Page 84 of The Fire Captain's Unexpected Baby
Well, Iwasalone again, until the bell above the door jingles wildly, the Roscoe’s floodgates opening as a stream of men pours in, laughing and calling out their lunch orders.
Men in uniform: bluish-black short-sleeved shirts and pants, the American flag on one arm, the Crown Hill patch on the other, heavy-duty boots thudding on the old timber floors.
Hotshots. Firefighters. Station 59.
I leave everything but my purse and coat, running out of there as if I’m the one who’s late for work, trying to escape the hornet’s nest of memory that’s buzzing straight for the heart.
Chapter Three
Zachary
Ablur slips by, dark hair and pale skin, dressed for a business meeting. She’s got her head down, chin to her chest, but there’s something so familiar about her. Too familiar.
My head twists back to get a better look, but she’s already out the door and out of sight, a ghostly trace of perfume in the air.
“Can I put you on the list for tonight, Murphy?” Levi is suddenly beside me, shoving me toward the counter, where the rest of the squad are ordering lunch. Not that we ever get anything different.
I glance at the table by the window: two coffee cups, a plate between, and a copy of the Crown Hill Gazette lying open. That woman left in a hurry.
“Huh?”
Levi rolls his eyes. “Can I put you down for a ticket tonight? The hospital fundraiser. You know, the thing I’ve been harping on about all week. My sister will kill me if I don’t get at least ninety-percent of the station there.”
I don’t deal in best friends anymore, but Levi Reed is the closest thing to it. A brother, really, in the dysfunctional family that is my squad.
“And you’re waiting until the last minute to get names down?” I smirk. “Risky business, Levi.”
“You think I don’t know that? I’d rather get called to an MCI five minutes before my shift ends than have to face her if I can’t get everyone there,” he replies, grimacing. “So, can I put you down for a ticket?”
I shrug. “Sure. Anna has Ella tonight, and I’m not on-call, so why not? Saves me the trouble of figuring out what else to do with my evening.”
“You’ve got a thrilling life, Murphy.” He elbows me in the arm. “Is the ex-wife being less of a–”
“We’re civil,” I interrupt sharply.
Anna isn’t a topic I discuss with anyone. I’d gladly forget about her altogether if it weren’t for our daughter, but I’d get along with Satan himself for that little girl, if that’s what it took to keep her happy.
“Yo! Who’s this Turner girl that everyone’s blowing up about?” one of the squad, Brandon Jones, pipes up. He’s talking to the woman at the bar, but my ears prick at the sound of that name.
“She was just in here,” the woman replies, as she turns her back to steam some milk, the spout screaming. “Over by the window. Don’t know her, but Mrs. Oakley asked for a signature.”
“She someone famous?” another of the squad asks.
Levi jumps in, sweeping a hand through his red hair. “SummerTurner?”
“You know her?” Brandon replies, waving his phone. “Says here she’s a big deal. Is she, like, an actress or something?”
“My sister knows her,” Levi says smugly, as if Summer’s fame is somehow his by association. “Best friends since they were in high school.New York Timesbestseller. If you had a woman in your life, Jones, you can bet your assshewould know who Summer is.”
Brandon shoots a glare at Levi. “I got plenty of women in my life. Too many, to be honest. Might see if this Turner girl wants a piece if she’s as fine as her picture.” He pauses, grinning. “See if your sister will put in a good word for me.”
I bristle, my tone sharp as I cut in, “It might be lunch, but you’re on-duty, Jones. Adjust your attitude. Don’t want the town thinking we’re a bunch of animals.”
“Sorry, boss,” Brandon mutters, turning his attention back to the woman at the counter.
Levi flashes me a funny look but I ignore it, retreating to our usual table at the back of the Roscoe. There, with a moment to myself before the rabble descend again, I glance back over at the abandoned table by the window and think of the woman who slipped out as if she couldn’t escape fast enough.
So… she’s back in town.
