After the Fire Read online

  After The Fire

  the First Responders Series

  Jen Talty

  Copyright © 2020 by Jen Talty

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  After The Fire

  Book Description

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Jen Talty

  Praise for Jen Talty

  "Deadly Secrets is the best of romance and suspense in one hot read!" NYT Bestselling Author Jennifer Probst

  "A charming setting and a steamy couple heat up the pages in a suspenseful story I couldn't put down!" NY Times and USA today Bestselling Author Donna Grant

  "Jen Talty's books will grab your attention and pull you into a world of relatable characters, strong personalities, humor, and believable storylines. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll rush to get the next book she releases!" Natalie Ann USA Today Bestselling Author

  "I positively loved In Two Weeks, and highly recommend it. The writing is wonderful, the story is fantastic, and the characters will keep you coming back for more. I can't wait to get my hands on future installments of the NYS Troopers series." Long and Short Reviews

  "In Two Weeks hooks the reader from page one. This is a fast paced story where the development of the romance grabs you emotionally and the suspense keeps you sitting on the edge of your chair. Great characters, great writing, and a believable plot that can be a warning to all of us." Desiree Holt, USA Today Bestseller

  "Dark Water delivers an engaging portrait of wounded hearts as the memorable characters take you on a healing journey of love. A mysterious death brings danger and intrigue into the drama, while sultry passions brew into a believable plot that melts the reader's heart. Jen Talty pens an entertaining romance that grips the heart as the colorful and dangerous story unfolds into a chilling ending." Night Owl Reviews

  "This is not the typical love story, nor is it the typical mystery. The characters are well rounded and interesting." You Gotta Read Reviews

  "Murder in Paradise Bay is a fast-paced romantic thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. You won't want to miss this one..." USA Today bestselling author Janice Maynard

  After The Fire

  the First Responders Series

  Book 4

  NY Times Bestselling Author

  JEN TALTY

  Book Description

  Starting over isn’t easy, but sometimes you have to walk through fire to find your hero.

  Emergency Medical Technician, Renee Nash finally said I do, only to have all her dreams destroyed when her firefighter husband is killed on their wedding night and now she’s forced to rebuild her entire world from scratch. Months later, she still struggles to set foot in Station 29 where she worked side-by-side with her late husband, especially when the new fireman is a cocky son-of-bitch with an attitude problem.

  No one could ever describe Fletcher Cain as anything other than rough around the edges and he would prefer to keep it that way. He’d spent his entire life protecting his heart and soul from the brutality the love and loss. He was damn good at his job. He always had the respect of his team, no matter what station house he ended up at, but he could never quite make them family and that made him an outcast wherever he went. The beautiful and feisty Renee Nash not only can’t stand him, but she’s made his life a living hell and will stop at nothing to have him fired. He’s bound and determined to show her he’s not the enemy, however, he never thought she’d be the one helping to open his heart, and he'd be the one teaching her how to love again.

  1

  Renee Nash swallowed the heartburn that built up in her throat every time she stepped foot into Station House 29. It had been eight months since Devon had died, and while the therapist told her that there was no time frame on grief, Renee didn’t think she’d ever move past her husband’s death.

  Husband.

  She hadn’t even been married for twenty-four hours when Devon passed away. She had so many regrets, but the biggest one had been not changing her name, and now she didn’t see the point.

  Taking on Devon’s last name, according to her shrink, would only perpetuate her inability to let him go.

  She waltzed between the fallen wall and the ladder truck, doing her best to ignore the image of Devon next to other firefighters who lost their lives.

  “Hey, Renee,” Captain Cade Nash, her cousin, said. He looped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a good squeeze. “We need to talk.”

  “About?” She tried not to cringe and shove her cousin away. It had taken months before she’d been given permission to come back to work but, Cade made her ease into it, starting her out behind a desk. And now he’d been giving her shit shifts and coddling her like she was a newbie.

  Or worse.

  A screwup.

  She was one of his best paramedics. Not only that, she was also a certified firefighter. Her late husband used to like to tease her, saying she dipped her toes in both ponds and how sexy that was to him.

  Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly, counting to ten. She’d always been an opinionated person, and her big mouth often got her into trouble.

  Lately, according to her brother, Gavin, her increasingly aggressive sharp tongue and cold attitude were affecting everyone at the station.

  And not in a good way.

  “Why no one wants to work with you right now.” Cade had never been one to sugarcoat things.

  “Ouch. That hurts, considering half the people in this house I’m either related to, grew up with, and a few I even dated.”

  “Let’s take this into my office.”

  She followed Cade through the station, up the stairs, and through the kitchen, ignoring the stares of her co-workers, especially Fletcher Cain. That man really got under her skin.

