From the Flames E-Book

Andrew Grey

• Herausgeber: Dreamspinner Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: Carlisle Fire
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 326

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

College professor and widower Willy Daugherty is trying to keep his life together for the sake of his kids, but when their apartment building catches fire, everything they have goes up in flames. In the middle of the night, he finds himself homeless and wondering what to do next. Thankfully one of the firefighters, Kevin St. Claire, not only rescues them from the building but comes to the hospital and offers them all a place to stay for the night. Kevin is used to seeing people who've lost everything because of a fire, but something about the homeless father and two kids gets under his skin… and into his heart to fill a loneliness he didn't even know was there. When he brings them home, his three dogs take to the family with gusto. Then the fire that brought Willy and the kids into his life turns even more problematic. Code violations led to the fire spreading more quickly than it should have. As Willy and Kevin investigate, they come up against forces that would rather turn a blind eye. Can they protect the new family they're building, or will it all go up in flames once more?

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Epilogue

Keep reading for an excerpt from To Protect by Andrew Grey

About the Author

By Andrew Grey

Visit Dreampinner Press

Copyright

From the Flames

By Andrew Grey

A Carlisle Fire Novel

Widowed college professor Willy Daugherty is holding his life together for the sake of his kids, but when their apartment building catches fire, everything they have goes up in flames. In the middle of the night, he finds himself homeless and wondering what to do next. Thankfully one of the firefighters, Kevin Messier, not only rescues them from the building but comes to the hospital and offers them all a place to stay for the night.

Kevin is used to seeing people who’ve lost everything because of a fire, but something about the homeless father and two kids gets under his skin… and into his heart to fill a loneliness he didn’t even know was there. When he brings them home, his three dogs take to the family with gusto.

But the fire that brought Willy and the kids into his life has unforeseen complications when Kevin discovers the building wasn’t up to code. As Willy and Kevin investigate, they come up against forces that would rather turn a blind eye. Can they protect the new family they’re building, or will it all go up in smoke?

Chapter 1

THE APARTMENT was finally quiet now that April and Grant were asleep in bed. Willy Daugherty sat on the sofa in the living room with the television on low, because he had learned the hard way how sound traveled through this place. Shortly after moving in a year ago, he had been watching a movie when an explosion onscreen brought Grant running out of his room and leaping onto his lap, and cries from April, who was then fourteen months old. Now, once the kids were in bed, the volume never went above ten, but still he cringed at the loud parts.

The last thing four-year-old Grant ever wanted was to go to bed. He was active from the time he got up in the morning until Willy managed to coax him into bed with at least two stories and a song. But it used to take longer, so at least things were improving. April was a sweetheart, spending her days trying to keep up with her older brother, so usually she fell right asleep.

Willy smiled as he thought of the kids—his kids—and then turned his attention to the television. He’d found a movie on Netflix, but it was probably a bad idea at this time of night because of what he knew was coming: screaming and dragon cries as Millie Bobbie Brown was about to be sacrificed to the dragon. He turned off the television and carefully padded down the short hallway to his room, where he slipped out of his clothes and pulled on a pair of light pajamas. With two kids, he had learned some time ago to wear something to bed, just in case. Then he brushed his teeth and slipped between the sheets.

“Marky, I miss you,” he said quietly into the darkness.

Over the past fifteen months, he had stopped listening for a reply, though he still wished for one. It was stupid, and he knew that. Mark wasn’t coming back. A snowy late-night car accident on his way home from work at one of the warehouses outside Carlisle had resulted in Mark’s car exploding. So after three years and two kids, Willy had found himself alone again. At first Grant had asked where Papa was, but over time, he had stopped. Willy was pretty sure that he was the only one in their apartment who remembered him now, though there were pictures, with one hanging in the kids’ room. He liked to think of Mark watching over them.

He hated that he was getting maudlin again. Pushing away the sense of loss as best he could, Willy rolled over and closed his eyes. He had to get the kids up, fed, and to the Dickinson College daycare before eight, so his day started early, with his first class beginning at nine. Thankfully it didn’t take long before fatigue set in and sleep overtook him.

WILLY DREAMED that he couldn’t find his way out of the fog. He had had the dream before, and he always found himself in a cloud bank and could never get out. He could see nothing, yet somehow he knew that there was a cliff, and all it would take was one wrong step and he’d fall into oblivion. Only this time it was worse, because he kept coughing. Maybe this wasn’t fog, but smoke. That would teach him to watch a movie with fire-breathing dragons before going to bed.

