Blaze Ch. 02

"It's my brother's restaurant," she said.

His eyebrows went up. "I didn't know that."

"Well, Konni is quite a bit older than me and technically he's my half-brother."

"And you have a sister, too, right? Natalie, isn't it?"

"Yeah. She's two years older than me."

"What's she doing these days?"

"She lives in California. She has four kids and her husband runs a winery. Runs it, doesn't own it. But he does well. They live in a gorgeous area."

"Do you ever go see her?"

"I've been once." She didn't want to add that the airfare was too stiff for her budget. Natalie had offered to pay her way but Holly was too proud.

She knew that David's father had been a firefighter before his retirement. "What's your dad up to these days?" she asked.

"Puttering around his yard, growing tomatoes."

"Are you an only child?"

"Yeah."

She knew his mother was dead. It had happened when they were young, still in middle school, and Janice Scott's slow deterioration from bone cancer had been something that shook the entire community. It was a painful, terrible death. As far as Holly could remember, David never talked publicly about it.

When they finished eating, Holly showed him the sketch she had completed just before his call.

"I'm trying to grasp the beauty and complexity of the equipment," she said. "I think the order and security of the fire station is one of the things that comforts the little boy, that makes him feel safe there."

"Exactly. That's very insightful, Holly." His dark eyes moved over her serious face. "Have you guessed yet that I'm the little boy?"

"Well, I thought that might be the case but I wasn't positive."

"Of course, the little boy is much younger than I was when my mother died, but it was the crew at the fire station that got me through it. My father was no help at all."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I think in some ways, part of this book comes from what I would have wanted my relationship with my father to be like."

"That makes perfect sense."

He looked at her and laughed dryly. "Why is it I can always talk to you?"

She smiled. "You honor me by saying that."

"I mean it, Holly," he said, dark brows furrowing over the bridge of his nose.

He leaned in to kiss her. Holly laid a hand on the side of his cheek, returning his kiss with a longing that made her weak. As though by some mutual agreement, they broke the kiss and sat back from each other. He had to go back to work; she had another class.

When he left, there was no promise to call, no suggestion of their next encounter. Holly sat at her desk, twirling her pencil and thinking about him. She could feel it already, feel what she knew she would regret feeling for him.

Being with David Scott was like playing with fire. It was only a matter of time before she got burned. But like a pyromaniac, she was helpless to control herself. She wanted to be with him no matter what it entailed.

Somehow she sensed that her limits were about to be tested.