Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
Marley was half-asleep when the shrill sound of the fire alert echoed out of his phone. For once he’d managed to go to bed early. He blinked his eyes open as the high-pitched sound continued and instinct kicked in. He grabbed his phone and opened up the alert app the fire department had been using for the last few years.
Time was the biggest factor when it came to call outs. That’s why most volunteers lived close to the station. Before the first minute was up he was already dressed, pulling his shoes on and running down the stairs. He grabbed his keys because sure, he only lived a five-minute walk away, but it was a one minute drive to the station and every second counted.
By the time he parked, there were five other volunteers already there. Enough to send out the first truck. The second one would follow, just as soon as the other firefighters arrived, along with the EMT if medical assistance was needed.
As soon as they were in their protective clothing and in the truck, Tayto, their driver, pulled out and took a left. According to the alert, there was a fire in the cornfields right outside of town. He winced because his uncle was a farmer. He knew how destructive fires could be in a tinder dry field full of crop.
“How bad is it? Anybody know?” he asked. Adrenaline was buzzing through his veins.
“Can’t see much smoke,” Tayto, the driver told him. “But it’s kinda cloudy. And dark.”
“Who called it in?” Sian, their youngest volunteer, looked at Marley. She was twenty-three and lived three doors down from the station. Along with Tayto, she was always the first there.
“Some neighbors,” Marley said, reading the details on his app. “Sounds like there’s some kind of party going on. Kids, they think.”
“Fuck, I hate kids,” Tayto groaned.
“You have three of them,” Sian pointed out.
“Exactly. Why’d you think I prefer fighting fires to being home with them?” It was a joke. They all knew that. Tayto loved his kids. He was always showing off photos of them and telling the crew about their accomplishments.
The road was clear – thankfully. From leaving the station to arriving on scene had only taken them eight minutes. By the time they were climbing out and unloading their equipment the second truck was pulling in behind them.
The fire wasn’t in the fields, which was a good thing. It was in an area of scrubland around a hundred yards from the nearest farm – presumably the neighbors who’d called them out.
It was the kind of land where long-abandoned rusty old trucks took up residence, and people threw their trash because they didn’t have the good sense to take it to the waste management center.
The fire was big – but not out of control. There were people standing by it, though, and that was their first priority.
Teenagers, by the looks of them. About thirty of them. Some were drinking. He could tell that from the bottles on the ground. Someone was playing music from Bluetooth speakers.
A fucking party where they thought lighting a bonfire would be a great plan. Jesus, didn’t he spend enough time at the local schools educating them about the danger of fire?
“Who’s in charge here?” Marley asked loudly. He pushed his way through the crowd of partying kids to the small speakers set up on a pile of logs. Flicking it off, he turned around, trying to keep his cool. He wanted them out of here before they put the fire out. So much easier to do your job when thirty drunk teenagers weren’t milling around, making problems.
“He is,” a girl said, pointing at a boy kissing a girl over by an old Ford truck. “Or he was…”
Marley didn’t recognize the kid, but that wasn’t a big surprise. “Hey!”
The boy didn’t even look up from his girlfriend.
Jesus . Marley was just about to walk over to him and drag him away from the girl when he caught a familiar face in the crowd.
James Connelly. What the hell?
He was standing on the other side of the fire to Marley, his face flickering orange from the reflection of the flames.
For a moment Marley was so shocked he faltered. But then the training kicked in. He looked back at the one girl who was at least able to form a sentence.
“The party’s over,” he said roughly. “You all need to go home. Your parents know you’re here?”
“Kinda,” the girl said, her feet shifting.
Hmm. He’d worry about that later.
He looked back at where James was standing. And the kid was staring at him, his eyes wide. And they should be. The little shit. James started to walk away, but Marley was having none of it.
“Connelly!” he shouted out. “James Connelly.”
James stopped walking, busted. Marley felt a rush of annoyance flow through him.