He coughed again, realizing he wasn’t totally asleep. Sitting up in bed, he reached for the light next to him, but nothing happened. The room was dark, with only the light from outside coming in. He coughed hard, realizing the smoke was real.

Fire. There was a fire. Willy rolled out of bed and onto the floor. It was a little better there. He crawled to the door and out into the hall, where it was worse. A crash somewhere in the building made him move faster. He opened the door to the kids’ room and closed it again behind him. There wasn’t much smoke in there.

He lifted April out of her crib, and she went right into his arms. “Grant, wake up,” he said firmly. “We need to get out.” He heard the rising panic in his voice.

“Daddy.” Grant rubbed his eyes.

“Stand up on the bed,” Willy said, and once Grant did that, he grabbed Grant’s blanket and handed it to him. “Put this over your head,” he told him before lifting Grant into his arms. “Put it over April’s too.” She cried, but Grant did as he told him. “Now, both of you hold tight to me. I’m going to get us out of here.” He opened the bedroom door and hurried out through the smoky apartment and into the hall. They were on the second of three floors.

His ears rang, and all Willy could think was that he had to get the three of them out of here. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed when he looked up to where flames had engulfed the ceiling above him. Without thinking, he headed for the stairs and made it to the bottom. He turned and ran for the front door, but his legs gave out, and he went to his knees, still holding the kids. Whatever happened to him didn’t matter, but he had to get the kids out.

“Daddy,” Grant cried as April coughed. But Willy’s head spun as he tried to get up. All he needed was to make it to the door, but moving was nearly impossible. Still, he tried again to get to his feet and managed to stand. The door was just a few feet away, and yet it seemed like a mile. Maybe he wasn’t going to make it after all and he’d see Marky much sooner than he thought.

THE WEIGHT in his arms lifted, and it was just him. Willy could barely remember a thing, but the kids were gone. He tried to reach for them, but he couldn’t find them. “It’s okay,” a deep, gruff voice said. “They’re fine.”

Willy inhaled and then coughed, but he managed to breathe once more and realized the air was clear, even if his lungs felt like they were filled with gunk.

“Just relax. I’m taking you to the ambulance, and they’ll help you.”

“Taking me,” Willy mumbled and coughed again. Somehow he managed to open his eyes, and then he found himself pressed tightly to a firefighter’s chest as he was carried across the parking lot in front of his building. “Are you for real? Did I die and go to hunky fireman heaven?”

He received a chuckle. “No. You’re alive.”

“Though the hunky fireman part is real,” a female voice said. “Kevin, put him right here and I’ll check him over.”

Kevin—the hunky fireman was Kevin. Somehow Willy’s brain processed that as he was gently laid down. A mask was placed on his face, and it got easier to breathe.

“Stay calm and just breathe. Let’s get some good air in your lungs.”

“My kids,” Willy said.

“They’re with my partner, but they’re doing well. You got the worst of it. Just relax,” she told him, but Willy couldn’t. All he could think about was them.

A crash made him jump, but the woman put her hand on his arm to calm him. It took Willy a moment to realize the sound had been part of the building they lived in crashing to the ground. He kept his eyes closed and tried not to think about the fact that the three of them were homeless.

“Do you hurt anywhere other than your lungs?”

“Knees,” Willy said.

“Can you lift your legs and bend your knees?” He tried, and they worked. “Is the pain sharp or sore?”

“Sore, I guess,” he managed to answer. Maybe that meant he hadn’t broken anything.

“Good,” she said. “Now just stay there. I’ll be right back.” He closed his eyes and tried to block out the sound around him. “I have someone for you.” She placed April into his arms, and Willy soothed her gently. At least she was okay, judging by her cries, which settled once he could hold her.

“Sweet girl. It’s okay. You’re with me now.” He cradled her, and her crying softened.

“Daddy, are you dead like Papa?” Grant asked from next to him, and Willy took his hand.

“None of us are dead,” he told him.

“We’re going to take all of you to the hospital,” the woman EMT told him. “We just want them to check you out to make sure you’re okay.”

“What about everyone else? Did they get out?” Willy asked, turning to look at her.

