Stronger By Your Side (Great Love Book 2) (18 page)

It was Friday afternoon and the girls would be home any minute. Last night had been amazing, I wasn’t surprised to wake up in the early morning alone on the floor. I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed, but I understood. Megan had Charlotte to think about, and we were only friends. For now. I had texted Megan around lunch and asked her if she was up for company tonight. She had texted back
Absolutely
, which was a good thing, because it was too late. I had already set the plan into motion.

I had invited all of Megan’s friends over for a BBQ tonight. I was on my deck watching Chase run around, chasing the geese, when I noticed the smell in the air. It was a smell that firefighters were familiar with but not a fan of. The sky wasn’t really smoky but it looked a little more overcast than how it had been for the previous week. I called Chase, and after he sprinted into the house, I followed him inside. I picked up my phone and checked the messages. Sure enough, I had a group text to the entire station from my uncle.

Two large, fast-spreading forest fires. 1.Sixty miles northwest 2. Thirty miles northeast, on standby for possible backup and on alert for spreading into our territory. Everyone is on call, do not go far. Text back to confirm.

I shook my head. Damn. California was in a drought, and being in northern California we had a lot of big trees, wild brush and farmland. All of it was at risk for stoking the fire. We were smack in the middle of the two fires that were both spreading fast. I texted back a quick reply and then put my phone on loud and placed in my hip clip. It didn’t seem like it was too smoky out yet, so I could at least BBQ the food outside and then we could move the party inside if the air got too thick. I continued preparing the spread for the dinner when the front door opened and Charlotte came rushing in. “Esh Chay!” I laughed and got on one knee in anticipation.

Chase ran up to Little Pumpkin and licked her, then continued past her to the next victim, which was big Pumpkin. Charlotte continued running in with a wide smile and her blonde curls bouncing everywhere. My heart squeezed a little, and I couldn’t help the attachment I automatically felt to the spunky little girl. She sprang into my arms and wrapped her little arms around my neck.

I squeezed her in return and then sat her on my knee and leaned back. “Hey there, Little Pumpkin, how was your day?”

Her smile beamed up at me. “Good.”

I laughed. “I’m glad.”

When I went to look up, my eyes caught Megan’s. She was frozen in the doorway with her arms full of her purse and Charlotte’s backpack. She had a warm look in her eyes that made my heart do a flip in my chest. “Hey,” I said with a grin.

She smiled weakly and then swallowed hard. “Um . . . hey.”

Charlotte sprang off my lap and ran into the living room, followed closely by Chase. I had put on some princess show on Disney and placed all the toys she brought in front of the TV.

I stood and Megan looked around my kitchen, where I had everything out for the BBQ, and then on to the living room. “Wow.” She smiled. “You’ve been busy, huh? And thanks for setting up Lotte. That was thoughtful.”

I rolled my lips in and nodded. “So . . . ” She continued, “Who’s coming over?”

I smiled. “Cal, Em, the twins, Travis and Sarah.”

She stiffened and then, after adjusting her purse on her shoulder, she stared at me. “You invited my friends over?”

I smiled. “Yeah. I hope that’s okay. I thought it would be nice . . . ”

She nodded and then she narrowed her eyes. “But I didn’t tell anyone about my apartment, about staying here . . . SJ!” I did my famous smile that always got me away with things as kids and just stared back at her. “You told them?”

I put my hands up in defense. “Didn’t tell anyone. Travis heard through the grapevine. He asked me, I confirmed. He most likely told the others.”

She huffed and shook her head. “I hate you.”

I laughed. “Good thing I never believed that line.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head again. I winked at her and then walked over to check on Charlotte, who was happily watching her show.

I walked back into the kitchen to see Megan making iced tea. “Hey, I’m going to get the grill going.” She nodded with a smile, and I had to tell my mind to stop thinking about how natural she looked in my kitchen again. As I walked out of the back door and onto the deck, I heard Country music begin to play from the kitchen and smiled. I put the BBQ chicken on the grill and then looked out into the sunset. The sun was bright red, which was usually a bad sign, and the sky was beginning to look a little grayer.

