothing else, I can make myself a cup of coffee and see if it’s as bad as ours.”
The guy laughed. “Sure. Our kitchen is in the back on the right. Help yourself.”
Jayce found the place and opened the door quietly. A redhead with a ponytail, wearing a black FDNY T-shirt, didn’t turn around. He leaned against the doorjamb, arms folded casually, and watched her as she rinsed dishes and loaded the dishwasher.
Eventually, she must have felt she was being watched and whirled around to face him. Sudsy water dripped off her rubber gloves. “You!” she exclaimed, and her turquoise eyes widened.
“Hey there, Kristine.” He stayed where he was and aimed his most charming grin at her.
One side of her kissable lips curled in the half smile he’d seen before—and couldn’t forget no matter how hard he’d tried.
“Jayce, is it?”
“Youdoremember me.”
“How could I forget? We only broke up a few months ago. So what are you doing here?”
He shrugged. “I was going to come up with something clever, like saying I wanted to get back together, but honesty is more my style. I’m on vacation this week. I thought I’d finally ask you out. Will you have lunch or dinner with me when you’re free? Maybe you can recommend some sights I should see while I’m here.”
She leaned against the counter and studied him for a moment. “Sure, but first I want to apologize.”
“For what?”
She stared at the floor. “For being so mean to someone who had just lost a loved one.” She raised her eyes. “I figured out later you were probably dealing with your grief in your own way. Maybe acting like nothing was wrong was helping you get through the day.”