She smiled. “I believe so.” That was a relief. She called someone over. “This is Kevin.”

Willy smiled up into the rugged face that filled his vision. “Thank you for finding us,” he said quietly. “You saved my family.” He wanted to cry right there. April had settled next to him, and he held Grant’s hand, turning to where he’d stuck the thumb of his other hand in his mouth. Grant hadn’t done that in months. They were all stressed to the gills, and Willy knew it was about to get worse. The building they had lived in was gone, along with everything they owned except maybe the car.

“I’m just glad I could help.”

Grant pulled his thumb out of his mouth. “Are you a real fireman?”

“Yes, I am. I found you and your sister and daddy and helped you get out, though your daddy did the hard work. He got you down by the door. He was very brave.”

Willy didn’t feel brave. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and figure out a way to escape the mess their lives were sure to become.

“Let’s get all of you in the ambulance,” the EMT said. “You too,” she told the fireman. “I want you checked out as well. You spent a lot of time in the smoke.” Willy watched as Kevin was about to protest, but he shrugged in the end.

They loaded Willy in the back with April still in his arms. Kevin held out his hand, and Grant took it. Then he lifted Grant inside and took a seat, with Grant buckled in the one next to him. The space was cramped, but they all got inside with the EMT right next to Willy, and soon the siren sounded as they began to move.

“I’m feeling better,” Willy said.

“That’s good. Just keep the oxygen on for a while. It will ease any stress on your lungs. And it’s okay to cough. That helps to bring up the particles you inhaled.” She sat quietly while Kevin answered a million of Grant’s questions. It seemed that once he knew that Willy was going to be okay, his natural curiosity went into overdrive. Willy smiled as Kevin patiently spoke with him.

“Do you get hot in all that?” Grant asked.

“Yes, sometimes. But the gear keeps me from getting burned, and it keeps the water out.” Kevin sounded so interested. Grant tended to wear people out with his questions.

“Do you wear pants under there too?” Grant asked.

“I wear shorts,” Kevin answered as though he were sharing a secret. “Maybe after this is over and all of you are okay, you can come down to the fire station and I’ll show you everything.”

“Even the siren and the dog?” Grant said, clearly in a bit of awe.

“Dog?”

“In books, firehouses always have Dalmatians,” Willy supplied. “We have a story about a fire dog.” Or at least they used to. “And it’s one of his favorites.” He closed his eyes and tried not to let the darkness that threatened wash over him. Willy wished his mind would clear, but it seemed determined to go in circles, and that wasn’t helping with anything.

They were all on their way to the hospital, and that meant that for the next few hours, the three of them would be taken care of. Willy was a planner—he liked to try to schedule weeks and months in the future—but an accident like this reminded him just how easily everything could be taken away. And when that happened, looking hours ahead seemed good enough.

“Just relax. We’re almost there,” the EMT told him, and Willy sighed and closed his eyes once more. The burning in his lungs had already subsided, as had the constant need to cough. April had fallen asleep in his arms, and Grant was talking a mile a minute with Kevin. So at least for the moment, things were the best he could hope for.

Of course everything changed when they reached the ER. It was loud and bright, and once they had Willy in a room, Grant decided that he wanted to be in the bed with Daddy, which made April fuss. The nurse managed to get an IV into Willy’s arm, and he squeezed into the bed with Grant on one side and April on the other. He had no room to move, but at least the kids were quiet… until they weren’t.

“How are you doing?” Kevin asked a little while later, standing in the doorway. “Gosh, are you squashed?”

“A little.” He was wiped out and only wanted to close his eyes for a while. The doctor had said that he wanted to run some tests, so they had been waiting.

“Here. Let me hold her,” Kevin said, gently lifting April into his arms before sitting in the chair next to the bed. He said soft things to her as he held her. April seemed content as she curled her hands around Kevin’s neck.

“You must have the magic touch, because she won’t let anyone but me hold her when she’s tired. At least not since we lost Mark. She was very much his little girl.” God, Willy would have loved for Mark to have seen how they’d grown.

“I guess I do. My sister and brother-in-law have twins about her age, and after they were born, I spent time with them, helping out. They boys always went to sleep so easy for me.”

Willy could see that. “I guess I should introduce myself since you’re holding my daughter. William Daugherty.”

“Kevin Messier,” the firefighter told him with a gentle smile.

