Safe in the Fireman's Arms

She gave him a short nod, and a grudging smile.

“A professor? Physical science? Really?”

“Yes.” Her eyes brightened. “My area of specialty is agronomy.”

“You don’t look like an agronomist.”

Maggie frowned, confusion in the depths of her dark eyes.

Jake couldn’t resist a grin.

“You’re kidding,” she said flatly.

“I am.”

“Do you know what agronomy is?” Maggie asked.

“No, but I have complete faith you’re going to tell me when we have our date.”

“It’s not a date.”

“Right. Right. Civic duty.”

“I better go...” She turned.

“First-time customers get a ten-percent discount. There’s a coupon on our new webpage.”

Turning back toward him, her face lit up, and a smile curved her generous mouth.

Jake had a sudden notion that he’d like to keep Maggie Jones smiling all the time.

“Really?” she murmured.

“Yeah. We really have a webpage.”

“I meant the coupon.”

“That, too. We’re having a big sale on fire extinguishers right now.”

The smile slipped from her face. “Very funny.”

“Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” Jake looked around. They were nearly to her shop and right around the corner from Patti Jo’s Café and Bakery. “Why don’t I buy you a cup of coffee?”

“No. But thank you. I really do have to get back to the shop. There’s a Beck Hollander coming by today.”

“Beck? Good kid. A little strange, but a good kid.”

“That’s what Susan said.”

“Have you decided if you’re staying in Paradise yet?” Jake asked.

“Oh, that depends.”

“On what?” he asked, once again prodding her for an answer.

“If I have a reason to stay.”

He nodded and tucked her words away. “So I guess I’ll see you on Saturday?”

“Yes. Saturday,” she murmured.

Jake turned slightly and then paused and faced her again. “Are we—” he raised a palm “—okay?”

“Yes. It’s all good,” she said with a shaky laugh.

“You’re sure? I have this unsettling feeling that I did something wrong. But I can’t quite figure out what.”

“No. It’s me, not you.”

He scratched his head. “I’ll guess I’ll have to take your word for it.”

Jake stuck his hands in his pockets as he walked slowly back to the store, silently counting sidewalk cracks and pondering his conversation with Maggie. Was that a panic attack she’d had in the hardware store? Maybe she had medical issues? The woman was a mystery, that much was clear.

That didn’t explain why his good intentions and resolutions disappeared when he was around her. It seemed the more he resisted, the closer he danced to the flame.

He stopped outside the Paradise Floral Shop and stared at a sign in the window.

Don’t forget to order your date a corsage for the Founder’s Day supper!

Despite what Maggie thought, it was a date. He’d call in an order later.

Right now he had to get back to the store.

He had just pulled open the glass door to the hardware store when the fire horns began to sound. Simultaneously his cell phone rang, the tune indicating a text.

Jake raced to the parking lot while reading the message.

10-24. Auto fire.

The address was Bob Jones’s fix-it shop.

He swallowed hard and headed to the fire station while silently praying. Trouble seemed to court Maggie Jones.

Chapter Four (#ulink_078bf48d-42ef-5d28-bfa4-a9b477d50248)

Maggie was wedged under the sink in the back room when the shop’s front door opened. Now what? From the street the echoing rumble of the Paradise Volunteer Fire Department’s pump engine could be heard as it finally departed.

She blew strands of hair out of her eyes and gave the pipe wrench a quick turn. Only early afternoon, yet she was more than ready to call it a day before anything else happened. The steely look Jake had given her as he assessed the smoldering remains of her uncle’s ancient and battered Ford engine was enough to keep her praying for the Lord’s protection and assistance to stay out of trouble and out of Jake’s way, at least until the Founder’s Day supper.