My cellphone beeped and I checked it.
Both fires moving outward, stay close.
I grunted and went back to focusing on the grill. I heard Chase bark a few times and turned to see what the commotion was about.

“Hey, Sawyer! Sweet setup.” It was Cal walking out with one of the twins in his arms.

“Hey, man! Welcome. How’s it going?”

He shrugged. “Eh, all right, you guys on standby for the fires?”

I nodded and closed the grill. “Yeah, us too.”

Emerson walked out with the other twin, followed by Sarah, Megan and Travis. Travis and Sarah were arguing over something and Megan had a couple of beers in hand. “Gentlemen.” She lifted beers up to Travis, Cal and me.

I smiled. “Thanks, Pumpkin.” She grunted and shook her head. Cal pointed to Chase, who was now running around and showing off below.

“Nice dog.” I smiled. “Chase, yeah, he’s alright. He likes to show off for company so he’ll be running those circles for a while.” I laughed and everyone quietly joined me.

Cal and Travis asked a couple of questions about the break-in at Megan’s and she answered them vaguely. Emerson and Sarah told Megan how sorry they were and how scary that must have been. Megan just smiled politely and agreed. After everyone gave her a demanded hug, she cleared her throat. She never liked being the center of attention or pitied. It just wasn’t her cup of tea. “Ladies, follow me,” Megan stated. Sarah winked at me, then grabbed the other twin from Cal. I laughed.

“See ya later, boys,” Sarah purred.

The girls walked inside, giggling and whispering. When they were finally in the door, Cal turned to Travis. “Trouble, that one is, I’m telling ya’.”

Travis sighed and took a long pull of his beer. “Not my problem.”

Cal and I laughed and then in unison, huffed, “Yet.”

I turned the meat again and fell into an easy conversation with the guys about the fire and Travis’s week coming up. I could get used to this. Good food, easy conversations, genuine friends, a sweet girl to come home to . . . Maybe, just maybe.
 

Megan

I managed to set up the play yard Cal had hauled into the living room all by myself while Sarah and Emerson wrangled the twins. Charlotte was older and a little less rambunctious, so she just sat and watched me in confusion. As soon as it was all good to go, we placed all three kids into the play yard in front of the large-screen TV and then put the toys inside with them. Thankfully, Charlotte didn’t mind being trapped in the play yard with the twins, because it made it easier for no one to be free.

As soon as our arms were free, all three of us huffed and then laughed in unison. “This way, girls.” I led them into the kitchen, which was open and had a great view of the girls. I grabbed a bottle of wine that Sawyer had picked up and three mason jars. The girls laughed at the glasses and then said that it was actually really sweet. I tried not to blush when they said anything referring to Sawyer, but I was bad at hiding my emotions—always had been.

“So spill!” Sarah shouted. Her sudden, loud voice startled me, and my cup sloshed in my hand. “Not literally,” Sarah said deadpan, and I laughed.

Emerson grabbed a dish towel close by and wiped up the drop of white wine that had splashed on the counter. “Thanks, Em.” Emerson Nodded with a smile and I continued, “Spill what, crazy?” I asked Sarah.

She laughed. “You. Here. Sawyer. Go.” I laughed. “I told you.”

Sarah looked at Emerson and then at me. She waved her hand as she spoke, “So, someone broke into your place. They didn’t find the bad guy, you can’t stay there, yada yada.”

I laughed. “Yeah, so . . . spill what?”

Emerson chuckled and took a sip of her wine. “Yum.” I smiled at her, but Sarah cut me off.

“I’m serious. You and SJ. I want the deets.”

I laughed again and joined Emerson in sipping wine as well. “Sarah, there are no deets. He is my long lost best friend, I needed a place to stay, he offered, I said yes. We are friends.”

She huffed. “Ugh, fine, don’t tell me, whatever.”

I lifted her drink to her face. “Just drink, okay?”

She smiled. “Don’t have to tell me twice!” We all laughed, and then Sarah put her drink in the air in a cheers motion and in a sing-song voice said, “To sisters!”

