Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Mark dived into the lake and relished how the water transformed him. If only for a short time, he forgot the weakness in his leg. He felt almost like he used to. Almost.
His steady rhythm cut through the cool lake water, each stroke smooth and powerful, slicing past the memories that threatened to drown him if he let them. All he wanted was for the water to erase the pain of his past and push Emily out of his mind. Both were easier said than done, though.
She’d been training baristas at the shop all week, and he found himself more and more captivated by her. He did his best not to show it, but it was getting harder every day.
He was on his third lap when a small cry rippled out from the shore. It reached him like an echo from a world he’d left behind. Instantly, he veered toward the sound, his eyes landing on a young, flailing boy. A searing, gut-punch of a memory hit him, the shock of recognition sinking in. He saw his life before the injury come rushing back. Drawing on strength he thought he’d lost, he surged forward through the water, pushing himself harder than he had in years.
The instincts of a rescuer, once vital to his very existence, took charge. Like a piece of music played countless times, his old training slipped effortlessly into place with reflexive speed. The years seemed to vanish in the splash of his strokes. In an instant, he propelled himself to the boy’s side, reaching him with an urgency he hadn’t felt in forever. Every move was confident and precise as if this very moment had been waiting for him, an echo from another life.
The boy’s cries were shallow gasps now, waterlogged and panicked. But Mark’s solid presence seemed to anchor the child. He spoke calm words of reassurance, telling him everything would be okay. Gathering the boy to him, Mark turned back toward the shore with a conviction that surprised him. He pushed himself as fast as he could swim drawing on the strength and certainty that once defined him.
Mark lifted him from the water with firm arms that refused to let go. He could feel the boy’s thin, trembling frame against his chest. His mind raced even faster than his steps. He couldn’t help but wonder if the boy had been in longer than he’d thought. The urgency of the moment fueled him, and he pushed everything else aside. All that mattered was making it to solid ground.
Water dripped from their bodies, marking a path from danger to safety. He did his best to ignore the pain in his leg, determined to carry them both to the shore as quickly as possible. The last few strides felt like an eternity, but Mark kept going. Every muscle and thought focused on one thing—getting this boy to safety.
Mark wasn’t even sure how long the boy had been struggling in the water or where his parents were, but none of that mattered right now. Mark forced himself to focus on assessing what to do next.
The boy’s breath was shallow, and his pulse was thready. He worked to revive him and get him stable. When the boy started to come to, Mark was flooded with relief.
“Can I help? I was riding my bike nearby when I saw what happened,” Emily told him as she knelt down beside him on the lake shore.
Mark’s eyes darted over at her with a startled look. Emily seemed to come from nowhere. She was all motion and color, and for a second, it threw him off balance.
Her eyes were bright and focused. “I already called 9-1-1. They should be here in a few minutes.”
Mark nodded, grateful for her help. “Thanks.” Then, glancing around, he asked, “Do you know where the boy’s parents are?”
Then, almost on cue, he heard a wail. A strawberry blonde woman was sprinting toward them, clutching a toddler with her panicked eyes locked on the boy. Emily sprang up and ran to meet her.
“Are you his mom?” Emily asked, breathless. The blonde woman shook her head, fumbling with the baby’s swim diaper. “His aunt, Nicole West Hutton,” she stammered out in shock. “I can’t believe he snuck out while I was tending to my son.”
“Don’t worry, Mark knows what he’s doing. He used to be a swift water rescue officer,” Emily told the other woman, taking her arm and guiding her over to where Mark and the boy were.
“He’ll be fine,” Mark said as the woman collapsed beside them. “He swallowed a lot of water, but he’s already breathing better.”
The loud, piercing wail of the siren filled the air, cutting through the tension. Its echo bounced off the surrounding buildings, creating a sense of impending relief. “That’s the ambulance,” Emily informed them, her voice steady amidst the chaos.
The boy’s aunt thanked them both, breathless and shaky. “I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t been here.”
