“We’ve detected a fire alarm in the Reilly building, PPFD has been dispatched.”
I send up a silent prayer.Oh my God! Fire! Please, Lord, let my building be okay!“I’m on my way there, five minutes max.”
“We’ll relay your ETA to the engine en route.”
The dispatcher disconnects, and as I get closer to my building, I can hear a siren wailing in the distance. I turn onto Seabreeze Avenue, my heart in my throat, anticipating seeing wicked flames and smoke. But there’s nothing. It’s eerily quiet now, except for the rumble of the fire truck’s diesel engine idling and the garish red lights flashing silently on the building’s facade and the street. I quickly pull to the curb and jump out of my car, leaving the driver’s door hanging open.
A massive hulk of a man in full turnout gear and a hard helmet with PPFD and Lieutenant inscribed on a logo waves me over.
“Ma’am. You the owner?”
“Yes. Do you know what’s going on?”
“Could you open up please, so we don’t have to destroy your door? Your sprinklers activated. We need to get inside to determine the cause.”
I quickly insert the key and shut off the security alarm system just inside the door. I cry out in anguish as water is spraying everywhere, soaking the contents of my boutique. I step in further, not caring about getting wet. I need to get to my special storage in the back.
The lieutenant holds up an arm to block me. “Ma’am, I’m sorry. You’ll need to wait outside.”
It takes every bit of willpower I have to not run atrick play and race past him, but I get it. It’s for my own safety. I step back out to the sidewalk, pacing back and forth, fighting back tears, as several other firefighters join the Lieutenant inside.
As I’m trying to figure out who I can call at this time of night, another vehicle approaches and a familiar figure gets out.Stone!
He rushes up to me, his eyes assessing me from head to toe.
“Are you all right?”
“As all right as I can be after getting the fire alarm.” I eye him suspiciously. “How did you know about the alarm?”
“Seems my mother thinks she’s the Pelican Point neighborhood watch. She was up late listening to her police scanner and heard the alert go out for your building. She called me in a panic and I got up here as fast as I could.”
Despite my worry about the building, and a tiny bit of joy that Stone’s here, my snarkiness can’t help emerging.
“Why are you here? Eager to see the building burn down so you don’t have to demolish it?”
His jaw tics, as if I hit a nerve.
“No, that’s not why I’m here. I came to help. I have no desire for your business to be damaged. I lo—care about you, whether you believe it or not.”
He quickly turns away from me and punches some numbers into his phone. He’s got it on speaker, so I can hear the person on the other end.
“Yes, boss?”
“Burton, send a restoration company over to the Reilly building in Pelican Point ASAP. I’ll wait for them.”
“You got it.”
Even though I’m grateful he’s taking the lead, I can’t let him think I’m weak. “Stone, you didn’t have to do that. I can handle it. I haven’t even notified the insurance company yet.”
“Des, I know you can handle it. I’m just trying to speed things up, possibly mitigate additional damage by waiting on the insurance company. Let me help you.” He touches my arm gently. “Please. I know how valuable the contents inside are. Especially your vintage collection.”
Gah!I want to be angry with this man. I can see the genuine concern on his face. Even though I’ve been blowing him off, he didn’t hesitate to come here, and that speaks louder than any words could. I still can’t reconcile what I see from him with my own eyes against the rumors out there as to what his company is about to do. To be fair, I haven’t actually heard him say he’s not moving forward with demolishing the building. But he hasn’t said he’snot, either. And dammit, if he took me in his arms right now to comfort me, I wouldn’t object.
A short time later, the firefighters exit the building. The Lieutenant comes to me with a report.
“Ma’am—”
“Please, call me Desirae.”