“And you’re holding April, and this is Grant.” He shared the smile as the nurse came in and took some blood for testing.

“Your blood oxygen levels are looking good.” She listened to his chest. “And your lungs are clear, which is even better. The doctor ordered a few more tests, and then you’ll all be able to go home.”

Willy clamped his eyes closed. Tests could take hours, and they had already been waiting much of the night.

“They were caught in that fire tonight. There isn’t a home to go back to,” Kevin told her quietly. “I contacted the Red Cross emergency number on their behalf, and they said that they would be sending someone over. Is there a way to let the front desk people know? It’s early enough that people should be starting to come in.”

“Of course,” the nurse said. She left the room, and Willy relaxed a little. The Red Cross wasn’t going to let him down, or at least he hoped not. All he needed was a place to stay for a few days so he could get in touch with his insurance company and hopefully find a place that was immediately available. That was all he could hope for.

Kevin shifted April to his other shoulder, talking to her quietly as he did. Then he pulled out his phone and made a call. “Chase, I need a favor. Do you know any landlords in the area who might have a place available?” he asked. “Yeah… for one of those families. A guy with two young kids.” He went quiet, and Willy appreciated the effort no matter how it turned out. “Thanks. Is it too early to call? Cool. Text me the number.” He ended the call, and his phone dinged. He made another call. “Ellen, hello. I was given your number by Chase at the fire station. He said you might have a place to rent out.” He listened. “I’ll let you talk to Willy. Hold on.” Then Kevin handed him the phone, and Willy was grateful they had shifted him from a mask to a nasal canula for the oxygen.

“Hello. I’m William Daugherty. Our building over by the Giant was destroyed in a fire, and I need a place to live for me and my two kids. I’m a professor of economics at Dickinson.”

“Willy, it’s Ellen Thompson. We met last year at the arts benefit,” she explained. Willy breathed a sigh of relief. “George and I were just finishing up cleaning and painting at the unit on South and West. It’s ground floor, with three bedrooms. I was just about to list it, but it’s yours if you want it.”

“Oh, thank God,” he breathed. “I’m at the hospital with the kids, but they’re going to let us go soon. We have nothing but the clothes we’re wearing. Everything else apparently burned with the building.”

“George and I can rustle up a few beds and maybe a sofa and stuff. I’ll see what we have. Why don’t we meet tomorrow afternoon and you can look the place over and we can take it from there?” She sounded so upbeat that Willy felt hopeful for the first time since they’d almost… well, he didn’t want to think about that.

“Thank you,” Willy said and handed Kevin back his phone. “She has a place for us.” He slowly sat up and breathed deeply, grateful he didn’t cough.

“It’s not a problem. You’ll need a place to stay for tonight, so if you want, you and the kids can come home with me. It will be for a day or two, but with the car show going on, every hotel is booked solid.”

“Are you sure? You don’t know us from Adam.” Willy thought he was going to cry. No one had been this kind to him since Mark passed away, and he wasn’t sure how to handle it.

“It’s no problem. These two need a place to sleep, and you can start to pick up the pieces in the morning.” Kevin gently patted Willy’s shoulder, and he sighed at the kindness of strangers. Maybe there was a way forward after all.

Chapter 2

WHAT ELSE was he supposed to do? He had April in his arms, and the little girl seemed so content. Kevin loved kids. They were without guile and didn’t hold things back. Secrets were foreign to them, at least at this age, and Kevin had had enough secrets for an entire lifetime. He knew every hotel in town was booked solid and had been for months. They always were on car show weekends. It was part of the summer life blood that kept the town going, but it made situations like this even harder.

“Are you sure?” Willy asked. “I’m certain the Red Cross will be able to find somewhere for us.”

“Yes. They have an emergency shelter in their building downtown. It’s an open room on the second floor with cots and a few lockers. That’s about it. They’ll put the three of you up there for the night, along with everyone else they are caring for at the moment. I’m sure of it. But that isn’t what you need.” He knew what those places were like. He and his mother had been homeless for a year after his father had left them, and he’d spent much of that time in shelters or living in a tent in the back of the park. The tent had been pretty cool until they were forced to leave. Then it was back to the shelters and rooms full of people. Kevin swore he didn’t sleep for months—not until Mom managed to get a job, with some help, and then a small apartment that one of the churches helped with the rent for a year. But it got them back on their feet.

