From Nowhere (Wildfire) by Jewel E. Ann

Author:Jewel E. Ann [Ann, Jewel E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Montlake
Published: 2025-03-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Do you think she’ll really come?” Lola pops her head into my room a short ten minutes later, after Maren made a quick escape. “Do you think Maren will really come here and braid my hair for track-and-field day?”

“I do,” I say, pulling on my socks.

“You can’t be sure.”

“I’m pretty darn sure.”

“What if she oversleeps?”

I stand and shut off the light, ushering her toward the stairs. “She’ll be here.”

Just as Lola reaches the top of the stairs, there’s a knock at the door.

“She’s here!”

I follow Lola to the front door, passing the dining room, where Amos and Tia are drinking coffee and eating breakfast.

“Who’s here?” Tia asks.

“Maren’s here to braid Lola’s hair for track-and-field day,” I reply.

“That seems unnecessary,” Tia grumbles.

I ignore her because I wish she and Amos were unnecessary in my life.

“Good morning, Miss Lola,” Maren says, stepping inside and removing her shoes.

“Come downstairs,” Lola says with a quick pivot toward the stairs. “I’ll get my hairbrush and ties.”

Maren smiles at me. “Hi.”

My fucking grin jumps off a cliff, entirely out of control. “Hi.”

“Are you having a good morning?” she asks.

“As a matter of fact, I am. Coffee?”

“Sounds perfect.” Maren takes two steps and glances into the dining room, pausing for a friendly greeting. “Good morning.”

“Don’t you have a job?” Tia asks, being her most charming self.

Maren laces her fingers behind her back. “I’m a tanker pilot—an aerial firefighter. I have ten days on and five days off.”

“Cream or sugar?” I ask, attempting to save her from Tia.

“Black,” Maren says, glancing over her shoulder with a smile.

“I bet Ozzy is envious,” Amos says.

“Why is that?” Maren asks.

“Before our daughter died, Ozzy got his pilot’s license.”

Maren eyes me when I hand her a mug of coffee. “Really?”

I shrug. “It’s nice to be able to fly the planes I work on.”

She blows at the steam. “You’re full of surprises.”

“Am I?” I sip my coffee.

“Sounds like a dangerous job,” Tia says.

Maren faces the dining room table again. “It’s a necessary job.”

“Are you married?” Tia takes a bite of her toast.

“I’m not.”

“Kids?” Tia won’t quit.

“Nope.”

“Well, if you ever want a family, I imagine you’ll have to find a new job,” Tia says.

“Why is that?” Maren pushes back before I can jump in and save her. I don’t think Maren Bernabe needs anyone to save her.

“When you have children, you must put their well-being first.”

“By quitting my job?”

Tia frowns. “By not taking unnecessary risks.”

Maren hums. “That’s an interesting take on parenting. Well, I’d better get downstairs and braid Lola’s hair. It was nice chatting with you.” She heads to the stairs, and I follow her.

“I’m sorry about that,” I murmur.

“Don’t apologize. She lost her daughter.” Several steps from the bottom of the stairs, Maren turns. “I’m not a parent, but I can imagine that losing a child would change you forever. And not for the better.”

I let that sink in for a few seconds. If I lost Lola, like I almost did, I’d probably be a sad, grumpy, unbearable bastard.

“Here’s my brush.” Lola skips toward the stairs.

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