CHAPTER 17
Summer
it’s Saturday, and the morning dawns gray and brittle, the kind of day where even the air feels restless, anticipating something it cannot yet name. I drop Mia off with Penny, promise to pick her up before dinner, then head to the shop.
I plug in the Christmas tree, turn on the oven, and start the first batch of cookies, filling the bakery with warmth that does not quite reach my bones.
“Morning, sugar.”
Mr. and Mrs. Henigan shuffle in, wrapped in their matching coats, as predictable as sunrise.
“Morning. What can I get you today?” I ask, even though I already know.
They order their usual. Of course.
“That little girl of yours is so sweet,” Mrs. Henigan says as she settles into her chair.
“She was walking with Lily the other day and told me about the horseback riding. I wanted to pinch those sweet cheeks so badly, but of course I didn’t.
” She bites into her cookie. “I miss my great-grandchildren, you know.”
I tilt my head. “Oh, do they live far?”
She scrunches her nose. “My son never liked the country life. Always wanted the big cities. They are all in Houston now. One of them is graduating in spring.”
Her pride lights her entire face.
“I bet they are coming to visit you this Christmas.” I smile.
“Oh yes, I am already preparing a batch of cookies to freeze for when they get here. And I cannot wait to bring them here and make them taste those delicious hot chocolates you make.”
“I cannot wait to meet them,” I say softly. “You must be so proud.”
The bell jingles and Grace walks in, holding Caleb’s hand. Her smile is bright.
“Hey, Summer. Caleb wanted to have breakfast here today.”
I hug her quickly. “Sure. Sit wherever you like. I will be right with you.”
I take the Henigans their order, then head to Grace and Caleb.
“What can I get you guys?”
They place their order just as more customers walk in.
I am steaming milk for a cappuccino when Cas and Jude walk in. But something is wrong. Cas does not have his usual grin, and Jude looks like he forgot how to breathe.
“Summer,” they say together as they approach. “Can you make us two strong coffees to go? And something to eat?”
I study them. “Is everything alright?”
Jude keeps staring at the mountains through the window, jaw clenched. Cas is tapping rapidly on his phone.
“There is a fire outbreak on the side of the mountain,” he says. “We are heading over to see how we can help. But the fire department is carrying the biggest burden right now.”
My heart drops. “The fire department?” I whisper. “Ethan?”
“He is there,” Jude says quietly. “Asher too.”
Grace appears beside us, eyes wide. “Cas, what happened?”
Caleb’s hand flies to her shoulder as Cas explains. Panic transforms her face instantly.
I hurry, hands trembling as I finish their order. They need any help they can get.
“Oh God,” Grace whispers as Caleb pulls her close. “They will be alright,” he murmurs over and over, but his voice trembles.
I hand Cas the coffees. He turns to leave, but
“Cas.” My voice cracks, embarrassingly high.
He looks back, and the fear in his eyes mirrors my own.
“Please keep me updated. Please.” I swallow. “Please bring him home.”
He does not need to ask who I mean.
The first hint of smoke reaches us around noon, just a faint burn on the wind when a customer opens the door. I serve him, then step outside, heart pounding as I squint toward the mountain.
A dark plume rises, thickening, twisting against the pale sky like a warning.
Sirens scream through town.
Smoke rolls down the slope.
The horizon glows with an eerie orange.
People gather outside, murmuring. One word repeats over and over.
“Critical.”
Half the mountain is on fire now.
My stomach drops.
Without thinking, I grab my coat and keys. Behind me, Grace calls my name, but I am already halfway to the truck. Suddenly she and Caleb climb in too, breathless.
The closer we get, the worse it gets.
Smoke hangs heavy.
Acrid.
Unforgiving.
Flames crawl across the ridge like a living beast, devouring everything in its path.
Fire trucks, volunteers, command tents. Chaos.
I stumble out of the truck.
“Ethan. Where is Ethan?” I push through the crowd, heart in my throat.
Cas, Dex, Jude, and Josh stand near a group of EMTs. They are all ash-streaked, exhausted.
“Where is Ethan?” My voice cracks as I grab Jude’s arm.
His eyes widen. Slowly, he looks toward the fire.
“He went up with the second team. They are trying to cut it off near the ridge. There are victims…”
I do not let him finish. The world narrows to a tunnel. Noise fades. My lungs seize.
I grab Cas by the arm. “Tell me he is okay. Please, tell me he is okay.”
Cas lifts his radio, attempts connection after connection. Finally,
Static.
Voices.
Shouting.
Then a call.
And Cas’s face drains of color.
Everything inside me freezes.
EMTs sprint up the slope and vanish into the smoke. Time loses meaning. Minutes or hours pass, I cannot tell. Then
Two gurneys appear through the haze, pushed by frantic EMTs.
My body moves before my mind does.
“Ethan.” The scream rips from my throat as I run.
His face is streaked with soot. His uniform is shredded. His arm hangs wrong, blood and ash mixing on torn skin.
But he is breathing. He is alive.
I crash into him, arms locking around his neck before the EMTs can stop me. The smell of smoke, sweat, and something metallic clings to him. Tears pour down my face.
“Ma’am, you cannot,” an EMT says, but I do not let go.
It is Josh’s hand on my shoulder that finally pulls me back. “Summer, they need to check him out. They cannot do that with you holding him.”
I loosen my grip, barely.
“Do not ever do that again,” I whisper against his shoulder, voice shaking. “Do not ever scare me like that.”
“Summer.” His voice is raw, broken. “You were scared?”
Those forest-green eyes, glassy with exhaustion, pin me in place.
“Terrified.”
“Asher?” Ethan tries to turn, but an EMT steadies him.
I follow the EMT’s gaze to the other gurney.
Doctors. Nurses. Chaos.
And a still, ash-covered body.
Then a scream shatters the air.
“Asher.” Grace breaks from Caleb’s grasp and barrels toward the gurney, nearly collapsing under the weight of her own terror.
The EMTs block her. She fights them, sobbing, hysterical.
“I need to get to him. Please let me through.”
Josh and Cas rush to her as Ethan is loaded into an ambulance.
EMTs shout orders. One climbs onto the gurney over Asher and starts CPR as they roll him into the second ambulance.
Grace’s screams turn into animalistic wails.
Both ambulances pull away, lights flashing wildly through the smoke.
I run to Grace and grab her shoulders. “Grace, stop. Listen to me. We are going to the hospital, okay?”
She nods, trembling uncontrollably.
I glance back at Caleb. He stands a few feet away, looking confused.
Grace climbs into my truck without even seeing him.
He takes the backseat silently.
“He will not die, right?” Grace whispers, hands shaking violently.
“I talked to Ethan,” I say carefully. “He was lucid. It did not look that bad.”
Grace shakes her head hard. “I know. I saw Ethan. But Asher…”
And she breaks into sobs so raw they echo through the cab.