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Chapter One
A melodic giggle was the only warning Zachary Langley had before a woman with flyaway blonde hair grabbed his arm, twirled beneath it, then kissed the top of his hand in an old-fashioned gesture.
“Today is the best day,” she said, her mirth-filled gaze meeting his briefly and, as if an invisible piece of tinsel entwined them together, he couldn’t look away. Her happiness was infectious and his lips curled into an answering smile.
A heartbeat later his hand was free and she skipped down the steps, her hair dancing behind her. He remained grounded to the spot and watched her get into a silver SUV and reverse out of the bay.
“What was that?” he mumbled, feeling discombobulated and sure he’d stepped into one of those cheesy Christmas movies that were so popular this time of year.
He’d grown up in the world of make-believe, where scenes were manipulated so the viewer thought one thing, but something completely different was happening. That’s exactly what he felt was occurring now. Zach glanced around, looking for a hidden camera. Or someone to jump out, yelling, “Cut!” And the crew would then appear, ready to set up for the next shot.
Nothing like that happened. The area around him remained still, like it should. He lived in Marietta, Montana, now, not Hollywood, where some dreams came true, but many were destroyed.
Switching his focus back to the job he’d been tasked to do, Zach made his way into the building and headed for the fire equipment cupboard. He was off duty, but he’d told his captain he’d call in and do the courthouse’s monthly inspection on his way home. He didn’t have to do it, but as he was new to the station and the town, he wanted to let the crew know he was a team player. He’d been part of a hotshot crew in California but had recently relocated to Marietta because he needed . . . space. Space to recalibrate and catch his breath. Work out if he could be on a normal crew again and not the high adrenaline rush being a hotshot firefighter had given him.
What better place to do all that than Montana, where the wide blue sky was welcoming, and in a small town where no one knew him? His past. Or who his mother was—at least so far, no one had mentioned they knew his connection to Kathryn Lancaster. And if they did, they kept it to themselves, which he was grateful for.
Zach quickly closed the door with his mother’s name on it. He still hadn’t forgiven her for what she’d done to him. How she’d used him. How the need for fame had driven her to ignore her son’s pleas for anonymity and time to process all he’d gone through. To think about the trauma others had gone through. To try to use her platform to raise awareness of the dangers of being ill-prepared for the harm nature could do. Instead, Kathryn had “mom-guilted” him into doing her bidding with tears and accusations that her feelings meant nothing to him, and that for days, she didn’t know if he was alive or dead.
They had clashes over the years, but this had been the one that pushed him over the edge, and he’d blown up at his mother and cut off all communications. Whether it was permanent or not remained to be seen, but for the moment, he just needed to be alone and work through his mother’s place in his life. And, more to the point, if she even had one at all.
He sighed and paused in front of the cupboard. So much for not letting that door burst open. There would be a time when he would have to face it all, but today was not that day.
Closing his eyes, he took a moment to use the techniques his therapist had given him when his thoughts became too overwhelming. Another reason that he’d come to a small town, where the peace and tranquility he’d found had already been good for his soul. He’d only been in Marietta a month, but in that time, he’d been able to sleep better than he had in the six months leading up to his move.
Once he was confident he was back in control of his emotions and that any thoughts of his mother and her actions were firmly locked away, he inspected the equipment, noting that everything was in order, signed his name in the inspection folder, and closed the door, jumping a little when he came face-to-face with a woman.
How had he not heard her come up behind him? She was wearing high heels. The type that always made a clipping sound that could be heard from quite a few feet away.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“Inspecting the fire equipment, ma’am.”
She looked him over. “Shouldn’t a member of the fire department be doing this?”
“Yes.” Zach dug into his pocket and pulled out his Marietta Fire Department ID. “Firefighter Zachary Langley.”
The woman took it and then looked between the plastic card and Zach. “You’re the hot shot from California, aren’t you?”
Shit, she knows who I am. She’s going to ask for an autograph from my mom. Or worse, a spot on her show.
With thoughts of his mom so close to the surface, he’d defaulted to his automatic reaction when someone recognized him. He’d been hoping for a little while longer before who he truly was came out. At least he’d had a month of semi-solitude.
“I am,” he said quietly, deciding there was no point in denying it.
She handed back his ID. “I’m Chelsea Flint, Mayor of Marietta. It’s good to meet you.”
He waited a heartbeat for her to elaborate, and when she didn’t, he breathed out, releasing some of the tension riding on his shoulders. “Nice to meet you too, ma’am.”
