Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Olivia
I don’t know what time it is, but I’m dreaming. I can tell because everything feels way too real, too perfect, but also completely ridiculous.
It starts in a coffee shop. A cozy one, the kind with too many mismatched chairs and the smell of cinnamon and old books in the air.
I’m sitting at a table by the window, sipping a caramel latte, trying to pretend that my life isn’t a complete mess, which it absolutely is. And then, out of nowhere, Jesse walks in.
But not just any Jesse.
No, this Jesse is wearing a tight-fitting leather jacket, looking like he just stepped out of one of those action movies I pretend to hate but secretly love.
He’s got that intense stare, like he’s been thinking about me for hours—maybe days.
I feel my heart start to race, even though I’m trying to stay cool. But before I can even say anything, Karl appears, sliding into the seat across from me with that familiar, devil-may-care grin. The one that makes me want to roll my eyes and smack him at the same time.
“Olivia,” Karl cries out, “You look adorable when you try to act all innocent.”
I open my mouth to retort, but Jesse's already leaning over the table, his eyes locking onto mine.
“You know,” he informs me, “I’ve been waiting for this.”
Waiting for what? My head’s spinning. They both look at me like I’m the center of everything, like I’m the only thing in the world that matters right now.
My pulse quickens. I don’t even know what to say, but before I can think too much about it, Karl’s hand is on mine, his thumb tracing small circles on my wrist, making my skin tingle.
Jesse, never one to back down, moves even closer, and his hand brushes against my shoulder, his fingers lingering just a little too long. My breath catches in my throat. I don’t know if I should melt into it or run away screaming.
And then they both lean in, Jesse from the left, Karl from the right, and for a split second, everything’s a blur. Their faces, their lips, the way they both smell like fire and coffee and something I can’t even name.
But here’s the kicker. Just when I think this is it—the perfect romantic moment—everything goes wrong.
Jesse’s lips press against my cheek, and Karl’s lips find my other cheek, and I’m sitting there, frozen, caught between two of them, unable to move.
And then… and then it gets weird.
I realize they’re both waiting for me to kiss one of them. But instead, I sit there, my heart pounding, confused as hell, not knowing which one to kiss. Or should I kiss either of them?
“Olivia,” Jesse whispers in my ear huskily, “Pick me.”
But Karl isn’t about to let that happen. He leans in and whispers, “Why pick one when you can have both?”
I swear, in that moment, I don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or throw my latte at them both. My heart is in my throat. How the hell did I get here? And more importantly, why do I want to be here?
I open my mouth to say something, anything, but then…
I wake up, gasping for air like I’ve just sprinted a marathon. What the hell was that?
It felt so real… too real. I feel like I’m still stuck in that coffee shop, caught between Jesse and Karl, their hands on me, their words in my ears. Pick me. No, pick both of us.
And then, as if my brain isn’t already scrambling enough, I catch a faint smell in the air. A little burnt, a little smoky. My eyes snap wide open.
My heart skips a beat.
Smoke.
I sniff again, my pulse quickening. The scent is more pungent now. Panic sets in, and I jump out of bed.
Shit.
I left a candle on the nightstand, one of those damn scented ones, I swear, I only light it for ambiance.
Apparently, I fell asleep with it still going. The flame must have tipped over when I turned in for the night, catching the edge of my blankets. The small flame has grown into a full-on fire.
I don’t think. I just act.
I grab my phone, hands shaking, and dial 911. The operator’s calm voice barely registers as I try to speak through the panic rising in my throat.
“Fire… in my room. It’s spreading. I need help.”
I sound like I’m drowning.
“Stay calm, ma’am. We’re sending units out right now. Get out of the building immediately, do you hear me? Get out.”
I barely have time to acknowledge her before I hang up. I grab my purse and keys, stumbling to the door, then backtracking to grab my phone charger. If I’m gonna have to deal with this, I’m at least going to be able to reach someone. Anyone.
I throw the door open wide, the cool night air hitting me like a slap in the face.
I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but the smoke is already creeping out into the hallway, and I know I need to get out now.
The whole house smells like burnt paper and plastic. It’s so much worse than I imagined.
And then, I hear it.
Sirens. Distant, but unmistakable.
A tiny spark of relief flickers inside me. Help's on the way. I’m not alone.
I bolt out the door and onto the front porch, blinking against the night. The air is crisp, cool on my skin, but the urgency in my chest refuses to settle. I glance back at the house, watching the smoke curl into the sky. It’s almost mesmerizing, like the house is sighing in defeat.
I don’t have time to focus on the smoke. The fire trucks are close now, their sirens growing louder, and I take a shaky breath, trying to calm myself down. But just as I start to feel the tiniest bit of relief, the unmistakable sound of tires skidding on gravel cuts through the air.
My heart skips a beat as headlights appear in the distance, and before I can even process the situation, a car pulls up, screeching to a halt right in front of my house.
No way.
Jesse. Karl. Leo.
Two men I’ve hooked up with, and one who hates me.
I mean, there are other guys, too, of course. But how can I look at anyone else?
All three of them step out of the car in a blur, their silhouettes sharp and urgent in the night.
