817 Fireman Ln. (Cherry Falls)

The kids are taken to a waiting ambulance to be checked out, and I turn to the chief. “Where do you need me?”

9

Kent

She’s an amazing woman. I stood and watched the fire truck take off down the road. I had an internal battle, but at this point, all common sense left me. I couldn’t just stand there at the fountain and wait to hear if she was okay. I packed up everything and got into my truck and arrived at the scene shortly after the fire trucks did.

I stood off in the corner and watched. Literally, it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I wanted to run into the building with her and make sure she was safe, but I also know that she is a good firefighter. I’m not going to be with her all the time, so all I can do is stand back and wait. If I was needed, I would have gone.

It felt like hours as I held my breath when she disappeared into the building. The longer it took, the more I edged toward the building. No one spotted me, and I didn’t want them to. But I was close enough that I could hear what was happening. I heard Braxton reporting on the situation inside and that they were searching for the children.

Time stood still until I heard Braxton say, “Catlett has them. We’re on our way.”

My legs about buckled, and I bent over, hands on my knees as I watched intently at the window. Braxton with a kid came first. Shortly after was Ava. She had a little girl with her, and she took her time coming down the ladder. When her feet finally touched the ground, I raised up. I felt almost physically ill watching her take her mask off. She said something to the little girl and then turned to the chief. It’s like I was watching a movie unfold, and I didn’t know what was going to happen next. Ava didn’t take a break... she went right back to fighting the blaze.

I stood on my feet in the shadows watching the rest of the night. I learned a few things last night, and one of those is that Ava is a hell of a firefighter. She’s trained and knows what she’s doing. The Cherry Falls Fire Department is lucky to have her.

The other thing I realized is that I’m not going to waste any more time. Tomorrow isn’t promised, and I don’t want to waste a second of us being together. I have so many regrets from my past with Kendal. Things I should have maybe done differently. I don’t want to make the same mistakes again.

When the crews were packing up, I finally went home to sleep. I slept into the next day, but I made sure to be at Ava’s house when her shift was over. I needed to see her. I have to. Even if she doesn’t let me in, I need to see that she’s okay.

I’m sitting on the porch when she pulls in. Emotion wells up inside me when I see her. She’s clean and in a fresh uniform, so obviously she had time to shower after last night’s fire. “I’m sorry to just show up like this,” I tell her when she walks up the steps of her porch.

She doesn’t hesitate. She walks right into my arms and pulls my head down for a kiss.

“I need you, Kent,” she whispers against my mouth.

I pull her up into my arms, and her legs go around my waist. She pulls back just to put the key into the door, and I push it open, kicking it closed behind us with my foot.

I’m standing in the entryway, holding her, kissing her, loving her when I force myself to slow down. “I didn’t come for this... I just had to make sure you were okay.”

“I saw you.”

I blink. Busted.

“I saw you last night. You didn’t try to save me or make me stop. You stood there, and I could feel you the whole night, watching out for me, hoping and praying I was okay. I felt that, Kent.”

I put my forehead against hers. “I was so worried about you.”

She shakes her head. “I was the same way the night before. I listened to the scanner the whole night and couldn’t go to sleep until I knew you were safe back at the station.”

“How is this going to work, baby? We can’t go on like this.”

She tightens her arms and legs around me. “We’ll figure it out. I’m not giving you up, Kent. Not now. I can’t.”

My heart is pounding in my chest. “I don’t want to be a distraction... I don’t want to hurt you.”

She lets her legs go and slides down my body. She grabs my hand and pulls me down the hallway and into her bedroom. I follow behind her because I’m not strong enough to stop her or say no.