Page 33 of Falling for the Hotshot

“Copy that. Over.” I put the radio back to the regular frequency, set it back on its stand, and considered the fact that I may have needed to evacuate.

After a few minutes, I remembered that I had my cell phone still on, in my back pocket. I checked the messages, reading each one.

My mom had reached out with an apology, saying that God had lifted the cover over her eyes and that she recognized now that she had been treating me very poorly. She had been taking out her own life’s disappointments on me. That she had wanted the most out of life for me because she felt she didn’t get it herself. It was an uncomfortable moment, reading the sprawling messages, as she never once said that she was unhappy in her marriage, and I knew my parents had an understanding of one another. A quiet comfort in their lives and that neither of them would ever say anything otherwise out loud. In their own way, they were happy. So, for the rest of it, I decided that once I returned home, I would go to her. She asked for a chance to make things up to me, and I would give her that.

In her last message, which it looked like she wrote a few days after the rest of them, she disclosed that my cousin Becky and Billy had broken up. Two months ago, I would have scoffed at this revelation. I would have probably thought to myself that she deserved it. But knowing the pain myself, I felt genuine hurt for her.

It felt like an unspoken prayer that had been on my heart for most of my life had finally been answered. God was mending a relationship with my parents by first healing whatever it was that my mom needed healed. Now, she was coming for me, and I genuinely felt relief. I looked forward to speaking with her. I looked forward to turning over a new leaf, and with all of the changes in my life, I saw now that God’s timing was remarkably better than I could have ever decided for myself.

*****

“Dispatch to Tower Three, over.” A male voice filled up the tower, pulling me out of my thoughts about my family. About the impending fire that may evacuate me. My eyes had been on it ever since I spoke to Kerry. I almost forgot that I had left a treat for Blaze behind and that he would be calling me. Almost.

“Tower Three to Dispatch, over,” I said, my smile coming back, despite my feelings of anxiety over the fire.

“For someone that’s supposed to be watching for flames and big giant plumes of smoke, you sure didn’t have great timing today.” A plastic container could be heard opening in the background. Certainly, it was the trifle.

“And for someone who’s supposed to be manning a dispatch center, you sure aren’t reliably there,” I said with a smirk.

“I’m sorry I missed you. Had I known that you would be coming in today, I would have sent Melody to the fireman fundraiser. Although, I’m not sure how well she would have sold raffle tickets. After all, they were raffling off a date with me.” A little bit of jealousy spiked in my blood before I laughed it off. It's hard to remember, but jealousy is not a fruit of the spirit, and it always takes hold if you let it.

“And I’m just now hearing about this? Well… Where do I get some raffle tickets? Because I’m pretty sure I’m getting paid like twelve dollars a day up here, and it’s burning a hole in my pocket.” I was definitely earning more than that, but it was fun to joke about things. Besides, money was one thing Blaze and I hadn’t talked about yet, so I thought I would rip the bandage off.

Blaze let out a low laugh. “You don’t need to pay for a date with me, Autumn.” My cheeks reddened. “And you don’t need to worry, either. I didn’t know about what the raffle was until the end of the day, so it was without my consent. My Uncle Don is going to be pulling the ole bait n’ switch, standing in for me.”

“Don is your uncle…?” My eyes widened with disbelief. I had told Don quite a bit in our ride to the grocery store last month, and now I felt a little embarrassed. But then again, Don and I had a great time. I had zero regrets. I couldn’t live in such a way that I was embarrassed by how I acted at every low point in my life.

“The one and only,” Blaze said. “He’s like a dad to me. Don and my dad were actually identical twins.” Radios could be heard going off in the background, as well as something that sounded like an alarm.

“Is everything okay down there?”

“Yes, we are safe. The lookout in Tower Two just evacuated, and he stayed longer than he needed to. Did Kerry talk to you about the evacuation protocol?” I nodded.

“Yes, she said that she will let me know if it's happening. That's all.”

“Lookouts are not holding the tower in any way, so we tend to evacuate them sooner than later. But right now, the fire is only just encroaching your territory. It could stay put, and you’ll be fine to stay. Or...” he trailed off.

“Or I’ll need to come down.” I finished his sentence. Both scenarios sounded just fine to me.

“And down here in dispatch, we will require an exit briefing when you do.”

“Hopefully, you’re not off on some adventure again when I come down.”

“Autumn, I will personally see to it that the moment your feet hit the ground, I will be there to greet you.” I held the radio close to my heart as I squealed again with giddiness. I felt like a middle schooler with my first crush. I felt like this was the very first time I was falling for someone and that nothing else in my life mattered except for this crush that God had sent me.

“I look forward to the day,” I said, matter-of-factly. “Now, how is the dessert?” I giggled.

“It’s the best trifle I’ve ever had,” he said. “I’ve only taken one bite so far. I want to save it for after our conversation, Tower Three.” A nod to my signature on the note, no doubt.

“I’m glad you are enjoying it. I will also eat mine after this,” I said, with hope in my voice that I never would eat it because the conversation would never end. As we both lingered on the radio, Blaze was intermittent since the radio kept blasting, and his responses to me started taking longer and longer.

I walked out onto the balcony of the lookout, remembering that his monitor could see the edge of my tower's roof. I found myself walking to the corner, where I stood unknowingly the day he saw the tips of my hair, and I fluffed up my hair, making sure every strand of it was free, while I waited for the wind to pick up.

The air quality outside was getting worse by the moment; thankfully, on the hike up, I hadn’t noticed it being as bad. Other than smelling like a campfire and making me crave a s’more, it hadn’t been a second thought. Now, however, it was burning in my chest. My sinuses were feeling irritated. My eyes were watering. I couldn’t stay out here, and the second I started to turn to go back inside, a big gust of wind came up and blew my long strands of hair outward. I wondered if Blaze caught it on his monitor. I doubt he was able to look that closely, especially with him being as busy as he was. Still, my heart leapt at the thought that someday, soon, I was going to be meeting Blaze, and I prayed that our chemistry was as good in person as it was over the radio.

Chapter 27

Faith Like Fire