Flash Fire (Into The Fire #16)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

JOSIE STEELE

As soon as I turned onto Main Street in downtown Willow Brook, Alaska, I almost burst into tears—the good kind and the not-so-great kind.

On the one hand, I was ecstatic to be home. On the other, I felt like a cliché in the worst way. I was now officially the girl who went off to bigger and brighter things only to come home a little banged up from life with her tail tucked between her legs.

I swiped at the single tear that splashed onto my cheek. “Whatever,” I muttered, straightening my shoulders and lifting my chin a little.

I wanted to come home. I really did. I’d missed Alaska ever since I’d moved away. Alaska was the kind of place that held onto you. It was big—quite literally in geographic terms—and took up a lot of space in my heart.

With it being winter, the mountains in the distance were snowcapped, tall, and imposing against the bright blue sky.

Everything in Alaska felt like more. The mountains were bigger.

The blue of the sky was bluer. It even felt like the sun shined more brightly here.

This time of year, it was also colder or, rather, freezing.

My dashboard thermometer indicated it was a whopping twelve degrees above zero outside.

The sign for Firehouse Café stood out against the snow berms flanking the road. It was bright red with an outline of a fire station. My lips curled into a smile as I turned into the parking area.

I stuffed my wallet into my coat pocket and hurried into the café.

As soon as the door opened, I felt momentarily spun back in time.

It smelled the same, with the rich scents of coffee mingling with freshly baked goods.

It was late morning, a time I knew to be a little quiet here.

I had worked here in high school, so I knew the rhythms of this café well.

The woman behind the counter had her auburn hair pulled up in a ponytail and was wiping down the counter. She glanced up as soon as I approached, her lips curling in a warm smile.

“Hi,” she said brightly.

“Hi!” I practically shouted. I was so freaking excited to be here.

As I stood there, just beaming at her, the woman’s lips began to twitch before a little laugh slipped out. “You seem so happy to be here,” she added.

I laughed. “I am. I used to work here in high school.”

“Oh wow! How long ago was that?”

“Just about ten years ago.”

“Does it look different?” she asked.

I spun in a slow circle, my eyes arcing about the space.

Firehouse Café was in a renovated firehouse.

What had once been garage doors were giant windows now, offering a full view of downtown Willow Brook.

The stained concrete flooring was still the same shade of blue with a little more wear and tear.

The small wooden tables and chairs were scattered about the space.

The firepole in the center was just for show and painted with fireweed flowers twining around it. The artwork on the walls had changed.

As I completed my circle to face her, I took in the massive chalkboard mounted on the wall above the old wooden counter. I shook my head. “Not much at all. I loved working here,” I said, my tone heartfelt.

“I love it too. Well, welcome home. I’m Casey,” the woman said, thrusting her hand out.

We were in the middle of shaking hands when Janet James, the owner of the café and my old boss, came through the waist-high swinging door from the kitchen. Her eyes landed on us, and her face broke into a wide smile. “Josie!”

I released Casey’s hand as Janet rounded the counter and pulled me into one of her perfect hugs. They were warm with just enough squeeze that you felt cherished. She stepped back and cupped my cheeks for a second. Her twinkling brown eyes and weathered face almost brought me to tears again.

“I didn’t know you were coming back to town,” Janet said when she dropped her hands. She glanced from me to Casey. “The handshake seemed a little formal, but I guess you two met?”

“Yes. I was telling Casey that I worked here before.” Holding Janet’s eyes, I added, “I loved working here. If you need any extra help, I’m available. I don’t want to take any hours from Casey, though.”

Janet threw her head back with a laugh. “It’s funny that you walked in today.

Seriously.” Her gaze sobered. “I could actually use someone else. Casey’s been covering extra shifts because one of the high school kids is leaving a little early for college.

While I’m obviously thrilled he’s going to college and want to support his life goals, I’m in a pinch for some staff. ”

“Are you for real?!”

“Completely,” Janet said firmly.

“I’m in. When do I start?” I asked.

Janet hugged me again before stepping back. “Whenever you can.”

“I can start tomorrow. I have to figure out my housing situation, but I’ll be here whenever you need me.”

Casey clapped her hands lightly. “Awesome!” She glanced at Janet. “I don’t mind covering extra shifts. I don’t want you to think I’ve been complaining.”

Janet rounded behind the counter again. “I know you don’t mind working extra, but it’s a lot. It’s always good to have enough staff so that when someone’s sick or I need to move things around, I can. What’ll it be for you today, Josie?” Janet asked as she stopped beside the espresso machine.

I tapped my fingers on the counter. “I’ll take a Chai tea. I already had coffee this morning, so I want the caffeine but not the bitter. And are those donuts?” My eyes shifted over to the display case.

“Those are donuts, and they are special,” Casey enthused.

I grinned. “And a donut.”

I started to pull out my wallet, but Janet shook her head. “You’re an employee, remember?”

“Janet! I haven’t even started yet,” I protested.

