Hope Falls: Hearts Afire (Kindle Worlds Novella) (4 page)

Casey had brushed his teeth two times that morning and even combed his hair. And it was for nothing. She wasn’t even on the trail.

If Katie was being honest with herself, she was kind of hoping she’d see Casey on the trail today. Yesterday, she had tried to avoid him and she was successful. But she couldn’t stop thinking about the exchange they had earlier that week. They had barely said a few words to each other and she had more fun in that moment than she had her entire stay in Hope Falls. Worry started to settle in at that revelation, but she thought of what her mother had told her. Just because she didn’t want to date, it didn’t mean she couldn’t have friends.

Maybe Casey could be a friend. Like Shelby. Or Sue Ann. Yes, she considered Sue Ann a friend. She was living temporarily in a new town; she had to take them where she could get them.

But Casey? The guy acted like such a jerk the first time they met. Maybe he wasn’t friend material, after all.

Either way, she wasn’t going to try to avoid him any longer. If their paths happened to cross, then so be it. She was okay with that. To prove it to herself that she was so
okay
with it, Katie took off on her run at the same time she met Casey days before.

When Casey finished his run, he couldn’t stop laughing. The day before, he missed Katherine. Today, he decided to head out early hoping he might catch her and he came up empty-handed.

He rolled his eyes at the insanity of it all. Was he really changing his schedule around to hopefully catch a glimpse of a girl? A girl who could be gone tomorrow. Katherine had already been in Hope Falls for a few weeks. Tourists rarely stayed longer than that, which made him wonder what brought her to his town in the first place.

What Casey did know is that he was going back to his routine the next morning. No more messing around. If he happened to run into Katherine, then score, it was a bonus. If not, then that was okay too.

After waking up late one day and missing her run, Katie was determined to get past it and keep her routine going. She was really starting to enjoy beginning her day with some outdoor activity before she settled in to write. The chill helped wake her up and get the creative juices flowing.

It had been close to a week since she’d seen Casey, yet she still looked for him on the trail each day.

About a half mile in, she heard footsteps behind her. It didn’t startle her anymore. She had gotten used to sharing the road with others. She looked up as the person approached getting ready to give a wave when she saw a familiar face. A gorgeous one with piercing blue eyes and a smile that wouldn’t quit.

“Hey, Katherine,” Casey said. “Mind if I join you?”

She tried not to, but she smiled right back. “That depends.”

“On what?”

“Your pace.”

Casey let out a husky chuckle that rattled her core. Holy hell, she had no idea a man’s laughter could do that to her.

“This works for me,” he said, shaking her from her wild imagination.

They continued on in silence until they reached the resting area where they took a break the last time.

“Want to sit?” he asked her, gesturing to the bench.

She nodded, then pressed a button on her smart watch to pause her time. She loved getting back to her room and tracking her progress. In just a week, her clothes were starting to feel better. Another week or two and she wouldn’t have to suck it in anymore to button her jeans.

Besides the chirping birds, it was fairly quiet on the trail. It seemed that Katie and Casey were all alone in the woods. Warning signs flashed in her mind, making her hope that Casey wasn’t really an axe murderer. She could easily be chopped up in a million pieces and buried on the side of the road and no one would ever know.

“You enjoying your stay so far?” Casey asked, a welcome distraction from the crazy train she was just about to board.

“I am.” She looked around, taking in the scenery. “The view is gorgeous, the food is delicious, and the beer couldn’t be better. What’s not to like?”

“Cocky firefighters?”

Once again, Katie’s jaw dropped. That was becoming quite a habit in Hope Falls. People seemed to like the shock factor here.

When Katie didn’t say anything, Casey continued, “I’m usually not that much of an asshole.”

“You weren’t—” Katie started to say, but he cut her off.

“Yes, I was. I’m sorry. Can I get a do-over?”

Katie looked up, not meaning to gaze into his eyes, but it was a lost cause. They were there and she was lost in the blue orbs as if they had a force field of their own, and they were sucking her right in.

“I believe this is it,” she said, looking away while she still had some semblance of control. When she was able to gather her composure, she looked at him again and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Katie.”

