Page 11 of Passions Ignite

“I’ll see you around.”

As Lux left the coffee shop, she glanced back at Zoey one last time. She had finally remembered her surname: Knight. Lieutenant Zoey Knight. She was still sitting there, her big brown eyes again focused on something outside the window. Lux felt a bit puzzled by her and her complete lack of reaction to Lux.

Zoey was attractive. Damn, she was hot. Merely staring at her brought up wild fantasies in Lux’s mind. But there was something about her that felt distant, almost unreachable. Lux found herself both frustrated and intrigued by it.

As she walked back toward her truck, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Zoey’s story than she was letting on. Maybe it was just the newness of the town, the strangeness of being in a place where everyone already knew each other.

Or maybe it was something else, something that Zoey wasn’t ready to talk about.

Whatever it was, Lux decided to let it go, at least for now. She had her own life to focus on, her own responsibilities. But as she reached the station and stepped inside, she couldn’t help but glance back down the street, wondering if she’d see Zoey Knight again before the day was done.

She held that thought as she started the truck heading straight for her father’s house.

The drive was short as she wound through quiet streets lined with trees and modest houses. She had grown up in this neighborhood, every turn familiar, every yard and front porch a part of her childhood.

Her father’s house was a small, single-story home with white siding and a neatly kept lawn. The flower beds out front werefilled with blooming roses, their vibrant colors standing out against the green.

She parked in the driveway and got out of the truck, taking a deep breath as she approached the front door. The screen door creaked as she pushed it open, the sound familiar and somewhat nostalgic.

It reminded her of the many nights she had stood on the other side of this door, crying for her mom to come back to her. Losing her mom when she was so young had been devastating, and Lux had carried the trauma of it her whole life.

She often thought of what might have been, what her mom might have been like. How they might have had a great relationship now that Lux was an adult. She wished so deeply that things had been different.

They—Lux and her father—soon became inseparable, so much that she wanted nothing more than to be a firefighter, just like him. She walked inside.

The house smelled like freshly baked bread and coffee, a combination that always made her feel at home. The living room was cozy, filled with well-worn furniture and awards sitting atop the shelves. Her father had been a pretty outstanding firefighter in his time.

“Dad,” Lux called out as she walked inside. “You in?”

“Kitchen!”

Lux made her way to the kitchen where her father was standing at the counter slicing a loaf of homemade bread. He was a tall man with graying hair and a friendly face; his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.

Lux smiled and took a deep breath as she watched him. He wore an apron over his plaid shirt and jeans, his hands moving with practiced ease.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said, looking up from his work.

“Hey, Dad.” Lux leaned against the counter. She watched him for a moment, then walked over and hugged him from behind.

“Want a slice?” He held up a piece of bread. “There’s nothing like warm, homemade bread.”

“Sure.” She took a slice and bit into it. The bread was warm and soft, the crust just the right amount of crunchy. “This is good.”

“Glad you like it,” he said, grinning. “I’m trying out a new recipe.”

“It’s a winner!”

He poured them both a cup of coffee, and they sat down at the small kitchen table. The table was old, the wood worn smooth from years of use. Lux’s father took a sip of his coffee, his eyes on her, full of the same warmth and affection that had always been there.

“So, how’s work?” he asked, his tone casual but interested.

“It’s good.” She set her cup down. “Busy as always.”

“Anything interesting happen?”

Lux thought about Zoey, about their brief conversation at the coffee shop. She wasn’t sure how much to share, not wanting to make too big a deal out of it.

“Not really,” Lux said, keeping her tone light. “Just the usual stuff.”

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