Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
Isla
“Travis!” I shout but hear nothing.
What the hell is he thinking? What in there could be worth his life?
The pendant for the contest.
Seriously? This damn pendant is starting to feel like a mistress.
Anger mixes with confusion and worry as the red-and-orange flames get higher and angrier.
The fire starts spreading across the roof of the workshop, moving like it’s following a path of gasoline.
Hopefully, the fire trucks will be here soon, but I can’t stand here and do nothing. Rushing back to the house, I grab the hose off the holder on the side of the house, turn it on, and drag it across the lawn.
Once I’m close enough, I point it toward the fire on the roof. I’m not sure if it’s making any difference or if the fire is so hot that the water evaporates before it even hits the roof, but it’s got to help a little.
“Travis!” I shout.
There is no sign of him.
Tears well in my eyes as I keep spraying at the roof, and then finally, after what feels like forever but could just be minutes, the sirens of the fire trucks ring out.
I drop the hose on the grass and rush across the lawn to the driveway to meet them.
It’s organized chaos as they climb out of the trucks and unreel the hoses.
One of the firefighters, an older man in his fifties, approaches me. “Is there anyone in the house or the outbuilding?”
I swallow past the lump in my throat. “My boyfriend Travis is in the workshop.”
He frowns. “You’re certain?”
Nodding frantically, I say, “I watched him go in.”
“What else is in there?” His eyes are so attentive that I freeze for a second.
“He makes furniture in there.”
Looking back over his shoulder, he shouts, “We’ve got flammables in the workshop and one adult male named Travis.” Then he looks back at me. “I need you to go wait over on the road.”
I frown. “I can’t just do nothing while I wait to see if Travis comes out.”
Please, god, let Travis come out of there.
He grips my upper arms and leans in so that he’s at eye level with me. “The best thing you can do is to stay out of the way.” He releases me, turning and yelling orders at the rest of the firefighters.
Though it pains me, I do as he asks and walk back toward the street so they can do their job. I spot a few neighbors from further down the street starting to make their way over.
Travis’s brothers need to know what’s going on. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dial Josh’s number, and he picks up after a few rings.
“Josh!” I yell in a panic.
“Isla? What’s wrong?”
“I came to Travis’s house to talk to him, and when I got here, the forest behind his house was on fire, and so was the workshop.” The tears I’ve been holding at bay finally slide free. “He went inside the workshop, and he hasn’t come out yet.”
“Holy shit!” I can hear him moving around now, and he mumbles something to someone.
“The fire department is here, but…”
“I’m on my way. I’ll call Lucas.” He hangs up.
Tears stream down my face. Minutes pass as I watch ashes float up into the darkening sky now that the sun has begun to set. Half the firefighters attack the fire in the forest and the other half the workshop.
Police and an ambulance arrive with their lights and sirens blaring, joining the fire trucks.
I cross my arms and wait for what feels like a lifetime, my heart pounding every second. Where is Travis?
Oh god, my stomach clenches. I press my hand to my belly and stare at the workshop, willing Travis to walk out the door safely.
It’s taking too long. He’s been in there too long.
The sound of an explosion pierces the air, and I know it’s coming from inside the shop. Likely, one of the containers of chemicals Travis uses in his furniture making has exploded and gone up in flames.
“Travis!” I rock forward, but a set of arms drags me back. When I turn to see who it is, Josh is there. “Travis is still in there. What if…”
Josh holds me out from him by the upper arms. “No, Travis is going to be fine. We have to believe that.”
I nod, not really believing, and wipe the tears wetting my cheeks, trying to get a hold of myself.
To my surprise, Nova is standing off to the side. I met Brady’s sister the night we celebrated my one-year anniversary working for the company. Though I know she knows all the brothers, I assume she would have had to have been with Josh when I called if she’s here now, which is confusing but not my concern.
“Did you get a hold of Lucas?” I ask Josh.
He nods. “He and Camila are on their way.”
I turn and look back to the fire when I hear some commotion. I rise on my tiptoes, trying to see what it’s all about.
Josh releases me. “I need to know what’s going on.” I rush forward and down the driveway.
People yell at me, but I don’t grant them my attention. I come to a complete stop when I see two firefighters dragging an unconscious Travis between them.
“Oh my god.” My hands whip to my face, and a fresh set of tears run down my cheeks.
Paramedics rush past me as the firefighters lay Travis on the ground on his back. Torn between wanting to race over and wrap my arms around him and wanting to stay out of the way so the paramedics can do their job, I opt to stay out of the way.
They check him for vitals and place an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. I feel a small amount of relief because at least he’s alive.
Someone rolls the gurney past me, and then they all work to pick up Travis to place him on it.
Once he’s situated and strapped in, I break the distance. “Is he okay?”
They push the gurney back toward the ambulance.
The female paramedic glances over at me. “He’s breathing, but he needs a better look at the hospital.”
I follow along behind them. “I’m coming with you guys.”
She looks over her shoulder at me, and there’s a question in her eyes.
“I’m his wife,” I lie, thinking that unless we’re married or blood-related, they probably won’t let me come with them.
“All right.” She nods, and I follow them into the back of the ambulance.
They’re just getting Travis rolled in when Josh and Lucas come over.
“What’s happening?” Lucas asks.
“He’s breathing but unconscious,” I say. “They’re taking him to the hospital.”
“Only his wife can come with us in the back,” the female paramedic says. “The rest of you must meet us at the hospital.”
Both Josh and Lucas look at me with wide eyes. I don’t even care, I am not even embarrassed that I lied. No way am I not getting on this ambulance.
The two of them nod and take a step back.
“We’ll meet you there,” Josh says.
“Call us if anything changes on the way,” Lucas adds.
Pressing my lips together, I nod. It’s a stark reminder that we’re not out of the woods yet.
As I crawl up into the back of the ambulance and sit beside Travis, I send up a little prayer to please take care of him and let him be okay. Because as I look down at his sooty face covered with the oxygen mask, I realize how in love with this man I am and that I cannot live without him.