Hope Falls: Hearts Afire (Kindle Worlds Novella) (8 page)

“You really like her, don’t you?” Chris asked him when they finally left Sue Ann’s.

“Who?” Casey knew exactly who he was talking about but stalled anyway. He didn’t know how to answer his friend. It was a conversation he wasn’t ready for or willing to have.

“Stop acting like an idiot. She’s not like the other women who have passed through Hope Falls. You like her enough to want her to stay, don’t you?” His friend was smiling at him. It wasn’t like he was acting like a dick about it. He was just asking if he was interested. Why was that so hard to answer?

“We’re just friends,” Casey told him.

Chris sighed. “Sure, that’s the official statement both of you are going with. Either you two are blind, or you’re scared.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He didn’t do this with people. He didn’t talk about his feelings, his personal life.

Only he had.

That changed when he told Katie about his mom and Nicole. He didn’t regret telling her. It was just… he didn’t do that. Ever.

“Whatever, dude,” he said. “Let’s go.”

“You know what,” Casey told him. “I’m just gonna head home. Something’s not sitting right in my stomach.”

Chris shook his head. “All right, man. It’s something called denial.”

“Fuck you.” Casey stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked away from his friend.

“Hey, Case,” his friend called out. When he turned around, Chris smiled. “It would be all right if you liked her. She’s pretty cool.”

Casey nodded. She
was
pretty cool.

Instead of going home, Casey got in his truck and drove to the only place he felt sane besides the firehouse.

He drove straight to his dad’s.

When he arrived, he sat in his truck wondering how he’d gotten there. Streetlights. Stop signs. On ramps and exits. He didn’t remember any of them. The only thing on his mind was a beautiful woman with warm brown eyes that made him feel at home when he stared into them. He’d never felt that way about a woman before. Sure, he thought he loved Nicole. But that was high school, puppy love. This…with Katie…was different. They were adults. They’d had adult conversations and had become adult friends. He wasn’t ready for adult love. He was a strong, grown-ass man, but with his heart, he still felt like a little boy afraid to take a chance.

All of that came to him sitting in the driveway at his dad’s. He laughed at how funny the situation was. He knew coming here would give him some clarity, but he thought he’d actually have to talk to his dad first. He hadn’t even made it to the doorstep and he already got what he needed.

Casey wasn’t about to leave though. Eagerly, he jumped out of his truck and stomped up to the front door.

“Hey, Son,” his dad said. “What a nice surprise.”

He loved how his dad was always so happy to see him. Not once had he ever made him feel unwelcome. He felt like such a pussy because that was so important to him, but well…
It is what it is.

“Hey, Case.” His stepmom came barreling out of the kitchen with a towel thrown over her shoulder. “I hope you’re hungry. Your dad and I are about to have a late dinner and you’re in luck, it’s your favorite.”

She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big squeeze like she always did. His father wasn’t the only welcoming one. Mary had always made him feel like her own. Not once had she called him her stepson. She always referred to him as her own boy. He’d never thought of that until now—which made him wonder, why hadn’t he given her the same respect? Why did he still call her his
stepmom
?

Casey supposed that was something he could figure out another day.

The two men set the table in the dining room, laying out the placemats, bowls, plates, utensils, and napkins, while Mary placed the pot of chili in the center of the table. Before she could head back into the kitchen, his dad stopped her. “Have a seat, honey. I’ll get the rest.”

Mary sat down with her napkin in her lap while Casey served them drinks and his dad brought out a dish of cornbread and a small bowl of honey butter. Casey had already eaten, but that didn’t stop his mouth from watering. He loved his stepmom’s cooking and that honey butter was to die for.

As they all took to filling their bowls and plates, Casey’s mind finally relaxed. This is exactly what he needed. He loved the simplicity of home. The way they still turned off the television during dinner and ate in the dining room. He didn’t dare look at his phone. Meals were sacred time in the Palmer house. It was classic and he loved it.

It wasn’t until they were all settled that Dan Palmer started chatting away. He asked Casey about work. He had heard about a small brush fire in the woods near a camping area just outside of town. Casey assured him that they took care of the fire before it stood any chance of developing into something to worry about. He was grateful for the winter season, had it been later on in the year, the fire may have posed a bigger problem.

“We hear you have a new friend in town,” Mary told him, with a little flutter of her brows. With that smile on her face, Casey couldn’t get angry with her. She looked so giddy it was actually cute.

