Page 110 of Rekindle My Heart

Epilogue

“What are your plans tonight? Anything special for Valentine’s Day?” Erica asked Walker as they replenished the supplies.

The February snowstorm kept Erica and the rest of the fire crew busy. Car crashes, space heater fires, and medical calls, not to mention the heavy snow always brought out a few heart attacks, which was their last call this afternoon.

“Just a rare steak and a John Wick marathon session. You?” At her grin, he waved her off. “Never mind. Stupid question. How is cohabitation?”

“He doesn’t officially move in until the end of the month.” She had started packing up the items in her spare room to make space for Ryan’s things. It was slow going. She’d started with the easy things. Bedspread, books. The only things left before they painted were the photos. Those were a stumbling block for her. But it was time. Ryan had offered to do it for her, but she wanted, no needed, to do this herself. And tonight was the night. She would surprise him with a cleaned-out room and her, naked, on the bed.

Erica had broken down the last box when her phone pinged. Ryan. A grin tugged at her lips.

“Let me guess. It’s from the fiancé.” Walker flashed her an eye roll as he turned the corner.

“Maybe.”

“The fact your cheeks are as red as that stop sign gave it away.” He shook his head. “Did he say any more about Johnson’s trial coming up later this month?”

She sent a quick reply to Ryan, then shoved her phone in her pocket. “Just that the district attorney is feeling confident about the case. Especially when Johnson ratted out Gunter Lindstrom as the money man behind the website. They’re trying to peg Stevens for his part in building the website, but so far, none of the records show he had knowledge of the purpose of the site when he designed it.”

“Did they find any connection between him and the fire files?”

She shook her head. “Sergeant Johnson was at several of the scenes, but Ryan said even a top-tier hacker couldn’t make changes to the fire files without leaving a trace. The evidence doesn’t point to him being our guy.”

“And Winters?”

“He cut a deal. Tony said he was hired through the site to scare me off the track of the corruption. He didn’t admit to tampering with any reports.” Or her air mask.

Walker’s forehead creased. “You know what that means? We have a fire bug in the department.”

Erica agreed, but the thought of one of their own being an arsonist made her stomach turn.

Another text came in. Ryan’s message said he’d be bringing dinner, and by his emojis—eggplant. She giggled.

“Wow, he really makes you happy. I don’t think in all the time we’ve worked together I’ve ever heard you giggle.”

“He really does. I wasted too many years in my own head.” She glanced at Walker’s profile. His sober look marred his handsome features. “What about you? I don’t see you smiling at texts these days.”

He stared out the station’s truck doors, not speaking. When Erica thought he wouldn’t answer, he glanced over his shoulder at her.

“Seeing you and Ryan get back together after all this time gives a guy hope.”

Okay, that was cryptic, but Erica could read between the lines. He’d lost out on love in his past as well.

“Don’t give up. If something’s meant to be, it will come around again.”

He shrugged. The look in his eyes was miles away. She’d bet money he was thinking of an old flame.

Her phone pinged again, but she didn’t grab it.

Walker shook his head. “We have enough people on. I bet the captain will let you take off early.”

“Sure will,” Rivera said as he crossed the concrete floor. “Go. You’re off the next three days. Get an early start on your downtime.”

“Thanks.” She grabbed her stuff from her locker and headed out.

The roads were icy, and her drive across town took a few minutes longer. She turned the corner. No jeep. Yes! She smiled.

Karma’s greetings echoed around the kitchen as she entered.