Nate admired the brawny truck while bemoaning the merciless treatment of its shocks. Looks like your first volunteer.
Oh, no. Mitch didnt sound nearly as relieved as a man in dire need of help should be when the cavalry started to arrive. No, no. Not today, baby.
Baby?
Mitch shoved the paramedic kit into Nates already full arms and hurried over to the truck, where a sunny-haired woman in a pair of baggy overalls and scuffed-up Lacer boots climbed out. Instead of politely excusing himself and joining the rest of his team inside, Nate stayed on the front sidewalk and adjusted his load, half-hidden by the translucent mist as he watched the scene unfold.
He was scoping out the volunteers hed be working with, he rationalized. Staying close to offer Mitch whatever backup he might need, since this womans arrival had obviously upset him. Nate narrowed his gaze to take note of every detail that weather and distance allowed him to assess.
The woman wore her butterscotch cream hair pulled back in a straight, practical ponytail. The long strands hung past the collar of her man-size, bright green polo shirt. She might be a tad on the skinny side, though her bulky clothes and above-average height could be playing tricks on his perception. She had a definite spring to her step.
And quite possibly the bluest eyes hed ever seen.
As she circled to the rear of the truck to greet Mitch, her face came into sharper focus. Nates fine-tuned senses responded with something more than curiosity. Her eyes were as cool and blue as a pristine mountain lake. She was pretty enough, he supposed, in an un-adorned, girl-next-door kind of way. But those eyes made her unforgettable.
How could her arrival be a bad thing?
Hey, Dad. She braced one hand on Mitchs shoulder and rose up on tiptoe to exchange a kiss. So this was the daughter from the Double J Ranch that Mitch had been worried about.
Honey, we talked about this. Mitch made a move to hug her or halt her, but shed already stridden beyond his reach en route to the passenger-side door.
I know. But I also know how short-staffed you are right now.
I recruited help.
Right. The California contingency. Sun-babes and surfer dudes.
Surfer dudes? Nate frowned. Was that a joke or an insult? He hadnt been on a surfboard since hed blown out his knee, and phrases like totally rad and gnarly had never been part of his vocabulary.
You know Dan would only send his best.
Her ponytail bounced as she nodded. I know Uncle Dans dependable, but you yourself said we were going to be shorthanded. So Im here to volunteer for whatever job you need. Oh, and I passed Micky Flynn and Doyle Brown on the way in. They should be here soon.
Im glad some of my firefighters are finally showing up, but
Here. Do you mind? She leaned in and pulled out a large flat box from the passenger seat. Once she handed the package off to her father, she propped her hands against her hips, rolled her shoulders back and stretched, tipping her face to the rain and breathing deeply, as if she found the cool drops a soothing comfort. Mmm. I love this moisture. My gardens going to love it, too. Everythings so dry.
Now, honey, you know damn well that
The rest of Mitchs warning got lost in the pounding alarm stopping up Nates ears. Her arched posture had pulled her loose clothes taut.
She was pregnant. Maybe four or five months worth, judging by the subtle yet distinctive swell of her belly. Mitch was going to be a grandpa. No wonder he wanted her to stay home.
The blue-eyed angel with the nonstop mouth was pregnant.
The attraction humming through Nates body braked into regretful silence. He didnt need to be lusting after somebody elses woman.
Wait a minute. She was pregnant?
A familiar sense of urgency buzzed his senses back on full alert.
She was Mitchs idea of a volunteer?
Every doubt that had been temporarily laid to rest resurfaced.
No wonder hed called Dan Egan for help.
I figured Aunt Jeans Café wouldnt be open this morning. Mitchs daughter pulled a second box from the truck, then closed the door with a subtle wiggle of her hip. She was smiling. Beaming like a ray of sunshine, despite the rain, the clouds and her fathers scowl.
So I got up early and baked some cinnamon rolls for the briefing this morning. If I know you, you didnt eat any breakfast. She winked. Nate zeroed in on the movement, fascinated by her animated expression and the spell she seemed to be casting over her father. And I know you. Cmon. Lets eat one while theyre still warm. I made them without nuts the way you like them. Ill brew some fresh coffee to go with them, too.
She hiked the box higher in her arms and marched across the parking lot, heading straight toward Nate and the front door. Mitchs big shoulders expanded with a sigh before he fell into step behind her.
Promise me, all youll do is make coffee and then go home? Mitch asked.
But Nate had a feeling the concession had fallen on deaf ears. Mitchs daughter glanced up at the sky, arcing the slender column of her throat. Maybe Id better get the urn out and fill it up. I imagine well have people in and out all day wholl be looking for something to warm them up if this rain hangs on.
Nate barely got the door open for her before she came charging through. She tipped her chin and gave him a smile, which, even at a fraction of the wattage shed shown Mitch, was still dazzling. Thanks. Im Jolene Kannon-Angel. You must be the California boy Dad told me about last night.
California boy? Surfer dude? Nate Kellison.
He was too stunned by her exuberance, which somehow managed to intrigue yet condescend at the same time, to do more than utter his name.
She didnt give him time to say pleased to meet you, set her straight on the whole California misconception, or tell her how good those rolls smelled. She breezed on by, leaving a waft of cinnamon and a void of energy in her wake.
Mitch paused in the open doorway beside Nate, staring after her retreating backside with openmouthed exasperation. Thats my daughter, he announced unnecessarily. She didnt stay home. He turned to Nate. I didnt really think she would. But I hoped. She does have some medical training. Shes been a volunteer firefighter for eight years nowsince she was twenty. Shes as passionate about her hometown as I am. Shes good with people.
The credentials petered out as Jolene disappeared into the main room. They could hear a chorus of cheerful greetings as she introduced herself to Dana, Cheryl and Amy.
Shes pregnant. Nate stated the obvious. Her volunteerism is commendable, but she doesnt need to be here.
Mitch nodded. Yep.
Isnt her husband worried about her being on the road by herself?
She hasnt got one. That bit of news finally seemed to shake Mitch free from the lingering effects of Hurricane Jolene. Shes been a widow four months now.
A knot of compassion twisted itself in Nates gut. He knew more than he wanted to about losing someone he loved. Im sorry to hear that.
Its probably a good part of why she worries about me so much. She lost her mother years ago. And now Joaquin. Mitch led the way down the hall. Probably why I cant say no to her, either. I dont want her to lose anything else. I dont want her to hurt anymore.