Page 9 of Bewitching the Firefighter

Me: you’re not my dad

Levi: true, but my mom is your mom’s sister and both would have my ass if they knew I let you go out with a guy as part of a bet

Did I hear him right? I click the green phone symbol on his contact info. Levi Carter is an artisan in his own right, selling his works for big bucks to private collectors. He also runs an appointment-only tattoo shop in town for fun. He’s the reason Capri moved to town, so that makes him and the reason I moved here, too.

“I thought that would get your attention.“ Levi’s voice has a trace of mirth and a whole lot of protective energy. I didn’t have brothers, so he made himself the protector of the Sutton girls.

“Are you telling me that Lincoln West asked me to coffee as a bet?” My voice rises with each word, ending in a high-pitched squeak.

“Come on, Isla. You know that there are no secrets in a firehouse.”

“This is so embarrassing.” I plunk my head onto the desk with a thud. “I can’t believe he asked me out because someone bet him too…“ My voice trails off as I try to wrap my brain around this.“Who does that?“

“Lincoln-fucking-West, apparently. I am not happy with his ass at all. He’s off my client list, and his brother is lucky I don’t kick the firefighter’s ass.“

I sit up, resting my forehead on my fist. “Aren’t we a little old for bets and ass-kicking?”

“Nobody messes with my family, Isla. Fact.“

“I’ll handle this, Levi. There’s no need to ban the guy from your shop.”

“It’s done. Also, it’s just a matter of time before Capri finds out. This will not go well over well with her or Zane.“

Just great. I moved to Indigo Hills to get away from chaos, but one stupid firefighter enters my life, and now my cousins’ friend group is flipped upside down.

“Thanks.“

“I’ll always have your back.“

“I know.”

I hang up, my emotions churning a mix of anger and hurt that his coffee invitation wasn’t genuine. Logically, it shouldn’t matter; I’m the one who turned down his date. But knowing that it wasn’t real stings.

Not able to sit still, I grab my things and head for my car. It isn’t too long before my car zips into the firehouse parking lot. I park and grab the lockbox where I placed the old firehouse diagram. Technically, it’s the reason for my visit.

I don’t even know if Linc is going to be on shift, but if he is, the members of his crew should be, too. Taking the lockbox, I walk to the firehouse entrance with my most professional smile in place.

The lobby is small and modest, with two plaid club chairs and a small table. As soon as I step in, Captain Bannon greets me.

“Isla, it’s good to see you.”

“You too, Ryder.” He’s been to the house a couple of times with his wife and children to visit Capri’s family.

“What brings you to Station 8?”

“Well, I was going through some historical documents this morning, and thought I would show you the floor plan of the original firehouse.”

He blinks at me for a second, his eyes opening wide. “The original firehouse that’s downtown?”

“M-hmm. It’s where the City Council meets. I was hoping you could help me with some missing information.”

“Sure, come on back. We’re just having lunch.”

He leads me to the kitchen, which looks like it could be in someone’s home. There are stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and an island. Not too far from that is a wooden table where the crew has just started eating, and right in the middle seat is Lincoln West. Not surprisingly, the same crew members who responded to the library’s false alarm call are seated with him.

“Gentlemen,” Ryder motions to his team. “Isla Sutton is here from the library to share a historical document she found. Why don’t you have a seat?” He points at the empty chair to his right. “Hungry? The rookie made lasagna.”

“Oh no, thank you.” I open the tin and pull out two pairs of cotton gloves, putting on a set before handing a pair to Ryder. Carefully, I retrieve the document, which is now encased in a protective archival document sleeve.