Firefighter's Risk (Bakers Beach: First Responders Book 2) Page 4

  Duke shrugged. “I’ll see her tomorrow. Now keep yourself off my property unless you want trouble you can’t talk your way out of.” To emphasize his point, he shoved Carlos hard enough to send him sprawling against the fence surrounding the house. Laughter rang out from the porch, along with shouts of encouragement.

  Carlos found his feet, and the kid who used to get into fights in the schoolyard came bubbling up to the surface. Someone he’d worked hard to keep bottled up, deep inside where nobody could get hurt. “You’d better think twice before putting hands on me again.” He wasn’t sure what made his point clear, but the man fell back a step.

  “Just get outta here,” Duke barked, pointing. “And don’t come back.”

  “Duke, he’s just trying to help Lucy,” Monica reminded him in a voice much smaller than the one she’d used with Carlos.

  “Yeah, well, you figure it out. I have better things to do.” He sauntered back to the house, arms outstretched, and was greeted like a conquering hero.

  Meanwhile, Carlos boiled. It was never easy to let somebody get the last word, but when that somebody was a massive jerk, it only made things worse.

  “I’m so sorry about him,” Monica said as she brought her gaze to Carlos. “He’ll be in a better mood tomorrow.”

  At the rate the man was drinking, Carlos doubted that very much.

  He’d seen that look on her face before too. The one that said she either kept the peace or Duke made her keep the peace. Carlos hated it. She seemed like a sweet woman who deserved better.

  “It’s okay,” Carlos replied. “We’ll keep her safe. And if you need anything, you let us know, okay?” He hoped she could hear between the lines what he was saying.

  Nodding, Monica backed up. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  Turning, he began walking back to his truck. How did he get in the middle of messes like these, and when had this become his problem?

  That was easy. The moment he’d answered the phone and heard Ashton’s shaking voice. He was such a sucker that he wondered if he was grape flavored.

  Chapter 9

  The quick around Ashton’s fingernails was nearly chewed off by the time Carlos returned to the truck. She’d seen the exchange between him and another large man. It was scary, and she’d almost called the police before a woman stepped in and the other man walked away.

  “He didn’t want Lucy at the house? He can’t be serious.” Ashton seethed.

  “Trust me,” Carlos’s clipped tone ground out through clenched teeth. “You don’t want her there either.”

  Ashton rubbed her face with her hands. “At least we got permission to let her stay with me.”

  Nodding, Carlos pulled onto the street. “Lucy’s mom is doing the best she can. She seemed beyond relieved to know she was with you.”

  “That’s comforting at least. Knowing Lucy does have someone who loves her. I hate giving in to that jerk, though. What kind of father does that?”

  “Not a good one for sure.” He let out a long exhale. “That poor woman is trapped with that man. I told her if she needed anything to give us a call.” The defeated tone in his voice spoke volumes. Carlos was a good man, and he cared about other people.

  Before Ashton could stop herself, she laid her hand on Carlos’s bicep. “Thank you for helping. If you’d tried to do anything more than what you did, you could’ve been hurt with all those men standing around.”

  Carlos glanced down at her hand and then covered hers with his, his fingers curling around it. “I know, but I feel a little lost and helpless. I don’t like that feeling.”

  It was a small gesture, but it flooded her with comfort. “I know. I feel like that a lot.”

  “I bet you do.” His voice was soft as he turned into her driveway. He cut the engine and turned to her. “It takes a pretty special person to do this kind of work. Pretty courageous too. I admire what you’ve done.”

  “Me?” She chuckled. “You’re the one who runs into burning buildings when everyone else is running away. That’s courageous. That’s admirable.”

  At this point, she could confidently say she had a crush on Carlos Scott. It was a little silly since this was only the second time she’d been around him. Mostly, it just highlighted her loneliness even more, and the fact that she needed to get out more.

  A smile lifted his lips. “There are different kinds of courage.” His gaze found hers, and there was such warmth in his eyes.

