Light Up The Night: A Bad Boy Firefighter Novel Read online

  “Don’t worry, Mel,” Joey said. “I know what I’m doing. You’ve still got me for another five years at least.”

  I winked. “That’s good to hear. It will take me at least that long to find someone else who can make a peppercorn sauce like yours.”

  “Good luck.” Joey snorted.

  I shimmied between him and the preparation line, where three of our line chefs were topping meals with garnishes and plating sides. I patted them on the shoulder and said hello before checking in with our new dishwasher, Abigail, who was frantically pushing a tray loaded down with plates and cups under the heavy industrial washer. She was only seventeen years old, and this was only the second job she’d ever had. She came from working in a small retail store and admitted to me during the interview that she wanted a job where she didn’t have to talk one on one with the public. She was shy and kept to herself, and retail had damaged her confidence. A young girl could only take so much abuse from customers, and selling clothes to women, surprisingly, was a dangerous gig.

  When I was her age, I’d had a similar job working in a bathing suit store. I’d been harassed and verbally attacked by women on a frequent enough basis to put a little bitterness in my heart, but once I discovered the restaurant business, that went away. People were always surprised by this because in most cases, the public treated restaurant staff worse than retail staff. But my restaurant didn’t tolerate that, and the mood and high quality of service was enough of a deterrent on its own.

  Which had been my objective all along. It should be a happy place to come to eat and to come to work.

  I rolled up the sleeves of my white blouse and started moving crates of clean dishes out of the way for Abigail to be carried out to the front of the kitchen when she had the chance.

  “Oh,” Abigail said, her face turning a bright shade of pink. “I’m sorry. I’m going as fast as I can. I didn’t realize how fast it could all pile up on a busy night like this.”

  I gave her a bright smile. “Don’t worry. You haven’t been at this very long. Soon, you’ll figure out a system that works best for you. Let me help you for now so you have more space to work.”

  “Thank you,” Abigail said as she pulled the lever to drop the cover of the stainless steel dishwasher down. She dragged the back of her hand across her forehead and looked up at me. “You’re a different sort of boss than I’ve ever had before.”

  I grinned. “Good.”

  After spending about fifteen minutes helping Abigail get back on track, I took my leave and went to the front of the restaurant, where I stopped behind the bar and looked around.

  The Glade was my safe haven.

  The white brick walls were soothing, and the lights strung above from corner to corner in an almost haphazard sort of fashion gave the place a relaxed, modern vibe. It was full of plants, and the front of the restaurant had floor-to-ceiling windows, giving every guest a view of the beautiful stretch of beach and ocean about thirty feet from my front door.

  A single candle burned on each table as it floated in a small cup of water. Everything was clean and simple and elegant. At night, it became quite the little hot spot for romantic dates, while during the day, it was perfect for socializing or grabbing a couple drinks with friends.

  I spotted some of my regulars, an elderly couple named Sheldon and Maureen, sitting at their favorite table by the window. Like always, they were holding hands and sharing a seafood appetizer.

  I walked over and stopped by their table, smiling down at them. “Why hello, you two. Is it date night already?”

  Sheldon grinned up at me. He was nearly entirely bald, save for a ring of white hair that reached around the back of his head from ear to ear. He wore glasses with thick frames and a mustard yellow button-up that was, in my humble opinion, incredibly awful, but not my business. Both he and Maureen wore the same walking shoes, which were a cream-colored leather with little ties on the top.

  They were, by all definitions of the word, adorable.

  “Every Friday night is date night,” Sheldon said.

  “Since nineteen forty-seven.” Maureen nodded.

  I put a hand on my hip and chuckled. “Did the two of you ever miss a date night? In all that time, there’s no way you could always be together on a Friday night.”

  “All that time?” Sheldon arched a bushy white eyebrow at me. “What are you trying to say, girl?”

  I laughed and so did he. It was a great belly laugh, one that had other customers looking over with faint smiles on their lips. I shook my head. “I’m not implying anything. I’m truly just curious.”