“Get over here right now,” he yelled, because that kid wasn’t going anywhere.
James looked like he was sighing as he turned back around. Marley beckoned him over, and the kid finally started walking toward him.
Marley looked at the girl he’d first talked to. “Either you all leave or I call the cops. What’s it to be?”
“We’re going,” she said quickly.
“You got a ride home?”
“A few of us aren’t drinking. We have enough cars.”
“Good. Make that all of you next time.” He would have given them hell, but most of them weren’t in any state to receive it. And they had a fire to put out.
But every parent in town whose kids weren’t home tonight would hear about it in the morning. He’d make sure of that.
The girl turned to the crowd. “Time to leave,” she yelled. “The cops are coming.” Marley lifted a brow because she’d obviously added the last part to make everybody move.
And it worked. Tayto and Sian stood in front of the bonfire, making sure the kids kept well away from it as they swarmed like ants toward the cars parked on the side of the road.
James had finally arrived to where Marley was standing, his face sullen.
“Get in the truck,” Marley told him.
“My ride’s over there. I’m leaving,” James said, not meeting Marley’s eye.
Fury washed through Marley. “Get in the damn truck and stay there. Don’t touch anything. Don’t go anywhere. You hear me?” Fuck, he was furious. What was the kid thinking?
James nodded and walked over to the firetruck, sitting in the front seat.
“Connelly’s kid.” Tayto shook his head. “He should know better.”
“Yes he should.” Marley gritted his teeth as the kids left, standing guard by the fire to make sure it didn’t start growing. Whoever had built it up knew what they were doing, but by the looks of it that was an hour or more ago. The logs they’d used were blackened and the fire was starting to wane. If they’d come here an hour later the flames would have almost certainly burned themselves out.
It took them ten minutes to fully extinguish the bonfire. Mostly because it clearly wasn’t going to cause any danger to anybody. There was no rush, they could take their time.
And yeah, he wanted James to stew, too.
When there were only smoking black logs left, they began to pack up the equipment.
“Not such a bad one tonight,” Tayto said. “Could have been worse.”
“You see anybody you know?” Marley asked. “Apart from Connelly.”
“Yeah. A couple of kids from my son’s football team.” Tayto lifted a brow. “Don’t worry, I’ll be calling their parents tomorrow. And I’ll find out who the rest are, too.”
Some departments would have called the police. Not just because of the fire and the underage drinking, but because the kids needed to learn a lesson.
But the truth was, they didn’t get a lot of trouble from the youth around here. And experience had taught him that getting the parents involved was always better than calling the law. Not least because the police department was so small and they had better things to do than chase stupid kids.
“Thanks.” Marley nodded, because that was one less thing he needed to do.
“We taking him home?” Tayto asked, looking at James. The kid was still sitting silently in the cab of the truck, watching them. He looked sick, but Marley couldn’t tell if it was from the alcohol or the fact that he’d been caught doing something completely idiotic.
“Yeah, I think I should probably talk to him and Kate.”
Tayto slapped his arm. “That’s the right thing to do. I guess it was always going to happen. The kid lost his dad. He’s gonna act up.”
“He’s lucky it wasn’t anything worse than this.” Marley pulled his helmet off and unfastened his coat.
“For sure,” Tayto agreed.
“Get in the back,” he told James when they reached the truck, his voice letting the kid know just how annoyed he was. James sullenly climbed down from the front seat, his sneakers thudding on the hard ground.
“Please don’t tell my mom,” James muttered as he walked around to the back seats. He really did look nauseated.
“How much have you had to drink?” Marley asked him, because the last thing they needed was to have him throw up in the cab. It can’t have been too much, not since he could string a sentence together. But still, if needed he’d get him some medical attention. It was Marley’s job to make that happen.
James blew out a mouthful of air. “Just one beer.”
Thank God. It could have been so much worse.
“And how old are you again?” Marley folded his arms across his chest as James scooted across the seats and did his belt up without asking.
