Chapter Four
Kate’s lungs burned painfully and she couldn’t see where she was going. Without her gear, she didn’t have much time before the smoke would overwhelm her and take her down. The sound of hysterical screams persisted and kept her moving. No matter how heavy her limbs felt, no matter how hot the air was that sliced along her bare arms, she pressed on. Why hadn’t she worn long sleeves today? As long as she could still hear the kids, there was no way she was turning back. But the hallway got longer. No matter how fast she moved, no matter how much ground she covered, the door drifted impossibly farther away.
She’d never get there. No matter what she did.
Kate sat up in bed, gasping frantically for air. The sound of her ragged inhales sent a bolt of terror as she clutched her chest and looked blindly around the darkened room for water. She didn’t recognize her surroundings. Where the hell was she? Reality punctured her panicked brain.
The apartment in Venice.
Her heart rate slowed.
She was in bed, not back in that burning house. Not knowing what to do with herself, she threw the sheets off her body. Now covered in sweat, she walked the length of the apartment, not once or twice, but for the next hour. The movement had a way of calming her mind and anchoring her in the here and now.
She knew what had brought on the nightmare. Kate had promised herself that once she left Slumberton, she’d stop checking in on the kids, but that was asking the impossible. Ren had been released from the hospital after only a couple of days, but he was older, stronger. It had taken little Eva longer. She’d only been released earlier that day. Kate knew because the local news had covered her release and she’d pulled it up online. “Six-Year-Old Fire Victim Released from Hospital.” Eva looked good in the one photo that had accompanied the article, if a little shy from the camera attention. She smiled meekly from the arms of the nurse who held her as she was transported from the hospital to a state home for kids. But what now? What would life look like for Ren and Eva when, in the course of one afternoon, their entire world changed forever?
Kate poured herself a shot of rum, an old trick that would slow her nervous system, bring down her adrenaline after a fire, and help her find a way to relax enough to sleep so she could get up and go back to work. As the alcohol burned a potent trail down her throat, she closed her eyes and waited for it to take hold.
Lighter thoughts would help. Anything she could come up with.
She visualized the ocean just blocks away. Her brother, and how he always left the bathroom such a mess when they were kids, as if a cyclone had blown through and knocked everything all over the counter. The really attractive woman from the coffee shop next door who made her palms sweat from the tiniest dip of cleavage visible beneath the blue apron. Autumn. She smiled. She liked this Autumn. She was funny, with a pretty smile. She also seemed like a genuinely nice person, which only pulled her more points in Kate’s book. Autumn was fun to think about.
She drifted off to sleep easily, claiming the rest she needed and avoiding any and all mention of an awful afternoon just eight weeks earlier.
* * *
“Yes, I’m calling for Autumn Primm,” the female voice on the phone said.
Autumn tucked the phone between her ear and her shoulder. “You found her.”
“Ms. Primm, this is Elise from Dr. Arocha’s office.”
“Oh, right!” Autumn said, straightening and excusing herself from the front of the shop to the storage room in the back. She’d been trying to get an appointment at the Holly Grove Reproductive Clinic for a week now. It was the best in the area, and she was prepared to be patient and wait for an appointment to open up if it meant her chances were greater for a positive outcome. “Thank you so much for calling.”
“My pleasure,” Elise said. “I wanted to let you know that we had a cancellation for Wednesday at three, and I thought I’d check and see if you had availability for an initial consultation.”
“Oh, I’ll make availability. Thank you! I’ll be there,” Autumn said, running an excited hand through her hair.
“I’m so happy we were able to accommodate you.” The woman rattled off the details and Autumn took meticulous notes, excited for this first big step in starting her little family. She returned to the front of the store with a spring in her step and her heart set to vibrate as she prepared to start her afternoon roast, a South American blend that had become a house favorite.
“You seem happy.”
Autumn glanced up to see Kate watching her from the other side of the counter. Her dark hair was in a ponytail today, and it swung slightly when she tilted her head. She wore cutoffs and a blue and green plaid shirt that she’d left open, revealing a black tank top beneath. Everything slowed down as Autumn drank her in for a few solid moments before breaking into a smile. Now, that was one way to kick-start your afternoon.
“That’s because I am happy,” she said. “Today is a good day. What can I get you to make your day even better?”
