Allie Pleiter - Saved by the Fireman

Building their future

Charlotte Taylor isn’t good at playing it safe. Reeling from the sudden loss of her job and her beloved grandmother, Charlotte knows buying a dilapidated cottage in Gordon Falls isn’t exactly practical. Especially since she just hired the one man who may love the property more than she does to help renovate it. Volunteer firefighter and part-time contractor Jesse Sykes can’t stay mad at Charlotte for very long. Though she snatched up the home he’d planned on purchasing, Charlotte’s dreams are big enough for both of them…if only she’d let him in. Charlotte promised she’d never fall for a first responder, but is it already too late?

Gordon Falls: Hearts ablaze in a small town

“Exactly when did the stove catch on fire?”

The panicked blonde pushed back a lock of hair. “About five minutes after I turned it on. I was just trying to make tea.”

Why did he have to find out the cottage he’d intended to buy had been sold this way? He forced kindness into his tone. “Don’t ever hesitate to call on us, Charlotte. But why the sudden need for tea?”

She flushed. “I just signed the papers on the place today. I told Melba I just wanted to have a cup of tea on my new deck.”

“You’re Melba’s friend?”

Chief Bradens had mentioned his wife’s friend was buying a weekend cottage in town. Now, annoyed as he was, he’d have to be nice. A friend of the fire chief’s wife demanded special care. Jesse pulled a business card from his pants pocket. “I’m a licensed contractor. If you like, I’ll help you figure out what really needs work.” If he couldn’t have the house, maybe he could at least get the work.

She narrowed her eyes. “Why would you do that?”

“Because you’re a friend of the chief’s. Because I’m a nice guy.” Because I’m trying not to be a sore loser.

ALLIE PLEITER

Enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, RITA® Award finalist Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and nonfiction. An avid knitter and unreformed chocoholic, she spends her days writing books, drinking coffee and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie grew up in Connecticut, holds a B.S. in speech from Northwestern University and spent fifteen years in the field of professional fund-raising. She lives with her husband, children and a Havanese dog named Bella in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.

Saved by the Fireman

Allie Pleiter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the guards stand watch in vain.

—Psalms 127:1

To Abbie

In faith that she’ll discover many wonderful directions

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Building their future Charlotte Taylor isn’t good at playing it safe. Reeling from the sudden loss of her job and her beloved grandmother, Charlotte knows buying a dilapidated cottage in Gordon Falls isn’t exactly practical. Especially since she just hired the one man who may love the property more than she does to help renovate it. Volunteer firefighter and part-time contractor Jesse Sykes can’t stay mad at Charlotte for very long. Though she snatched up the home he’d planned on purchasing, Charlotte’s dreams are big enough for both of them…if only she’d let him in. Charlotte promised she’d never fall for a first responder, but is it already too late? Gordon Falls: Hearts ablaze in a small town

Introduction “Exactly when did the stove catch on fire?” The panicked blonde pushed back a lock of hair. “About five minutes after I turned it on. I was just trying to make tea.” Why did he have to find out the cottage he’d intended to buy had been sold this way? He forced kindness into his tone. “Don’t ever hesitate to call on us, Charlotte. But why the sudden need for tea?” She flushed. “I just signed the papers on the place today. I told Melba I just wanted to have a cup of tea on my new deck.” “You’re Melba’s friend?” Chief Bradens had mentioned his wife’s friend was buying a weekend cottage in town. Now, annoyed as he was, he’d have to be nice. A friend of the fire chief’s wife demanded special care. Jesse pulled a business card from his pants pocket. “I’m a licensed contractor. If you like, I’ll help you figure out what really needs work.” If he couldn’t have the house, maybe he could at least get the work. She narrowed her eyes. “Why would you do that?” “Because you’re a friend of the chief’s. Because I’m a nice guy.” Because I’m trying not to be a sore loser.

About the Author ALLIE PLEITER Enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, RITA® Award finalist Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and nonfiction. An avid knitter and unreformed chocoholic, she spends her days writing books, drinking coffee and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie grew up in Connecticut, holds a B.S. in speech from Northwestern University and spent fifteen years in the field of professional fund-raising. She lives with her husband, children and a Havanese dog named Bella in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.

Title Page Saved by the Fireman Allie Pleiter www.millsandboon.co.uk

Bible Verse Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. —Psalms 127:1

Dedication To Abbie In faith that she’ll discover many wonderful directions

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Charlotte Taylor sat in her boss’s office Friday morning and wondered where all the oxygen in Chicago had just gone.

“I’m sorry to let you go, Charlotte, I really am.” Alice Warren, Charlotte’s superior at Monarch Textiles, looked genuinely upset at having to deliver such news. “I know you just lost your grandmother, so I tried to put this off as long as I could.”

A layoff? Her? Charlotte felt the shock give way to a sickening recognition. She’d seen the financial statements; she’d written several of the sales reports. Sure, she was no analyst wiz, but she was smart enough to know Monarch wasn’t in great financial shape and a downsize was likely. She was also emotionally tied enough to Monarch and torn enough over losing Mima that she’d successfully denied the company’s fiscal health for months. As she watched her grandmother’s decline, Charlotte told herself she was finally settled into a good life. She’d boasted to a failing Mima—not entirely truthfully, she knew even then on some level—about feeling “established.”

She’d patted Mima’s weakening hands, those hands that had first taught her to knit and launched the textile career she had enjoyed until five minutes ago, and she’d assured her grandmother that there was no reason to worry about her. She was at a place in life where she could do things, buy things, experience things and get all the joy out of life just as Mima taught her. How hollow all that crowing she had done about becoming “successful” and “indispensable” at Monarch now rang. Who was she fooling? In this economy, did anyone really have the luxury of being indispensable?

Except maybe Mima. Mima could never be replaced. Charlotte and her mother were just barely figuring out how to carry on without the vivacious, adventurous old woman who’d now left such a gaping hole in their lives. It had been hard enough when Grandpa had lost his battle to Alzheimer’s—the end of that long, hard decline could almost be counted as a blessing. Mima’s all-too-quick exit had left Charlotte reeling, fabricating stability and extravagance that were never really there. Hadn’t today just proved that?