  Maureen rubbed the back of Sheldon’s hand and looked up at me. I wondered what she would have looked like in her youth. She was quite small, probably not even five feet tall, with slender limbs and liver spots on her hands. Her hair was short, curly, and white, and her eyes were a vibrant shade of blue. “We missed a Friday or two when things got hard and life tested us. But we could never miss more than two in a row.”

  “So even Searing’s most beloved sweethearts faced trials in love?” I asked.

  Maureen and Sheldon shared a look, and he nodded. “Trials. Yes. But they are the things that brought us closer together. If you choose, you can go through everything together.”

  I leaned over and pressed my hands flat on their table. “You know, I think I spotted a lonely slice of coconut lemon pie back there. Can I bring it out for you two?”

  Maureen shook her head. “Dear, how can you run a successful business if you keep giving everything away for free?”

  I laughed and waved my hand to dismiss her concern. “Don’t worry. The restaurant is doing really well. Better than ever, actually. I just want to do something to thank my longest standing, most loyal patrons.”

  Sheldon nodded eagerly. “I’m not going to turn down free pie, Maureen. Look sharp. The lass knows how to run her business.”

  Maureen rolled her eyes, but there was humor in the corners of her mouth. When she looked back up at me, she took a sip of her chilled white wine. Her hand trembled a bit, as it had for the last four years that I’d known her. “How is Kylee doing? Is she enjoying school?”

  I nodded and clasped my hands together. “She loves it. She’s making friends and comes home with new and exciting stories every day.” I glanced at the watch on my wrist. “She should actually be here any second with Tara.”

  As the words left my mouth, the front door swung open, and I could see the top of my daughter’s head as she walked behind the divider between the restaurant and the door. When she emerged around the corner, her bright blue eyes sought me out. A smile washed over her face when she saw me, and she took off down the row of tables toward me.

  Kylee threw her arms around my legs when she reached me. I hugged her back and patted her head. Her light brown hair was still in the French braid I’d done the night before after washing it and before putting her to bed. She looked up, beaming, and rested her chin on my thigh. “Hi, Mommy.”

  “Hi, kiddo.” I gestured to Sheldon and Maureen, who were both watching Kylee with happy expressions. They’d met her several times and loved seeing her every time she popped into my work for a visit. “Where’s Tara?”

  Kylee looked back to the front door. “She’s coming.”

  My best friend Tara Alba strode in seconds later. Her tall frame was covered in a long yellow sundress that ended at her ankles, showing off flashy gold sandals. Her blonde hair was up in a messy bun, and big gold hoops dangled from her ears. The designer sunglasses she pressed up over her forehead and into her hair completed the look as she came over and hugged me hello.

  I frowned. “Please tell me your uniform is in that itty bitty purse of yours.”

  Tara shook her head. “Nope. Planned ahead. It’s in my locker in the back.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. On Fridays, Tara spent the afternoon with Kylee and then brought her to the restaurant to start her closing shift, giving me the chance to take my daughter home and put her to
bed.

  Maureen leaned over in her seat and waved at my daughter, who was still wrapped around my legs. “Hello, Kylee. Long time no see. How are you?”

  Kylee let go of my legs. “I’m good, Miss Maureen. How are you?”

  Maureen chuckled, delighted by Kylee’s manners. “I’m very well. Thank you for asking. Your mother says you like school?”

  Kylee nodded vigorously. “I love school. My teachers are so nice. And the kids are so nice. And we have art time. And today we made flowers out of tissue paper.”

  “Wow!” Maureen exclaimed. “That sounds like the best school I’ve ever heard of.”

  “It is.” Kylee nodded.

  I took Kylee’s hand. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s leave Sheldon and Maureen to their dinner. Say goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, Miss Maureen. Goodnight, Mr. Sheldon.”

  The elderly couple smiled and waved goodbye as we turned. I glanced back over my shoulder. “I’ll send someone out with that pie. I haven’t forgotten! Enjoy the rest of your evening, you two. I’ll see you next week!”