“Let me guess—”

Before Casey could finish his sentence, his dad did for him. “Sue Ann.”

“That woman needs to find something else to keep her busy,” he said. “I do have a new friend”—he scrubbed his hand through his scruffy hair—“but she’s just that. A friend. No need to start booking ballrooms or anything.”

Mary’s smile didn’t fade, which made him roll his eyes. “Tell us about her,” she said nonchalantly in between bites.

Casey relaxed into his chair, sitting with his hands in his lap. He wasn’t even hungry and he’d already devoured two pieces of cornbread slathered in honey butter. If they wanted to hear about Katie, then he’d tell them. She’s the reason he’d driven there instead of going to the bar in the first place.

“Her name is Katie. She’s about this tall”—he placed his hand in the center of his chest—“she’s a total spitfire, never stops talking, she’d lose her head if it wasn’t attached to her shoulders, and she has to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, on the inside and out.”

With that, he sucked in a deep breath and exhaled long and slow. Yes, he’d just said that aloud, to his parents. It amazed him that when asked about her, those were the words he’d chosen to use. He could have easily said, “She’s cool.” Yet, he went and confessed that he thought she was beautiful. Again, he rolled his eyes. Only this time, it was at himself.

His dad and Mary didn’t make a big deal out of it. They just continued on, like he hadn’t just had diarrhea of the mouth.

“Is she here on business?” Mary asked.

Casey took a gulp of his lemonade before he answered her. “She’s an author. Normally, she writes children’s books, but she’s here to finish a romance novel.”

Dan looked at him with a confused expression. “She couldn’t do that at home?”

This made Casey chuckle. He had asked Katie the same thing. “Too many distractions at home, so she easily got off task. She thought she’d get more done if she found a place to relax and focus.”

“Is it working for her,” Mary asked.

Casey nodded. “I think so. She says she’s close to finishing.”

“Then what?” his dad asked.

He didn’t know why, but it felt like a truck had been parked on his chest. It physically pained him to consider it. “She goes home, I guess.” He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it didn’t work.

Mary wiped her mouth with her cloth napkin and placed it gently in her lap. “Well, maybe you should ask her.”

His dad reached out and put his hand on Mary’s. “That sounds like a great idea, honey. You should talk to her about it, son. Don’t be afraid to give her a reason to stay. She might surprise you.” Casey’s parents looked at each other with knowing smiles. The sight of the two of them gave him hope. He knew coming home was the right choice. He knew it was exactly what he needed. Clarity. He got it.

Not all the women in his life had used him or left him. Mary had always been there for him, like she was now. He was an idiot for never acknowledging that. When his mom left, his dad didn’t let that destroy him. He forgave her and moved on. He learned to love again and he found Mary. They’d been together for over twenty years and couldn’t be happier. If they weren’t an inspiration for love, he didn’t know who was.

Casey had been lost and stupid for long enough. If he was falling in love, then so be it. He wasn’t going to hold out any longer. He was going to let himself fall hard and hope that a beautiful woman with a messy bun and warm, brown eyes was there to cushion the blow.

The next morning, Casey woke up with a new set of eyes. It had taken him most of his adult life, but he was ready. He’d made a great friend in Katie and if she was interested, like he thought she was, then he was ready to take it to the next level. Or rather, he wouldn’t fight it if that’s where it was going. He knew it was going to take some self-discovery on her part, too. He was a man, after all. And a firefighter. A horrific combo, in her own muddy eyes, that might get in the way of progress. But all he had was time, and he was willing to wait if need be.

Katie was something else. He adored her more and more with each passing day that he spent with her, getting to know her, getting to be her friend. With a new, refreshing sense of possibilities, Casey tossed off his blankets and headed to his bathroom to get ready for their morning run.

He was back on shift tomorrow, so he planned on making today count.

When he arrived at their usual meeting spot, he took a moment to soak in how cute she looked, sitting on her jacket on the damp ground with her body stretching over her legs. She was much better at warming up than he was. She loved getting in a good stretch, whereas he just held his legs back one by one to work his quads. He admired her routine, and how she looked doing it—so graceful and at peace.

“You know the stretch after the workout is just as important as the one before,” Casey said as he got closer.

She looked up at him with a smile that lit up his world. It felt good to acknowledge and accept how she made him feel.

“It’s too bad you do neither,” she said.

