Page 3 of Falling for the Single Dad Firefighter

"Ms. Brown?" Mia tugs at my hand as we wait by the door. "Will my daddy really come back?"

I crouch down to meet her eyes. "Absolutely. He promised, remember? And until then, you and I and your new friends will have lots of adventures."

She nods, her fingers still wrapped around the blue star.

As I lead the line toward the cafeteria, I push thoughts of Samuel Lewis aside. I am here to teach, to create a safe space for twenty-two children finding their way in the world. Not to get distracted by kind eyes and careful hands.

No matter how they might linger in my mind.

Chapter 2 – Samuel

I hang my jacket on the hook that's been mine for eight years now, right next to the faded photo of last year's department barbecue—Mia on my shoulders, ice cream smeared across her grinning face.

"There he is." Jax's voice carries from the kitchen area. "Thought you might've gotten lost at school drop-off."

I follow the smell of coffee into the common area where Jax sits at the table, boots propped up on an empty chair, scrolling through his phone. His dark hair is still wet from a shower, tattoos running up both forearms where he's pushed his sleeves back.

"Mia had a rough morning," I say, heading straight for the coffee pot. "First day..."

"How'd that go?" Jax asks, not looking up from his phone. "She do okay?"

"Eventually." The coffee is strong enough to strip paint, exactly how the night shift always leaves it. I pour a mug and lean against the counter. "Her teacher helped."

Something in my voice must give me away because Jax's head snaps up, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Teacher, huh?"

I take a deliberate sip of coffee. "Ms. Brown. New kindergarten teacher."

"Ms. Brown," he echoes, drawing out the syllables. "And what's Ms. Brown like?"

"She's good with kids."

"I bet she is."

"Drop it, Jax."

His grin widens. "Not a chance in hell, Lewis."

Before he can dig deeper, Caleb emerges from the equipment room carrying a toolbox.

"Morning, Sam," he says, setting the toolbox on the counter. "Mia get settled okay?"

"She did. Eventually." I'm grateful for Caleb's straightforward question. "New teacher helped calm her down."

"The new one from Chicago?" Caleb asks, grabbing a clean mug. "Principal Jenkins mentioned her at the town meeting last month. Said she's got some innovative teaching methods."

"Innovative," Jax repeats, wiggling his eyebrows. "Is that what the kids are calling it these days?"

I shoot him a look that would wither most men. Jax just grins wider.

"She gave Mia some kind of stress ball," I say, ignoring Jax completely. "Star-shaped. Calmed her down in about two minutes."

Caleb nods thoughtfully. "Smart. Physical distraction to break the emotional cycle."

"Yeah, well, it worked." I drain half my coffee in one swallow, trying not to think about the way Rebecca—Ms. Brown—had knelt down to Mia's level, her voice soft but confident. The gentle curve of her smile when Mia finally stopped crying. The warmth of her hand when we shook goodbye.

"So what does she look like, this miracle worker?" Jax asks, his tone deliberately casual.

"Normal," I say flatly.

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