She waved her hand in the air. “It’s Chelsea. I understand from the fire chief that you’ve come here for a fresh start. Thank you for choosing us. We’re very lucky to have a firefighter of your caliber on our squad.”
That was it? She wasn’t going to say anything about what he’d done while he’d been in California? Or who his mom was?
Did she really not know who he was, or was she waiting for him to say something? If so, she’d be waiting awhile, because he was keeping that information locked down.
“I’m glad to be here. Marietta is a beautiful town.”
“It is. And you’ve arrived just in time to see it in all its holiday season glory. There’s nothing quite like the way the shops on Main Street decorate for the season. Anyway, I must be off. Next time you’re here to do an inspection, maybe do it in your uniform.” Her eyebrow rose, but there wasn’t any heat in her voice.
Zach ducked his head in acknowledgment. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Chelsea!” she reminded him, calling over her shoulder as she clipped away on her high heels.
“Got away with that one,” he murmured as he leaned against the wall. The guys at the station were aware of his firefighting heroics, the aftermath of it all, and his familial connections. They didn’t treat him any differently and Zach was glad about that. They were all cut from the same cloth, and they hadn’t joined the fire department for glory or notoriety. They’d joined to serve and keep the community, and surrounds, safe. The guys wouldn’t blab around the town about who he was and what he’d done. If they told their significant others, then they were keeping it quiet too.
Of course, all of that was speculation, and maybe all the residents were aware of his past. Either way, everyone he’d encountered in his short time had been respectful toward him and he’d done the same.
Another perk of living in a small town. After living in bustling LA all his life, he thought it might be stifling, with everyone seemingly knowing everyone else, but it wasn’t.
Straightening, he headed back out to his car, ready to go home, where he would sit alone, eat his dinner, and watch whatever appealed to him on TV—which was getting harder and harder to find. The other day he’d spent a good hour flicking through channels and streaming services before he’d given up and picked up his e-reader.
Instead of heading toward the quiet street he lived on, Zach took the turn that would lead him to the Main St. diner. It was a place he’d frequented only a couple of times, preferring to cook his own food. He wasn’t strict with his diet, but he tended to stay away from fatty foods as much as possible. Tonight, though, he didn’t want to go to his empty place. He wanted noise. And maybe he’d see the mysterious woman who’d danced with him and kissed his hand on top of the stairs.
Zach mentally scoffed at his fanciful thought. He wasn’t living in that cheesy Christmas movie he’d earlier thought about. This was reality, and the chances of him seeing her again were pretty slim, but he still couldn’t stop remembering their brief encounter.
Who was she?
Because of his job, his history with the opposite sex, and how he’d been used more times than he liked to remember, he tended to keep to himself now. He hadn’t fully immersed himself in Marietta life. He didn’t want to take the risk of someone recognizing him and then making a fuss. Or posting on social media about him. If that happened, someone from his mom’s office would tell her, and she’d seek him out for some other publicity opportunity. Before he’d cut off communication with her, he heard she was writing a book about her life, and he wanted nothing to do with that.
Zach found a parking space on the street just down from the diner. The air was crisp and he grabbed his jacket from the back seat. He wasn’t used to the Montana cold. He’d grown up in LA and, while it got cold, it didn’t get to freezing temperatures, like it did up here.
One upside of being here now was the snow. Ski season would be starting soon and Zach was looking forward to hitting the slopes and testing his rusty skiing skills. Pitting himself against the black runs when he’d gotten a few easier ones under his belt. Those were sure to give him the adrenaline rush he lived for.
Some of the married guys at the station had talked about taking their families to Miracle Lake for some ice-skating. He’d like to do that too. Although, would it be weird for a single guy to rock up there just to skate? What did it matter if it did look weird? The lake was open to everyone and he was sure there were probably plenty of single women who skated there. Not that he was looking for anything.
So why are you about to walk into the diner, hoping to see your mystery lady?
Zach ignored his inner voice. He was there for dinner, nothing else. The scent of fried food and the buzz of conversation hit him the second he walked through the door. The place was busy and there didn’t appear to be any seats available.
Flo, the manager, came up to him. “Hey, darlin’, what can I get you?”
“A seat, if you have it?” Maybe there was someone finalizing their check and about to leave. He’d be happy to share a table if it came to that. It might give him an opportunity to meet some of the locals. If he was going to make this place his home, he should at least try to make an effort.
With luck no one may have heard of Kathryn Lancaster and her talk show.
Flo looked around, her brows beetling in. “Sorry, you’re looking at a forty-five-minute wait. Unless you don’t mind sharing? Some of the locals are happy to do that, but I know you’re new and don’t know that many people, so it might not be something you’re keen on. A seat at the counter might open up quicker, but I can’t guarantee it.”
