Embracing Today, a firefighter romance: (The Trading Yesterday Series, #3), Kahlen Aymes [essential reading txt] 📗

hair. Something inside me stirred. She was so fragile, so sad; her soul seemed to be injured more than her body. My heart broke for her.

When I was sure she could see me clearly, I spoke again. “I just wanted to say… we tried to save the man. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t.”

“He’s dead,” she said. Her voice was weak, and I wasn’t sure if she was asking or telling.

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I’m so sorry.” I wanted to ask who he was to her but knew that I shouldn’t.

Her face crumpled and she started to sob. Her other hand came out from beneath the blanket to cover her mouth.

“I’m so sorry,” I said again, helpless to know what to do for her, or how to ease her suffering. “We did get him out so the family can…” my words dropped off.

She shook her head. “It’s not your fault.” She swallowed hard and tried to stop crying. “I already knew. I saw it happen.”

“Is there anyone I can call for you?” I hesitated to ask after such a harrowing experience. Was the man who had perished related to her? Was he her husband or lover? I didn’t want to do or say anything to make her more upset, so I held my tongue. It would be difficult enough to come to terms with his death; she didn’t need any extra reminders.

“Not really. My uncle died six months ago. I have no family.” She didn’t mention the dead man or what he was to her.

“I’m sure there is someone. A friend?”

She cried hard again. “I have a few, but I don’t have anyone’s number. My cell phone was in my car when it exploded.”

My heart fell as silent tears rained from her eyes. I knew what it was like to have no family around. Since my little sister and her son had moved to Atlanta a year and a half ago, so I’d been on my own, too. Sure, I had friends, as this young woman must have, but friends weren’t the same as family. Even some of the guys who I worked with had become like brothers back in Billings, but I was new here and it wasn’t quite the same. Davis was my only close friend.

“What happens now?” She wiped at her eyes to clear away the tears, but it only served to smear the soot on her face around leaving wet smudges.

“They’re going to take you to the hospital to check you out. I’m not sure if they’ll keep you overnight, but it looks like you could use the rest.”

She began to shake her head adamantly. “I can’t!” She was panicked. “Who will take care of the horses and my puppy?” she asked. “I need to feed them and let my dog out. I have to take care of them!”

So, the man who died must have been close to her if she was alone. I cleared my throat, wanting, in fact needing, to help this poor woman in some way. It may have been forward, but I covered her hand with my own in order to calm her. Something passed between us; like an electric charge or connection making a circuit. Instantly, her eyes locked with mine and she calmed down.

“I get off shift in a couple of hours. I know it will be kind of late, but I can do it if you’ll tell me what to do. It’ll be okay.”

She sucked in a shaky breath. “Really? You’d do that? My puppy was crying when I ran from the house.”

I smiled. “Sure, if you’ll tell me where to find the food. Were your keys in the car, too?” My mind raced, wondering why she’d leave her purse, phone and keys inside the car when she went inside the now burned down shop.

“They were, but there is an extra house key in the blue flowerpot by the back door at the ranch. Just up the road from the shop. I can’t remember if I locked the house after I called you guys from the landline.”

“Ben, we’re rolling up the hoses. Can you help us?” One of the others shouted from twenty feet away.

“I have to go, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” I smiled and patted her hand again.

“My-uh-my dog; Gem; she’s just a puppy. She cries if she’s left alone at night.” Her face crumpled again, and she began to cry again. It was heartbreaking to watch.

“What breed is she?”

“A black lab. She’s just ten weeks old.”

I nodded, happy to help out. I knew that I’d be taking the pup home for the night.

“Don’t worry, miss…?”

“Oh, my name is Marin. Marin Landry.”

“Bennett Barry, at your service.” I wanted to say it was nice to meet her, but considering the circumstances, it would make me seem insensitive. “I’ll pick up your puppy and feed and water your horses. Don’t worry about them, tonight. Just concentrate on getting some rest.”

For the first time, the hint of a smile graced her mouth and I found myself anxious to see her without soot, blood or sadness covering her face.

“How will I find you?” she asked.

“Mitch and Stan, the EMTs who worked on you, know me. One of them can give you my number. I gotta go help pack up the equipment.”

Marin’s hand reached out and grabbed the sleeve of my coat. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver. I’ll never be able to repay you.”

I paused to meet her eyes again. I wasn’t tonight, I thought regretfully. But I was glad that I could help her, if only in some small way. “No need for that, ma’am. Happy to help.”

BEN

The puppy was crying pitifully from her kennel and had been since I’d brought her back to my house. She didn’t eat when I tried to feed her some of the canned puppy food that I’d found in a cupboard in the utility room of the young woman’s farmhouse.

I wondered if she had to go to the bathroom.

Dogs didn’t