Page 5 of Bewitching the Firefighter

“Lucky you.” He knows I’d rather be on shift that fall into a tank of used water.

Tucker’s eyes glance over my shoulder. “Hey, isn’t that Captain Bannon?”

Sure enough, our captain walks up with his family, everyone dressed as Super Mario characters. “West, Angelo.” He nods as his kids run to the truck with their mom.

“Hey, Cap.”

I’ve known Ryder and Vanessa Bannon my whole life. We all went to high school together. Unlike me, the captain had always wanted to be a firefighter. His dad is the CCFD’s chief. I didn’t figure out my career path until after my brother’s best friend drowned surfing one spring break. That’s when I decided to be an EMT, which morphed into firefighting. I’ve never once regretted my career choice.

Little Princess Peach walks up and tugs on my cargo pants. She couldn’t be more than four, with curly blonde hair and big blue eyes. “Do you work with my daddy?”

Her older brother steps forward, placing a protective hand on her shoulder as our boss and his wife watch. He’s dressed as Super Mario, complete with overalls and a red cap.

“I sure do, Princess.” The carnival midway sounds filling the air, I point to the engine. “I drive this truck.”

Mario’s eyes gleam, his hammer cracking me up. “Can we climb inside it?”

“If your mom and dad say it’s alright.”

Vanessa nods, and Tucker walks her and the kids over to the cab.

That’s when the captain smirks. “So, you’re going to ask Isla Sutton out.”

Arms crossed, I take a half-turn toward the captain. “Never heard of her, man. Thought you knew better than to listen to firehouse gossip.”

“If you’re right, then you won’t mind that the new librarian is walking up as we speak.”

My stomach nosedives into a fiery pit of acid as my eyes land on a large group headed our way. Sure enough, the curvy librarian is walking toward me in the middle of a Wizard of Oz crew. She’s the Wicked Witch, and damn if her green and black tights aren’t sexy.

Ryder heads over to the Wizard, snatching up one of the flying monkeys and swirling him in the air before repeating the action with the other one.

Glenda steps forward with the curvy librarian. “Can my boys see the fire engine?”

“Absolutely. Good to see you, Capri.”

“You as well.” She motions to the Wicked Witch, whose brown eyes are shining in the carnival lights underneath a black, pointy hat. “Lincoln, have you met my cousin Isla?”

I hold out my hand. “Good to see you again, Isla.” Her name rolls off my tongue, and my grandpa’s voice pops into my head. Know your own heart before handing it to someone else.

I already know I am in big trouble.

Chapter 4

Isla

The carnival crowd is getting larger as the evening progresses, the excitement in the air palpable. The booths and attractions will host trick-or-treating until 8:30, at which time the carnival becomes more adult.

It’s so fun to see my cousin’s children excited. We decided to attend as a family and even watched The Wizard of Oz to get the kids excited about their costumes. So far, we’ve had caramel apples, done the corn maze, and ridden a couple of simple rides. Now, the boys want to see the fire engine.

I tell myself it’s unlikely that Lincoln West is with the engine tonight, but I’m fighting my instinct, which is screaming loudly that he’s in uniform. Why do my nerves do a little happy dance at this thought?

“The truck, the truck!”

“Don’t run off.” Capri grabs the wings of each boy as we round the corner and see the fire engine in the distance.

Zane grabs his phone. “I’ll text Ryder to meet us there.”

I nod my head along with Capri because who am I to deny her kids crawling all over a fire engine? The boys would love it. I mean, there are tons of firefighters in the county, right?