I touch my warm cheeks and shake my head at myself. It's nothing. A pleasant interaction. A handsome man and his book-loving daughter. That's all.
Chapter 2 – Nathan
I've been staring at this burn report for fifteen minutes, and the words are still swimming.
The incident details blur together—structure fire, eastern district, no casualties—but my mind keeps drifting back to the bookstore. To her. Something about Gloria Sullivan has lodged in my consciousness like shrapnel, impossible to extract without causing damage.
"You planning to telepathically file that, Cross?" Bradley drops into the chair across from me, coffee mug in hand. "Or are you actually going to type something?"
I grunt in response. Bradley's been my best friend since we served together overseas, now the station's engineer and my favorite pain in the ass.
"I'm getting to it."
He raises an eyebrow, too perceptive by half. "How was drop-off? Emma get her book?"
"Yeah," I say, neutral. "The bookseller was there early."
Bradley studies me over his mug, and I can feel him connecting dots I'd rather leave scattered. I'm saved by the station alarm blaring to life, red lights flashing across the common room.
"Station 61, respond to structure fire, 342 Foxglove Lane, Heartwood District. Reported kitchen fire with possible extension."
Foxglove Lane. Next door to Moonlight & Manuscripts.
My stomach drops as I'm already moving, muscle memory taking over. Boots, turnout pants, jacket, radio check. Thedispatch details filter through my training: kitchen fire at the Morning Brew Café, adjacent structures potentially threatened.
Including the bookstore.
No. Not going there. Not thinking about Gloria potentially in danger. This is the job. Compartmentalize, focus, execute.
Two minutes later, I'm in the rig with Bradley, lights flashing as we barrel down Emberstone Avenue. I stare out at the snow-dusted buildings, mentally calculating response protocols, trying to ignore the twist in my gut.
"Nervous energy today," Bradley comments casually. "Something on your mind?"
I keep my eyes on the passing storefronts. "Just thinking about the structure. Old buildings in Heartwood share walls."
He nods, but the look he gives me says he's not buying it. Bradley's known me too long.
We turn onto Foxglove Lane and I see smoke billowing from the café's back half, patrons gathered on the street. My eyes scan the crowd automatically, a reflex I can't control.
And there she is.
Gloria stands at the edge of the chaos, directing people away from the building, a green cardigan pulled hastily over her sweater. Snow dusts her long blonde hair, and even from here, I can see the determined set of her jaw.
We pull up and deploy with practiced efficiency. Austin's ladder truck arrives seconds later, Logan jumping out with his usual boundless energy despite the situation. The fire's still contained to the kitchen, but smoke is starting to seep through the shared wall into neighboring businesses.
I approach the café owner, a middle-aged woman who's wringing her hands, eyes wide with shock.
"Everyone out?" I ask, already calculating air supply and entry points.
"Yes, yes—it was just me and my assistant plus about eight customers. Everyone's accounted for." Helen points toward the back. "It started in the oven, the shortbread. I don't understand how—"
"Electrical probably," I say, keeping my voice calm and authoritative. It settles people, gives them something solid to hold onto amid chaos. "We'll handle it from here. Did you get anything on you? Smoke inhalation?"
She shakes her head, and I signal to Austin and Logan, already geared up. "Kitchen fire, contained for now. Check for extension through the shared wall."
As they move into position, I turn to continue crowd control and find myself face-to-face with Gloria. Her cheeks are flushed from cold and exertion, concern etched across her features, but she's steady. No panic.
"I evacuated the bookstore," she says without preamble. "Two customers and myself. Everyone's across the street."
