Hopelessly.
Because Lucy Snow walked into my firehouse tonight—and I didn’t just want her kiss.
I wanted everything.
And that realization hits harder than any falling roof, any firestorm, any call I’ve taken in my entire life. I’m falling for the librarian down the road. The sunshiney girl with glitter in her hair. The chaos I swore I didn’t need. The woman who looks at me like I’m more than a walking emergency.
I’m falling.
And I’m not sure I know how to stop.
Chapter Ten
Lucy
Devil’s Peak has a unique ability to turn any event into a festival.
Tonight is the annual Community Snow Play Night hosted behind the firehouse—a kid-friendly excuse for hot chocolate, music, and supervised mayhem. Families are drinking cider. Volunteers are building snowmen. Holly is running in little boot prints shaped like chaos.
And then there’s me.
Shuffling toward the field trying to pretend I amnotspecifically scanning the crowd for one very grumpy, very broad-shouldered firefighter.
I totally am.
I spot him near the fire pits—Ash Calder in a black thermal shirt that hugs every unfair, sculpted line of him. He’s helping a group of kids build a mini snow fort, brow furrowed in concentration like he’s constructing a military-grade bunker instead of a play structure.
God help me, he’s adorable with kids.
The second he sees me, his shoulders stiffen, then his gaze sweeps over me like he’s checking for hazards.
Or maybe just losing his mind.
He mutters something to Talon, who smirks like an idiot.
Just another evening in my “definitely not crushing on Ash Calder” era.
I adjust my scarf and make my way through the snow when Holly spots me first.
“LUCY!” she shrieks, launching herself at me like a tiny, cinnamon-scented missile.
I catch her, spinning her once. “Hi, troublemaker. Having fun?”
“Themostfun! Uncle Ash said I could throw one snowball as long as I didn’t aim at people’s faces.”
She grins mischievously.
“And did you follow that rule?” I ask.
“Nope!” she chirps.
Ash materializes behind her like a summoned demon. “She didn’t. She’s on probation.”
“Uncle Ash,” Holly says gravely, “probation means nothing at Christmas.”
I bite my lip to hide a laugh.
Ash looks at me like he’s begging for mercy. “Don’t encourage her.”
