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I tapped my dashboard screen to end the call and took a breath, ignoring the tight feeling in my chest. Tangled up in the tragedy of that day four years ago was the fact that I felt like I was letting my parents down. I thought my father was glad I had moved to Alaska because he always wanted to come here when he retired. Yet I knew they both wanted something else for me. My mother had finally stopped pointing out that I couldn’t be a hotshot firefighter as a lifetime career.No shit, I thought to myself.
Maybe I would go back into teaching someday. Yet anytime I thought about walking into a classroom, my stomach turned. Much as I told myself the likelihood of experiencing more than one school shooting was slim, they were still far more common than I ever wanted to contemplate.
When I saw the sign for Firehouse Café ahead, I made a quick decision to stop. I could use another cup of coffee and one of Janet’s bagels.
A few moments later, I was waiting in line when I heard the bell jingle behind me. It wasn’t the bell that drew my attention but rather the prickle of awareness that raced up my spine. Glancing back, I knew I was going to see Alice. And there she was. Her dark curls were damp. She was looking down as she put her keys in her purse. When she looked up, her eyes met mine, and it felt as if a flame traveled through the air between us.
“Oh, Jonah!” she exclaimed. She stopped behind me in the line.
My eyes lingered on the spray of freckles on her cheeks and the subtle pink flush. “Good morning, Alice.” It felt as if spurs dug into the flanks of my pulse, nudging it faster and faster.
“How are you?” she asked politely.
“Well, and yourself?”
“Uh, busy.” She let out a low laugh with that.
“Just busy? Not good, bad, or somewhere in between?” I teased lightly.
“Too busy to think about it,” she returned with a quick grin.
The door to the café opened again, and Holly Fox walked in. I knew Holly through her husband, Nate Fox, a pilot who sometimes ferried the crews to and from fires.
Holly stopped beside us, glancing from me to Alice, before saying, “Nice to see you, Alice. We can catch up as soon as you get a clue and move along.” She gestured with her hand to the counter.
I glanced over my shoulder before casting a quick grin back at Holly. “Moving right along. Good to see you too, Holly.”
“Oh! I wasn’t paying attention,” Alice replied, bouncing forward behind me when I stopped at the counter.
Janet smiled amongst the three of us. “Good morning, all. I think you were first. Jonah.”
“I was, and I’ll cover everyone’s coffee,” I offered.
“Wow. Well, I’m not gonna say no to that,” Holly said.
“It’s only fair. Apparently, we were holding up the line,” I said dryly. “I’ll take my usual and one of your egg extravaganza bagels.” I glanced at Alice, then Holly. “Go ahead and order.”
After they ordered, Holly asked, “Do I get food too?”
“I said I’d cover it,” I returned.
Holly beamed. “Excellent. I’ll get an egg extravaganza too. And, you know, you should bring some coffee to the station.”
I chuckled and turned back to Janet. “You know what? Just make me one of the take-out trays of coffee. Get whatever Nate likes and a variety so I don’t have other people giving me shit for not bringing some for everyone,” I said wryly before rolling my eyes at Holly.
“I’m an opportunist,” she said with a shrug. She glanced toward Alice as we collectively stepped to the side of the counter. “So, I hear you’re taking over the vet clinic.”
Alice nodded. “I am. Haven’t seen you in years,” she added.
As Janet began prepping our coffees and called our food order back to whoever was working in the kitchen, Holly announced, “I need to hug you.”
She threw her arms around Alice, squeezing her tightly. Alice was smiling by the time she stepped away. “Good to see you, Holly.”
“Same. This town needs a regular vet, so I’m glad you’re taking over. Georgia and Natalie have been holding down the fort, and they’ve had temps, but we need someone who’s here all the time. Our dog is fussy about the vet, so he needs someone he knows. I was thinking once you’re ready to roll, we can schedule a meet and greet,” Holly said earnestly.
Alice’s lips stretched into a slow smile. “A meet and greet?”
Holly nodded enthusiastically. “We’ll pay for it. He’s a totally crazy thing at the vet even though he’s usually sweet.”
