Page 14 of Ignite

“The thing is,” Reece said slowly, “The boys and I don’t want him to go. Your boy’s got us on the right path to bring home the trophy next season.”

“Ethan isnotmy boy.“ No, but he was all man, just notmy man. And I needed the memory of his eyes and jawline out of my head before I started filling order books with doodles of his face.

“Point is, he’s part of the team and from what Eric tells me, he’s looking to be part of the community.” Reece sighed, “He’s rounding up the next generation of first-grade league players before most of us have even thought about hanging up our boots.”

I’d heard about this community-minded side of Ethan but hadn’t seen it in action. “Flick told me he wants to do something with the high school, linking fitness to school attendance?”

“Exactly. Even destroying his poor excuse of a truck hasn’t run Ethan Cooper out of town.” Reece didn’t mind being the first to laugh at his own jokes.

“But he won’t sign up for the volunteer firefighters?” I had rules for any man in my life, and that was non-negotiable. Small towns like Meringa relied on our volunteers. We paid our taxes, but it felt like all our money went to the cities. We were left to pick up the pieces, including protecting ourselves from fires, floods, and everything else Mother Nature could throw at us.

“Not a chance in hell. Unless you can use your feminine wiles to convince him.” Reece laughed again, knowing I’d be the last person on earth to flutter my eyelashes to get anything.

“Like that’s gonna help!” I laughed. “He’s a big boy and can make his own decisions in his own time. Don’t worry, if he turns up, I promise to look after his truck, and you can keep his body.”

“Me thinks the lady protests too much,” Reece said, reverting to the concerned big brother voice he knew annoyed me.

“I’m not protesting. I have a business to run and just because your new Captain-Coach is pleasant to look at, doesn’t mean I’m interested.”

“He seemed to spend a fair amount of time in the gym pretending not to notice you pretending not to look at him.”

“Reece!” I warned, grateful no one was in the shop to see my blush. What was I? Sixteen and never been kissed, much?

“Just take things slow, yeah?” There was a long pause before Reece added, “I mean, after Darin, no one wants to see you get hurt—“

“Bye, Reece. Talk to you tomorrow.” I hung up, smiling.

An hour later and with my hard rock playlist keeping me company in the workshop, I’d sent out the last set of quotes and followed up on outstanding orders. After sweeping out the never-ending film of dust from the concrete floor and clearing emails, I couldn’t fudge around any longer.

The only job left was the one I hated—calling customers to tell them their car was delayed because of parts. No, it wasn’t my fault. Yes, we were a small town, and I couldn’t compete financially with the bigger towns and larger firms, but the whole of Meringa benefited when we kept money local.

My father had given the same spiel for decades. From the time I sat in my stroller, playing with plastic fire trucks instead of dolls, through to my teenage years when he’d tried to convince me not to follow in his footsteps.

Right until our last precious years, when we didn’t know they’d be all I’d have. We’d just gotten into a grove working side-by-side before—

Oh, no.I blinked until the threatened tears disappeared, then shook out my hands until the action brought back comforting memories of mum shaking or wringing her hands. She’d done that a lot in her last months. Now, I understood it had been her way of coping—her way of being strong enough to leave my brother, dad and me.

I turned back to the list of customers with overdue jobs. It wasn’t making the phone calls that I hated; it was making them without dad giving me the pep talks. I still missed the raised eyebrow as he agreed we could draw a line through another day. I’d close up, pour a nip of scotch for him and cider for me, and share the comradery that most fathers and daughters only dreamed of having.

Damn. I bit my lip, wishing it hurt more than grief.

He should be here.

I started dialing the first number as the bell atop the front door jingled. Not expecting anyone this late in the day, I brushed down my dark grey overalls and headed out to the reception area.

“What the hell?” The deep gravelly voice filled the workspace.

Wearing a fitted navy tee with a v-neck that showed a smattering of chest hairs and beige cargo pants that hugged his hips in all the right places, Ethan Cooper’s presence wasn’t unexpected after my phone call with Reece.

But he had a way of making me do the unexpected.

He’d turned me into a flustered mess after the car accident.

Then when I heard he jogged or walked everywhere, I’d changed my jogging routine on the off chance I could accidentally run into him and apologize again. After all, if he had to walk because I’d trashed his truck, then the least I could do was offer him a lift if I happened to be driving past.

But I only ran into him around Reece and the other guys. I didn’t need them to tease me about having a crush on their coach. Especially when I knew Ethan Cooper hated what I did to his ute more than how much he liked the way I looked doing downward dog.

Yes, things had gotten out of control the other night in the gym. My muscles might never forgive me because of the extra stretches and crunches I’d done just to try and impress him.

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