Summer with a Fireman (Love Beach Collection)

Chapter Ten

MADDOX

I walk into my parents’ home, calling out to them. “Hey, Mom? Dad?” Glancing into the front living room I see it’s empty. Walking down the hall, the kitchen is empty as well. The house is completely quiet but I notice Dad sitting on the deck outside. Opening the back door, I step into the sun.

“Hey Dad.”

“Fireman Baylor!”

I smirk at Dad’s hello and ask, “Where's Mom?”

“She’s resting. She volunteered at the hospital this morning.”

Nodding, I take a seat next to him. It's another gorgeous day here in Love Beach. You can smell the ocean. Being near the beach always makes me happy, but today my thoughts are jumbled.

My sister is on my mind.

And so is Marigold.

Life was supposed to be simple. All I wanted to do was be a fireman. Girls, and everything else came second. Sure, I had dates in high school and a couple short term flings here and there over the years, but no one has been able to grab my attention.

Until Goldie.

Fire is my life. It’s all I cared about. And still care about. To the dismay of my sister and my family, it has taken first place. They nudge me about settling down but there’s no one in town I haven't known since we were kids. And being a touristy town, it’s hard to meet someone new.

Unless a new woman opens a new business. In which case, it’s something to look further into.

But it scares me that this woman is making me second guess my entire life's calling.

Is this how Reece feels?

“You’ve been working a lot, son. Do you have any time off soon?”

I stretch my legs out in front of me and cross them at the ankle, preparing for the same talk I always get.

“Dad.”

He chuckles. “Just asking a question, Mads.”

“I have vacation time, but I’m training the new guy right now. I’ve been assigning him to all my shifts to ensure he learns everything from the ground up. I don’t want anyone else with him until I teach him my way.”

“Your way? Or the right way?”

“My way is the right way.”

Dad chuckles and sighs. “I get it. You forget I worked there, too. I know how it gets. Just don’t let it consume you.”

I let out a long sigh and my dad pats my shoulder. “I know, I know. I’ve heard this since I started. This is my calling, Dad. You know I love it. You instilled this in me! It’s actually all your fault.”

“Maddox. I’m proud of you. Beyond proud. When you told me you were going to the fire academy it made my entire life. Both you and your sister are doing amazing things and your mom and I couldn’t be happier.”

“Yeah? Even though she left town and didn't become a nurse?”

“As long as she’s happy, we’re happy. You’ll see when you have your own kids. You always envision a certain path for them and when they deviate it takes a minute to get your bearings. But we’re happy for her. And you need to be, too.” He eyes me with that last sentence. I probably took it harder than they did when she decided to change her life's course.

“She’s looking to leave again. She says she’s only here for the summer.”

He shakes his head. “That’s her choice. She knows she can always come home.”

I sit quietly with that information. Yes, you can always come home. Isaac and I will always be here waiting for it to happen.

“And you don’t have to work so hard, Mads. But I understand it. I was the same way, until I met your mom. Then, everything changed and I suddenly didn’t want to spend all my time at the station. You'll see.” He gives me a wink. “It’s going to happen, and it’s going to happen fast.”

Hearing him reiterate my thoughts from earlier, makes me shaky. I don’t know if I’m ready for that. But there is a lot in play here and a lot has already changed in my mind in just a short time. But Marigold has her wall back in place.

Time to burn it down, Maddox.