Nothing.
Holding my breath, I’m about to look at Wyatt when I hear something. The sound of water. Gurgling. Bubbles. Air.
Oh my god.
It’s working.
“It’s working,” I breathe out the thought, my eyes widening as water starts to trickle out of the top, into a spillway for the waterfall. “Oh my god, Wyatt.”
“Holy shit,” he laughs, letting out a whoop of victory.
But the second it leaves his lips, there’s another gurgle. One that doesn’t sound as healthy as the last. The fountain sputters a few times, and then nothing. No water. It just stops.
“Fuck,” he groans, his arm dropping to his side as the celebration drains out of him the same way the water drained out of the fountain tube. “I thought I had it.”
My heart sinks. Not for the waterfall, but for him. The dejection in his tone is more than I can take.
“You did,” I say, turning towards him. “Wyatt, that thing hasn’t been turned on in years. You got it this far. Whatever is going on with it, I know you can figure it out.”
When he looks at me, there’s a spark of hope in his eye, like he believes what I just told him. Which he should. I have all the faith in this man.
“Okay,” he nods, then covers my hand at the switch, flipping it off. “You’re right. I can. You are my hope.”
The reverie in which he says it has my heart racing, and goosebumps forming from head to toe.
Friends. Friends, friends, friends.
I have to remember that.
Chapter 35
Bryn
“Ineedafavor,”Savanna murmurs to me while I set out the lemon and lime wedges on the bar top.
Glancing in her direction, I nod. “Yeah, whatever you need.”
Behind us, Nate has just opened the doors for the sold-out auction, every firefighter in attendance escorting ladies to their respective tables. The crowd was mass chaos the first year, and since then Savanna has learned a lot about planning.
Her blonde hair shifts over her shoulder when she glances over it to ensure no one is close enough to overhear. “If anyone tries to order me a drink tonight, or you happen to be bringing drinks around for everyone, could you make sure mine is just water?”
“Pardon?” I hiss at her, my eyes widening as I grab her arm. “Are you pregnant?”
“No,” she shakes her head, and when she looks towards the door this time, I know she’s finding Nate. I’m not even sure she realizes how often she seeks him out when they’re both here. A second later, she’s turning back to me, a smile I’ve never seen her wearing pulling at her lips. “No, but we’ve been trying for a couple months.”
The confused look on my face must say it all.
Blowing out a breath, she puts a hand into her hair and shakes it out a little. “Nate had the same look, but I’m just nervous. My mom didn’t survive having me, and I’m a little freaked out aboutit, so…”
Understanding washes over me, and I give her a reassuring smile. “So, you want to do everything you can to make sure things go as smoothly as possible.”
“Is that stupid?” she wonders, hands coming together in front of her to pick at a cuticle. “Overcautious, probably, but—”
“No buts,” I shake my head. “It’s not stupid at all. If it helps you feel better, I think it’s the right move.”
When she smiles, I throw my arms around her and give her a tight squeeze, thrilled at this news that the two of them are taking the leap into parenthood. There’s no two people I know who deserve to be parents more than them.
My eyes catch on Wyatt, who is now standing at the door, looking far too delicious for his own good. Or maybe it’s my own good. Dressed in his bunker pants, suspenders hanging at his sides, and a Santa Rosé Fire t-shirt, plus his black cowboy hat, he perfectly marries his firefighter side with his cowboy side, and I’ve never seen anything look so tempting.
