The minutes stretched endlessly as June waited, the fire growing visibly larger and the smoke becoming more oppressive. She could hear sirens in the distance, but her attention was focused entirely on the spot where Lacey had vanished into the trees. She found herself weighing whether to follow her friend or continue waiting as instructed.
“Mom!” Willa’s voice rang out across the field, accompanied by another, deeper voice that made June’s pulse jump.
“June!”
She turned to see both Willa and Holt approaching at a run, both wearing full firefighter gear and moving with urgent purpose.
“Mom,” Willa reached her first, though June was acutely aware of Holt arriving just behind her daughter. “You need to get away from here immediately. The wind has shifted, and the fire is moving straight toward this area.”
“No,” June said, her head snapping back toward the forest where Lacey had disappeared. “Lacey followed the mother rabbit into the woods to rescue the rest of her babies.” She held up the basket containing the single kit. “She’s been gone too long. Something’s wrong.”
“Mom, go with Holt,” Willa said decisively. “I’ll find Lacey and bring her back.”
“Absolutely not!” June said, her heart leaping into her throat as haunting memories of losing her mother and Shaun flooded her mind. “I will not let you go into that fire.”
“I’ll go,” Holt offered immediately.
“Not happening,” another deep voice interrupted as Ace appeared beside them, adjusting his oxygen mask. “I’ll handle the rescue.”
“Not alone,” Willa said firmly. “I’m coming with you.”
“I’ve got Ace’s back, Captain,” one of Willa’s lieutenants stepped forward. “You need to get your mother and the director to safety.”
“He’s right,” Ace said, his voice muffled by the mask. “You need to get that baby rabbit away from this smoke before it suffers lung damage.”
Reluctantly, Willa managed to guide June away from the immediate danger zone, though June kept looking back anxiously toward the forest where Ace and the other firefighters had disappeared.
The next hour passed in a blur of controlled chaos. Holt stayed close to June, she noticed, his protective presence both comforting and unsettling. When she became too anxious watching for signs of the rescue team, he gently directed her attention to the tiny rabbit in her care.
“We should find the farm manager,” Holt suggested. “They’ll know how to care for baby rabbits until Lacey returns.”
The farmer, Mr. Henderson, immediately set up a makeshift animal triage area near his barn, complete with heat lamps and appropriate supplies for the wildlife that might be rescued from the fire. June found herself grateful for the activity, which helped distract her from both her worry about Lacey and her acute awareness of Holt’s proximity.
What felt like an eternity later, Willa appeared at the edge of the field, supporting an exhausted but triumphant Lacey. Her friend carried a basket full of baby rabbits, while Ace followed behind with the mother rabbit carefully cradled in his arms. The adult rabbit was barely conscious from smoke inhalation, but she was alive.
“Thank goodness,” June breathed, rushing toward them.
As Lacey began examining and treating the rescued rabbits, Carmen arrived with the EMT team to handle any human casualties from the fire. The organized chaos of emergency response unfolded around them, and June threw herself into helping wherever she could.
Through it all, she managed to push thoughts of Holt to the background, focusing instead on the immediate needs of the situation. But she remained acutely aware of his steady presence, his quiet competence in coordinating with the other agencies, and his ability to anticipate her needs before she voiced them.
Some things, apparently, didn’t change even after thirty-eight years.
18
TOM
The Cedar Key waterfront restaurant had been the perfect choice for his first official date with Lucy in over forty years. Tom watched her across the candlelit table, still hardly believing this was real. The soft evening light caught her hair, and when she smiled, he felt like he was eighteen again, completely captivated by the smartest, most beautiful girl in Sandpiper Shores.
“This has been wonderful,” Lucy said, setting down her wine glass with a contented sigh. “I can’t remember the last time I had such a relaxing evening.”
“Even after the day you’ve had?” Tom asked, thinking about the chaos at Henderson’s farm and the medical response required for the fire.
“Especially after the day I’ve had,” Lucy replied with a laugh. “Though I have to admit, it was fascinating watching June work with Lacey on the animal rescue efforts. She took to it like she’d been doing veterinary triage her whole life.”
Tom leaned forward with interest. “Really? I wouldn’t have expected that from a high-powered attorney.”
“That’s what made it so surprising,” Lucy said, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. “June was completely in her element. Calm, competent, anticipating what Lacey needed before she even asked. And the animals responded to her immediately. There’s something about people who genuinely care about helping others. Animals can sense it.” She smiled. “June used to help out in a vet’s office when she was a teenager. I think she originally wanted to be a vet.”