  Ashton tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I hate the idea of sending her back home to that man. I wish there was more I could do. Lucy was so scared, and knowing what she’ll be returning to breaks my heart.” She sniffed.

  “Oh, hey, it’ll be okay.” He pulled her into a hug. “We’ll find a way.”

  Pulling away, she held his gaze. “Why are you so willing to help?”

  “Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. I don’t walk away just because something might be hard.”

  In that moment, she’d never wanted a kiss a man as much as she wanted to kiss Carlos Scott. For once, someone was willing to stand next to her when things got hard. That was one of the reasons she’d put off relationships. The last guy she’d dated didn’t care for her choice of professions or passion.

  The part that made her heart flutter was the way Carlos was looking back at her like he was thinking the same. How long had it been since she’d wished a man would kiss her? A man with a good heart and courage. She was pretty sure he could hear her heart hammering against her ribs, because she could certainly feel it.

  He bent a fraction closer, and she held her breath. He was. He was going to kiss her, and if the anticipation was anything like the real thing, her socks were going to be shooting through the floor of his truck.

  Tapping on the window had Carlos turning to the door of his pickup.

  Ashton turned her attention to her side and found Polly standing there, smiling. She pulled the door open for Ashton. “Hey, Ashton. Lucy’s asleep. I thought I heard the truck, but you hadn’t come in yet, so I thought I’d check on you.”

  Ashton stepped out, her heart in her throat, not sure if she was grateful or brokenhearted. She was sure he’d been about to kiss her. It was like asking for chocolate ice cream and getting kiwi flavored ice cream.

  “Oh, we were just talking about Lucy. That’s all. She’s going to stay the night. Your brother was just giving me a pep talk.” She smiled.

  Polly leaned down and looked into the cab and then straightened. “He’s good at those.” She paused. “Lucy was great. She talked to me a little but not much in detail. I told her if she ever wants to talk to someone who isn’t an adult, she can call me.”

  Ashton hugged Polly. “You’re such a sweet girl. Thank you, and thank you for letting your brother help me tonight.”

  Shrugging, Polly grinned. “Sure. I’m glad he could help.” The girl’s lips were practically reaching her ears.

  Carlos braced his hand on the seat. “Okay, Polly, we need to get home so you can get to bed. School’s tomorrow, and you’re grumpy enough of a morning.”

  Polly rolled her eyes, putting one foot in the truck. “He’s so dramatic at times. I’m not grumpy.”

  Ashton rolled her lips in and waved as Polly slipped into the seat and shut the door.

  Carlos backed out of the driveway and stopped, waiting for Ashton to get to the door and inside before he drove off.

  Sinking into a nearby chair, she bent down and put her forehead against her knees. The evening had worn her out both mentally and emotionally. Aside from having a little girl who shouldn’t have to fear going home, she’d nearly been kissed by a gorgeous man with an equally attractive heart.

  If Carlos’s sister had been even a minute later, he probably would have kissed her and…it could have ruined everything. Polly was a sweet girl, and Ashton couldn’t help but wonder how weird it would be for her to see her brother dating someone she considered a friend.

  It all seemed so unfair. Unfair to Lucy. Unfa
ir to Ashton. Just flat-out wrong. But that seemed to be par for the course. At least, that’s the way Ashton’s life worked out.

  Plus, as much as she wanted to believe Carlos wouldn’t walk away, there were doubts. A kiss would have made it all the more heartbreaking because then she’d know exactly what she was missing.

  Straightening, she pushed out of the chair to check on Lucy and then go to bed. It was better that her dream stayed a dream. A glimmer of what might be was better than living the truth…or so she told herself.

  Chapter 10

  Ashton stretched her neck and then rolled her head from side to side. She’d spent far too much time on her computer for the day, but the bills waited for no one. If she wanted the electricity to stay on, that is.