“Well, that’s quite an offer.” Kate shrugged and studied the board. “What do you recommend? I’m pretty easy.”
Autumn let that one slide. “Well, I just got a new shipment of beans from Ethiopia. Just roasted this morning. They’re glorious, but then I’m biased.”
“I don’t see how I can pass up glorious beans.”
“Smart woman. For here or to go?” Autumn asked.
“Here.”
“In that case, you get a mug.” She held up an oversized blue mug with PJ playing a guitar on the front. “Coffee is always best consumed from a mug anyway. Feels heavy and warm in your hands and makes you want more and more. And, well, more coffee is always the goal.”
“You know your stuff,” Kate said.
“When it comes to coffee, I do. It’s my thing. We all have them.”
“Have a cup with me.” Kate said it with that emboldened eye contact again. Not pushy or aggressive. Just…solid and friendly. She carried herself with a quiet confidence. Autumn hesitated, but Kate didn’t move a muscle and simply waited patiently for her answer. Autumn glanced behind her in hesitation. Steve and her new employee, Rhonda, seemed to be in a groove, and the shop was in the midst of a lull. Then there was her new declaration to live more, get out there and experience life.
“I can probably snag a few minutes.”
Kate smiled and inclined her head. “I’ll hang out over there.”
As she watched Kate walk away and select a table near the back, Autumn shook her head. She had no idea what it was she thought she was doing with Kate. Except she did. She was feeling alive for the first time in years, and that feeling had her craving more, like a dangerous drug you couldn’t get enough of, because it made you feel so good. “Steve, I’m gonna take ten.”
He nodded. “We got you.”
“Thanks.” She focused on Kate sitting at the table as she walked, slow and deliberate, swaying her hips because she was, okay, a little bit of a hussy.
Kate took a sip of the coffee as she watched Autumn, and smiled as she sat in the chair across from hers. “Autumn.”
Oh, she liked the sound of her name on Kate’s lips. “Yes?”
“This is the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.”
“Thank you.” She took a seat, basking in the compliment. It wasn’t even close to the first time she’d heard that sentence, but hearing it from Kate, who she was blatantly lusting after, brought a bonus shiver. She took a sip of her own coffee, a cappuccino that would hopefully see her through the afternoon, and watched Kate, who didn’t seem to mind. She stared back at Autumn as the air between them danced with a combination of electricity and anticipation. It only took a moment before she realized that studying Kate might be her new favorite pastime. Kate’s full bottom lip and perfectly formed eyebrows—most likely God given—snagged her attention first, followed by the way her ponytail rested on her shoulder. She had a feeling Kate didn’t have to do too much with her hair. She was just blessed with the kind of thick, dark, and beautiful tresses that probably tumbled into place when she stood up from bed each morning. The hazel eyes were guarded, though. That much was clear. Autumn wondered what was behind them, and what one would have to do to find out.
“So, what’s your secret?” Kate said, gesturing to the coffee. “To the vibrant flavor. It comes right through.”
“I can’t tell you that. You might open up a coffee shop next door, call it the Dog’s Business Suit, and I’d be out of luck.”
Kate grinned. “I wasn’t planning on it, but now I’ll think it over.”
Autumn smiled, trying to figure her out. “You’re a mystery, Kate. But I’m immune to mysteries.” They both knew she wasn’t, that Kate had her attention. There was an underlying flirtation to the way they spoke to each other. Eye contact that went on far too long, banter that said they enjoyed the back and forth, and then there was that unspoken, unseen energy that radiates between people who are drawn to each other. They definitely had that last part.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re even prettier up close.” Kate sat back in her chair.
“How could I take that the wrong way?”
Kate glanced at the ceiling and back. “I don’t know. Might be crossing a line. We don’t really know each other yet.”
The yet was not lost on Autumn. The yet came with so many fun possibilities.
“It’s not crossing a line,” Autumn said, feeling daring for the first time in a while. “And thank you for what you said, but I’m not sure I can hold a candle to a mysterious out-of-town firefighter.”
Kate offered a small smile, the kind that mattered. Most of Kate’s smiles did—that much Autumn could already tell. She didn’t throw away her smiles. While only occasional, they seemed sincere. “But here’s the thing I don’t get.”
