“I need to talk.” Kennadee rushed into Sorene’s house, which was still under construction mode, though a lot of progress had been accomplished since the last time she’d visited the lake cabin.

“Is everything okay?” Sorene asked, her long, blond hair pulled up and anchored with no less than three pencils. She wore her customary Carhartt overalls and flannel shirt. She was in the process of varnishing the stunning mantel over the stone fireplace where she’d carved a forest scene with wolves hidden among the birch trees. The piece was worthy of a New York gallery.

“No. I’m sure you heard since we live in such a small town that I saved Gideon Rasmussen the other day.”

“That’s all everyone is talking about, and great work, sis. I’ve always said you were hero material, or is the correct term heroine?”

“I don’t want to be a hero. I was just doing my job.” She paced the length of the vaulted room, stopping to gaze out the large windows that overlooked the hot spring lake.

“Yet, you weren’t on the clock.”

“As a firefighter and EMT that doesn’t matter. If you come across an accident or a situation that needs help, you help. That’s all I was doing.”

“And the problem is…?”

She chewed on her thumbnail, not meeting Sorene’s eyes.

“Ah,” Sorene said. “The problem is Gideon. I know you two had some history. Is there more to it than that?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know. He kissed me,” she blurted out. This is why she was here, she needed to talk to someone. Sorene was a great sounding board, and she needed help putting things back to rights. She felt out of control, and not out of control in a thrilling way. This felt like she couldn’t keep her footing on an icy surface.

“And how was it?” Sorene prompted.

Good. No, great. “Decent,” she said.

“Are you being truthful to yourself?”

“Damn it. I hate that you know me so well.”

“Isn’t that why you’re here? Let me take a stab at it. He kissed you, your world tilted, and now everything seems different.”

“Yes, that—I don’t like it.”

Sorene laughed. “I always knew that one day a man would burn through you. Wake you up.”

“I don’t need to be woken up by a man.”

“You have continued to keep men at arm’s length, taking what you want from them, and then letting them go. Anyone gets too serious about you, and they’re history. Sound about right?”

“Maybe,” she reluctantly admitted. “I enjoy men and dating. My life isn’t conducive to a serious relationship.”

“Firefighters get married all the time,” Sorene pointed out.

“Marriage? Why did you bring up marriage? It was one kiss.”

“Yet, I bet you can’t stop thinking about him. You were willing to drive him home from the hospital, when really that isn’t something you would normally do. And you’re going out with him tomorrow.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because Dad asked me what your favorite flower was.”

“What does Dad have to do with this? Oh no, he isn’t…”

“I don’t know if he is or not, just that Gideon asked Pete what your favorite flower was and he asked Dad who asked me. And since I have no idea, I’m now asking you so I can report back.”

“Dad better not have matchmaking ideas in his head. I warned him.”

“I’m not aware of it if he is, but really, would it be so bad? I’m now glad he stepped in with Ash and me. Without his and Ash’s dad sticking their noses into our business, who knows if we would be engaged now. I’ll be forever grateful to those meddling men. Just don’t let them know that. It will swell their heads even further.”

“Seriously? You don’t mind that they pretended Ash’s dad was dying to get the two of you together?”

“Well, that part of their plan needed work, and I hated the worry it caused Ash, but we are both very happy with the results.”

“You’re crazy. If Dad interferes in my life like he did with yours, he will be in for a world of hurt.” No one tried to manipulate her and got away with it.

“I’m sure you’ll know soon enough if Dad is meddling, until then, I promised him I’d find out your favorite flower.”

“If I have a favorite, it would be fireweed. No one will be able to find them this time a year.” Fireweed was the first flower to bloom after a wildfire, and that had always appealed to Kennadee, to know the devastation of wildfire would soon be covered in tall stalks of fuchsia flowers.

“Any close seconds?” Sorene asked.

“I’m not that kind of girl. I don’t go for that romantic crap. He should save his money. Cut flowers just die anyway.”

“You’re too young to be this jaded.”

“I’m not jaded, just a realist.”

“Realist or not, a little romance never hurt anyone.”

She begged to differ. Romance led to love, and her life was just fine without adding that heartbreaking, sticky emotion to it.

The door burst open, and Ash stumbled in, his arms full of wood flooring. “Hey, Kennadee.” Ash walked past her and set the heavy box down in what would be the dining room.

“Need some help?” she offered.

“Not until your shoulder has a doctor’s note saying it’s fully healed.”

She’d forgotten about her damaged wing. It was second nature for her to jump in when she saw that someone needed a hand.

“Hey, I heard you and Gideon are going out. You know he really had it bad for you in high school.”

“Does everyone know we’re having dinner tomorrow?”

Both Ash and Sorene nodded.

“The whole town?”

Again, they nodded.

“How?” She hadn’t said anything. Her dad was smart enough not to spread gossip like this. Realization dawned. “It was Pete, wasn’t it?”

“He’s a tad excited. In his eyes you’re a goddess for saving his son’s life,” Ash said. “He’s telling everyone who comes into Heart Bait and Tackle. And now the town is taking bets that another Wilde will soon be off the market.”

Kennadee growled. “I’m not a freaking loaf of bread.”

“You’re much more expensive than a loaf of bread,” Ash said. “More like a steak.”

“See, I would have said lobster,” Sorene said, tongue in cheek. “But then I’ve known her longer than you have.”

“Very funny,” Kennadee said.

“How is Gideon doing?” Sorene asked, somewhat changing the subject.

“Actually, he’s bouncing back from surgery a lot of faster than I thought.”

“He’s always been like that,” Ash said. “Remember when he broke his leg snowboarding? It wasn’t two weeks later when he duct-taped a beanie over his toes and strapped the cast in the bindings of his snowboard and flew down the mountain. It’s hard to keep him down.”

“Didn’t he end up with a broken arm that matched his broken leg after that stunt?” Sorene asked.

Ash laughed. “He did. His dad was furious.” He laughed again, remembering. “Good times.”

Kennadee couldn’t hold back the smile, remembering the experience herself. The Gideon she recalled had been a hellcat—untamed, always in some sort of scrape or thinking up some crazy stunt.

No wonder she didn’t recognize the suit-wearing doctor when she’d pulled him out of the wrecked vehicle.

“Ryder, Dare, Avery, and Dad are coming over later to help lay the floors,” Sorene said. “Why don’t we have a girl’s night out? I’d rather not be here with all that testosterone.”

“Hey, you don’t want to watch your man do manly things?” Ash beat his chest.

“Every one of you will want to take charge,” Sorene said. “Too many chiefs and no one willing to take direction. I’d rather not be a witness to that.”

“Instead of a girl’s night out, how about a girl’s night in?” Kennadee suggested. “I can pick up some wine, we can have cheese and fruit and maybe cucumber sandwiches?”

“Let’s,” Sorene agreed. “I’ll call Catriona and you call Zoe. It’s been too long since we’ve done this.”

Kennadee liked this new sister. Sorene had always been too busy filling their mother’s shoes to be a real sister. Ash was good for her.