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Three words. With three words, my heart shatters, and I stretch a hand across the table and take his in mine, telling myself I'm offering comfort as a friend and not because I want to wrap myself around him and ease the look he has in his eyes. The Sully I know? The flirt and tease and guy who grins and says bodacious things? He's gone. Silenced. And I feel like this hurt, mourning man is the real man he hides from the world with his bigger-than-life persona. "You found her?"

He inhales and puffs his cheeks out as he releases an exhale. "This is fun table conversation for a first date. What happened to you asking me my sign?"

I smile at him. "You're a November baby."

He blinks at me in surprise because I know his birth month, and I feel my cheeks heat. But, yeah, I do know his birthday because I remember the day Jas and I supplied the food for the birthday lunch at the fire station, and Sully was the only birthday that month. It had stuck. But then so many things about Sully have a tendency to do that.

"Well, well, well. My sunshine is full of surprises. What else do you know about me?"

I begin to pull away, but Sully flips his hand to grasp mine before I can. He interlaces our fingers and holds. I falter at the contact because the comfort I offered with a touch has changed into something more. "I know you need to finish your story. You haven't told me all of it, and I think you need to talk about it. You haven't, have you? Talked about it?"

His gaze narrows. "Not much. How do you know that?"

"Years of therapy," I murmur, hoping I sound casual about the fact I talk to a stranger about my issues. "Keep going."

His fingers twitch against my hand, and this time, I'm the one squeezing, maintaining my hold and offering comfort once more.

"I'd just pulled into the driveway when I saw a flash go off inside the house and heard a pop. Then a second later, I heard another one, louder since I was running toward the house. I broke down the door and found them. Her. She was still breathing, but—I couldn't save her."

Chapter 14

Sully

* * *

As a good friend and fire chief, Gabriel Wolfe knew my history. But few others did. The cops on duty that night. The EMS and firefighters who arrived. My parents. Maybe a few of their friends. But the story isn't one I've shared much due to the pain that comes on its heels.

The mental images sear my brain, and I struggle to maintain my composure.

"Tell me about her," Violet urges softly. "Were you and Kelsey close? What was she like?"

I find some good memories and focus on them, realizing seconds later that maybe that is why Vi asked. "She was beautiful. Eight years older than me, so I always looked up to her and thought she was cool. She was popular. Had lots of friends."

"Beautiful friends you crushed on, I bet," Violet adds in a rare, teasing tone.

I laugh and nod, almost surprised I can find something funny about that time frame. "I did. I loved the weekends when she had friends stay over."

Violet's whole face lights up with her smile, and I take a mental screenshot, wishing I could whip out my phone and take a picture. Her smile keeps me grinning, and I feel some of the tension in my body ease as bad memories are replaced with bittersweet. "She was quiet unless she was around friends. More outgoing in small groups rather than large crowds. She was a dork, though. Do you remember when you were a kid seeing those birds old ladies would put on their porches and dress up?"

"A porch goose?"

"Yeah, those. Our grandma had one but didn't dress it up. So when Kelsey had any down time, she would pull out our mom's sewing machine and make the most ridiculous costumes for that thing."

Violet's smiling at me, and I love the way her eyes twinkle.

"Those are back in style, you know."

"No way," I say doubtfully.

"Oh, yeah, and now all those crazy costumes are only a click away and shipped to your door." She squirms a bit and then asks, "What were you like as a boy? Were you as flirty as you are now?"

She tugs her hand away, and I mourn the loss of her touch. I welcome the change of subject, though. "I had my moments. But I'm a changed man. I'm only interested in one woman, but she doesn't give me the time of day."

"Not your typical badge bunny?"

I lean my head back and laugh. "The fact you know that's what they're called scares me."

"I listen," Violet says, plucking at her linen-wrapped utensils and shooting me a sly glance. "You'd probably be surprised at what all I hear in that bus while customers stand outside chatting with their friends."