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“Jordan’s having so much fun,” I say, glancing at my baby, who’s now getting into the sled with Tilly and another little girl, all three of them talking and laughing.
The movie starts, and the kids all find their seats. Pierce throws the blanket over us, and because the sled is only so big, our legs press against each other.
We watch the movie in silence—aside from the chatter and laughter from the kids—but I can barely tell you what’s going on because Pierce’s presence is too distracting. I have no idea how we went from him paying for my groceries to us watching a movie together in a sled, but I can’t say I’m mad about it. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the things Pierce has me feeling. And while nothing will come from this, it’s nice to decompress from the stress and relax for a little while.
“What’s going through that beautiful head of yours?” Pierce whispers, his warm breath tickling my neck.
“This is nice,” I admit. “It’s been a long time since Jordan and I have gotten out and enjoyed ourselves like this.”
I’m facing straight ahead, my eyes on the movie I’m not actually watching, even as I sense Pierce’s heated gaze on me. I try not to look his way, but my traitorous brain can’t handle it, and I turn my attention to him.
“Go out with me,” he murmurs, loud enough for me to hear, yet quiet enough that no one else around us can.
“What?” I ask, having heard him but needing him to repeat himself because there’s no way he just asked me out. He’s single with zero baggage, has a good career, and what seems like a loving family, while I’m a single mom who waits tables to barely make ends meet.
“Go out with me,” he repeats. “I want to take you out on a real date. One without a sled.” He smirks, and a giggle bubbles up and spills out.
Before I can answer him, though, his phone rings, and he pulls it out, checking to see who’s calling. “Give me a second,” he says. “It’s the station.”
He presses accept. I don’t know what the person is saying on the other end, but he tells them he’ll be right there since his brother is off for the weekend for his daughter’s birthday.
He hangs up and glances at me, regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry to do this, but I have to go. I’m on call because we have a few guys out this weekend. There’s a brush fire in the northern woods because we haven’t had any rain. Someone must’ve set it, and they need me.”
It takes a second for my brain to absorb what he’s saying, but once it does, everything clicks. Pierce is a firefighter… who puts out fires for a living. I knew this. I’ve been to his station and seen him dressed in his work uniform, but I didn’t fully process it until now.
“Go,” I choke out. “I’m good here.”
I force a smile on my face, thankful I didn’t have a chance to answer his question. I was close to saying yes, though that would’ve been the wrong answer. Because how the hell could I ever date a man who willingly spends his days risking his life to save people trapped in fires? It’s a noble profession, yet also a reckless one.
Pierce looks at me like he can hear my thoughts, but he doesn’t have time to question them. “Okay,” he says, his tone a mixture of remorse and defeat. “But this conversation isn’t over.”
“Go,” I repeat, unable to agree because the truth is, this conversation was over before it even began. Pierce is sweet, selfless, and sexy as hell. Undoubtedly, I would’ve enjoyed getting to know him, but that can’t happen. Losing Trent in a fire was devastating. Being stuck in a burning house with my daughter and almost dying as well is something I’ll never forget. There’s no way I could ever date a man who has made it his career to willingly risk his life to put out fires like the one that ended Trent’s life and irrevocably changed Jordan’s and mine.
I spend the rest of the movie wondering if Pierce is okay. If the fire is contained and he’s safe. Which only supports my initial thoughts—nothing more can ever happen between Pierce and me.
When the movie ends, I watch the kids sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Tilly and enjoy some cake. Once she’s opened her presents, I tell Jordan it’s time to head home. She’s so wiped, she doesn’t even argue. After bathing her, she goes to bed, and I’m left lying awake and stuck in my own thoughts, wondering if Pierce is home yet.
I finally fall into a restless sleep and spend the night tossing and turning, trapped in a nightmare. It’s awful. Jordan and I are stuck in the burning house all over again, only rather than me passing out, I’m screaming for Pierce to save us.