  Leaning back in the chair, she closed her eyes, wishing she could take a nap. She hadn’t slept well the past week. Not since she’d taken Lucy to school on Monday. At first, things seemed okay. She’d even seemed happy, which gave Ashton hope that maybe her father wasn’t as awful as she’d pictured. Only, after the first few days, she’d stopped coming after school. Now it was Sunday again, and Ashton was worried, especially knowing that Monica seemed scared of her husband.

  “Ashton?” Polly’s voice broke through her thoughts, and she opened her eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Are you getting ready to go?”

  Polly stepped into the office and approached Ashton’s desk, taking a seat in the chair across from her. “Lucy wasn’t here again today. Do you think she’s okay?”

  With a sigh, Ashton shrugged. “I hope so.”

  Polly crossed her arms over her chest. “Is this how it is all the time? Wishing you could help but not being able to? I know my brother sometimes feels bad when they don’t get a fire contained as quickly as he wanted. People lose everything, and he’ll mope around. He says he doesn’t, but he does.”

  Ashton could picture Carlos feeling that way. From everything she’d seen, he had a big heart, so naturally, he’d hate it when bad things happened to people. He was another reason she’d had difficulty sleeping. The little bit of time they’d spent together had only intensified the attraction she felt for him. That almost-kiss seemed to play on a continuous loop. It also made her lonelier.

  After losing her parents, she’d pulled away from everyone. It wasn’t on purpose. One day she’d turned around, and all the people she’d called friends weren’t there anymore. They’d moved on, gotten married, and were beginning to have families. She’d tried to rekindle those relationships, only to find they had nothing in common. It was a sad day when that finally sank in.

  Sure, she’d kept her parents’ memory alive by putting their fortune to good use, but in the process, she’d lost herself. Was she Ashton Johnson or was she Brothers and Sisters? She honestly couldn’t answer for sure anymore.

  “It sort of comes with the job. Not that I think of it that way. I love what we do here, but it can be draining.”

  “You do look a little tired lately.” Polly’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean it that way. I meant—”

  Laughing, Ashton waved her off. “I know what you meant. It’s okay. I think I’ll stop by a fast food place on the way home, drown my sorrows in greasy fries, and then try to get some sleep.”

  “Well, you know you could eat with me and Carlos. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

  That was the last thing she needed. As tired as she was, the chance for her to do something embarrassing was increasing. “That’s very sweet of you, but I’m sure your brother doesn’t want someone bugging him on his day off.”

  Polly scooted to the edge of the chair. “He won’t care. Trust me. I can even call him if you’re worried. Besides, fast food isn’t healthy, and you’ve never had my brother’s chicken alfredo. It’s the best in the world, and he makes it from scratch.”

  Ashton’s stomach grumbled, and her mouth watered. Pasta was her downfall, and if she ever had to watch her carbs, she’d be doomed. “That sounds wonderful, but still—”

  Pulling her shoulders back, Polly lifted her head a little. “Nope. He’ll love it, and so will I. I love my brother, but it would be nice to have a girl to talk to during dinner. He tries, but he has the fashion sense of a buffalo.” She cast her gaze down to the floor. “Honestly, I need your help. I was asked to prom a few days ago, and every time I bring it up, my brother gets a deer-in-the-headlights look and his face turns white.”

  Poor guy. Ashton couldn’t imagine how hard it was for him. Not only was Polly his little sister, but he’d raised her. It was a double whammy. “I don’t mind helping you, but that doesn’t mean I need to come to dinner.”

  “No, but you do so much for other people.” She shrugged. “I just…I just want you to know I appreciate you. It’s just dinner. One dinner. That’s all.”

  When Ashton hesitated, Polly stuck out her bottom lip. “Please?”

  How on earth had Carlos ever won an argument with his sister? “Don’t turn your sad face on me.” She waggled her finger at Polly and smiled. “That doesn’t work on me.”

  A tiny giggle popped out of Polly, and she grinned. “Say you’ll come to dinner.”

  Ashton studied her a moment, debating what she should do. There was a promise of homemade chicken alfredo and seeing Carlos. How was she supposed to have the willpower to refuse that?