“And what is that?” Autumn asked.
“Why you agreed to have coffee with me. Unless…”
“What?” Autumn said, enjoying this.
“Unless we have a thing happening. We do, don’t we?”
Autumn held her thumb and forefinger together. “Little bit. I think.”
“Then I should come back tomorrow. Get more coffee.” She took another sip, her eyes never leaving Autumn’s. Her demeanor never far from calm, measured. “Ask you more questions.”
“You haven’t asked me any questions.”
“That’s next. Favorite hobby?” She ran her thumb across the handle of the mug.
Every little detail had Autumn captivated. That’s how intrigued she was by Kate, how infatuated. “Knitting, but I never have time for it.” She still owed her friends a variety of promised hats, scarves, and blankets. “As you can see, I’m utterly boring. I don’t even participate in my own hobby.”
Kate leaned in. “There is nothing about you that’s boring, okay?”
Autumn nodded. Her heart was crazily pounding, having moved into her throat, and her stomach fluttered pleasantly. It’s possible other parts of her…warmed. “Okay,” she managed. “Not boring.”
Kate shook her head. “Nope. I’ll come back tomorrow,” she said, and took another sip of her coffee. “We can talk more.” Without another word, Kate stood and walked away. Stunned by the over-the-top sparks she’d just experienced, it took her a moment to wake the hell up so she could turn in time to watch Kate walk away, and God was she glad she didn’t miss that very satisfying opportunity. If Kate’s thick hair, gorgeous lips, and hazel eyes weren’t enough, her body was unreal.
“Help me, Father, for I have sinned,” she mumbled and fanned herself. “And I’m pretty sure there’ll be more sinning to come.”
* * *
John Grisham was a dick. Though Kate had never been a huge reader, her vacation to sunny LA had her wondering why she’d not devoted more time to books. Randy loved ’em. Started a whole business in their honor. Blew through them like candy when they were kids as Kate focused on girls, cross country, and…girls. But this Grisham guy had her eating out of the palm of his hand like a little bitch. It annoyed her how vulnerable she was to his plot twists.
“Something has you incredibly stressed out,” Hadley said, as she approached with a friend.
Kate lifted the book and squinted against the sun that haloed the two. They wore shorts, T-shirts, and fashionable-looking sunglasses. Very LA. “Yeah. There’s this law firm, and these funds in the Cayman Islands, and I don’t know if they’re gonna make it in time, right? I’m sweating it out. I’ve never been a book person, but because of Grisham I might be. I hate him for that.”
Hadley laughed. “Preaching to the choir as far as books are concerned. They’re my drug of choice. Need a break? I hear espionage can be taxing. Oh, and this is Gia. She lives next door to me. We’re headed to the beach.”
She nodded. “Hey. I’m Kate.”
Gia grinned. “Your reputation precedes you.”
Kate didn’t know what to say to that.
“You coming with us?”
“To the beach?” Kate asked.
Gia looked around. “On a day like today, it’s the only place to be.”
Kate hesitated. “Ah, you know, I haven’t gotten around to buying a suit.”
“Follow me,” Hadley said, without missing a beat. “Bring Grisham.”
Kate did as she was told and followed Gia and Hadley to the second floor and Hadley’s apartment, which, she had to say, was way nicer than the one she’d rented. Except maybe it was just everything Hadley had done to it. Beautiful drapes, matching furniture, and soft, serene colors. She had a knack.
Hadley studied her. “You don’t strike me as a woman who would wear any sort of pattern.”
“No to the pattern,” Kate said confidently. “Basic is best for me.”
“I’m thinking two pieces, all black. Done.” Hadley didn’t wait for a response and hurried off to a bureau in the corner of her bedroom on a very serious mission, returning just moments later with the suit she’d described.
Kate hesitated at the two-piece component. She opened her mouth to say so, but Hadley held up a finger. “No. I’m good at fashion. You’re gonna have to trust me on this.”
Gia sat on the arm of the couch with a grin on her face. Out of the sun, Kate could see that her long dark hair and brown eyes were accentuated by a deep, and flattering, tan. “I find it’s best just to listen to her. She’s rarely wrong about these kinds of things.”
