At work, I avoid Patton’s office. Keep my door closed. Respond to emails like a robot.
That evening, Mindy insists we head to the boutiques on Main Street in the village to find dresses to wear to the Fireman’s Ball—it isn’t exactly Rodeo Drive, but I can’t afford to buy anything, anyway.
The door is open at the first shop, letting in thefresh spring air. Mindy and the shop owner make a pile of gowns for me to try on. My heart isn’t in this game of playing dress up. It should be fun, but I’m not feeling it.
Then a deep voice, followed by laughter, cascades from outside.
My head snaps up. Patton stands in my doorway holding a takeout container. His mouth hangs open.
“What are you—?” I’m about to ask what he’s doing, but am at a loss for words.
It’s nearly dark and the streetlights illuminate his strong, masculine features, the sweep of his eyelashes, and the fullness of his lips.
Almost dropping the takeout box, he and whoever he was in the field with—Reese, I think—must’ve grabbed dinner after a long day surveying and hiking on their way back to the fire station. “I was just walking by and—” He swallows. “You look—” His gaze trails from my head to my feet and back again. “Amazing.”
“Oh, this. Mindy just wanted me to try it on, but I’m not?—”
As if in a trance, Patton, dusty and manly after hiking all day, is a stark contrast to the downtown boutique as he enters the storefront in his utility uniform, slaps his credit card on the counter, and says, “Whatever she wants, it’s hers.”
“Patton, you can’t?—”
He shakes his head. “If you want to turn this into a feud like Joyce and Judy, be my guest, but there’s no way you’re going to win.”
I cock a hip. “Is that so?”
“You look too good in that gown to argue.”
The three of us women gasp. Those could be fighting words or they could mean … something else.
Patton doesn’t let my pride get in the way of his generosity and pays, then walks me to my car. I glance overmy shoulder and Mindy mouths,You’re definitely winning this bet!
Winning, win, Winnie.
If I don’t come clean, I risk losing everything that matters. But the only words that come out of my mouth are, “Thank you.”
He kisses me so tenderly, I almost say three more words. Three little ones that would have a big impact. Three words that I could never take back.
34
PATTON
Through the glasswalls of our offices, Winnie catches my eye and smiles.
It’s not her usual sunshine-bright smile. This one is softer, slightly sad around the edges. The restaurant closure is hitting her hard, like her heart buckles under the loss, weighed down as if carrying all fifty-plus pounds of my turnout gear over rough terrain.
I want to go over there. Pull her into my arms. Assure her that everything will work out. It has to, right?
Instead, I smile back and mouth,Coffee later?
She nods, then points at her watch.Meeting.
Right. Because we both have jobs and responsibilities and can’t just spend our days staring at each other through glass with hearts in our eyes.
Even if that’s exactly what I want to do.
Later, I have a meeting of my own and Austin snaps his fingers in front of my face. “You still with us?”
I blink. The crew is gathered in the station’s common room, discussing the Fireman’s Ball, which is tonight. Somehow, theweeks flew by, and now we’re hours away from the biggest fundraiser of the year.