  Before worry had taken over her nights, they’d been filled with scenarios that involved kissing him. But she was an adult, right? Surely she could have dinner with a man without losing her wits. “All right, but you need to call him first. If he says no, then you have to accept it. Okay?”

  Polly beamed as she stood, nodding furiously. “Great! I’ll call him while I check the other side of the building.” She hurried out of the office before Ashton could say another word.

  Dinner with Polly and Carlos. Hopefully, he’d tell his little sister no for whatever reason. Although, a homemade meal did have her mouth watering. She could behave herself long enough to scarf down some noodles and chicken.

  Chapter 11

  Carlos studied the chessboard, one arm over his chest while he rubbed his jaw with his knuckles on his free hand. Playing against Harris was fun, but it took thought because the guy wasn’t easy to beat. The way he played reminded Carlos of his father. He was the one who’d taught him to play as a little boy. Something he really missed now that his dad was gone.

  “Are you going to move or just sit there?” Harris asked.

  “I’ll move when I’m good and ready.” He was pretty sure he knew his next move. Well, he had a decent choice; he just needed to decide which one he wanted to use. He could swoop in with his bishop and take the knight, or he could pretend to wander into a trap, which would then leave Harris’s king at the mercy of his rook.

  “Did you ever find out about that little girl? Lucy, right? Is she okay?”

  “As far as I know. Polly gave me a few updates. She said Lucy wasn’t there after school the last few days and yesterday. I’m hoping she has better news during dinner tonight.”

  Carlos had swung by the station on his day off because he was bored. There was only so much television he could watch, and now that Polly was older and volunteering after school with the Brothers and Sisters program, he had his evenings pretty free.

  Harris sat back. “That doesn’t sound so great, but there could be any number of reasons for that. Maybe the guy is watching her while her mom works. You know, maybe that night you were just seeing the worst side of him. He was just out, partying, not making the best choices. It could be that he wants to spend some time with his kid.”

  “Good point. I hope that’s it,” Carlos said and made his move, deciding to go the trap route. He moved one of his pawns into a position to take the knight on the next turn. If he was right, Harris would move his bishop to take the pawn, leaving the king unprotected from the rook on the other side of the board.

  “Is Ashton doing okay?” Harris’s eyebrows knitted together as he looked over the boa
rd.

  “Uh, I guess fine. I haven’t really talked to her since the day after she found Lucy. I called to make sure everything went well.”

  Harris’s mouth dropped open. “What? That’s all? And you haven’t talked to her in a week? Call her already.”

  “You know I can’t do that. Remember when I asked Polly’s teacher out? I promised I’d never do that again.”

  Nothing had changed either, especially when she’d almost caught him kissing Ashton. One second later, and he would have been busted for sure. Her lips had been so close, and his willpower to keep things platonic was waning the longer they sat in her driveway.

  His stomach had flipped the second Polly knocked on the window. She was angry when the only thing he’d done was ask her teacher out. He couldn’t imagine the chewing-out he would’ve received from his sister if he’d kissed Ashton, even if she was the first woman to get his attention in a long while.

  “She’s older now. She’d understand.” Harris continued to study the board with Carlos knowing there really was no way Harris would win this one. “Just sit down and talk to her.”

  Shaking his head, Carlos let out a long breath. “No, my attention needs to be on Polly. She’s got prom and graduation coming up. It’s going to be hard as it is with our parents being absent. I don’t need to add to the stress or cause any problems right now.”

  “I get that; I do. But you can’t continue to put your life on hold. You’ve done a great job raising her. It’s time you got back out there. Started dating.” Harris picked up his pawn, moving his bishop into the spot it had held, exactly as Carlos had predicted.

  “Check.” Carlos smiled as he took the bishop and set his queen down. “You left your king unprotected while you were busy giving me life advice.”

  “Aw, man.” Harris slid his king to the square on the left.

  With that, Carlos positioned his bishop directly diagonal to the king. “And that would be checkmate.”