Part 15 (1/2)

As she watched from her safe distance, Lauren saw a tall, familiar-looking guy with dark hair leap down from the other side of the booster. Like Sydney, he wore a high-viz yellow jacket, pants, boots, and carried a yellow fire helmet in one hand. Thick leather gloves protruded from one pocket.

Sydney pointed at him. ”Trey here is fit to be tied because most everybody's seen Lauren but him.”

”Looks like you're back in town for a day and Kent's already got you into trouble,” Trey teased in a deep, melodic voice as he quickly walked down the road toward Lauren.

Everybody laughed at his words.

”I'm doing my best here.” Kent shook his head, grinning at them. ”But you know how she's a magnet for trouble.”

”Cuz, I thought that was you.” Trey chuckled as he grabbed Lauren in a big bear hug. ”It's about time you got back in town to keep Kent in line.”

Lauren laughed, hugging him back. ”I thought that was your job.”

”Nothing keeps those two guys in line,” Sydney complained with a mock pout.

”Pot calling the kettle black.” Trey said as he stepped back. ”Come on, let's set this fire back on its heels.”

”Okay.” Kent tried to keep down the spurt of jealousy that burned through him at the sight of Lauren in his cousin's arms. He knew better than to think there could be anything between them. Trey was newly engaged and happy as a calf in clover with his new love, smart city gal Misty Reynolds, who'd come to town last Christmas. She'd found love, not just with Trey but with the town itself, and she was already an important part of Wildcat Bluff County.

Kent stuffed his jealousy away as he focused on the efficient boosters. He doubted they'd need the big engine that night.

A tall guy stepped out of the second booster and walked over to Kent. ”Hey, partner, let's get this show on the road.”

”Lauren, I'd like you to meet Dune Barrett. He's our newest fire-rescue volunteer. Dune, this is Lauren Sheridan. She grew up in Wildcat Bluff and just got back today.”

”Good to meet you,” Dune said in a deep, gravelly voice that suggested dark nights in old-time dance venues like the Hill Country's Gruene Hall where the liquor flowed and the country-western bands played like they had for over a hundred years. He was about six-three or so and built muscle upon muscle, with s.h.a.ggy dark-blond hair that made him look as if he'd just returned from a long cattle drive.

Kent felt that flicker of jealousy again when Lauren shook Dune's hand. By now Kent had figured out that he didn't want any other man touching her in any way. He'd better get a grip before he did something stupid that'd get him laughed out of town. Besides, the only thing that mattered right now was containing the fire.

”Dune, I'll work with you on Booster 2,” Kent said, getting back to the business at hand, although he'd rarely taken his eyes off the burning barn since he'd arrived at the site.

”You sure?” Dune turned from Lauren and gave Sydney a long look. ”Hey, Syd, why don't you work with me?”

”I told you not to call me Syd,' and I already have a partner.” She turned a cold shoulder to him and walked back to Trey.

Dune just shook his head, then followed right along behind her.

”History with those two?” Lauren asked quietly.

”She's not looking to hook up, and he's not looking to give up.”

”Recipe for disaster?”

”Nah. She'll read him the riot act one of the days and that'll be that.”

”I'm not so sure,” Lauren said, shaking her head.

Kent shrugged, wanting to leave that volatile situation alone. He took off after the firefighters, opened wide the gate in front of the barn, and joined the others on the road as they prepared to control the blaze.

”Anybody else smell gasoline?” Trey asked as he walked over to Booster 1.

”Sure do,” Dune agreed.

”Didn't Bert buy this property?” Sydney asked, turning to look at Kent.

”Yep. This is another of his buildings going up in flames.”

”Bet he's up in Oklahoma fis.h.i.+ng or some such,” Trey said.

”That's not a bet I'd cover.” Sydney joined Trey at Booster 1. ”Let's just make sure n.o.body else loses property around here.”

Kent joined Dune at Booster 2. They'd worked together before, so they were a pretty good team. Tonight, Kent wasn't wearing much firefighter gear, so he'd pump water and roll out the hose while Dune drug the nozzle near the fire and kept up a steady flow of water as he wet a perimeter around the barn. Sydney took a position to pump while Trey sprayed the other side of the ground around the barn. Kent watched as they turned streams of water on the blazing structure and steam rose along with smoke as the water fought to bring the fire under control.

Even so, the fire quickly expanded in size as it ate up oxygen. Soon the wooden structure was fully engaged and pumping smoke from every crevice and open doorway. Flames and smoke surged higher into the sky.

Trey and Dune kept up the water barrage, catching stray sparks as the wind whipped the fire into sudden bursts. They were beating back the blaze, despite the orange-and-yellow flames spitting and licking and clawing to take back what they gave up. Every fire had its own personality. This one reminded Kent of a dangerous wild bull.

And just when he thought they had the fire contained, it erupted when a piece of shake-s.h.i.+ngle roof was ripped off by the wind and whipped across Trey's head to land in the adjacent pasture. Flames immediately set the dry gra.s.s ablaze, and a line of fire headed straight for Twin Oaks.

Kent immediately rolled out more hose and upped the pressure on the pump so Dune could go after the expanding blaze, while Trey kept a stream of water on the barn. But it didn't work out like Kent had planned because the wind whipped back around and Dune had to return to spraying the barn.

”Sydney, watch my pump.” When he got her nod of understanding, he took off running, hoping he could stomp out the fire with his boots before it took hold and swept away from them.

He got ahead of the blaze, but the flames were moving fast, consuming the gra.s.s at an unbelievable rate. He pulled on his gloves as he stomped, making a little headway, but he quickly realized that he wasn't going to be able to do enough quick enough. And the others couldn't leave the barn. He'd have to call for backup, but he feared the engine couldn't get there in time.

Just as he pulled his cell out of his pocket to make the call, he heard Lauren hollering his name. He glanced up. She'd crossed the road, dragging a heavy fire extinguisher in each hand, up to the barbwire fence. He could've cheered because she might just have saved the day.

He pocketed his cell, ran over to her, grabbed the extinguishers, and set them down on his side of the fence.

”Hold up the barbwire and I'll crawl under,” she said as she went down on her knees.

”Lauren, I don't want you in danger.”

”I'm not letting that fire get anywhere near my daughter.” She lay down and started to crawl on her stomach under the fence.

He quickly raised the bottom strand of wire so she wouldn't tear her clothes or scratch her back.

Once she was on the other side, she grabbed an extinguisher and dragged it toward the leading edge of the blaze.

He used the black strap to hang the other fire extinguisher over his shoulder and caught up to her. He tried to take the other extinguisher from her, but she gave him a dark look.

”Two of us are faster than one,” she said. ”I remember how to use these cans, so let's get to it.”

He grinned, loving her sa.s.siness even as he wanted to keep her safe. He knew better. This was his Lauren, and she didn't back down for nothing or n.o.body. ”Let's do it.”

Together, they got out in front of the fire and started spraying the potent chemical on the blaze, leaving a trail of yellow. They continued to douse the flames till nothing was left except charred gra.s.s. When their cans were empty, they tossed them aside, and then stomped on the crisp gra.s.s to make sure there were no hot embers left that might reignite.