On his way to the lodge, Casey spotted Katherine—er, Katie—on the side of the road. She was decked out in her workout gear, so he knew she was headed to the same place he was. He pulled over a few feet in front of her and waited for her to get closer. In his rearview mirror, he watched as she approached him. She was quite the beauty in all black with a bright blue scarf wrapped around her neck. She needed a pair of gloves, though. Her hands were probably frozen.

“Hey, want a ride?” he said as she passed him.

She did a double-take, before she turned back to him and smiled.

“Sure, why not?” She walked around to the passenger side while he hit the button to unlock the door. As soon as she opened the door, she started talking again. “I usually walk to the trails for my warmup, but it’s cold as balls outside.”

He was pretty sure his boys were shriveled up tight as can be, so he could see her point. “The snow might be gone, but it sure doesn’t feel any warmer out.”

Casey pulled out into the road and they continued to talk the rest of the way.

“I wish I would have been here for the snow. We have to drive at least an hour for the experience back home.”

Casey volleyed his gaze between the road and Katie. She was looking out the window, smiling. Her hair wasn’t in a ponytail today. Instead, two braids lined each side of her head. It was cute. All she needed was a pair of overalls and freckles to complete the look. He didn’t mention it though. It would be adorable, but he had no idea how she’d take it. While he’d never been in a long-term relationship with a woman, he’d learned a lot from Nicole, his stepmom, and sister over the years. He’d already put his foot in his mouth once with Katie, and he wasn’t going to do it again.

“Snow is overrated. I grew up living through snowstorms so I never got to experience the novelty.” There were times in his life when he contemplated packing up and moving to Florida, but one visit during the summer had killed that idea. His balls might be frozen now, but he’d much rather deal with the cold than with the humidity. He still couldn’t believe people endured that kind of weather.

“Well, I’d like to experience it at least once in my lifetime.”

“Are you sure about that? The heater is on and you’re shivering.” Her shoulders were tense and she was rubbing her hands together. One degree cooler and her teeth would be chattering. “You should really get some mittens.”

Katie looked over at him with wide eyes and rosy cheeks. “Mittens?” She smiled even brighter if that was possible. “I misplaced my gloves. I’m okay for now,” she said, before looking away. “Have you ever caught a snowflake on your tongue?”

The question made him chuckle. Katie reached over the console and pushed him on the shoulder. “I’m serious,” she said. “Have you?”

He narrowed his eyes, trying to think back in time. “Yeah. I guess so. When I was a kid we did things like that.”

Looking satisfied with his answer, she nodded with a smile. “That’s so cool.” It was like he was catching a glimpse of what Katie was like as a kid. There she was sitting next to him with braids in her hair, smiling wide with stars in her eyes.
That
was so cool.

The words had been flying from her fingers and she was conquering her daily exercise routine, so Katie decided to treat herself to one of Sue Ann’s sandwiches and a beer at JT’s. She was surprised when she escaped Sue Ann’s usual interrogation. The cafe owner didn’t hint at her friendship with Casey and Katie was relieved.

She and Casey had hit the trail together every day since he apologized. It seemed that Katie had a new friend and running partner. To be fair, their pace had gotten slower so it wasn’t really running. They were both chatterboxes so it was more of a jog. It was nice to have someone to do something with. She loved talking to Shelby, but that women had to be one of the busiest ladies in town. She was constantly working at the B&B or tending bar. While her time spent with Casey was only on the trail, it did give her some much needed people time.

Katie loved writing, but she couldn’t hold a conversation with the voices in her head. Though, sometimes it sure felt like she did, but she wasn’t about to admit that to anyone.

It was packed when she arrived at JT’s. There was a big basketball game on. She heard someone say something about an All-Star game. She wasn’t a fan. Give her football and baseball any day of the week and she’d gladly sit in front of the tube and watch. As she made her way to the bar, she scanned the crowd looking for her friend. Casey had been on shift, so she hadn’t seen him in a few days. She thought she might catch him here. That’s not the only reason she decided to venture from her room though. It wasn’t.