Kate, knowing full well this was not her area, nodded. “Black two-piece it is.”
“You can change down the hall and to the left,” Hadley said, pointing down a short hallway.
So, she was heading to Venice Beach with two people she barely knew, wearing a bathing suit that she never would have picked out for herself, in the middle of what would normally have been a workday. Life felt foreign, but for whatever reason, Kate wasn’t the least bit fazed. What was even crazier? She didn’t look half bad in the suit. She made it a point to stay in shape for work but never really wore anything that required it. Apparently, Hadley was the real deal. She put her jeans on over the suit bottoms for the walk to the beach and exited Hadley’s bedroom.
Hadley’s eyes went wide when Kate returned to the living room, and she turned to Gia. “Am I good at my job or am I good at my job?”
Gia nodded and raised her eyebrows in appreciation. “After this, you need a promotion.”
* * *
The Eagles, bless them, serenaded Autumn as she took one order after another, pleased with the groove she’d established for her afternoon.
“Hey, Kev. Medium iced Americano for you?”
“You got it,” Kevin said, and forked over the cash, sliding down the counter to wait for Steve to prepare his drink.
“Stacy Q from Best Buy!” Autumn said happily. “What’ll it be?”
“My usual, but I need to add a couple of razzmatazz iced teas for my coworkers.”
“On it,” Autumn said, and charged her card. “How’s Jack?”
“Away on business. I’m single for the week.”
“Live it up, girl.”
“Wine and poker in his absence.”
“Nice!”
The afternoon rush at Pajamas had arrived in full force, but she and Steve were ready. Well, she and Steve, and Rhonda from the community college up the street. She’d hired Rhonda the week prior before finding out that Rhonda felt cotton was somehow from the devil, but had a definite affinity for all things sweet. In fact, baked goods mysteriously disappeared from the display case at a remarkable pace while Rhonda lectured them all on how every other textile known to man was superior to her sworn enemy, cotton. Outside of Steve, Autumn had a difficult time finding good, reliable help. The revolving door at least added a bit of afternoon entertainment, as she never knew what she was in for with these kids.
As she rang up Jake-the-crossword-puzzle-guy’s house roast, Autumn felt a text vibrate in her front pocket. She glanced at it ninja style so as not to look unprofessional in front of a customer, even if it was just Crossword Puzzle Guy. Emergency. We need a delivery, the text from Hadley read.
“Rhonda? Can you tag in for me?”
With a heavy sigh, Rhonda set down her chocolate chip cookie and took Autumn’s spot at the cash register. She silently prayed the customers weren’t chastised for any basic cotton blends. She would need to speak with Rhonda sometime soon about her fabric beliefs and when and when not to express them.
Kind of in the middle of my shift, she typed back. But an emergency sounds important. What gives? She smiled at the woman perusing the menu board and glanced beneath the counter at the readout on her phone.
Gonna want to make an exception.
Why is that? she asked Hadley, her interest snagged.
Firefighter has killer abs and she’s wearing my two-piece.
Will that be three iced coffees, then? she typed back automatically. Some things took precedence, and Kate’s abs on display might be one of them. She was not above objectification.
You won’t regret this. Hadley added a winky face to the end of the text for good measure.
When Autumn arrived at their typical spot on the strip of Venice Beach far from the throngs of tourists, she found Hadley alone on her towel wearing her vintage 1950s white and blue striped bathing suit, stealing some rays. In an attempt to blend in with her surroundings, Autumn rolled up the bottoms of her jeans and lost her shoes. She’d ditched her apron back at the shop, leaving her in a plain white T-shirt, which would have to do. The warm weather was a tad early for April, but Autumn wasn’t complaining. With the tide rolling in, she soaked in the sound of the beach all around her like food to the starving: waves crashing, seagulls chirping, and the tunes from Hadley’s radio. She never got tired of this place. Wasn’t possible.
“You came!” Hadley said, sitting up and popping her sunglasses on top of her head. “A smart decision.”
“You know, I forget all of this is still going on in the midst of the workday. I take it you’re off?”
“Close,” Hadley said. “I’m meeting with a new designer later this afternoon. Trudy, who’s the new store manager, by the way, wants a revamp. Hipper, modern, more accessible, and it’s apparently up to me to make that happen.”