Jesse’s in full gear, Karl’s wearing that stupid smirk of his even when it’s clear he’s concerned, and Leo… Leo looks like he’s been pulled from the shadows of a nightmare, his eyes wide and frantic, hair still a little messy like he didn’t bother to comb it before rushing over.
They all stop dead in their tracks when they see me standing there, hair messy, pajama pants, and bare feet, staring at the house as if it’s the end of the world.
“Livvy!” Jesse’s voice rings out, his gaze locking onto me, his expression filled with that protective, furious concern that’s both maddening and comforting all at once.
I don’t know what to say, but before I can even open my mouth, Karl’s moving toward the house like he owns the damn thing, pushing through the others to get a closer look at the smoke still pouring from the windows.
“Damn it,” he mutters, his usual cocky demeanor gone, replaced with something a little less playful and a lot more serious. “This is bad.”
But it’s Leo who reaches out to me first. “Olivia, you hurt?”
I shake my head, but my throat feels dry, and I can’t form the words to reassure him. I want to tell them it’s fine, that it’s under control, but I know it’s not. I know it’s anything but fine.
Before I can say anything, Jesse turns sharply, barking orders to the crew arriving behind him. “Get those hoses set up! You, move that ladder… now!”
He’s in full firefighting mode, commanding and directing them, his focus on the house. It’s the side of him I rarely see, and as much as it should make me feel safe, it only makes my heart race faster.
“Jesse, no—” I try to shout, but my words break when I see him move toward the house.
Without hesitation, he charges toward the house, his boots pounding against the ground. The firemen around him move like clockwork, but Jesse? He’s the center of it all, coordinating every step.
“Get that line hooked up! Move fast!” His voice booms over the chaos, cutting through the haze.
I feel the panic surge in my chest, rising like a tidal wave, threatening to overtake me.
I want to move, to go after him, to stop him, but my feet are cemented to the porch. I can only watch as he disappears into the inferno, the heat of it radiating toward me even from this distance.
Karl and Leo have already pushed their way through the front door, disappearing into the dark, smoke-filled house.
I barely catch a glimpse of Karl, his hand brushing past mine as he mutters something I can’t hear over the roar of the fire.
Something about getting the flames under control: his voice is low, steady, but I can’t focus.
My eyes lock on Jesse’s silhouette through the smoke, his figure barely visible as he orders the others into position. I know he’s doing what he was born to do, but I can’t shake the feeling of helplessness crawling under my skin.
The firemen move like a well-oiled machine, darting in and out of the house, hauling equipment, shouting commands over the crackling flames.
I hear glass shattering as the heat pushes through the windows, and I wince at the sound. The whole house is a hellish landscape of orange and black, a blistering furnace that’s swallowing everything in its path.
I can’t breathe. I can’t think. I stand there on the porch, feeling like I’m frozen in time, unable to move as the scene unfolds in front of me.
Everything’s a blur. The fire, the men, the fear, all of it swirling together until it’s too much to hold on to. The thought that my house might be gone…
Everything I’ve worked for, built here.
Before I can fully grasp what’s happening, the flames surge. A violent crackle rips through the air, and I see a piece of the roof give way.
The whole front side of the house explodes in a burst of heat, sending embers flying like sparks from a bonfire. The sound is deafening, with the crackling, breaking wood, and roaring flames all blending into one overwhelming noise.
Shit.
I take a step back instinctively, my feet slipping in the wet grass, my body frozen with fear as I watch the flames eat away at everything.
The fire seems to rage harder now, as if it’s angry, determined to destroy. The heat intensifies, and I feel the fire’s pull, even from this distance. I can see the blaze roaring in the windows, licking the sky, as if it’s trying to swallow the entire world.
The other men, the ones whom I don’t even know, charge in to help me.
I’m so freaking grateful, but the fear is sickening.
But eventually, the flames die down. The firefighters are managing to control the spread, but it’s clear that the damage is severe. Too severe. I don’t know how it will be repaired. The whole place smells like smoke, and the windows are shattered; the roof has caved in where the fire raged.
I swallow hard, trying to push down the lump in my throat.
“Is it… is it safe?” I finally ask hoarsely.
Jesse looks back at me from where he’s directing the firemen. His gaze softens when it meets mine, and even though he’s covered in soot, sweat, and dirt, I can see the concern etched into his face.
“It’s contained,” he says gruffly. “But the house… it’s too damaged. You can’t stay here tonight.”
I nod again, my stomach twisting. “Where am I supposed to go?”
Karl steps up beside me, his expression no longer playful. It’s the first time I’ve seen him serious, and it takes me by surprise. His eyes search mine, full of that same genuine concern that I know the others have, but with a hint of warmth.
“You can crash at my place for the night,” he offers. “I’ve got a spare room, and it’s the least I can do after all this.”
I hesitate, my heart racing again. I want to say no, that I’ll figure it out myself, but I can barely think straight, let alone try to handle this mess on my own.
“I’d appreciate that,” I finally admit.
Karl gives me a slight nod, like he’s relieved I didn’t argue with him.
But as I’m about to turn, I feel Leo’s gaze on me. His hand is still on my shoulder, and when I meet his eyes, there’s something unspoken in them, and it makes me feel like I’ve somehow broken an unspoken rule by accepting Karl’s offer.
But I don’t have time for his negative energy right now.
I'm a mess.