Page 2 of Blind Date with a #FIREFIGHTER
It’s been over a year, but sometimes Aaron still struggles with anxiety from when his mother left. His separation anxiety is better but still flares up on occasion. I’m not even sure it’s separation from or fear she’ll come back. Or just wanting a mom.
The dark-haired woman stands and takes his hand. Short with a full figure, I still haven’t gotten a good look at her face yet. Although Aaron’s expression is sober, intense in his explanation, he doesn’t look stressed. I shift, planning on following when my path is blocked by Nan, the town matriarch.
“Oh, just the man I was hoping to find.” She smiles up at me. “Alex dear, could you do an old lady a favor? Well maybe two?”
“My son just took off with a woman I don’t know. Can I come right back?”
“Oh, he’s with Thea. You don’t know her? I’ll introduce you. She works at the new daycare down the street. She’s wonderful with children. Got all kinds of degrees or such. I’ll take you to meet her in a little bit. I was hoping, because it’s a fire alarm, you could tell me why the little red light isn’t coming on.”
As we pass the room my son went into, I see the woman kneeling on the floor beside him as he chatters away and shows her two different books. She looks like she’s really paying attention.
“Here, Alex, this is the one.” Nan touches my arm, and I turn to her and glance to where she’s pointing. The ceilings are higheven for me, so I grab a stool to stand on and pull my mini tool wrench from my pocket to undo the screw. “NAN! There’s no battery in here. When’s the last time it’s been checked?”
“Well, dear, I’m not sure. I know we have a package of batteries. I’ll go get them.”
After checking all of the devices in the store and storeroom, I head back to where I left my son. All the other kids are gone. The woman is still sitting on the floor, her back to a chair, my son is in her lap as they read together.
Nan places her bejeweled hand on my forearm. “Alex, thank you so much. I don’t?—”
“Nan, Nan, we have a problem,” Rosalie rushes up.
“What dear?”
“It’s about our fundraiser, the silent dinner auction. One of the blind date males just cancelled. The woman is new to town and doesn’t really know that many people. I’m sure she’ll be devastated. I—what do I do?” She bursts into tears.
Time for me to leave. I can walk into a burning inferno but can’t handle a woman’s tears. I try to step away, but Nan tightens her grip and looks up at me. Oh no. Hell no. “Nan…”
“Alex, be a dear. It’s just one dinner. You’ll never have to see the person again. My granddaughter will babysit. Please, this is important to keep the children’s programs running. We’ve got more ideas and programs in the works that I know Aaron will love. As will the other children in town. You know we always provide books and school supplies to those less fortunate. This is part of that funding.”
Just then I hear the sweetest laugh followed by my son’s. I look up in time to see Aaron smiling like I haven’t seen in a while at the woman who read to him.
One date for the kids.
“You know my hours are not normal. It doesn’t work well with other people.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll understand. The new daycare where she works is open twenty-four hours and I know she does some night shifts. If you’re here today, you’ll be off Wednesday, right? I think that was the date she gave us for her availability. But I can’t tell you more. This is after all a blind date.
“All you need to do is meet her at Collette’s and have a nice meal. I’ll have my granddaughter at your house at six fifteen. She can put Aaron to bed for you.
“Alex, you’re such a dear and a real lifesaver.” She chuckles. “This means so much to the Book Nook and helping us stay open for our elderly and young customers. I’ll send you all the information.”
Sally has Aaron by the hand and is walking toward us. The woman who’d been reading to my son glances up then quickly turns away smoothing her dress.
“Dad, this is a new book all about firemen and trucks.” Aaron holds it up for me to see. “Can we get it? I really need it at home. Miss Thea said the words will be easy and I can learn to read. That would give me a head… head something for when I start school. If I come back next week she might be here, and she’ll let me read it to her. She’s a teacher at a school for kids.”
Nan is smiling up at me, an extra glint in her eyes. Why do I feel like I just got played?
CHAPTER 2
Thea Renault
Aaron is such a sweet child. So excited about being a firefighter like his daddy. He turned shy when a couple other children joined us but was attentive and polite while listening to the books they’d chosen.
After putting away all the books, I cross over to Nan who’s sitting at a table with a couple of friends sipping coffee.
She smiles. “Did you have fun today, dear?”
“I did. The children are always a joy. You do this every weekend?”