We all toasted our glasses, and Emerson and I repeated in mocking voices, “To sisters!”

After our glass of wine, we sat on the couch and watched the girls play for a while and just chatted about life in general. When Travis tucked his head in to tell us the food was ready, we got the girls ready to eat and we all grabbed our plates. Sawyer had set up the sides in the kitchen along the counter. After everyone had their food, we sat on the deck. The three toddler girls sat on the floor on a towel and surprisingly, the girls actually ate their food instead of running off.

“Sky’s starting to look pretty nasty,” Travis stated, and after nodding her head, Emerson asked,

“So, are you on call too, Sawyer?” I furrowed my brow and looked over at him with a questioning look. He hadn’t mentioned anything about that.

He nodded with a full mouth and then, after he chewed, he spoke. “Yeah. It’s looking like we will have to head in tomorrow if things don’t settle.”

Emerson stilled a little and then looked over at her husband. “You?” Cal nodded solemnly and then winked at his wife. She nodded back and continued eating.

Sensing the uneasiness in the air, Sarah spoke, “Sawyer you have a horse? I see your stable down there.”

He nodded. “Yeah, Old Buck.” Chase, who had been laying quietly under the table the entire time, barked at the sound of his old pal’s name. I laughed.

Sarah smiled. “Cal and Em have two horses. I enjoy riding them from time to time. Love to have one of my own one day. Mind if I go check out Mr. Buck?”

Sawyer shook his head. “Go for it.”

I finished my food, then grabbed Charlotte, who was starting to play with her food. “I’ll take you down, Sarah.”

She smiled at me. “Sweet, you ready?”

I laughed. “Yeah, give me a minute.” She nodded and we cleaned up our plates.

Emerson cleaned up the twins then placed them back in the play yard. “I’m going to hang out here.”

I nodded. “Sounds good, be right back.” She smiled and then shooed me with her hand. I walked out to the deck to find Charlotte already in Sarah’s arms. The sun was starting to sink low over the mountains. “Alright, let’s go before it gets dark.”

Sarah smiled. “Come on, Princess.” Charlotte smiled at Sarah and we began walking down towards Buck’s enclosure.

Chase followed close behind, anxious to be near Buck. I walked up to the small, wooden building and opened the door. “Hey, boy,” I cooed to Buck. Charlotte clapped and Chase barked.

Sarah Smiled. “Aww, hi, boy.” We all rubbed his nose, and then I reached into my pocket and grabbed out the three treats I’d grabbed before walking down. We all gave him one and after a couple of minutes said goodbye. The sun was just starting to disappear and the light was beginning to fade. From the distance, I saw Sawyer’s deck light come on and could just see the silhouettes of everyone. Chase took off running towards the deck as Charlotte walked in between Sarah and me, holding our hands.

We didn’t make it fifteen feet from Buck’s enclosure when I spotted something in the right side of my eyes. I stilled, somehow recognizing the danger, and let go of Charlotte’s hand. Sarah raised her brow at me, but I put my finger over my mouth signaling her to be quiet.

Looking at the large tree that was cast in shadows to our left, I whispered to Sarah, “Take her, go around the tree, run through the brush, stay low, get help.”

Sarah’s eyes widened, recognizing fear in my eyes, and then she nodded. She picked up Charlotte with a sweet smile and a finger over her mouth. Charlotte just smiled back, and I was grateful for my somewhat obedient child in that moment. Next, they quietly slinked behind the tree and then disappeared around the corner into the brush. Whatever I was about to face, I didn’t want my daughter anywhere near it. It was a vow I’d made when I became a mom. I would never let the demons I knew well near my child.

Grateful that I could make out the silhouettes of the people I loved not far, I took a deep breath. I slowly shifted my body to the right where I saw what I thought I saw. Then I heard a snap behind me. I turned suddenly, and my eyes confirmed my worst fear, one that I had let go of long ago. One that I never thought would come back. Stew stood leaning against Buck’s enclosure. Buck neighed quietly, but because he was old, his once intimidating sounds were hushed. I squared my shoulders and swallowed down my panic.