With a bright smile, Katie looked down at her gloves. Casey had been giving her shit about getting frostbite because she had misplaced them. He tried to convince her again and again to get a new pair, but she refused knowing they would turn up. She couldn’t wait to show him she was right.

“How’s it going, friend?” Shelby stood at the counter, wearing her usual smile. “You must have hit the keyboard pretty hard. You haven’t been by in days.”

Katie returned the smile with a soft chuckle. “I’ve also been hitting the beer and food pretty hard since I got here. I had to stay away or I’d have to size up my wardrobe.”

“Just get some leggings and all will be right in the world.” Shelby did a little twirl, modeling her very own stretchy pants. She couldn’t begrudge her the comfy clothes. The woman could rock a tarp if she wanted to.

While Shelby poured her a beer, Katie started to peel her layers off. With all the bodies in the bar, it was getting quite warm. “Looks like I picked the wrong night to drop in,” she said, surveying the crowd again.

“This is the only place in town to watch a game and grab a beer,” Shelby told her.

“Well, I think you picked a great night.”

Katie new that voice from the first word. It was also a dead giveaway when Casey tugged on her ponytail. Little by little, she was getting used to little gestures like that. She had long stopped allowing her girly bits to spark at his every touch. He wanted to be friends. She wanted to be friends. And that was it. She couldn’t do that if she turned into a puddle of lust every time he was near.

Katie tried like hell to ignore those feelings and to just enjoy his company.

“Hey!” she called out, swiveling around on her barstool. “Look what I found.” She turned to get her gloves, but only one was on the bar.

Casey bent down and retrieved the other from the floor. “You were already going to lose one. I think we’re going to have to get those little mitten clips for you.”

“Mitten clips?” Shelby said. She stared at them with a raised brow. “You too are getting pretty chummy. Anything you want to let us in on?” She rested her elbows on the bar and leaned forward waiting to hear the scoop.

But Casey and Katie both said at the same time, “We’re just friends.”

Shelby rolled her eyes at them and moved down the bar.

“You wanna join me and the guys?” Casey gestured to the rest of his crew. She looked over, recognizing Eli and Chris but not the others. Eli raised his beer to her with a smile, while she nodded back.

“Nah, I’m just fine right here. You go have a good time. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He gathered her gloves and shoved them in her coat pockets. This made both of them laugh until she was slapping her thigh and losing her breath.

After another tug on her hair, Casey headed back to his friends, calling over his shoulder. “See you later, Katie.”

It was such a turnaround from their first exchange at TJ’s. That thought made Katie smile again. She was doing that quite often lately.
That’s what friends were for, right?

When he got off his shift early this morning, Casey could barely think of anything else other than Katie. She had quickly taken up permanent residence in his mind. She was a crack-up and he loved talking to her. She always surprised him with her complete lack of filter. Nothing was off-limits.

He’d learned that the hard way just a few days earlier when they had an in-depth discussion on the terror of nipple chaffing with runners. She had bluntly asked him if he ever had to lube his nipples before a long jog. He nearly plummeted to the ground when he tripped on his own foot.
Who asks questions like that?
Only Katie.

Now Casey knew he had to be prepared for anything where she was concerned.

He went through his day wondering if he’d spot her at Sue Ann’s or JT’s. When she didn’t show up in either location, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Chocolate or vanilla
, he had texted her.

Only seconds later, he got the following response: C
hocolate is the answer to everything, Casey. How can we be friends with a question like that?

He stared at his phone, chuckling to himself before he got off his ass, grabbed his keys and headed to Two Scoops.

Less than an hour later, he was texting her again. Only this time, he asked her to open the door. He could hear her barreling down the stairs before he saw her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, a smile spread across her face.

He shrugged. “I didn’t see you at dinner or at the bar, so I decided to bring you a snack. You have to take breaks, right?”

A pencil stuck out of Katie’s bun, and she was wearing flannel pajamas. She looked adorable as hell. Most women would have been embarrassed, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit. He liked that about her. She ate like a man and wore very little makeup if any. She had to be one of the most honest people he had ever met.