  After saying goodbye to my favorite customers, Tara, Kylee, and I disappeared in the back room. Tara went to her locker, grabbed her uniform, and changed in the bathroom while I took my apron off and grabbed my jacket.

  Kylee waited patiently, tapping her right foot to the rhythm of the music playing faintly from the dining room.

  Tara came out of the bathroom in her black dress pants and white blouse. It fit her perfectly. She smiled at Kylee. “You like this song, huh?”

  Kylee nodded. “It has soul.”

  Tara burst out laughing. “What?”

  “Soul,” Kylee repeated.

  Tara looked up at me, and I shrugged. “I don’t know where she learns half the things she says anymore. I’m struggling to keep up most days.”

  Tara took her hair out of its bun, only to redo it and tie it tighter. Then she dropped to one knee in front of Kylee. “Auntie Tara has to go to work now. But I’ll see you soon, okay?”

  “Okay.” Kylee nodded as she wrapped her arms around Tara’s shoulders. “I love you, Auntie Tara.”

  “Love you too, squirt,” Tara said, kissing Kylee on the cheek and then looking up at me as she got to her feet. “See you two on Saturday?”

  “Sounds good.” I nodded. “Before you do anything else, could you bring a slice of coconut lemon pie out to table nine?”

  “Sure thing.” Tara nodded. “Shall I put some whipped cream on the side?”

  I nodded. “That would be perfect.”

  3

  Hayden

  After my shower, I dressed in a clean uniform and walked down the hall to the community kitchen, where Derek was sitting with his heels up on the table. His hands were clasped behind his head, and his eyes moved from side to side, following me as I grabbed a glass of water and sat down across from him.

  “So,” he said, “how do you feel about this little chat you have to have with the chief?”

  I shrugged and drained half my glass of water. “I’m prepared to be chewed out for a good half hour or so. Maybe more. Depends how pissed he is.”

  “That you ran into a burning building without his order?” Derek arched an eyebrow.

  “Yeah.”

  Derek scoffed. “I’d say on a scale of one to pissed, he’s pretty pissed.”

  I ran my hand down my face. Derek was probably right. I’d jumped the gun and broken all sorts of safety rules by running in half-cocked to a building that was about to fall to the ground. Not only had I risked my own life, but I’d risked Derek’s too. We’d been in this thing since the beginning at the fire academy. I’d known he’d follow me without thinking. That was how we rolled.

  But at the same time, I was experienced. I knew going in there that we had only a couple minutes to do a sweep before the place came down. Not that it was a good defense. It wasn’t. Rinehart was going to chew me up and spit me out.

  “Well, this isn’t the first time I’ve had a chat like this with him, and it probably won’t be the last.”

  Derek took his heels down from the table and leaned forward to rest his elbows on it instead. “Tell you one thing. I’m glad it’s you and not me going in there. He didn’t say a fucking word on the drive back to the station.”

  “Thanks. This is helping a lot.”

  Derek grinned. “No problem.”

  Maddox came down the hall with wet hair and red eyes. He’d gotten a bit of smoke during the fight too. He sat down beside me and looked back and forth between Derek and me. “Did I interrupt something?”

  “We were just talking about how Rinehart’s going to string Hayden up by the ankles for what he did today,” Derek said.

  “It was pretty badass—” Maddox started.

  “It was stupid,” I said. The rookie didn’t need to get the wrong idea that running buck wild into a fire without permission was the norm around here. “Rinehart’s right to be pissed.”

  Maddox frowned. “But you thought you heard someone yelling, right? What were you supposed to do?”

  “Not run into the fire,” Derek said flatly.

  I pointed at Derek. “What he said.”

  “Yeah but—”

  “No buts,” I cut Maddox off. “Don’t ever go getting any bright ideas that running in is the right call. Especially for new blood like you. That’s how you die of smoke inhalation or worse. None of us want to pull your charred remains out of a fire.”

