Page 51 of Combust
“Mike Jacobsen came by Cinnamon + Sugar this afternoon,” Maggie said as she forked up the last greens from her plate. “He told me that his ranch was hit by the Christmas tree poachers this morning. They took every tree over four feet tall from his Douglas fir grove.”
“Dammit,” Dane exploded. “Someone must’ve been watching his place. Did they see anyone hanging around?”
Maggie shook her head. “He and some of his ranch hands took turns standing guard all night, but they left to feed the livestock at dawn. He didn’t think that the thieves would hit his ranch in broad daylight.”
“I guess anyone who still has their trees should be setting up trail cams or some kind of security cameras,” Annabeth commented.
Given the size of the properties around here and the number of trees, Cade could only imagine how much equipment would be needed.
So did Dane, apparently. He grimaced. “Sounds expensive. And Mike’s family is still paying off the barn they had to replace after that plane crash.”
“No insurance?” Cade asked sympathetically. Then Dane’s words sank in.“Planecrash?”
Maggie nodded.
“That’s the thing—Mike’s dad did have insurance,” Annabeth explained, sounding indignant. “But the company decided the crash qualified as an ‘Act of God’ or something, and told him to sue the airline. The feds in charge of investigating the crash discovered that the owner had sabotaged the plane. He promptly vanished into thin air, and his airline went bankrupt, so there was no one to sue.”
“Dad, I remember you got called out to help with that accident,” Maggie said.
He nodded, his expression grim. “It wasbad. Maybe the worst call I’ve ever been on. It was a miracle that two people survived. But the rest of them, including the crew…all gone. And there was nothing that I or anyone else could do for them.” He shook his head slowly.
“Damn,” Cade breathed, trying to push down his memories of fire. “You couldn’t have paid me to get near something like that.”
He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Because if it had been Maggie on that plane, he would have waded naked through the flames to try and save her, even if it meant his own death.
“I don’t want the fire to win,” Dane said softly. He met Cade’s eyes, and his gaze was level. “I’m a firefighter because I’ve seen what it can do. It robs the people in this community of their homes, their possessions, their livestock, and most importantly, their loved ones. If there’s a chance that I can save them…I have to try.”
Cade looked down at his plate. His scarred hands clenched as shame welled up.
He couldn’t help wondering,If my folks had lived in a place like this, an actual community with a volunteer fire department and caring neighbors, would it have changed anything that night?
He suspected that it would have made all the difference in the world, especially afterwards. When he’d found himself alone, badly burned, and suddenly an orphan. Clanless.
And then there was Maggie. He wanted to prove to himself—and her—that he was worthy of joining her clan as a full member. And that he would be up to the task of protecting his new family from whatever might threaten them.
She seemed to sense the emotions roiling his soul like a stormy sea. She touched his hand, stroking the ugly patches of the old burns.
“Hey,” she murmured. “It’s okay. Really.”
“It’s not.” Cade straightened in his chair and looked at her. “I want to do my part, to protect you. To protect everyone.” He addressed Dane. “I’ve reconsidered. I’d be honored to join the fire department, sir.”
Chapter Fourteen - Hot and Bothered
Maggie’s fingers closed around Cade’s, and squeezed.
“And we’d be honored to have you.” Dane smiled. “I guess that means you intend to stay in Bearpaw Ridge for a while?”
All three of them appeared pleased by his announcement. And was thatrespectin Dane’s eyes?
Cade looked down. He felt oddly vulnerable, like a turtle stripped of its shell. “It seems like a good place. Thought I might stick around for a bit, see what happens.”
“I’m sure Maggie will like that,” Annabeth said. “And I’m glad that you don’t intend to sweep her off to Texas or wherever.”
Is that what they think? That I’m here to steal their daughter away?He shook his head. “No, ma’am, I never had any intention of doing that.”
“Won’t you please call me Annabeth?” She gave him one of her sweet smiles.
“You know, Cade,” Maggie said brightly, “you don’t have to fight fires, if you really don’t want to.” Her expression turned wry. “Most of the volunteers are excited about the fire engines, ladders, and hoses, but honestly, the majority of our calls are for medical emergencies and car accidents. We always need EMTs, and can never have too many of them.”