“Fifteen,” James mumbled.
“And what’s the legal age for drinking?”
James looked down at his feet. “Twenty-one.”
“Exactly. So you can be damn sure I’ll be telling your mom.”
James winced. Good. The kid needed to feel bad.
“I’m disappointed in you,” Marley told him. “One minute you’re begging me for help to be a firefighter. The next you’re setting fires where they could get out of control.”
“I told them not to do it,” James said quickly. “It was only supposed to be a bit of fun. I told them a fire was stupid.”
“You shouldn’t have been here in the first place,” Marley said. “Does your mom know about this?”
Tayto had started the engine up. Sian was sitting in the seat beside him, and the others had gone in the second engine.
“No she doesn’t. I won’t do it again. Please don’t tell her, it’ll kill her.”
Marley winced, because he knew that. Or at least he knew it would hurt her. And the last thing Kate needed was to be hurt.
But she was James’ mom. She needed to know. It wasn’t his place to hide something like that from her.
“It’ll be okay,” he told James as Tayto pulled up outside the Connelly house.
“No it won’t.” James’ face fell.
“Want me to wait here for you?” Tayto asked as Marley pulled the door open.
“Nah you get back to the station, I’ll walk.” He wasn’t about to make the whole crew wait up on him.
“I’ll make sure everything’s taken care of before I leave,” Tayto said. “You just get home and get some sleep after this. We can meet at the station in the morning.”
Marley hopped out of the truck and turned to James. “Come on then,” he said. The kid followed him, his jaw tight as they walked up to his front door.
“Time to face the music,” Marley told him, ringing the bell to the front door.
Kate sat bolt upright in her bed, her heart racing as she tried to work out what had caused her to so suddenly awaken.
And then the doorbell rang. A glance at the clock beside the bed told her it was almost one in the morning.
Her first thought was James. He wasn’t home. Was he hurt?
She grabbed her robe, wrapping it around her as she rushed down the stairs. Please let him be all right . She’d sent him a message before she went to bed, wishing him good night, but he hadn’t responded.
She’d assumed he was too busy playing video games or whatever it was that teenage boys did at sleepovers.
But what if something had happened to him? What if it was the police at the door telling her he was in the hospital? Or something worse? She should never have let him go for a sleepover without talking to the parents first.
Panic pulled at her stomach as she opened the door.
And then she saw James standing there and relief washed over her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked him, her brows knitting as she pulled him in for a hug. She sniffed at him. His breath smelled sour. “Have you been drinking?”
Then she realized they weren’t alone. A pair of deep blue eyes were looking at her, concerned.
“Marley?” she said, confused. “Why are you here? What’s going on?” It was way too late for him to be out for a run.
“Can I come inside?” he asked. That’s when she realized he was wearing his firefighter uniform. The familiarity of the heavy black pants made her chest tighten. How many times had Paul come home wearing the exact same uniform?
Until he hadn’t.
“Have you been at the station?” she asked James. He shook his head but said nothing. There were two pink discs on the apples of his cheeks. And he still wouldn’t meet her gaze.
Marley pulled the door closed behind him. “We got a call out to a party in some fields to the west of the town. James and his friends were there.”
“What?” She looked at James, who was staring determinedly at the floor. “Is this true?”
“Yeah.” His voice was little more than a breath.
“You’d better come into the kitchen,” she said, because she couldn’t just stand here. “Would you like a drink?” she asked Marley.
“A water would be great.” He pulled at his t-shirt. “Sorry if I smell. It gets a little sweaty under the gear.”
“I can only smell smoke,” she said softly. “Was there a fire?” She pointed at the kitchen table and Marley took a seat. James hovered in the doorway, as though all he wanted to do was bolt away. Trying to compose her thoughts, she grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it from the faucet before passing it to Marley.
“Sit down,” she told James. Thankfully, he did what she asked.
