He listened for a second. “Actually, now I can.” Swearing under his breath, he headed for the bedroom. “Sure you’re all right?”
“We’re cold, but fine. Honestly.”
“Okay.” He shucked off his track pants with one hand and grabbed a pair of jeans. He wanted heavier pants, with pockets. Something occurred to him. “Tess, did you open the flue before you started the fire?”
“What?” Horror filled her voice. “No. No, I didn’t. I forgot. Ah shit!”
At least he had an idea of what the problem was. “Stay outside,” he told her. “I’m pretty sure your house isn’t on fire, but call the fire department. I’ll be there as soon as I can, under fifteen minutes.” Disconnecting the call, he rushed around his small house, gathering his keys, wallet, and phone, pulling on his heaviest coat and his hat. It was under twenty degrees out right now . . . ah hell, he hoped she was okay. And the house too. It was a beautiful house, it’d be a shame if it got damaged. On his way to the door, he stopped. Eyeing the extra fleece blanket he kept in a basket by the couch, he grabbed it to bring along, just in case.
He raced through the streets, driving like a madman around the winding path up Red Mountain, and made it to her house in nine minutes flat. His headlights floated over her as he pulled into her long driveway, gliding over her red parka and a ball of white fluff in her arms before he cut them. The sensor lights over the front door gave more than enough light as he ran to her. Heart rate definitely up, he gripped her shoulders to quickly examine her. “You’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said over Bubbles’s barking at him. Her nose and cheeks were pink from the frigid night air. “Just cold, and feeling incredibly stupid.”
Time was ticking, every second needed. He jogged back to the truck, reached in for the blanket, and returned to her. “I’m going inside to check it out. You are staying here,” he said as he wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. He wished it were bigger, but it was better than nothing. “This’ll help for now.”
Her big blue eyes locked on his face. “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”
He made sure to tuck the end of the blanket around the dog, who licked his hand and yipped. “Did you call the fire department?” As soon as he said it, as if on cue, the sound of sirens wailed nearby. “Atta boys, they’re so good.” He patted her arm and commanded, “I’m not kidding, you stay here,” before going into the house.
Billows of thick gray smoke wafted all through the ground floor, rising to the high wood beams of the ceiling. The fire, while small, still smoldered in the hearth. Damn. He pulled his scarf up over his nose and mouth and went right to the fireplace, peering through the smoke. It made his eyes burn and his lungs heavy; he coughed as he looked. Sure enough, Tess hadn’t opened the flue before setting the fire. A rookie mistake. As he worked the flue and got it open, three firefighters burst into the room.
Half an hour later, the scene was calm. With the help of some of Aspen’s finest, they’d doused the fire, opened all the windows to air out the house, and made sure everything was secure. Tess sat in the warm cab of the fire truck while they worked, holding her dog tightly and looking chagrined.
Logan went to go talk to her with Captain Bellamy when they were done. He stood by quietly, not intervening as the fireman went over what had happened, what to do now, all of that. Shaking her head, Tess apologized about half a dozen times through the short conversation; her embarrassment and remorse were palpable, and it made Logan feel bad for her. Made him want to reassure her beyond the fire chief’s words, which were echoes of what Logan had said and thought. Seeing the guilty look in her sharp blue eyes made him want to pull her into his arms and give her a hug.
It was only when the fireman said, “However, you’re going to have to let the house air out for a while,” that Logan finally spoke up.
“I’ll take care of her,” he said.
Tess’s eyes flew to Logan’s face in obvious surprise, but Captain Bellamy nodded and said, “All right, then,” without a glance or a thought.