Her Only Hero

Her Only Hero
Marta Perry

Penniless widow Laura McKay was determined to succeed on her own, but when an arsonist threatened her deaf daughter's safety, she was compelled to rely on firefighter Ryan Flanagan, the high school football hero who'd never noticed her as a shy underclassman.Physically fearless and an expert at avoiding romantic commitment, Ryan had nearly become his own worst enemy. But in the flames there's only one enemy: time, which just might be running out for Laura, unless Ryan's courage…and love…can withstand the test of fire.

She felt for him—

a sudden empathy that startled and disturbed her. Laura didn’t want to feel for anyone but her daughter. She had far too much responsibility in her life right now to leave room for a handsome firefighter.

Luckily he didn’t seem to expect an answer from her. Ryan touched her arm lightly, and she felt the warmth of that touch right through the fabric of her sweater.

“Hey, I’ll work out my problems. But thanks for listening. I’ll be glad to return the favor anytime.”

She managed to smile, to nod. Ryan meant well, but she didn’t have any intention of sharing her inner thoughts with anyone, least of all him. He’d come too far into her life already.

MARTA PERRY

has written everything from Sunday school curriculum to travel articles to magazine stories in twenty years of writing, but she feels she’s found her home in the stories she writes for Love Inspired.

Marta lives in rural Pennsylvania, but she and her husband spend part of each year at their second home in South Carolina. When she’s not writing, she’s probably visiting her children and her beautiful grandchildren, traveling or relaxing with a good book.

Marta loves hearing from readers and she’ll write back with a signed bookplate or bookmark. Write to her c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279, e-mail her at marta@martaperry.com or visit her on the Web at www.martaperry.com.

Her Only Hero

Marta Perry

Help carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ.

—Galatians 6:2

This story is dedicated to Gary and Arddy Johnson,

with much love. And, as always, to Brian.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

Letter to Reader

Chapter One

“I suppose you’d better come in.”

Laura McKay had a feeling that sounded ungracious. She tried to make amends by forcing a smile as she stood back to let the uniformed firefighter step into the foyer of her brick townhouse.

The man glanced through the archway to the bare, dusty area she hoped would eventually be a ground-floor shop. Searching for something to find unsafe, no doubt.

“Sorry to bother you.” He consulted the clipboard he carried. “Ms. McKay, is it? I’m Ryan Flanagan, from the Suffolk Fire Department.”

He didn’t recognize her, then. Funny, because she’d known Ryan Flanagan from the moment she opened the door.

Ryan hadn’t changed all that much from the tall, handsome football hero he’d been in high school. One of the popular Flanagan brothers, with those deep-blue eyes and that cleft in his strong chin, he’d had every girl at Suffolk High School longing to be the recipient of one of his teasing smiles, including her.

Well, that was a long time ago. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t remembered the shy underclassman who had admired him from afar.

“I don’t understand why you’re here.” She glanced up the stairs of the three-story townhouse, longing to get back to the work she’d set herself for the day. “I have all the necessary permits for the renovation, and the building has already been inspected by your department.”

He shrugged, smiling. The smile was, unfortunately, just as devastating as it had been in high school.

“Just one of those necessary things, I’m afraid. Someone called the department with a complaint, so we’re obligated to check it out.”

“Someone complained about me?” That jerked her mind away from the wallpaper she’d been removing.

“Who?”

“Anonymous.” He shrugged again. “It happens. If you’ll just let me take a walk-through and check things out, I’ll get out of your hair.”

He glanced at her head as he spoke, and she put up her hand to discover that the bandanna she’d tied on to protect her wiry mane was thoroughly covered with plaster dust. She swatted at it uselessly and then pulled the thing off. What difference did it make what she looked like, anyway? The important thing was to get back to work.