Rescued by the Firefighter by Catherine Lanigan

Author:Catherine Lanigan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-08-14T16:10:12+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

BEATRICE WAS ON her way out of her office when the camp landline rang.

“Indian Lake Youth Camp. Beatrice Wilcox speaking.”

“Bee. Beatrice. It’s Rand...Nelson.”

She couldn’t help smiling and leaning back in her chair when she heard his deep voice. “Hi.”

“I tried your cell phone but you didn’t pick up.”

“Sorry. I was working in my office. Obviously—”

“I figured,” he interrupted. “I’m calling because I’m going out of town and I won’t be out tomorrow to finish that last trench.”

Out of town? Why? Where? She didn’t want to be intrusive. What he did with his life was not her business. “I can’t thank you enough. And thank you again, Rand. It was a lot of work.”

“You’re welcome. I was hoping to smooth them out a bit more. Every little bit helps you with the cost.”

“I know. I appreciate it.”

“I was happy to do it. So, listen. Luke Bosworth said he finished up the bid for you and he’s going to be out there later today or tomorrow morning. He’ll take over from here.”

“Take over?” Her hand grasped the receiver tightly. She had to ask. “So, you’re leaving for a while?”

“Bee, it’s a smoke-jumping job. I’m there for as long as I have to be.”

“I know...”

Was she disappointed that he wouldn’t be around? Or was it something else?

“Where—where are you going?”

“Copper Country State Forest in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. They needed volunteers.”

He volunteered? “So, it isn’t required that you go?”

“No. It never is.”

Never. She choked back what felt like a sob in her throat. It burned all the way to her belly.

She’d been afraid of this. Had tried to protect herself and the boys. But it still hurt.

She reminded herself he was skilled and exceedingly well trained. He trained other jumpers, for goodness sake. The Forest Service was lucky to have someone like him. But she couldn’t help remembering Rand carrying her and Eli out of a raging fire. “You be careful.”

“Always,” he said lowly. “Listen, Beatrice. I promised Eli and Chris I’d show them some of my videos of smoke jumpers when I came out there tomorrow. If I send you an email with the videos, would you see that they get it?”

“Sure, I will. But I think you should speak to them yourself.”

“I’d like to. I want to explain about the job.”

“They should be coming up to the dining hall in about twenty minutes. I’ll have them call you.”

“Super. My personal cell is 555-805-9999. You, uh, could make a note of that number as well.”

“I will.”

“Good. You know, I think Chris is genuinely interested in firefighting. Eli is young and probably just enamored of my ball cap and the fire trucks. But once we started working together, Chris asked some intelligent questions.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, like the kind of training I had to complete. I told him the first-aid classes you gave at the camp were the first order in becoming a fireman or a first responder. He was fascinated.”

Beatrice twirled her finger through the coiled phone cord, as her thoughts jumped from warning herself to keep Rand at arm’s length to wishing he was in the same room with her.

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