“I’m sorry.” His lip was wobbling. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“Did somebody force you to go to a party?” she asked him. Why wouldn't he look at her?
James shook his head.
“Did somebody force you to drink alcohol?” Her voice was tight. She wasn’t expecting to deal with this. Not yet. Maybe in a year or two, but not now. Not when he was only fifteen. He was too young, damn it.
“No. I’m sorry. I only had one beer.”
“You’re fifteen years old,” she said, her voice louder now. “It’s illegal. And idiotic. Do you understand what a bad decision that was?”
“Yes,” he mumbled. Kate let out a long breath.
“I trusted you,” she told him. “And you lost that trust.”
“I know.” His chin trembled.
He was a good kid most of the time, but she knew she couldn’t let this go. Not even if he missed his dad and his whole world kept twisting upside down.
Why wasn’t there a manual for this? Yes, she’d read books about helping children deal with grief. How to parent boys. Even how to talk to teenagers.
But right now she couldn’t remember any of it. She was relying on instinct alone. And she trusted those as much as she trusted James right now.
“You’re grounded,” she told him. “For a month except for school, church, and anything else I decide is okay.”
He nodded.
“And you won’t be sleeping over at anybody’s house for the foreseeable future. Especially not without me talking to their parents first.”
James pressed his lips together.
“And if I ever find out you’ve drunk alcohol again, there will be hell to pay. Do you understand me?”
“Yes.” His voice was small. And she was so grateful he wasn’t talking back. Especially in front of Marley.
“Okay.” She let out a breath. “Now go take a shower and go to bed. We’ll talk about this more in the morning.”
James stood up. “I’m so sorry.” He looked at her and then Marley. “I won’t do it again.”
She tried to hide her sigh. “Go get some sleep.”
He walked out of the room and pulled the door closed behind him. And for a moment the only sound in the kitchen was the thump of her heart and the drip of the faucet she needed to change the washer on.
Marley lifted his glass to his lips. She was so aware of his gaze on her face.
“Was I too soft on him?” she asked, because she had no idea what she was doing here.
The corner of his lip curled up. “I’ve no idea. I’m not a parent.” He gave her an apologetic look.
“But you’re a man who used to be a teenage boy,” she pointed out.
“It’s probably best not to talk about that.” Marley gave a soft chuckle, and it was enough for the tightness to lift from her chest. His hair was mussed from wearing his helmet and she felt the weirdest urge to tidy it with her fingers.
“You’ve got me curious now,” she told him, a smile playing at her lips. And God, it felt good to smile after what just happened. “Why is it best not to ask you?”
He let out a breath. “Because I was so much worse than James. There were two of us for a start. That makes for double trouble. The things Pres and I got up to were…” he trailed off. “Nah, you really don’t want to know.”
“But now I do,” she said, grateful for the diversion. “What did you get up to?”
“We took my dad’s car for a joyride when we were fifteen.”
Her eyes widened. “No…”
“Yep. And got busted. Plus, there were the times we used to sneak out to see girls. And that summer when we made our own moonshine…”
Her mouth dropped open. “You’re right. Maybe I don’t want to know.” Would James even know how to make moonshine? She had no idea, but she hoped not. “God, what have I got myself into?”
Marley laughed softly. “If it helps, I think you hit the right tone. James wasn’t the ringleader, he was just there. And hopefully he’s learned a lesson.”
“He better have,” she said grimly. “Oh God.” She shook her head, her eyes meeting Marley’s. “What must you think of me? Yesterday you saw me losing it over cupcakes. Today you’re dragging my son home from an illegal party.” Her eyes widened. “Wait, the fire. Was it bad? Did anybody get hurt? Any property get destroyed?”
“Just a bonfire on some abandoned land. Easily put out.”
“Thank God.” She let out a long breath.