  “Have a seat.”

  Nothing worse than having your cousin go all serious and boss-like, especially when she wasn’t exactly sure what she’d done wrong.

  She sat down across from Cade’s desk, crossed her ankles, and folded her hands in her lap. “You were joking, right?”

  He chuckled. “Yes. And no.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  “You’ve been really rigid since you’ve come back to work. So much so that when you’re out in the field, and someone around you makes a decision that might not exactly be protocol, you have a temper tantrum.”

  “We have procedures for a reason.” She swallowed. Hard. “And they save lives.”

  He held up his hand and leaned back in his massive leather chair. “I’m well aware, but sometimes we have to be creative and that means thinking outside of the box.”

  “What are you getting at?” If anyone had a problem with her, they should first take it to her directly. If they couldn’t come to a solution, fine, take it to the captain, but this felt like she was back in high school. But what really sucked was, besides so many being blood relatives, this was her chosen family. “Who complained about what?”

  “It’s not so much that as much as it is the tension that we all feel, and I need you to lighten up. When we’re at the station, I’m the captain. Not your cousin.” Cade arched his brow. “If you really feel like someone is being reckless, bring it to my attention. Don’t go off half-cocked, especially in the field in front of the people in our commun
ity. That doesn’t promote trust.”

  Shit. She really hated it when her cousin made sense. Only it was hard to squelch her emotions in the heat of the moment when her husband died saving her life while breaking protocols. “I hear you, Captain. Loud and clear.”

  “Good,” Cade said.

  “May I go now?”

  “That’s not the only reason I wanted to talk to you.” Cade leaned forward and clasped his hands together.

  That wasn’t a good sign.

  “You know Rochelle broke her leg and will be out for at least two months.”

  “I don’t mind picking up extra shifts, you know that.”

  He nodded. “But I needed to make some rotations and since Fletcher possesses paramedic training and not just EMT, I want to pull him from the ladder truck and have him work mostly with you in the ambulance.”

  Shaking her head wildly, she stood. “No. That’s not acceptable. Fletcher is a wild card.”

  Cade tapped his finger on the wood desk. “Acceptable? I don’t think that’s your call,” he said. “And Fletcher is a damn good firefighter.”

  “He’s dangerous.”

  “I don’t know where you get off saying that. He came to this station highly recommended and with glowing reports. Granted, he’s arrogant, but so are half the young men in this house. Hell, you used to be the cockiest person on my crew.”

  She pressed her palms against the desk. Fire scorched in her veins. Visions of the small hotel going up in flames burned in her memory. “Do you remember where I had my honeymoon?”

  Cade inhaled sharply. “Of course I do.”

  “And do you know what station house Fletcher worked at before he came here?”

  “What kind of question is that?”

  “Well, then you have to know that Fletcher was there that night, and he let Devon go back into that building without any protective gear. Hell, Devon was a civilian that night and should have been told to stay put.”

  Cade cocked his head. “Devon was your husband. No one was going to stop him from going in and saving you. Fuck, Renee, nothing would have stopped me.” Cade ran a hand over his face. “Do you know for a fact that Fletcher gave Devon permission? Because I’ve read that report, and it doesn’t say any such thing. As a matter of fact, it was Fletcher who pulled you out and went back in to get Devon.”

  “But it was too late.” She slammed her hand on the table. “Why did you bring Fletcher here, and why are you making me work with him?” Considering the situation, she had to wonder if Cade had ulterior motives or not. Either way, she had no intention of riding in an ambulance for a twenty-four shift with the likes of Fletcher Cain, or anyone from Saratoga Firehouse 183. They might have saved eighteen lives that day, but they let the most important one die, and that was unacceptable.

  “Sit down,” Cade said in a softer, but still commanding voice.

  She took in a deep breath and counted to ten, practicing biting her tongue before saying more than necessary. “Are you going to answer my question?”

  He waved his hand. “Yes.”

  She did as he asked.

  “Fletcher had applied to this station about a year ago. We didn’t have anything for him, but his story spoke to me.”

  “And what, pray tell, is that?” Everyone had a sob story, and she wouldn’t dare dream of taking that away from anyone. That didn’t mean she had to like the man or work that close with him.

  “Most of it isn’t mine to tell, but I will say he’s living right down the road from you, taking care of his aging grandmother, and he wanted to be closer to her, and I was happy to offer him the position. Out of respect for Devon, and you, I waited a while before hiring anyone, but I couldn’t continue with that burden on everyone else too long. His father was a major in the Army and tight with Frank Harmon’s old man.”

