Colorado Fireman. C.C. Coburn

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      She could survive the aftermath of this fire and start fresh. Just like she had before.

      She’d used Michael’s insurance money to pay off their house in San Diego. And to pay off his credit card debts, which had been considerable. His fascination with the latest toys—from snowmobiles to Jet Skis, Windsurfers to water skis—had been a bone of contention in their marriage. Carly hadn’t realized how tangled their finances were until she opened the bills addressed to Michael after his death.

      Once she’d paid off the mortgage, she’d felt more secure, knowing that no matter what, her children would always have a roof over their heads. But less than a year after doing that, Carly had wanted to get out of San Diego. Not so much to escape the memories but to escape the unwanted attentions of Michael’s best friend and fellow firefighter, Jerry Ryan.

      Jerry had been a wonderful support after Michael’s death, but his behavior had become too familiar, bordering on obsessive, and Carly had felt trapped. She’d decided to move away from San Diego, the memories—and Jerry.

      She’d rented out her home, effective January 1, intending to live off the rent and her work as a massage therapist.

      Neither her parents nor Jerry were happy with her decision to move out of the state, but Carly remained resolute.

      Offered a job at a new spa hotel opening in Denver, she’d accepted. She and the children had spent Christmas with her parents, then moved to the Mile High City a week before the hotel was slated to open in the new year. She’d enrolled her children in school and paid the security deposit to rent an apartment near work. But the day before opening, the hotel was firebombed. Fortunately, nobody had died, and both police and press speculated that organized crime had been responsible.

      To Carly’s immense gratitude, her new landlord had been compassionate about her situation and come up with a solution. He owned an apartment building in the mountain town of Spruce Lake. In the summer it would be demolished and a new complex built in its place, but in the meantime, he had a vacancy available. If she could find herself a job in Spruce Lake, the apartment was hers. He assured her he could easily fill the vacancy in the Denver apartment she’d be leaving.

      Carly had jumped at the opportunity, knowing that resort towns were often in need of massage therapists. She had her own massage table and could supplement her income by offering massages to people in the privacy of their homes.

      Nearly two months had passed since that fateful day in Denver. Carly hadn’t told her parents about the firebombing and her move to Spruce Lake; she hadn’t wanted to worry them. Instead, she’d been upbeat in her emails and Skype calls.

      And there was another reason she hadn’t wanted to come clean about her move. She knew Jerry kept in touch with her folks. She didn’t want him to learn where she was.

      Her children had settled into Spruce Lake Elementary and were loving it. Carly liked the warmth of the community and was gradually building a client base of locals and tourists. Charlie went to daycare a couple of days a week while Carly worked. She also did a few shifts at the local spa. Finding a reliable after-school sitter for the children on the days she had to work hadn’t been too difficult—until yesterday.

      If she could have replayed yesterday, she’d never have left her children with a sitter she didn’t know. And if Sarah O’Malley hadn’t come to their rescue, Carly had no idea what she could’ve done. The O’Malleys were the kindest, most giving people she’d ever met.

      But the raw anger, the fear and desperation she’d experienced when she realized Charlie was missing still ate at her.

      “You’ve been so … generous … and we don’t …” she started to say, but then the floodgates opened. The tears she’d held so tightly in check after the fire, the emotions she’d suppressed all through the endless night, flowed.

      Conscious that she was making a complete fool of herself, Carly blubbered an apology. But warm arms enveloped her and Carly turned to cry on the offered shoulder, finding it was Mac who’d silently reentered the kitchen.

      “There, there,” she heard Sarah say. “Let it all out, dear. You’ve been holding it in, being brave for too long.”

      Sarah was right; she had been holding it in, putting on a brave face for her kids, and now that they’d left the room, she’d fallen apart.

      “I’m sorry,” she said to Mac, lifting her head and seeing the huge damp patch on his shirt. A wad of tissues got shoved into her hand and she tried to staunch her running nose and wipe at her eyes. Mac rubbed her back in soothing circles and said, “You lean on me all you want, Carly.”

      Carly sobbed at the warmth and compassion in his voice and wished her father could be there for her.

      When she’d composed herself a little, she looked up into Mac’s eyes and in a vulnerable moment admitted she wished her father was there. And then she wished she could take back her words, because they were too revealing. It was too much to admit to these people who until last night were strangers.

      Megan hugged Mac as well, and said, “I wish I’d had a dad like Mac. I’m so glad I married Luke.”

      Grateful for Megan’s lifeline, Carly wondered what Megan’s family history had been for her to make a remark like that.

      “Let’s not overdo it!” When Mac finally managed to struggle out of their embrace, he was blushing. Molly got up from her blanket and came over to nudge his leg, whimpering as if in agreement. “Women!” he muttered good-naturedly, grabbed his hat and took off out the back door.

      Sarah chuckled and said, “I think the estrogen overload was getting to him.”

      Megan smiled, dabbing at her eyes. “He needs to get used to it. He has a wife, three daughters-in-law and five granddaughters.”

      That broke the remaining tension in the room and the rest of the occupants laughed.

      “Women!” This came from Luke and Megan’s son, Cody, whom Carly had learned was the result of a holiday romance Luke and Megan had had sixteen years earlier. They’d only recently been reunited and still acted like newlyweds. Sasha, Daisy and Celeste were by Luke’s ex-wife—the mention of whom had caused Sarah’s lips to purse and Luke to change the subject.

      Carly hadn’t quite got all the family relationships sorted out, but they were gradually falling into place.

      Like his grandfather, Cody grabbed his hat and headed out the back door.

      “I agree with them,” Luke said. “There are way too many women around here.” He kissed his wife and removed his hat from the peg near the back door, then followed his father and son out to start work.

      “I’d better check in with the office,” Matt said, standing.

      Jack glanced at his watch. “And I have an appointment with Frank Farquar. Seems the mayor wants me to build a stronger porch swing for Louella.”

      “Louella?” Carly asked.

      “The mayor’s pet pig,” Will explained. “She was hanging around with me at the fire. I’ll introduce you sometime.”

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