It was like the universe had heard his unspoken words. “It’s okay, I’m happy to share. It’s a good way to get to meet people.”
Flo smiled big as if he’d given the correct answer. “Excellent. Come this way.”
No one paid him any attention as Flo led him between the tables to a booth at the back. It looked empty to him, but as they got closer, he could see a woman with her head down and papers spread across the Formica top.
“Here you go.” Flo shuffled some of the papers and placed a menu, along with napkin-wrapped utensils, down. “Tilly, hope you don’t mind having some company. We’re full.”
Zach blinked twice, not believing what he was seeing. Sitting at the table was the woman who’d kissed his hand not even an hour ago.
“Sure, that’s fine, Flo. Oh, it’s you!” Tilly said as she looked up and found him standing next to the diner’s owner.
“Do you two know each other?” Flo’s gaze flitted between them.
“Not really,” Zach commented as he slid into the booth on the side opposite Tilly. He noted the papers she was working on looked like forms of some sort.
“I see. Well, here’s your chance to get acquainted. I’ll be back with some water.” Flo darted off before either one of them could say anything.
After a few beats of silence, where they both stared at each other, he held out his hand. “Zach Langley, nice to meet you.”
“Tilly Bloom.” She grasped his hand and, like the first time they touched, a sliver of electricity bounced up his arm. He found himself keeping ahold of her hand for longer than was really polite. Tilly didn’t seem to mind, as she wasn’t yanking her hand away.
Eventually, he released his grip. “That looks . . . interesting.” He glanced at the papers on the table.
It was as though he’d hit a light switch. Excitement filled Tilly’s hazel eyes, the gold flecks almost glinting in the diner’s lighting. Her smile was wide and welcoming. A flash of warmth pooled in his belly.
Had he been missing out on the town’s friendliness because he’d been too worried about being recognized?
Highly possible. In fact, most definitely. For a while it hadn’t bothered him, but after the fire and the aftermath, he’d reevaluated his life as some things were more important—like living his life the way he wanted to live it.
Zach sighed. Now wasn’t the time for heavy thoughts, not with his mysterious hand kisser sitting across from him.
“Oh, it’s more than interesting, it’s exciting,” she gushed. Her enthusiasm seeped out toward him, encouraging him to grasp it. “It’s going to be amazing. The town is going to love it.”
“Sounds intriguing.” And he wasn’t just saying that for the sake of making conversation. His curiosity was piqued and he wanted to know what had her so excited.
Conversation halted for a moment as Flo returned with a glass of water for him. “I know you’ve ordered, Tilly, but you don’t mind if I bring your food out when I bring Zachary’s? That way you’re both eating together.”
“That’s fi—”
“That’s not nec—”
They both spoke at the same time. The last thing Zach wanted to do was make Tilly wait even longer for her meal.
“I’ll be back in five to take your order, Zach.” Flo winked and headed back to the kitchen.
“I’m really sorry you have to wait on . . .” Zach started to say, but Tilly waved away his protest.
“It’s fine. I want to get these forms filled in anyway. Then I can go home and transfer all the information online.”
“Wait, you printed out an online form?” How was that even possible when most were the type where you couldn’t see the next page until you’d answered all the questions. Whatever the format, she’d been able to do it.
Tilly nodded. “I like to read through everything first and know what I’m doing, rather than having to click through each box on the computer and not know what’s coming up. My job is data entry, and the amount of time people fill out stuff incorrectly is amazing. Even on a printed form, they still manage to misread and mess things up.”
That made no sense to Zach, but who was he to argue? Everyone had their quirks or a particular way of doing things. He certainly had one when it came to his turnout gear. “Fair enough. Need any help?”
Why was he volunteering to help someone complete a form which, from looking at it, seemed pretty straightforward?
“Nope, I’m just about done. I need to work out a way to make what we’re going to do sound amazing.” She tapped her pen against her lips and his attention was drawn to their pink fullness.
Would they be soft under his?
Whoa, where did that thought come from?
Maybe he should go, because the things he was imagining he had no place thinking, especially with someone he’d just met.
He didn’t do this type of thing.
He didn’t believe in the whole instant attraction concept. He left that to the people, and the world, his mother lived in. He dealt in a world where life could be ended in a screech of brakes, an errant spark, or a gale-force wind.
Even after his internal lecture, he found he couldn’t slide along the vinyl bench seat and exit the diner.
What was it about lovely Tilly, a complete stranger, that tempted him to stay when it would be far safer for him to run?
End of Excerpt
