Light up the Night (Firehouse Three #2)(37)

“I did.”

Jesse shoved a stray piece of hair behind her ear, staring straight up at the ceiling. “How do they do it? Run into danger like that?”

For a minute, Everly pictured Drake. From the moment she’d met him, he had stepped up to every challenge he’d faced. Whether it was a bachelor auction, walking an ugly dog, or easing a nervous dating neophyte into her comfort zone, he’d approached everything with his take-charge attitude. She shrugged. “It’s who they are.”

“I know, but… does it have to be so dangerous? I was so worried, wondering if the firemen I saw on the screen…”

“Was him? Me, too.”

“So much for finding nice guys.” Jesse laughed a little as she sank back against the couch cushions. “What’d you guys do for your date? We had take-out with the dogs. Sexy.”

“Oh, uh…”

“Everly, spill!”

So she did. From the day they’d met, to the auction, to the picnic and their night together, to the disastrous ending to their make out session in the truck. Everly let it all go. Jesse’s eyes got wider and wider.

“Yeah. So, I feel bad that I said no last night, when I really didn’t want to say no. And I don’t know why I did it. But I really, really like him, Jesse. What am I supposed to do?”

Jesse shook her head. “Girl, if I knew that, don’t you think I’d be doing it?”

The two of them sat in silence. It was kind of comforting that Jesse was in the same boat, but it would have been nice to get a little clarity.

If nothing else, though, getting things off her chest had made her feel a little lighter. Even if she still didn’t understand herself.



The keyboard clicked furiously under Belinda’s angry fingertips.

Drake hadn’t responded to that text she’d sent of her and Mr. Lanky from the hotel in bed together. And even though she wanted to, she’d stopped herself from calling and texting him again.

It hadn’t been working. So she’d tried a little reverse psychology.

He had to miss her. After all, they’d been together for years. He’d said he loved her. Feelings like that couldn’t disappear overnight.

And she was still working. Oh, she hadn’t given up on him yet.

The little cursor blinking at the end of her Facebook status caught her attention again, and she re-read what she’d written.

Back from the gym! Got to keep this body perfect for my new man. <3 <3 <3 He treated me to dinner at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse last night. Sooooo thoughtful! Thanks babe! –Feeling in Love

She wondered if she should add a tag, but who could she ask? Hmmm. She’d have to call up a friend and ask them to pose for some pics with her so she could use them to back up her story.

The idea of creating a Facebook profile for her new mystery date was tempting. After all, now that Drake wasn’t there, her days were moving pretty slowly. She didn’t have a job—had never needed one. Between Daddy and Drake, she’d been taken care of.

“God, this sucks,” she said as she clicked “post” on the status.

Hoping like hell he would see it, she closed her laptop lid.

Time was getting away from her. She wanted him back now.

But what else could she do?

“He’s just rebelling, sowing some wild oats,” Belinda said aloud, smoothing her hand over the lacquered finish of her desktop.

Yeah. He’d be back soon, especially now that he knew she wasn’t waiting around for him. The thought of some other guy dating her would yank him back home faster than a freight train.

She was counting on it.



Even though it was one of the harder things he’d ever done, Drake stayed away from Everly for the next several days. He texted her about twice a day. No more than that, even though he wanted to.

Time was what she needed, and he wanted her to miss him a little before the next phase of his plan went into action. But on the morning of his next day off, he got up early, hit the gym with a distracted and cranky-ass Hunter, then showered and made his way toward his destination.

He smiled at the stoplight in front of Hopeful Paws as he waited for the light to turn green. This was actually the fulfillment of a dream he’d had when he was a kid. Yeah, the idea had come about when he was trying to figure out a way to be near Everly, but the more he’d thought about it, the more he wanted to do it even without the added Everly benefit.

There was another young lady who’d caught his eye, and he was on his way to see if they could be together forever.

He walked confidently into the air-conditioned lobby, and waited his turn. There was a young couple standing at the counter and talking to Charlie. When she caught sight of him, she waved cheerfully, then turned her attention back to the couple.

While he waited, Drake looked around the lobby.

Now that he knew her better, this place screamed Everly wherever he looked. In the soft blues of the color palette, to the fun mural on the wall, to the wall of photos of adoptable pets near the bank of windows. He wandered over there, and in just a minute he’d found the one he was looking for.

He knelt down to get a better look, smiling at the thin layer of dust on the frame. It was clear this picture had been there a little longer than the others. A light jingle came from the front door, signaling that the couple had left. With a smooth, decisive movement, he pulled the frame from the hook and walked back to the counter, picture in hand.