The Firefighter's Refrain by Loree Lough

Author:Loree Lough
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-12-11T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE INSTANT THE words passed her lips, she regretted them.

Sam sat up taller in the chair, one corner of his mouth turned down, eyes sparking with questions. Once the call with Misty ended, he stayed just long enough to find out where Misty had been when she’d called, when she might show up, how long she’d stay. Finn’s vague, noncommittal answers only confused him more, but how could she explain things she didn’t understand herself?

His goodbye had been cool and clumsy, and who could blame him? Finn watched him go down the stairs and across the parking lot, waiting, hoping he’d turn around, so she could wave him back upstairs and apologize.

But he didn’t, and she couldn’t blame him for that, either. So she stood at the top of the stairs and watched him drive away. Only a crazy man would come back and expose himself to the Leary family circus. Her eyes welled with tears; she hoped Sam was just a little bit crazy.

“What are you doing up there, honey?”

She squinted into the darkness below. “Connor? What in the world?”

“Forgot my key,” he said, starting up the steps.

How many had he lost now? Five? Six? “I might just have to hang a bell around your neck.”

“Didn’t mean to scare you.” He gave her a brief hello hug, then glanced at his watch. “Why are you out here all alone at this hour?”

Finn watched Sam’s taillights get swallowed up by the night. “Oh, just catching a breath of fresh air.”

He headed inside. “Did you girls have a good time tonight?”

She remembered the “overprotective dad” demeanor that had come over Sam when Ciara and Andy had walked off to watch the waterfall. How long since Connor had looked at her that way?

“It was a lovely evening.” Until you spoiled everything with that thoughtless so far crack.

“You okay?” he asked as she locked up.

No, she wasn’t. But admitting it would obliterate the last hint of her self-control.

“I’m going to make myself a cup of tea,” she said. “Would you like one, too?”

“It’s past midnight. Won’t the caffeine keep you awake?”

“It’s herbal. The wild-berry scent alone is calming.”

“Thank God for the guy who invented the microwave, eh?” He pulled out a kitchen chair. “So much faster than waiting for water to boil.”

Did he realize how much his simple observation revealed about his character? He’d taken the easy way in every important decision in his life. In her life and Ciara’s, too.

“Where were you tonight?” she asked.

“I watched TV for a while, read the paper, got bored and took a walk.” Hands folded on the table, he leaned forward and hung his head. “Almost gave in to the temptation to duck into a bar.”

“Almost?” She dropped a tea bag into each mug and carried them to the table.

His hands were shaking as he spooned sugar into his. “You girls saved me,” he said on a ragged sigh. “Thinking about you and Ciara and the promise I made helped me walk right on by.

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