They loaded the boy into the ambulance, and his aunt climbed in beside him, still holding her toddler. “Thanks again,” she called out one final time before the doors shut to the ambulance.
The wail of the siren filled Mark’s head as he turned to Emily. She smiled at him, wide and easy. “You were amazing,” she told him. “I can tell it was natural for you to save his life.”
Mark shook his head, feeling the ache in his leg but doing his best not to concentrate on it. “Old instincts kicked in,” he explained as they walked over to his truck. “I didn’t even think about it; I just reacted.”
“Well, those were great instincts.”
“Right place, right time,” he said, grabbing his towel from the seat of his truck and drying off. “I could say the same for you riding by when you did.”
She nodded. “Fate has a funny way of putting you were you need to be.”
“Thanks for the help with the boy’s aunt.”
“You seem like a guy who doesn’t need much help,” she said, tilting her head at him. She stepped closer like she was trying to figure him out. “I think after all that, you deserve a good meal.”
Mark’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you asking to take me to dinner?”
“Only if you say yes,” she said, still smiling. Her voice was light, and he found himself wanting to say yes even though he knew it wasn’t a good idea.
“Okay,” he agreed, ignoring the part of him that warned him it wasn’t professional. “I’d like that.”
“I have some things to take care of before we go. How about six at the bistro on the Waterfront?”
“Sure,” Mark agreed. “I’ll meet you there. It gives me time to head home and get into something more appropriate,” he gestured to his wet swim trunks.
She chuckled with a nod. “Okay, see you soon.”
“I’ll be the guy with the limp.”
She let out another laugh, already heading back to her bike. “I’ll be the one with the helmet and the leather jacket,” she called over her shoulder, a hint of mischief in her tone.
As Emily rode off, the sound of her motorcycle faded into the distance. Mark couldn’t help but watch her go with admiration. There was something about Emily’s fearlessness that intrigued him, that pulled at something deep inside him. He shook his head to clear it and turned his attention back to drying off and organizing his gear. The pain in his leg was a dull throb now, a reminder of the limits he hated to acknowledge.
A half-hour later, Mark stood in front of his closet after a quick shower, and his hand hovered over his limited choices. He opted for simplicity—a clean white T-shirt and blue jeans. It was casual but clean-cut enough for dinner by the river. Every so often, his leg gave a pang that made him pause, but he wasn’t going to let it deter him.
Driving toward the bistro, his mind replayed the day’s events—the rescue, Nicole’s panicked face, and Emily’s vibrant presence. He was glad he was there and able to help and that the little boy was okay. He had gotten a text from Nicole, who had gotten his number from one of the baristas, telling him that her nephew was going to make a full recovery.
He arrived at the bistro early and chose a table with a view over the river. The water flowed steadily beneath the setting sun, its surface flickering with golden light as if signaling the end of another day.
When Emily arrived, Mark couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She wore jeans and a flowing top that seemed to capture every hue of the sunset itself—warm oranges and pinks that played off her dark hair beautifully.
She spotted him immediately and walked over, taking a seat across from him. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”
“Just got here myself,” Mark told her with a smile. “You look...great.”
“You too,” Emily grinned and looked straight at him with her bright brown eyes full of life.
“The hostess told me when I came in you’re a regular here. Got a secret life as a foodie?” Emily questioned as she picked up a menu.
Mark shook his head. “When I first got to Faith Valley, someone mentioned that this place had the best view in town.” He nodded toward the window, where the river caught the last light of day. “And food to match.”
“Guess that means you should know exactly what to order,” Emily teased.
“Everything’s good,” he told her.
“Then maybe I should flip a coin?” she asked with an arch of her eyebrow.
“You’re the adventurous type, huh?” Mark asked. He already knew the answer. “So, what brought you to town?
