Annie settled into a chair and slowly lifted out the folders inside, searching for the one paper she had a vague memory of.
This was good.Her chest didn’t feel quite as heavy.She could accept the reality of Miles having a girlfriend without having to lie to herself.It’d be a blatant lie to herself, and to the universe, to say she didn’t want more, but the friendship was still good, even if, right now, it filled her with deep sadness.Like she told the twins all the time, “It’s okay to feel sad,” and “It’s okay to feel angry.”Though she always had to add, “It’s not okay to hit.”
She laughed out loud to herself, sucking in a sharp breath like the madwoman she was.
The air burned and a cough erupted from her chest.Annie cleared her throat.It smelled like a campfire.Who would be irresponsible enough to have a campfire at this time of year?
She stood and peered out of the window.Her heart jumped.A car was parked next to hers.For a second, she thought it was Miles coming to visit her, but it wasn’t his truck.It was a blue sedan, the paint on the hood peeling, garbage piled in the passenger seat.
Definitely not Miles’ car.A dark figure sat in the driver’s seat.Annie gazed down, and a pair of eyes looked up at her.
Annie squinted.She couldn’t make out the person’s face.She thought about waving, but it seemed too absurd.Could they even see her?
Whoever it was scrambled and flailed as they started the car, which abruptly flew backwards.
The hairs on the back of Annie’s neck stood up.Something wasn’t right with that.She had never felt unsafe being at the outpost alone, but something here was off.Maybe she’d call her boss and see if he’d sent someone out.
Except she’d left her phone downstairs at her desk.Annie turned and jogged to the staircase door, her heart thundering in her chest.A cough caught in her throat the same moment the smoke detector released a shrill cry.
Annie pulled the door open.The staircase was engulfed in flames.A scream rang out.Only after she’d slammed the door did she realize it was her own voice.
She was entirely alone.
Twenty-six
The minutes refused to pass by.Miles sat in the fire station’s kitchen, his legs up on a chair, his hands behind his head, staring at the clock.
Tick.Tick.Tick.
There wasn’t much excitement this shift.A call had gone out an hour prior for a small brush fire, and Sam had taken the working truck and met up with a few of the volunteer firefighters.He thought it would be a good teaching experience.
Miles and Clarissa stayed behind.The mood was odd.Clarissa seemed to be avoiding him, hiding behind a large paperback book.
He assumed she felt sheepish about the Alex situation, but as he’d told her, none of it was her fault.Miles had a talk with Bella about it, and in true teenage hubris, her main response was, “Ew, weird!”
Chief Hank was aware of the situation as well, and the second that Alex stepped out of line, he’d be hauled off to jail and hit with the harshest charges they could muster.
It seemed tidy enough for the time being, but it left him with a lingering, uneasy feeling every time it crossed his mind.Luckily, his mind was preoccupied with someone else.
He let out a long sigh.Annie had been so stunning that night, so elegant and enchanting.All he’d wanted the entire time was to be near to her, to steal a glance of her in that glittering gown.
Yet, for whatever reason, he couldn’t find her, and he could no longer deny that she must not have wanted to be found.It was all fine and dandy when he showed up on her doorstep, but she wasn’t looking for him.She wasn’t longing for him the way he longed for her.
Looking back, it had always been him making the moves.He was the one who had invited her to Thanksgiving and then pulled her into that ridiculous dance.He was the one who took her stargazing and nearly smothered her with a kiss.
Annie was upfront about her life and her situation.She was recovering from a painful divorce.She wasn’t one of those women who sent a resume and a headshot to Bella’s email.She had never even asked him to come over.He was supposed to install a handrail and get out of her life.
He just couldn’t find the way to do that.
The fire bell went off.Miles jumped from his seat, and Clarissa from hers.They ran off and dressed: pants, boots, hoods, coats, air tanks, helmets, gloves, radios.Miles moved steadily with practiced hands, his mind centered by one of the few things that could rip his focus from Annie.
Clarissa got to the firetruck first and the call came over with the address: “Fire reported at the microbiology lab outpost, west side of the island.Call reporting heavy smoke and flames visible.Time out 14:25.”
He froze, ice running through his veins.That was where Annie worked.
“Start the truck now!”he bellowed.
“It won’t start,” Clarissa yelled back.