“I see.”

“So like I said, you can stay with me for a few nights until you can get some things together and move into the new apartment. But I suppose I should make sure no one is allergic or scared of dogs.” Willy shook his head, and Kevin leaned a little closer to the bed. “Don’t worry about everything all at once. Just take things one step at a time. You have a place to go in a day or so. You and the kids are safe.”

Willy nodded slowly. “Do you think we will be able to see if anything survived the fire?”

Kevin shook his head. “The building is nothing but a burned-out shell. The outside walls are all that is left standing. Everything on the inside burned away to nothing. There might be some remains in the basement, but that’s about all.” He hated giving him that news. It felt like stripping away Willy’s hope.

“My phone and wallet were still inside.”

“We can get you a new phone tomorrow, and you can call to replace your credit cards and go to the driver’s license center to get a new one. Just one thing at a time.” He sat back, trying to stay level-headed for Willy and the kids.

The doctor came into the room and smiled. “It looks like everyone is camped out in here.” He checked his chart. “Your blood work came back pretty good. You need to take it easy for a few days. You inhaled a lot of smoke, and it will take time for your lungs to get rid of it. But your blood oxygen levels are good, and they’re remaining steady.”

“So no marathons in my near future?” Willy said with a smile.

“Exactly. Watch anything strenuous for the next week or so, and remember to give your lungs a chance to heal.” The doctor turned to Kevin. “I’d tell you the same thing, but you won’t listen.”

“I didn’t get much, and I had breathing gear. I’m fine.” Kevin stayed where he was, still holding April, who was fast asleep. “But thank you for everything.”

“There’s a woman here from the Red Cross. I’m going to discharge all four of you, and I’ll get that going while you talk to her.” He left, and a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and a gentle smile came inside.

“I’m Berry Silver, and I’m sorry about what happened,” she said softly. “And it’s early and you’ve had a long night, so I’ll get to the point.”

Kevin interrupted her. “I think I can save you some time. Willy and the kids are going to stay with me for a few days. They have an appointment tomorrow to look at a place that a friend has available. But other than that, they lost everything.”

Her eyes widened. “That’s very kind. I have care kits in the car for you and each of the kids. There are basic toiletries and some supplies. They also have activity books for them, things like that.” She checked her clipboard. “I was told that your daughter is two and a half and that your son is five.”

“He’s four,” Willy corrected.

She nodded. “Based on what I had, I brought a basic change of clothes for them. They may be a little big.”

Willy sniffed. “Thank you.”

“I also have a gift card from Target. You can use it to get additional clothes for the three of you.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of teddy bears. She handed one to Willy, who placed it near Grant. He must have sensed it was there, because he cuddled it right up to him and slept on. The other she handed to Kevin, and he held on to it for April. These kids were going to need all the comfort they could get in the next few days.

“Thank you for everything.”

“I’ll go get the kits and bring them in for you.” She left, and Kevin shifted April to his other arm. She woke at that, blinking her big eyes.

“Hi, sweetheart. I’m Kevin,” he said softly. “Your daddy is right over there.” He turned her so she could see him. “Did you sleep well?” He showed her the bear, and she grabbed it, hugging it to her. Then she sniffled. “Are you thirsty?” Kevin asked, and she nodded. “Do you like milkshakes?”

“Donald?” she asked.

“From McDonald’s? Yes. She likes them.”

“Then let’s get them ready to go. Let me call one of the guys to come pick us all up. My car is still at the station.” Kevin called the captain and explained what he needed.

“I’ll send Ralph. He has that kidmobile of his, complete with car seats. He can get you all home.”

“Thanks,” Kevin said.

Once the papers were signed, April let him carry her out, so he had her on one side and a bag of things from the Red Cross in his other hand. He felt like a bit of a pack mule. Ralph pulled up a few minutes later, and they got everyone and everything loaded in the van and took off for his row house on West South Street, but not before going through the drive-through for shakes and fries for all of them. Comfort food it was.