She nodded. “I’m game for wherever life takes me. It’s why I jumped at the chance to be a barista trainer for the company. New store, new crew. A chance to make sure the coffee doesn’t end up tasting like crap. ”
Temporary, he reminded himself. She won’t be here for long. Not only was she working for him at the coffee shop, which complicated the situation, but she wasn’t going to be sticking around once the training was finished. It would be a mistake to get involved with her, at least that was what he kept trying to tell himself. Yet, he couldn’t keep himself from wanting to see where this could go.
The waiter brought their drinks, and they laughed as Emily insisted they order two random dishes and share. Mark felt the tension from the day slip away.
Emily took a sip of her water, and then ran her fingers along the rim. “So...water rescues and coffee shops aside—tell me something about Mark that no one else knows.”
He chuckled softly. “Not sure there’s much that’s not been unpacked by now,” he said with a hint of somberness behind his smile.
“There’s always something,” Emily pressed gently.
Mark leaned back in his chair as he considered his response. He wasn’t used to opening up on demand. “Well, I guess not many people know that I used to write poetry after my accident. Nothing major, just a way to sort things out in my head.”
Emily’s eyes lit up. “Really? That’s unexpected. Ever think of taking it up again?”
Mark shrugged as he looked out the window. “It was mostly at the suggestion of my therapist. It got pretty dark for a while when I realized I wasn’t going to be able to do search and rescue anymore.”
“You seemed pretty capable out there when you rescued that boy earlier today,” Emily observed.
“My leg hurt the whole time,” he admitted. “And when you’re out on call, it could take hours to find your victims and get them to safety. I wouldn’t be able to keep up. It just took me a long time and a lot of therapy to finally accept that.”
“I guess that just means you have a different destiny than you thought,” she told him with an appreciative smile.
He looked at her, really looked at her, and for a fraction of a second, he allowed himself to imagine what that could mean. But then reality snapped back into place, and he remembered why barriers existed.
“I guess that’s why I’m opening up the Brave Badge,” he confessed, his voice tinged with vulnerability. “I want my life to still matter,” he added, a hint of desperation creeping into his tone that he wished he could keep hidden.
“It does, Mark,” her eyes meeting his with unwavering sincerity. “And you don’t need a coffee shop to prove that.”
As she spoke, he felt warmth spread across his chest from her reassurance. Her words were gently nudging away his lingering doubts. He took a breath, letting it fill his lungs like fresh air. He was almost scared of how good it felt. “Not exactly what you had in mind when you asked me to dinner?”
“Better,” Emily whispered. It sounded like she meant it—as if there was no question in her mind.
Mark liked the way that felt; like he wasn’t supposed to be anywhere else but here. He didn’t know how long that would last, but he liked it anyway.
As they continued to chat over dinner, Mark couldn’t help but notice the ease between them. It was natural, unforced, and something about Emily made him want to ignore all the reasons why he shouldn’t get involved with her. She laughed at his jokes, challenged his opinions, and listened intently when he spoke about his past experiences on the rescue team.
The meal passed quickly, and as they stood to leave, Emily hesitated beside the table. “Mark, this was nice,” she paused, “really nice.”
“It was,” he agreed. And it would have been easy to leave it at that—two colleagues who had shared a pleasant evening—but instead, he found himself asking, “Would you like to take a walk along the waterfront? The night’s too early to end just yet.”
Emily’s face brightened with a wide smile. “That sounds wonderful.”
They walked side by side along the river, the afterglow of sunset replaced by the gentle shimmer of stars reflected on the water’s surface. They talked about trivial things—movies they liked, books they’d read, games they enjoyed playing—but under it all ran an undercurrent of something else, something that ran deeper.
At one point, Emily stopped walking and turned toward him. “Mark,” she began tentatively. “Back there in the restaurant...why did you hold back? You seemed like you were going to say more.”
Mark took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her question. “I guess...I’m trying not to make things complicated,” he admitted. “With us working together—and your plans not being permanent here—it seems wise not to dive into anything too deep.”
Emily nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. “I understand that,” she said softly. Yet there was a hint of disappointment in her voice that she couldn’t quite hide.