“I like that. If I could afford it, I might actually want to shop there now.”
“Never say never.” Hadley accepted her iced coffee and pointed down the beach. “They’re throwing a Frisbee. Get down there. It’s awesome.”
Autumn blew Hadley a thank-you kiss and headed down the beach where Gia threw an easy glide to Kate who—holy hell, looked like that under her clothes. Autumn sucked in a breath and her body went numb. But not for long. It woke back up again quickly and with a vengeance. And now her body wanted things. Wanton things. Demanded them.
“Those for us?” Gia asked, trotting over to her with a grateful grin.
Autumn glanced down at the tray in her hands, forgetting what the hell she was doing with it. “Oh. Right. Yeah. For you guys.”
“You’re the best,” Gia said and snagged her drink.
Kate joined them and Autumn’s gaze moved across the smooth olive skin, trim waist that flared to the subtle curve of her hips. The abs on Kate were insane, but she didn’t dwell there for long. The bathing suit top dipped in the front, showcasing just a glimpse of her breasts that seemed not full, but not small either. She had perfect breasts. Autumn sighed as the physical longing persisted. She shifted against it, her new lot in life where Kate was concerned. Autumn shook her head. Of course she had perfect breasts. It would be too easy if she didn’t. When Autumn remembered that there was a larger world around her and raised her gaze to a more appropriate eye level, she came face-to-face with Kate, who had missed none of it.
Damnit.
Caught in broad daylight!
The blush slammed her cheeks and they heated uncomfortably. She had two choices here: shrink like a wussy little violet, or own the fact that she was a grown woman with desires, and wants, and…okay, very potent needs. She brightened and handed Kate an iced coffee. “Looking good out there, Carpenter,” she said, with a wink.
Kate bit her bottom lip through her smile. Biting her lip? Was she trying to kill Autumn there on the beach? Kate was a diabolical sex genius intent on taking down the women of Venice, and Autumn seemed to be target number one.
“Thank you,” Kate said. “For this as well.” She held up the plastic cup and took a pull from the straw. Autumn flashed to a rather juvenile fantasy of Kate rubbing the sweating cup across her body, but stopped herself because it was hot enough out here and coffee was serious business.
“She’s never played Frisbee before,” Gia said, hooking a thumb at Kate. “Can you believe that? She’s a prodigy.”
Kate glanced at the ground and then back up. “Just trying to keep up with you.” As confident as Kate seemed in her interactions with Autumn, there was this whole other side to her that edged closer to vulnerable when the spotlight hit. She wasn’t comfortable with too much attention.
“Would never have guessed it was her first time,” Autumn said casually, careful not to gush. Or stare. That is, until Kate’s gaze flicked to hers and held. Their connection sizzled.
Gia looked from one of them to the other. “Oh. I have to head to a sponsorship meeting in an hour and should probably freshen up. Autumn, sub in for me?”
“No, you don’t have to do that,” Kate said, waving off the idea. “We can stop.”
“Maybe I want to play.” Autumn stood taller, making the challenge clear.
Gia laughed and ran backward a few feet. “You two don’t go having too much fun together. It’s only Wednesday.”
“No promises,” Autumn called back. “Shall we?” she asked Kate once they were alone.
Kate extended her hand in an after-you gesture. Honestly, Autumn hadn’t thrown a Frisbee since she was maybe thirteen, and even then, she wasn’t very good. But it’s not like she would pass up this opportunity. Not to mention, Kate was new to the game, too. They’d be perfectly compatible.
“Hit me,” Autumn yelled, arms out.
“I don’t think that’s the goal of the game,” Kate called back calmly.
“Stop stalling, there’s a game happening here.”
Kate smiled and gently sailed the Frisbee her way, and wouldn’t you know it? She caught the damn thing. Unable to hold back, she held it up in the air and leapt for joy several times. And then a couple more for good measure. “Did you see that? I’m a natural.”
Kate regarded her with a hand on her hip and a shake of her head. “Are you going for cute? It’s working.”
Autumn laughed. “I’ll take cute and raise you masterfully skillful.” She repeated the same sliding motion she’d just seen Kate demonstrate and sat back and watched as her Frisbee fell like a pound of flour just six feet in front of her.