They pulled into the drive area and got everyone out. The house had been built on a double lot, so it had a drive alongside it as well as a larger fenced-in yard. “Let’s go inside, but be careful, okay?” He unlocked the door and pushed it back gently before going inside. The three dogs all crowded around for pets. “This is Thumper, Benjamin, and Elsa. They’re all nice dogs.” Kevin had rescued them. Elsa he’d found at the scene of a fire at an abandoned house. She was a bulldog mix with short red hair and was the calm one and a real sweetheart. Benjamin was a terrier mix and had all the energy in the world, but was sweet and loved attention. Kevin had found him huddled in the basement after a house fire, and no one had claimed him. Thumper was the oldest, and Kevin had gotten him at a shelter when he was a puppy.

April squirmed to get down, and as soon as he set her on her feet, the dogs swarmed her. She laughed and petted each of them like they were there just for her. Grant stayed in Willy’s arms for a few minutes before joining her, the dogs soaking up the attention.

“Come on. We need to get both of you a quick breakfast and then down for a rest,” Willy said, and Kevin led the way to the kitchen, where he made some toast with jam. The kids ate, half asleep, and then he took them upstairs, with Willy and the pack following.

“I don’t have a crib for April,” Kevin said, realizing she might still need one.

“She’s fine in a regular bed. Once she goes to sleep, she stays pretty still.” Willy yawned and set about getting the kids out of their smoky clothes. The Red Cross had provided a nightgown with a princess on it for April, and she went right down to sleep in one of the twin beds. Willy got Grant into pajamas that were a little too big, but had dinosaurs on them that he seemed to like. He climbed into the other bed, both kids hugging the bears.

“Kids are resilient,” Kevin said as Benjamin jumped onto April’s bed and curled up between her and the edge, while Elsa claimed the foot of Grant’s. Thumper seemed left out, but both dogs gave him the stink eye as he looked over each bed, so he left the room. “They’ll be fine. All the dogs are good with kids.”

Willy nodded and followed him out of the room and across the hall to the room where his sister and brother-in-law stayed when they came to town. “This is really nice,” Willy said, sitting on the edge of the bed before covering his mouth and coughing deeply. He was still in the pajamas, now covered with ash and the scent of smoke, that Kevin had found him in.

“Let me get you something to wear.” Kevin left the room and found a pair of sweatpants that he was planning to donate because they were too small. He also grabbed a T-shirt and brought them to Willy. “Get some rest, and you can take care of things after you sleep.”

“Thank you for everything,” Willy said softly, holding the clothes that Kevin had given him in his lap. “I don’t know what I’d be doing without you.” He shivered, and Kevin smiled at him and drew the door partway closed. Thumper followed him back to his room and jumped onto the bed, making himself comfortable as Kevin used the bathroom to clean up and then returned to his room, slipping under the covers in his boxers and then turning off the light.

He listened. The house was so quiet, yet he found himself straining to hear any noise that seemed out of place. He wasn’t used to having strangers in the house, and he found himself a little on edge in case they needed something. Still, the house stayed quiet, and eventually Kevin fell asleep, but he woke to movement somewhere.

He got out of the bed and quietly left his room in time to see Willy leaving the kids’ room and closing the door. “Is everything okay?” he whispered.

“Yes. Each of the kids has a dog watching over them.” Kevin turned toward him, and Willy stopped. “Umm…,” he stammered for a second. “Sorry, I should get back to bed.” He hurried into the bedroom and closed the door. Kevin wondered what had happened until he looked down and realized he had on just his boxers. Kevin smiled to himself and went back to bed.

HE WOKE alone after a few hours, which was unusual. He usually had a dog curled on the bed with him, but not this morning. Sounds drifted in from elsewhere in the house, something that sounded like singing. He got up and pulled on shorts and a T-shirt before leaving the room. The other bedrooms were empty, so he followed the sound downstairs to where Willy had Grant sitting at the table and April on his lap, the kids eating slices of apple. All three dogs sat nearby, watching in case anything fell to the floor.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Willy said. “They were hungry. I hope it’s okay if I gave them some apple.”

“Get whatever you need,” Kevin said. “Is the apple good?” he added to the kids, who both nodded. A piece of April’s dropped on the floor, and Elsa got there first. April giggled and grabbed another piece of apple, looking toward the floor.

“No, little miss. You eat it.” Willy was gentle with her. “Mr. Kevin is going to feed the dogs properly. The apple is for your tummy.”

“I could make some toast and scrambled eggs,” Kevin offered.