  Frank was seven or eight years older than Renee, but their paths had crossed numerous times on the job and even more so since her recent move. She had a lot of respect for Frank and his family, especially his dad.

  “While Fletcher didn’t grow up here, we both know his grandma. Her family has been a pillar in our community for years.”

  She narrowed her stare. “Are you talking about Henrietta Stone?” While Renee hadn’t known the family all that well, she remembered being a teenager and hearing the horrifying story of Henrietta’s son and daughter-in-law being killed in a massive F-4 tornado. Henrietta’s son had been a decorated soldier, having served many tours in the Middle East and earned a couple of medals.

  They left behind one surviving son.

  That must have been Fletcher.

  When Henrietta’s husband passed five years ago, the fire and police departments participated in a procession in honor of Fletcher Stone. Renee had driven the ambulance that day, and now that she gave it more thought, she remembered seeing Fletcher.

  And with a wife? Or a girlfriend?

  Shit. She should have put that information together, but she was too busy avoiding Fletcher since he started last month, instead of putting together his heritage.

  Not that it mattered. Just because his grandmother was a kind, sweet older lady with a personality of a pit bull, didn’t give Fletcher a pass for what he’d done.

  “I am,” Cade said.

  “None of that has anything to do with what transpired the night Devon died. There were so many mistakes, and Fletcher was part of that.”

  “Jesus, Renee. Don’t make me say it.”

  “Say what?” Oh boy, this should be good.

  “You were unconscious. And when you woke up in the hospital, you had a concussion. You have no fucking clue what really happened that night, other than what you were told.” Cade leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “I’ve read that fire report a million times. So has the fire marshal in both Saratoga and here.”

  Bradly Bryant, the fire marshal and father to half the station, had been the one to explain to her what happened. To this day, she still grappled with the chain of events and the fact she’d slept through them.

  “I’ve read it too,” she admitted. “But do you understand what you are asking me to do?”

  “Yes. Your damn job,” Cade said.

  “You didn’t have to hire him.”

  “He was the best candidate, especially since he can cover the ladder truck, the engine, and he’s a certified paramedic, and he’s willing to go the extra mile and take workshops, classes, and all that.”

  “So, he’s a suck-up.”

  “So are you,” Cade said, letting out a long breath. “You have two choices here. You can do as I’m telling you and toe the line. Or you can not let the door hit you on the way out.”

  A quick intake of air followed by a sharp exhale did nothing to calm her fury. “Are you serious?”

  “I wish I wasn’t,” Cade said. “I hate having to be a hard-ass, especially with you, but you’re not leaving me much of a choice. You’re one of the best. I need to know you’re going to continue down that path, or maybe you need to take some more time off.”

  “No. I can’t go back to not working.” She couldn’t go back to twiddling her thumbs. It would kill her. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear it,” Cade said. “Until further notice, you’re on rotation with Fletcher, starting today.”

  Fletcher sat in the break room with his mug of coffee and a muffin, staring off into the kitchen, watching Renee as she made herself a sandwich. Working with her on ambulance runs was going to be interesting. He knew damn well how much she hated him. She’d made that feeling well known the second he stepped foot on the premises.

  In the couple of weeks he’d worked with her, she’d gone out of her way to either ignore him or put him down, all based on what she thought transpired the night her husband died.

  She hadn’t a clue.

  Time to do what his grandma would expect of him and make nicey-nice. “Hey,” he said.

  She glanced up over her sandwich
, cocked her head, and gave him a sarcastic smile.

  “I take it you talked to our captain this morning,” Fletcher said.

  “I sure did.” She took a swig of her diet soda. “Looks like you’re riding with me for the foreseeable future.”

  “It could be worse,” he said.

  “I don’t see how. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to eat my lunch in peace.”

  He raised his hands in defeat.

  Eventually, he’d crack the ice princess.

  No sooner did he make himself comfortable back in the break room than did the alarm ring.

  He jumped to his feet, raced to his locker, and put on his gear before climbing into the passenger seat of the ambulance.

  Captain Nash quickly came by, giving Renee a quick rundown as she strapped herself behind the steering wheel.

  “What do we have?” he asked.

  “A collision involving four cars. Two stations called.”

  “That’s not good.”

  “No, it’s not,” she said as she hit the sirens and pulled out of the garage. “And I’m the senior tech, so I expect you to follow my lead.”

  “Technically, I have more experience, but I’ll bow to your seniority at this station.” He knew he shouldn’t have pushed her buttons, but Cade had asked him to take a back seat, which was difficult for Fletcher. Not only did he have more experience than Renee, but he had more education, and he had it on good authority he was at a higher pay grade.

  But he understood loss and pain.