“Copy. This is a mayday situation, Chief. We have maybe a minute before the flames reach us.”
“Copy that. Get under cover if you can.”
Mav looks at me, his eyes wide. “What the fuck, Chief?”
“Listen to me. I’m going to try to knock the wall down on the south side. I want you right there to get in and get people out. I’ll be right behind you, but I’ll need to get out of the driver’s seat first. Don’t argue. Understand?”
He nods. I run over to the excavator and get in the seat.
I grab my radio again. “Ready in there?”
There’s no answer, just a crackle, which sends a chill down my spine.
Fuck it.
I start up the engine, straightening the wheel and using the joystick to raise up the dipper. Mav’s at the right side of the storehouse, as close as he can get without being directly in my way. I press my foot down, heading straight towards the southern wall. I grit my teeth as I pick up speed, bracing for impact. This has to work.
The dipper crashes into the wall and the entire vehicle shudders, jolting me back in the seat. There’s enough momentum that it carries on through into the storehouse, sending dark smoke pouring out from the hole in the bricks.
I climb straight out onto the dipper, clawing at the bricks. Mav’s already at the bottom, squeezing his way around the hole to get inside.
A woman and a little boy are under a table by the far wall, with Dean shielding them. Mav runs over and Dean hands him the boy. I help the woman to clamber out of the hole created by the excavator, almost blinded by the smoke.
I look over my shoulder, expecting to see Dean behind me, but he doesn’t come out.
Mav is shaking his head as I move past him to go back into the building. There’s another crash as the main beam from the top of the extension falls to the ground.
I’m feeling my way over to the north wall when I hit something with my foot. Dean’s trapped by part of the fallen beam and I heave the wood up so he can escape. Once he’s out, I let the beam fall to the ground.
As it falls, there’s another, bigger crash from closer to me.
Hailey’s beautiful face is the first and last thing on my mind before everything goes dark.
Chapter Seven
HAILEY
The sun streams through the window as I open my eyes. No alarm, so I’ve slept for a long time. I sit up. There’s no sign of Atlas. I glance down at the floor. His clothes are gone.
No.Not Atlas.
I wrap the sheet around me, heading to the window. His car is gone from the front of my house.
A sick feeling rises in my stomach. Have I been played? He said he loved me, but was that just to get me into bed? Am I the foolish girl who thought the gorgeous hero firefighter was really interested in a relationship?
Tears prick at my eyes. It can’t be. He was so sincere. But then again, more fool me.
I take a shower, make some coffee and try to eat my breakfast muffin. But I’m not hungry. How am I going to handle seeing him? Are we going to go back to being polite strangers?
I’m dropping off my hairdressing tools at Blossom Beauty before my first day tomorrow. Sienna gifted me a professional set once she started making big bucks in her job and I’ve used them ever since. I put on some loud, upbeat music in the car as I drive to the town square. It’s a beautiful sunny day, withthe scent of woodsmoke in the air, but my heart is heavy. It’s unusually quiet on the roads and I make it to the salon quickly.
Daisy raises her hand as I carry the box with my tools inside. “Hey there!”
“Hi. Where should I put these?” I ask.
“I’ve cleared out a shelf just for you at the back,” she points behind her.
“Thanks. It’s quiet here today.” I walk over to the back room and set my box down on the shelf.