She shrugged, flicking her long braid off her shoulder. Her hair was more silver than pepper these days, and my heart twisted a little at that.

“Consider it from me.”

While Casey began to get my drink ready, Janet’s eyes narrowed as she studied me. “So what brings you home? I haven’t seen you in…” She drummed her fingertips on the counter.

“Too long,” I interjected.

I had left Willow Brook, metaphorically speaking, as though I was on fire. My family was here, and I still came to visit, but I didn’t have a ton of money, so it had been longer than I would’ve liked between visits.

“I was here two Christmases ago,” I added. “Last year, Mom and Dad came out to see me.”

“Are you going to stay with them?” Janet asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I may have to for a little while, but I’d prefer to find my own place.”

“If anything I have opens up, I’ll let you know. Let me think about it because maybe I know somebody who has something. What’s your number?” She pulled out her cell phone.

“Janet, you have a smart phone,” I teased. I glanced at Casey with a grin. “When I worked here in high school, Janet had one of those little flip phones. She swore she would never get a smart phone.”

Janet rolled her eyes. “I didn’t realize they were going to take off the way they did.

I have to admit I do like the fact I can read my books right on my phone.

I don’t do it at night because I know that’s not great for my eyes.

But now I have something to read when I’m waiting at the doctor’s office. ”

“Is everything okay?” I asked quickly. Janet was like a second mother to me, as she was for many people in town. She was warm and kind, and it was pretty much impossible to live here and not know her unless you hated coffee.

“Everything is fine. It was my annual physical. Your number?” she prompted.

I was reciting my number when the bell chimed on the door behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Tate Hall walking in.

“Tate!” I exclaimed.

He turned away from the door, and his head whipped up. “Josie Steele,” Tate drawled as he crossed the café quickly and pulled me into a hug.

My belly felt funny when I stepped back and took a good look at him. Tate and I had been good friends in high school. There had never been any zing there. Or I sure didn’t think there had.

This version of Tate was something else.

High school Tate had been tall and lanky, almost as if his arms and legs were too much for him.

He’d bordered on thin then. He was still lanky and still tall, but he had filled out.

I mentally cleared my throat. His once thin body was now all kinds of muscle and impossible not to notice when he hugged me.

He still had teasing blue eyes and a smile that kicked up higher on one corner of his mouth. His dark locks were still straight and a little glossy, but he’d let his hair grow out to where it brushed his collar. When his smile stretched to the other corner, my belly did a little swoop.

What in the ever-loving hell is going on?

“When did you arrive in town?” Tate asked as he rested his hip against the counter.

When he dropped his hand to the wooden counter, I noticed that his hand was strong and weathered. I couldn’t believe it, but I kind of thought my old friend was, uh, sexy.

“I literally just drove into town right before I stopped here. Janet already offered me a job.”

Tate’s answering chuckle unsettled me when I felt my skin prickle at the sound of it.

“You’re not hot for Tate. You’re just losing your mind because you’ve been too busy, you’re coming back home, and you’re embarrassed and feel like you failed at life,” my mental critic announced.

Oblivious to my train of thought, Tate grinned down at me. “It’s so good to see you. How long will you be here?”

“She’s moving home!” Janet called over.

Tate’s eyes widened slightly. “For real?” he prompted.

“For real!” I squeaked.

He cocked his head to the side. Once again, his smile started on one corner of his mouth and stretched slowly to the other while little sparks scattered through me, tingling everywhere.

“Well, you’ll have to get me up to speed on your life. Haven’t seen you in two years,” he said.

“I know. I’m starting here at the café tomorrow. I promise you’ll see lots of me.”

When he reached out and curled his palm over my shoulder, giving me a squeeze, I legit thought my knees might buckle right there. This was insane.

Once upon a time, seeing Tate had hurt. Not because Tate had hurt me but because he reminded me of the two people who had shredded my heart and taught me that you really couldn’t trust everyone. Even people who you thought mattered.

As if on cue, the door to the café opened, and my once-upon-a-time best friend walked in. When her eyes landed on Tate and me, I actually experienced a little jolt of satisfaction as her footsteps faltered. She gathered herself quickly, lifted her chin, and kept walking forward.

Janet’s tone was not all that warm when she greeted Kayla. “Hi, what can I get you?”

I could tell Casey was wondering just what the hell was going on because her brow furrowed as her gaze bounced among us.

“I’ll take a coffee, please,” Kayla said.

I felt childish because I experienced a little bit of satisfaction at the uncertainty in her voice. Kayla finally looked at me directly. “Hi,” she said, a little too brightly.

“Hi!” I replied.

“You’re over it; you’re over it; you’re over it,” my brave little voice chanted in my brain.

Kayla, my former bestie, cheated on Tate with my boyfriend right after we all graduated from high school.

They’d declared they were in love. She got pregnant pretty much right away and went on to have three kids with my ex.

Back in high school, Kayla was one of those people everyone loved.

She was funny, smart, and seemed nice. The whole thing had been a disaster for my self-esteem when it came to friendships and relationships.

So yeah, fun stuff.