Page 74 of Nanny for the Firefighter

When my feet hit the lobby, I stop at my assistant’s desk.

“Get everyone home, okay? There’s a wildfire on the forest side. Get people out of here, and anyone who lives on that side of town needs to steer clear of the area. Understood?”

Cassie’s brows shoot up, and she stumbles out of her chair.

“Oh, my God. Okay, umm, yes. Of course.”

“Thank you, Cassie. Get yourself home, too. Just lock the doors behind you.”

She nods. “I will. Are you…are you going down there?”

“Yeah, I need to help. I’ve got my gear. It’ll be fine.”

Cassie frowns at me, and I know she’s thinking about what I’m trying to get myselfnotto think.

“Mason, are you sure you?—”

“I got it, Cassie. Thank you. Please take care of yourself and get the staff home. Okay? That’s the biggest thing right now.”

She nods quickly, her eyes glassy. “Okay, Mason. Can do.”

Hurrying off after that, I start for my car and call Bridget as I’m walking up to it. After two or three rings, she answers.

“Well, hi. I wasn’t expecting?—”

“Bridget, you need to gather up Mia and get out of the house, okay? There’s a wildfire and it’s coming from the side of town near the house.”

There’s silence for a moment, but then I hear her clear her throat.

“Wait, I’m sorry. A fire? Jesus, umm, right. Okay, yeah. I’ll get Mia. I can go to my mom’s?”

I know Bev’s house is clear across town, and it’s as safe a place to take Mia as we’re going to get right now.

“Perfect. Yes. Go there. It’s probably going to be smoky when you get outside, so try to get to the car quickly. Carry Mia.”

My heart pounds against my ribcage. I need them to be safe. I need my little girl and the woman that I’m falling for to be safe.

“Mason, I’m sorry. I…we’ve been inside doing the fingerpainting thing. I didn’t even notice. I feel?—”

“Hey,” I interrupt, getting into my car and waiting to turn it on so that it doesn’t cut off the call when the Bluetooth connects, “you’re okay. Just get going, all right? You need to get somewhere safe.”

“Okay. Okay.”

I can hear the tremble in Bridget’s voice, and it makes my chest ache. She’s clearly scared, and I fucking hate it.

I never want her to feel that way, and I want to be with her, helping, but I can’t. I have a job to do.

“I need you to call if something happens or if you need anything, okay?” I grip my phone so tightly that I worry it might crack. “I’ll get to you.”

“I will. I promise. I’ll, umm, I’ll get Mia to my mom’s. Mason, are you going down there?”

Bridget knows as well as I do what happened the last time there was a fire like this, and I can hear the fear behind her words thicken.

Because the last one? It killed my father.

“Yes, I’m not alone. Every firefighter in town will be there. We need to contain this.”

Through the shuffling in the background, I can hear everything go silent.

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