He put his arms across his chest. “This body is in tip-top shape, Katie.” He watched as she looked him up and down, a blush washing over her cheeks. It made him feel good to know she liked what she saw.

He held out a hand to her to help her off the ground. He remembered the first time he did that…sparks flew like a blowtorch burning through metal. Today wasn’t any different. He could feel the warmth of her touch through both of their gloves. He allowed his grip on her to linger, even after she was on her feet. Katie’s cheeks reddened even more as she tilted her head to the side in a questioning manner. She wasn’t running for the hills, so she wasn’t too alarmed. He could work with confused.

They were only a mile in to their run when Katie’s phone rang. She took it from her pocket, not slowing her pace. Though as soon as she glanced at the screen, she came to an immediate stop.

“Hey, Mom?” she called out. Casey could hear the concern in her tone. It was no secret to anyone that this was their morning routine. Neither of them had ever received a call during their workout. If he had gotten a call from his dad, he’d be just as worried.

“Did you drink some orange juice?” she asked. He could only hear one side of the conversation, but there was no doubt in his mind that this was a health related call. He thought it was safe to assume that Katie’s mom was a diabetic and her sugar had dropped. He’d been on several calls for that exact problem. When someone’s sugar dropped, a diabetic coma was always a concern. The victims were often times groggy and barely responsive. Getting some sugar as rapidly as possible usually did the trick. One minute they could appear lifeless, and the next they were completely alert. It was a tricky and fine line to walk.

“Okay, do you need me to come home? I can be on a flight and in your living room in a few hours.” Silence. “Who cares about my car?” Silence. “Are you sure?” Silence. “Hi, Ry.” More silence. “If you’re sure. It’s killing me that I’m not there.”

This time the silence lingered. He watched as Katie listened and her expression changed—her shoulders sagged and she wiped a tear from her eyes. Without thinking, he reached out and pulled her close to him. She leaned into his embrace and allowed him to hug her to his side as she finished her conversation.

“Okay. I’ll check in on her later. Love you, big brother. Give mom a big hug for me. Bye.” Without warning, she curved her arms around Casey’s waist and hugged him tightly as she wept.

Casey held her, softly stroking up and down her back. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be okay. I’m here for you, Kate. I’m not going anywhere.” She looked up at him through her glassy eyes, their faces so dangerously close to each other. He met her lingering gaze and wanted so much to kiss her beautiful lips, kiss her pain away. He knew that now was not the time, so he pressed his lips to her forehead and held her close again.

A few minutes passed, along with other runners on the trail, before Katie stepped out of Casey’s hold. She swiped at the tears in her eyes again. “Thank you, Casey. I’m sorry I started blubbering all over you.”

He reached out and took her hand. “Come on, now. That’s what I’m here for. How’s your mom?”

“She’s okay. Ryan said they got a call this morning for her address. He was on shift. He almost had a heart attack.”

Casey could only imagine what that must feel like, to hear your parents’ address called out. He would have done something stupid like run there instead of getting in the truck.

“When they got there, she was sitting on the floor in the kitchen with the phone in her hand. She had called 911 and attempted to get to the refrigerator for some juice, but didn’t make it. She didn’t have the strength to go any farther.”

The tears filled her eyes again. He squeezed her hand and brushed his thumb back and forth over her knuckles.

“They did their thing and got her sugar back up. Ryan and Lizzy are with her now. I want to go home, but they are telling me to stay put, that there’s nothing for me to do there.”

He could see the logic in that. Unfortunately, blood sugar dropping wasn’t something that a diabetic could completely control. He knew that and he was sure that Katie did too, but that knowledge wouldn’t make her feel better.

Casey took both of her hands in his. “Katie, do you want to see your mom?”

“Of course I do,” she said.

“Then, let’s go. I’ll take you.”

She smiled, tears running down her cheeks. “You’re crazy!”

“I’m serious. You’re close to finishing your book. Do you think you’re going to be able to write anything if you’re worried about your mom?”

She shook her head.

“Then, let’s go.”

“You have to work tomorrow,” she told him. Only Katie would be worried about him in a time like this. If that didn’t tell him something…

“We can head down there, have an early dinner with your mom and then come right back. I’ll be back in time for my shift. If not…well then, that’s what sick days are for.”

She stepped closer to him, and he swore he could hear his heart beating in his chest.

“You’d do that for me?” Her voice was small, but her smile warmed his heart.

“Absolutely.”