Page 72 of Controlled Burn
I remembered then. Her name was Penny Fulbright, and she’d been one of the volunteers working at the book sale. “Yes, ma’am, that’s right. And I remember you, as well. Are you okay?”
“Yes, the nice paramedic”—she motioned over to Becca—“checked me all out and said I’m doing fine.”
“Good. Do you have someone coming to get you, Penny?”
“I do. My neighbors called my son. He’ll be here any minute. I just can’t believe I did that. He’s been telling me for months that I should come and stay with him and his wife, but I just didn’t want to accept that it was time.” She shook her head sadly. “So many memories all gone up in smoke.”
“What matters is you made it out safe. I’m sure your son will be relieved.”
A few minutes later, a car came speeding up the road, and a man around my dad’s age hopped out. He wasn’t able to see her because she was sitting off to the side, and the ambulance was blocking his view.
“Mom, Mom, where are you?” he called as he looked frantically around.
“She’s over here. She’s fine,” I called back, standing up and motioning for him.
He rushed over to where we were and wrapped his mother in a hug. “Mom, I was so worried.”
“Didn’t Gladys tell you I was okay?”
“Of course she did, but I wasn’t going to believe it till I saw it with my own eyes.”
I smiled at him and gave him a nod before walking off and leaving Penny in her son’s care. I walked back over to the fire truck and dug out my phone, sending a text to Caleb.
Me: Wasn’t fireworks at all. It was a kitchen fire in Penny Fulbright’s house. She made it out okay.
Rabbit: Oh my. She’s the sweetest lady.
Me: She is. Her son came to pick her up. Sadly, her house is probably a loss. But everyone’s okay, and we’re headed back to the station.
Rabbit: I’m just about to call my ride-share and head home. I was just waiting to hear from you. Will I see you in the morning?
Me: Yes, you will. But be sure and let me know when you make it home.
Rabbit: Yes, Daddy.
I chuckled as I stuck the phone in my pocket. Because while he responded perfectly, I was almost sure I could hear an eye roll in that last comment.
Chapter 26
Caleb
Keith was working that next Saturday, and I was taking advantage of the time to spend a lazy day reading. Vampires weren’t really my thing, but this was Ezra’s month to pick for our book club, and he loved them.
I flipped the book over and looked at it. At least the cover was lovely, and the book hadn’t been bad at all, at least not the part of it I’d read so far. Book club was in a week, and I was barely halfway finished. I simply hadn’t been reading as much as normal. Usually, I was the first one in the group done, but the truth was, until Ezra mentioned it when we were getting drinks earlier this week, I hadn’t even thought about it.
Between the book sale and spending time with Keith, I’d just been so busy it hadn’t crossed my mind at all. I’d replaced my book boyfriends with a real one, and while I would always be a reader, I’d much rather spend my evening curled up on the couch with Keith than lose myself in someone else’s love story.
I opened the book back up to where I’d left off and went back to reading. I had a new cozy mystery on my Kindle that I was excited to read, but this book had to take priority. The others might tease me about always choosing Daddy books, but they always read them, and I wasn’t about to do any less for Ezra’s pick. I’d just gotten to the part where our main protagonist’s love interest asks him to change him so he wouldn’t grow old without him when my phone buzzed. I flipped it over to find a text from Keith.
Daddy: Don’t forget we’re meeting my brother and Spencer for lunch tomorrow.
Me: I remember. I’m really looking forward to meeting them.
Daddy: That means we’ll be busy so we won’t have time to do your meal prep. Have you thought about maybe doing that today instead?
I looked up from the hammock I’d put out on my little patio and sighed. So much for a lazy reading day.
Me: No, I hadn’t thought about it at all. Maybe I could just wing it next week.