“Uh-oh,” Kate said, looking serious. “Have I been doing it wrong?”
Autumn retrieved the Frisbee and held up a finger. “Very funny. Just wait. I got this.”
“Waiting!” Kate called. She held up both hands. “Right here. Nice and easy.”
She could do this. Winding her arm around her body, Autumn released the Frisbee with a little more oomph this time, only to watch it sail violently to the right of Kate and straight into the encroaching tide. Bollocks. But Kate didn’t hesitate and took off after the wayward Frisbee, and caught the very edge. Speaking of masterfully skilled.
“I am so sorry!” Autumn called to her. “Did you get wet?”
Kate glanced down at the spray across her suit. “It’s a bathing suit. I’ll live.” She shook the water off her feet and ran back into the sand. “Again?”
“Why not! I can’t get any worse, right?” Autumn yelled. Honestly, she had nothing to lose anymore. The jig was up: she wasn’t an athlete and she wouldn’t be impressing anyone on this beach today.
“Don’t take your eye off it,” Kate called encouragingly. She ably sent the Frisbee in Autumn’s direction. At the last second, a gust of wind lifted it up and to the left, forcing Autumn to back up and then move forward and dive left only to end in a crumpled heap in the sand. Triple failure. And, ow! Oh, okay, something had just given way painfully. She attempted to stand, but the blast of pain sat her right back down. All right, maybe she’d just hang out in the sand for a little while. Wasn’t awful here.
Her dismay was short lived, however, because Kate was kneeling by her side almost instantly with concerned eyes. “Hey, you okay? You went down a little hard.”
That’s when Autumn realized that her own hand was holding tightly to her ankle, which throbbed a bit. “I think I just turned it the wrong way. No biggie.”
“I’m so sorry about that,” Kate said. “I guess the Frisbee caught a weird pocket of air.”
Autumn smiled. “You have nothing to apologize for. I can be a klutz sometimes. And the wind was being a bitch.”
“Still.” Kate stared at her ankle in disappointment, as if the sight of Autumn on the ground crushed her. It was sweet. “Let me take a look.”
“Okay.”
Kate gently moved Autumn’s hand and lifted her foot, pulling it into her lap as the sun shone brightly overhead. The world seemed to slow down a little.
“Are you a doctor now, too?” Autumn asked quietly.
Kate tossed her a glance and smiled. “I’m trained as an EMT. For work.”
“Right,” Autumn said, bracing against a flutter as Kate’s fingers pressed softly into her skin. “This hurt?”
Autumn shook her head.
“What about this?”
“Nope.”
Kate set about examining each inch of Autumn’s ankle for acute pain, checking in with her as she went. “I think you’re in the clear as far as any broken bones go. Do you think you can stand?”
“I can definitely stand,” Autumn said, and did so. She took a couple of wobbly steps.
“Careful. You okay?”
“I am. Just putting weight on it hurts a tad.” And she was limping slightly. They both saw it.
“Tell you what,” Kate said, and scooped Autumn into her arms. “I can help with this.” She then proceeded to carry Autumn across the beach to Hadley.
“Whoa!” Autumn laughed. “You should warn a girl before you…” But the words died on her lips when she realized her proximity to Kate. She smelled like the beach and oranges. The perfect combo. Those full lips were inches from hers as they walked, her own arms around Kate’s neck, holding on. She fixated on those lips and wondered how they’d feel beneath her fingertips or, better yet, how they’d taste. Sweet like oranges?
“Autumn?”
“Yep?” she said, snapping out of it.
It was Hadley’s voice that had burst the bubble of her quick little daydream. She sat on her towel looking up at them with a knowing twinkle in her eye. “You okay?”
“More than okay,” Autumn heard herself say through the fog.
Hadley laughed. “You can drop her here, Lieutenant.”
Kate gently set her on the towel next to Hadley and ran back for the drinks and Frisbee.
“You’re bad,” Hadley said.
Autumn laughed. “Lately I seem to be. It does hurt, though. I’m not making that part up.”
“Of course it does,” Hadley said with a grin. “But I don’t think the ache has anything to do with that foot.”
Autumn answered with a flip of her sunglasses onto her face and big smile. “Just having a little fun is all.”
“Like I said, the new you is bad. And I love it.”