Page 8 of Hearts to Mend

Miss Anne leans over to address me. “Mr. Rodriguez, do you mind bringing up the rear and checking the bus for anything left behind?”

“Absolutely.” I take my orders seriously, standing at full attention and turning to face the kids.

I’m a big guy—the Army added a lot of muscle to my 6’3” frame—so I tend to intimidate. I try to soften my expression with a smile for the kids as I count heads. Twenty-five, same number that got on the bus. No one is hiding behind the seats.

As the teachers and a couple of the parents start a follow-the-leader line off the bus, I hang back, winking at Matty as he passes me with a few new friends in tow, then double-check that no one and nothing has been left on the bus. Once I’m out on the lawn of the firehouse, I do another head count and hang back to keep one eye on the perimeter, ensuring all the kids stay within it. And the other eye, I keep on her.

Dee steps out from one of the open bay doors and stops beside a shiny red fire engine parked out front. She shines, too, her blond hair sparkling like spun gold in the rays of the sun, as she welcomes the children to her station.

Even in her cargo pants and fire department T-shirt, she’s so sexy, those tactical trousers pulling tight across the curve of her fine ass as she bends to hug my son. Guess this settles it—I’m a sucker for a woman in uniform.

Dee is amazing with the kids. She speaks in animated tones, telling hilariously silly stories and truly engaging with the children. She’d make an amazing mom—

When did that become such an attractive quality? Jesus, stop staring at her.

It’s an effort to look at anything other than Dee, but the last time I got to sit back and watch her, we were barely more than kids ourselves. She was beautiful then. She’s gorgeous now. And she carries herself with such confidence, like she’s completely comfortable in her skin.

Not for the first time, I wonder if she’s seeing someone. There’s no ring on her finger, and no one has said anything to me about a man in Dee’s life, but that’s not saying much, considering how little anyone has said to me about Dee at all since I returned to town.

You’re still staring at her. Pay attention to the kids!

I peel my gaze away from Dee and do another head count. Everyone is present and accounted for, perimeter secure, the sun warm and shining off everything it touches on this fine spring afternoon.

“At ease, soldier,” a deep rumbling voice says from my side. I look over to find Drew standing beside me in his FIRE shirt, mimicking my military stance. “So, Rico, Mateo asked me if he can come over and play with the cats tonight. Figured I’d check with Dad before I told him yes.“

I blink at the guy, still amused by the obstacle course he built for his three-legged cat in the house he’s renting from my mom—the house Matty and I will move into once Drew and Chloe finish building their home on the other side of Mom’s place. I bet Matty will want to keep the cat jungle gym and fill the house with cats too. “Sure. We can come over—”

“No need for you to come… I mean—if you have other plans—Chloe and I would love to have dinner with Mateo, and he can watch movies and play with Bodhi and Utah, so you could have a night to yourself. If you wanted. Maybe meet up with an old friend.”

Drew turns to watch Dee as she explains why the redheaded man beside her needs to wear his coat and helmet to a fire.

Wait…

What did Drew say about going out? I glance at him, then over at Dee. Is this some kind of matchmaking thing? I’m sure Dee wouldn’t appreciate one of her fire brothers playing Cupid, but I love the opportunity he’s handed me.

I gladly accept his offer. “That would be great. Mom has church tonight, so yeah, thanks.”

“You’re welcome. And you’re welcome to head up there and join the rest of the group. I can keep an eye on everyone from here.”

With a gracious nod, I ascend the lawn to the firehouse drive and stand along with all the kids beneath the boughs of the live oak trees, listening to Dee explain the air mask and tank her colleague is donning.

Once she finishes explaining the apparatus and equipment, another firefighter leads the kids inside for a tour of the station. I hang back, smiling at Matty when he spares me a grin before he high-fives Dee with his good hand and hurries to catch up to his friends.

“You’ve made a new friend for life,” I say.

“Mateo? He’s a sweetie.”

I smile, still so bewildered by how I helped create such an amazing little person.

Dee watches me a moment, maybe bewildered by the same thing, then turns away to pack items back into the compartments on the truck.

To her back, I ask quietly, “Can we talk?”

She keeps working as she throws out an answer. “I’m a bit busy at the moment.”

“Later.” I take a deep breath and let it out before mustering the nerve to ask, “Can I cook you dinner tonight?”

She latches one of the compartment doors closed, then turns to me, frowning. But she doesn’t say no.

---