“It depends on what you have,” she said as she leaned forward trying to peek inside the brown bag.

“Do you like ice cream?” He fluttered his brows.

“I’m a woman, Case. Of course, I do. Now, get inside. You’re letting the cold air in.”

He stepped into the foyer of Shelby and Levi’s B&B and closed the door behind him. “Is it too cold for ice cream?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Never. Go ahead and get some spoons from the kitchen. I’ll meet you in the living room.”

He watched her as she ran up the stairs. Then he did as he was told. He hoped that she didn’t go upstairs to do something dumb like change her clothes or comb her hair. He came over to see her; he didn’t care what she looked like.

When she came back down, he was pleased to see that she had just grabbed a blanket. Her hair was still in a messy twist on the top of her head. And she was still in her warm pjs.

“I love ice cream,” she said. “Even when it’s cold outside. You just need to get snuggled under a blanket first.” Katie sat down next to him on the sofa and spread the fleece blanket over both of their laps. He gave her a spoon and kept one for himself. She took one of the containers from the paper bag and opened it. “Aha… strawberry. This is yours.” She handed it to him. “I knew you weren’t vanilla.” She fished her own container from the bag, took the lid off, and sat back against the arm of the sofa before crossing her feet in front of her.

Casey watched as she took her first bite. She closed her eyes and moaned. He squirmed in his seat. Just watching her made him want to moan too, but he didn’t. He held his ice cream tight in his hands and was so thankful for the blanket she had tossed across his lap.

“How was work?” she asked between bites.

“It was work. Nothing too exciting today.”

“It’s not at all like TV.” She chuckled.

“Nope. On television, firefighters are dodging flames every episode. Sometimes we can go over twenty-four hours without a call.”

She didn’t say anything, although he could tell she wanted to. He could see the wonder in her eyes and he wanted to ask about it.

“Don’t you get bored?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Not really. We have plenty to do at the house.”

They both ate in silence for a few beats before he spoke again. “How’s the writing coming along?”

“Shitty.” She frowned. “I have been staring at the screen for hours.”

“I’m sorry.” Casey winced. “I didn’t mean to set you back.”

“No, no, no.” She shook her head. “I can use the distraction. A break is probably what I needed. Sometimes you have to step away and when you come back, it’s like, bam! The words just flow.”

“So I have a confession to make?” he told her, trying to hold back a smile.

“You like to wear women’s underwear?” And, of course, she laughed at her own joke.

“I don’t wear underwear,” he told her with a wink. A grin spread over his lips as he watched her cheeks turn a brighter shade of pink.

“You’re messing with me.” She kicked at him, but he caught her foot and placed it on his thigh. She didn’t move it back, and it was just fine with him.

“Maybe,” he said, loving the playful banter. “Maybe not.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Fine. What’s your confession?”

Casey finished up his last bite of ice cream and placed the empty container on the coffee table. “That was delicious. I haven’t been to Two Scoops all winter.”

“I’ve been eyeballing the place for weeks, but haven’t stopped.” Katie scraped up what was left of her ice cream and sighed. “That totally hit the spot.” Casey took her empty bowl and placed it next to his.

Like usual, Katie surprised him again. She scooted down the sofa even more, pulling the blanket up under her chin and rested her other foot on Casey’s thigh.

He didn’t think twice before he tossed the blanket back and clasped both of his big hands around her small, fuzzy sock-covered feet. Gently, he massaged them as he told her, “I Googled you.”

“Oh, really,” she said, closing her eyes.

“Yup,” he said. “I downloaded your books.”

He smiled as she opened her right eye and raised a brow. It was too damn cute.

“They’re really good.”

“They’re children’s books, Case.” She closed her eye again, and exhaled a long, slow breath.

“They’re still good.” He was amazed when he read them. Short, sweet, and packed with emotion. There was no doubt they had a strong message with their Ugly Duckling theme. He could definitely relate, knowing how he’d felt as a child—unwanted and like he didn’t belong. He wasn’t ready to tell her that, but even though the books were designed for small children, they tugged at his heart just the same.

“Thank you.” She smiled, her eyes still closed. “That means a lot to me.”