“Eggies!” Grant cheered, and Kevin took that as a yes. He got out the pans and whipped up a batch of light and fluffy eggs, then popped some bread in the toaster. Then he found some plates and brought them to the table. Willy helped the kids with their food and ate some of the eggs himself.

“Is it good?” Kevin asked as he sat down with his own breakfast.

“Yummy,” Grant reported as he shoveled in the eggs. Apparently they were a big hit with him. April was more interested in the toast, which was fine considering she kept giving her eggs to the dogs, like it was some kind of game.

“I need to get my car, and we should arrange to get yours as well. The station is only a few blocks away, so I figured I’d walk over to get it. Then we can check on yours, and I’ll take you to the driver’s license center and to get a phone.”

“I’m off today. Do you need to work?” Thank goodness for Sunday.

“No. It’s my day off too.”

“I don’t have anything to prove who I am.”

“We’ll figure it out. They have to have a picture from your old license and should be able to look it up to verify your identity.” God, he hoped that would be good enough. He finished his breakfast and helped Grant with his. Once they were all done, Willy took the kids upstairs to clean up while Kevin put the dishes in the dishwasher.

It took fifteen minutes for him to get to the station and get his car. By the time he returned, Willy had the kids dressed and ready to go. “We should get my car first. It has the car seats in it. Then we can do the rest of the running and stuff.”

“Good idea,” Kevin told him, and they rode over to the building in silence, with Willy growing quieter the closer they got. Kevin pulled up to the burned-out shell, and Willy gasped. There really was very little left of the building itself. The decorative gable at the top now curved forward like the curl of a melting candle.

“Oh God,” Willy breathed. “We were inside there.”

“Hey. Everyone got out. A few others were sent to the hospital, but everyone is going to be okay.” Kevin tried to be soothing. “Where is your car parked?” Willy pointed to the Volvo sedan. “And the keys?” he asked. Willy pulled the set out of his pocket. “I grabbed them on my way out. They were in a bowl on the table near the door, and I just grabbed them out of habit, I guess.” He unlocked the doors, and Kevin helped him get the kids transferred over. “Do you want to ride with us?”

“Follow me back to the house, and I’ll leave my car there.” Kevin led the way through town and got in the passenger seat once he’d parked his car. “Maybe I should drive. I’m the one with a license right now.” They switched places, and Kevin took Willy out to the center.

“You need some form of ID,” the woman at the counter told them.

“Ma’am,” Kevin said levelly, “he lost everything in a fire.” He pulled out his phone. “See, this is what’s left. He needs a replacement license. There has to be a way to help him.”

Fortunately, a supervisor overheard them and came over. Willy explained everything again. Then he provided all his information. “If you look it up, you’ll see it’s my picture. I just need a replacement.” He was getting frustrated, but the supervisor seemed to know what to do, and after he’d filled out forms and the supervisor verified his signature and picture, Willy walked out with a new license. At least that was one victory. The next was the phone store, which took less time, and finally Willy was able to contact his insurance company and file a total-loss claim. What a pain in the butt, though the pictures Willy was able to supply seemed to get the point across.

“Daddy, I’m hungry,” Grant said, and Willy took them all to Red Robin for burgers, using his phone to pay the bill, before heading to Target for a set of clothes for each of them.

“I feel like I’m trying to put all the pieces of my life back together and I don’t know what the picture is supposed to look like.”

“It’ll look like whatever you want it to,” Kevin said.

Willy seemed to take it in as he pushed the cart with April in the seat and Grant holding his daddy’s hand. They were an adorable family, something Kevin had always wanted. His ex, Masten, hadn’t wanted children. It had taken Kevin time to realize that he was just too selfish to have anyone take away any sort of attention from him. But Kevin had always wanted a family of his own. He pulled himself out of the daydream and back to reality. This was Willy’s family, and he was just helping them out, nothing more. He needed to remember that they would move into their own place and go on with their lives, just like he would.

Chapter 3

“THIS IS great, Ellen,” Willy said as he walked through the empty space. It was the entire first floor and had three bedrooms. There was only one bath, but that was okay. It was bigger than their old place, and the kitchen was larger. The appliances had been updated, so while they weren’t fancy, they were new, and he wasn’t going to be dealing with an oven that had eighty years of crap baked on inside it.

“There’s also a backyard. It isn’t huge, but that comes with this unit as well. You have the only door that gets out to it.”