“Yeah. As I said, if you’re gonna learn a lesson, it’s a good way to learn it. Nobody got hurt, no real damage was done.” He ran his thumb along his chin. “And for what it’s worth, I think a lot of you. I think you’re a strong woman who’s been dealt a shitty hand in life but you’re playing your cards like a pro. Do you know how many kids I’ve taken home after something like this and their parents didn’t even care?”
She shook her head. His words were making her throat feel tight.
“A lot,” he said. “But that’s not you. You care. A lot. More than anybody I know.”
“I just want them to be happy…”
“And you’re doing all you can to make them that way. But the rest… that’s up to them.” He reached out to take her hand, squeezing it softly. The warmth of his palm seeped into hers.
And she felt it again. That tingling sensation she only got when he was around.
It felt too good. She needed this to stop. Before she ended up embarrassing herself.
It’s just because you’re not used to a man being so close. Especially one as attractive as Marley Hartson.
She hated the way he made her feel safe and on the edge of a cliff at the same time.
“What if he gets worse?” she asked. “What if he goes off the rails?”
Marley ran his tongue along his bottom lip. Her eyes followed the movement.
“It might happen,” he said, his voice full of honesty. “But if it does, it won’t be your fault.”
“I could just ground him for life.” She was half serious.
Marley smiled again. He had the merest hint of crinkle lines around the corners of his eyes. She had no idea why she found them so attractive. But she couldn’t look away.
She liked him being here. Liked him being close. Every cell in her body was reacting to him.
“No you couldn’t. And you wouldn’t want to.”
She wouldn’t, no. But she just wished she knew what to do.
“I have a suggestion,” Marley said. “But I’m not sure you’ll like it.”
“I’ll listen to anything right now,” she admitted.
“Let him join the junior firefighters. Give him something to concentrate on. He’ll be around grown men who know the dangers of making stupid decisions. We’ll work him out until he’s exhausted. We’ll teach him how to deal with emergencies.” He let out a breath. “You’re doing your best, Kate. More than your best. But you don’t have to do this alone. Let us help.” He paused. “Let me help.”
She couldn’t say anything for a moment. Mostly because Marley’s words made sense. And she hated that. Hated knowing that he was right and she was wrong.
“If I’d already let him join do you think he’d have stayed home tonight?” she asked him.
Marley shook his head. “No. Because he’s a kid and he hasn’t learned how to make the right decisions all the time. And I can’t promise that we’ll be a miracle cure for that. All I can tell you is that when I started volunteering, it changed me. It made me a man.”
His thumb brushed her palm and she realized she was still holding his hand. She looked down, seeing the way his fingers dwarfed hers. Everything about him was big. Strong.
She took a deep breath.
“I’ll think about it,” she promised him. “When’s the next meeting?”
“On Sunday.”
“He’s grounded,” she pointed out.
“Yeah, I know. I was gonna suggest we make him sit and watch us go through the drills. A kind of punishment because all the other juniors will be joining in. No kid likes sitting on the sideline. But it’ll do him good to know what he’s missing out on.”
His thumb brushed her hand again. And this time she could feel the thrill rushing straight to her core. It was just a physical reaction. She knew that. It didn’t mean anything.
So why wasn’t she pulling away?
“He would hate that,” she said softly.
The corner of his lip curled up. “Yep.”
And now she was smiling too. Not just because it felt like she wasn’t alone in this. But because she could feel some hope rushing back in.
Yes, she was still scared of James joining the junior firefighters. Not least because the kind of danger he was in tonight was nothing compared to what he’d be exposed to if he graduated and became a full-fledged volunteer.
“You know he’s a good kid. He just needs some direction,” Marley told her. “Maybe we all do. But this feels good, you know? Like he’s finally moving forward.”
She nodded. “Yes, it does.” Finally, she pulled her hand from his, already missing his touch. “Thank you. For bringing him home. For caring.”
He glanced at her mouth then back to her eyes, his gaze holding onto hers for a moment too long. “Thank you for letting me.”