Page 30 of Some Cowboys Brave the Flames

Chuck was momentarily stunned, then Tad joined them and helped Ash to his feet. Ash held out his hand to Chuck, who grabbed it with a sharp nod of thanks.

It wasn’t until after they again set to work pushing the licking flames back that Ash realized just how fast his heart was beating. It wasn’t erratic in the same way that Charlie affected him. No, this was adrenaline fueled… and it mingled with something else.

Fear.

He glanced at Chuck a couple more times in the first twenty minutes after he’d tackled him to the ground. The man had two kids. He’d just had his thirtieth birthday a month ago. The branch might not have killed him, but it would have injured him. Had it been a larger tree, he would have been hospitalized.

Life was so short. In the blink of an eye, the man could have left his children fatherless.

Ash shook off the unsettled feeling that rose in his chest at that thought. He’d given it six years.Six years! Seventy-two months of telling himself that she wasn’t meant for him and he’d made a mistake. All that time, he’d really tried to forget about Charlie, but it always came back to her.

Just her.

If he were to die today, in this fire, she would never know how he truly felt—how he’d never managed to find anyone to compare to her. He wanted her to know,neededher to.

Not only that, but he needed to clarify that he never had a girlfriend, and the only reason he’d mentioned one was to avoid being set up by her brothers. Ash didn’t know if any of that would make a difference, but he knew he had to try. He had to say something, or he’d regret it.

The fire continued to roar around them. They’d make progress and then have to step back when the flames were too hot. The work took longer than he’d expected, but that was what happened when old, dead trees were caught up in the fire.

Onward and onward they pushed into the fire. By the end of it, they were all exhausted, overheated, and looked like they’d walked through the devil’s house and come out on the other side.

A helicopter picked them up in the middle of a burned field. He and three other men were the last to be lifted from the scene.

No one spoke on the helicopter. They all sat back with their helmets in their hands and rested. Today was a hard day. It was one of those days that made a man reconsider what the heck he was trying to do with his life.

Fires like the one today only caused burnout.

He turned his head and stared down at the ruined landscape. By this time next year, new plants would start to grow, but it would take years upon years for it to return to the beautiful forest it once was.

Death. That’s what he saw down there. It hit him harder today for some reason. All of Charlie’s complaints about being a firefighter floated through his mind. It was too dangerous. His life was worth more than the adrenaline rush he got from jumping into the fray.

Ash glanced over to Chuck, noting his smooth features. He could be asleep for all Ash knew. But he was fine. He’d be sore in the morning after their tumble. But he’d live.

Had Ash not been there… he didn’t even want to think about what would have happened. That was the reason he kept going. To save the lives of the men he worked with. To save the lives of those who couldn’t put out these fires.

It wasn’t about glory. Heck, it wasn’t even about the adrenaline rush of jumping out of those planes so he could fight the fire from the right angle.

He loved his job because he was doing a little bit of good in a world that needed it.

Ash closed his eyes, and Charlie’s face flooded his vision. He loved her, too. And he was going to tell her that. She might not be willing to accept it. She might not even be interested in him at all, but he could be patient.

Six years of waiting had taught him that. If he had to wait another six years, he’d do it. But hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he imagined the possibilities—a future with her. Someone who loved with her whole heart, who could cook like a five-star chef, who could ride like a wild woman, and who didn’t even know the power she held.

After a shower, Ash tossed his phone onto the dresser, not caring that it slid and toppled to the ground. He practically fell into bed. The fire had lasted a couple days. He’d gone back and forth between the station and the fire itself until they’d deemedit mostly contained. He wouldn’t be surprised if he slept for two whole days after the ordeal.

Pulling up his covers, he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

14

Charlie

Charlie’s hands shook. Her ears were ringing, and she’d barely managed to get to a seated position while the newscaster reported on the biggest fire of the season. It was close enough to Copper Creek that the sun had turned red in the sky. Taking one step outside was suffocating, and everything smelled of campfire.

Daniel sat on the edge of his seat, his eyes glued to the screen as well. She glanced at him, then back to the television, hating how much she wanted to ask him about Ash. There were others in the room watching, as well, stirring more tension into the house than she could stand.

She’d been harsh with him the last time they’d spoken, and she wouldn’t have been surprised if she found out he never wanted to come by again just so he could avoid her.

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