“But sometimes,” Mark added in a quieter tone as he took a step closer, drawn by an impulse he couldn’t suppress any longer, “sometimes it’s worth taking a little risk.”
In response, Emily nodded. “Sometimes the best things are a little complicated.”
Mark reached over and placed his hand on her cheek. She leaned in, her face bright and expectant. He felt a jolt and thought about how easy this was. Easier than he’d imagined.
Her phone buzzed. She pulled back like the sound had a physical presence. With a heavy sigh, she yanked her phone out of her back jean pocket. The smile fell from her face, alerting Mark instantly that something was wrong.
“What’s going on?” he asked with concern.
Emily shrugged it off, sliding her phone back into her pocket. “It’s nothing,” then she changed the subject. “Now, I have the most important question to ask you. When are you going to show me your motorcycle?”
“I haven’t ridden much since my accident,” he admitted. “But I have my dad’s bike parked in my garage. He left it to me when he passed away.”
“Well, that’s just not going to do,” she told him with a playful grin. “Riding is everything.”
“I agree. I need to be better about making time for the things I enjoy.”
"So we both love motorcycles, breakfast tacos, and true crime documentaries,” Emily listed off, her laugh punctuating the rhythm. “Guess we both have great taste.”
Mark grinned. They found more in common than he expected. It was a welcome surprise. “I guess so, and I guess that means we’re friends now.”
“Do friends ride motorcycles together?” she questioned, her eyes bright and playful.
“I think they do,” Mark replied, a playful undertone in his voice matching hers. “Especially if they both appreciate the thrill of the open road.”
Emily’s eyes sparkled with excitement, “Then it’s settled. We’re going on a ride on our next afternoon off.”
Mark couldn’t help but feel a rush of anticipation at the prospect. Sharing something he loved with Emily seemed like a perfect way to spend more time together beyond their professional roles. It was dangerous territory, perhaps, but at that moment, he didn’t care. He wanted to be around her, to learn more about what made her laugh, what stirred her passions.
As they resumed walking, the conversation flowed as smoothly as the river beside them. Emily spoke animatedly about her favorite rides, the wind in her hair, the freedom she felt on two wheels—a sensation Mark knew all too well. He just hoped his leg could handle it. He knew it was worth the try, though, if it meant spending more time with Emily.
Eventually, they reached a part of the waterfront where the path veered off toward a quiet bench overlooking the river. They sat down, and for a moment, neither spoke. They just listened to the gentle lapping of water against the shore and looked up at the moon and stars.
Mark turned to Emily and noticed her thoughtful gaze on the horizon. “What are you thinking about?”
Emily sighed softly. “I was just thinking about how easy it is to talk to you,” she confessed. “And how rare that is.”
Mark nodded, feeling a warmth spread through him at her words. “I feel the same,” he admitted. “It’s like I’ve known you longer than I actually have.”
They shared another one of those moments—a comfortable silence filled with unspoken understanding and mutual respect.
Finally, Emily stood up, stretching slightly. “We should probably get going,” she said reluctantly. “It’s getting late, and we both have early mornings at the Brave Badge.”
“You’re right,” Mark agreed as they started back toward the parking lot.
Once they arrived at their vehicles, Emily turned to face him. “Thanks for tonight, Mark. For dinner, for the walk, and for listening.”
“No problem,” he said quietly before hesitating slightly and then adding, “See you tomorrow.”
She nodded. “Bright and early.”
As Mark drove home, he couldn’t shake off the warmth that lingered from his evening with Emily. The way she had listened, the shared laughter, and the comfortable silence between them all tugged at something deep within him.
As he stepped out of his truck and made his way to his front door, Mark couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation for the next day. The thought of seeing Emily again and picking up their conversation where they had left off brought a smile to his lips.
With a lightness in his step, Mark entered his home. He was grateful for the unexpected connection he had found in Emily. And as he settled into bed, thoughts of the evening with her filled his mind, lulling him into a peaceful sleep.