  Maddox scratched the back of his neck. “What if there had been a woman in there?”

  I shrugged. “I said you shouldn’t ever run in. You shouldn’t ever be that reckless. Do as I say, not as I do.”

  Derek chuckled. “Wise words.”

  I got to my feet and finished the rest of my water before walking it to the sink. I washed it out and set it on the counter to dry. “Wish me luck, boys. If I don’t come back, don’t fight over my truck.”

  “Good luck,” Maddox called.

  I heard Derek grumble, “Kiss ass,” as I walked down the hall and took the stairs to the upper level where Rinehart’s office was.

  I stood outside his door for a good fifteen seconds before I raised my hands and rapped my knuckles on the frosted glass insert. In black lettering, it read “Fire Chief Richard Rinehart”. It should have said “Fire Chief and Formidable Boss” instead.

  “Come in,” Rinehart’s monotone, deep voice called out to me.

  I took a steadying breath before opening the door and stepping inside. The chief had his head down as he filled out paperwork, and he didn’t look up as I closed the door behind me. I took a seat in the chair across from him on the other side of his desk and waited for him to grace me with his attention.

  It took a good three minutes for him to push the papers he was filling out to the side and look up at me. He leaned forward on his elbows and clasped his hands to peer at me from beneath his thick gray eyebrows. His gray moustache, flaked with a few new white hairs, twitched.

  “Sir.” I nodded.

  “Miller,” he said in return.

  And then there was only silence between us again. Had I not known Rinehart as well as I did, I might have tried to initiate the discussion. Had I been young and fresh like Maddox, I most certainly would have. But I wasn’t fresh blood. I was seasoned, and this tense moment was Rinehart’s way.

  He was a good fire chief. No, an excellent one. He was a big, broad, thick-muscled, fifty-four-year-old badass with the reputation of a man you did not mess with. I’d seen him do crazy things, from carrying two grown men out of a fire on his own to stopping a bar fight without even saying a word or throwing a punch.

  The man had presence.

  So I waited.

  Finally, after minutes of silence, Rinehart leaned back in his chair with a slow exhale. “You were reckless today, Miller.”

  “I know.”

  “That’s all you have to say for yourself? ‘I know’?”

  “Is there anything else I can say?”

>   “Janson says you thought you heard a woman yelling for help. He says that’s why you ran in and why he followed. Is this true?”

  I rested my hands on my knees and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “You were the only one who heard anything.”

  “I didn’t have time to process whether I was wrong or right. I just acted. And I know it was foolish to go in without your order.”

  “Foolish?” Rinehart asked. “It was far more than foolish, Miller. You nearly got yourself killed today, and Janson along with you. He defended you the way loyal friends do, but he knows what you could have cost him. Do you know?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I trust something like this will not happen again?”

  Telling him it would not happen again was not a promise I could make. He knew as well as me that I had a problem with authority. Well, not authority, per se, or Rinehart himself. I had a problem with waiting for others to give orders. When I knew something had to be done, I was going to do it whether or not I had permission.

  That attitude was what had landed me on my ass in this chair nearly a dozen times over the last four years.

  “I’ll do my best,” I said.

  Rinehart sighed. “You’re on hose duty until you can properly follow orders, Miller. I won’t have you risking the lives of my men. That includes your own. Understood?”

  I opened my mouth to protest, and Rinehart narrowed his eyes. I promptly closed it again and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. Now get out of here, and send Janson in after you.”

  “May I ask why, sir?” I asked.

  Rinehart looked up at me as I got to my feet. There was something in his eye that suggested he would enjoy his conversation with Janson. “Just because his buddy jumps doesn’t mean he should.”

  “Right. I’ll go get him.”

  I closed Rinehart’s office door behind me and went back downstairs to the kitchen, where the whole team was gathered around the kitchen table. They all stopped talking about whatever they were discussing and looked up at me. I leaned against the kitchen counter and folded my arms over my chest. I nodded my head down the hall. “Rinehart wants to talk to you next, Derek.”