Chapter 1
“Do you want everyone to hear us? Keep your voice down,” Gabe whispered to Parker Carlisle, his best friend since childhood. He scanned the celebrants at his brother Jayce’s Christmas Eve wedding reception. No one was paying any attention to them—until his mother looked up. She didn’t have paranormal hearing like her sons and husband, but that never stopped her from knowing exactly what was going on. Her smile faded as she took in Gabe’s serious expression.
Gabriella Fierro wandered over to the son named in her honor.
Gabe muttered, “Oh, shit. My mother is coming. Look at the cake or something. Act like nothing is wrong.”
“Nothingiswrong, except you’re being an idiot.” Parker was wearing his dress uniform, probably for the first time. The guy was fresh out of basic training but looked like a national hero standing there beside the dance floor.
“We’ll talk later…”
Mrs. Fierro looked radiant in her teal-blue mother-of-the-groom evening gown. Her short, freshly colored auburn hair made her appear years younger than fifty-five. “Is everything all right over here?”
“Hi, Mom. We’re fine.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Parker. Don’t you look handsome and grown-up in your uniform. It’s been, what, five or six years since you moved from the neighborhood?”
“Ten, but who’s counting?” Parker smiled.
“Really? Ten years since your parents… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t bring up such a sad event at a happy occasion like this.” She touched his arm gently.
“Don’t worry. It’s been a long time, and Misty and I have adjusted.”
Gabe snorted.He wants me to spy on his sister while he’s gone. He calls that adjusting?
Mrs. Fierro frowned at her son. “Gabriel?”
Damn.His mother never had to say more than her children’s names, and they’d fess up to anything. She just kept her gaze on him and waited. It never failed. But this time, he wouldn’t give up any information. No. Matter. What.
She glanced back and forth between her son and his best friend. “What’s going on here?”
After another uncomfortable moment of silence, Parker caved. “It’s nothing to worry about, Mrs. Fierro. I just asked Gabe to keep an eye on my little sister while I’m overseas.”
Gabe clenched his jaw. That was enough to get his mother involved.
“Overseas? You’re being deployed?”
“Yes, ma’am. Not yet, though. I have to go through some specialty training before going to Afghanistan.”
“Oh my goodness! Gabe, did you know about this?”
He sighed. “Yes, Mom. I did. I just don’t want to be responsible, you know, all the time.”I also don’t like the idea of spying.
Gabriella jammed her hands on her hips. “Gabriel Peter Fierro. How dare you? You’re a firefighter. You’re responsible for people every single day. Are you telling me you can’t be there for Misty? She’s practically one of the family.”
Gabe looked away.
When he didn’t answer, his mother bristled. “Don’t think you can pull thatstrong silent typething with me. I’m going to get to the bottom of this.” She turned to Parker and took his hands in hers. “Of course he’ll keep an eye on Misty. We’llallbe there for her, if she needs anything. Anything at all.”
Parker let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mrs. Fierro. I’ll rest easier knowing she has someone here in the city who cares about her—and your whole family to turn to.” He glanced at Gabe. “She shouldn’t need anything, anyway. She wants to be independent. She’s not here tonight because she’s volunteering at a homeless shelter. She insists she’s old enough to take care of herself, but she’s only twenty-two. I know she’s technically an adult, but…”
Mrs. Fierro smiled. “I understand. We were all twenty-two once. At that age, kids think and act like they’re immortal. But as firefighters know, that’s not the case.” She gave Gabe a stern look. As if reminding him that he and his brothers were nearly immortal but their friends were not.
“Ma. It’s not just that.”
She stared at her son and waited. When he didn’t continue, she crossed her arms. “Then elaborate!”
Gabe was saved by his older brother—the groom—excusing himself from a dance with their aunt to come over and drape his arms around Gabe and Parker. “Why the serious expressions? This is a celebration. You’re all supposed to be happy…for me!”
