the water trough. She gasped and tears filled her eyes.
Sally placed a hand on her back. “It’s okay, hon. We’ll get it.”
“I’ll do it.” Jared started pulling his shirt off.
Sally looked at him in dismay. “What’re you doing?”
“It’ll get wet if I don’t take it off.” He handed her his shirt, then leaned into the trough far enough that his head almost touched the water. When he straightened pulling the can out, the water inside spilled all down his front.
Sally laughed. “Obviously you knew what was going to happen.”
Jared grinned, dropped the can on the ground and took his shirt from her. “Yeah, we drop it in almost every time we visit.”
“How come a boy can take his shirt off and a girl can’t?” Lucy asked.
This wasn’t a discussion Sally wanted to get into, especially with other people’s children. She just had to keep the answers simple. “Well, because boys and girls are different. Especially when they get older.”
“Uncle Ross is a boy and he never takes his shirt off,” Olivia announced. “Not even when he’s swimming.”
What was she to say to that? “Guys don’t have to take their shirts off if they don’t want to.”
“When it’s hot I like to take mine off.” Jared picked the can up and headed for the barn.
Olivia’s statement left Sally curious. She’d have thought a man with Ross’s physique should be proud to show it off.
Lucy took Sally’s hand. “Sometimes when I’m playing with the water hose, I take mine off.”
It was time to change the subject. “Let’s go get a bath and have a snack before bedtime.”
By just after dark, Sally had all the kids in bed. She wasn’t sure who was happier, them or her. She’d had less active days at work. Plopping on the couch, she stretched out her legs, letting her head rest on the pillowed leather behind her. Sally closed her eyes and sighed. She and the kids had had a nice day. They were a good tired and she was as well. While she was trying to convince herself to get up and do some studying, her phone rang.
Digging in the back pocket of her jeans, she fished it out.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Ross’s rich voice filled her ear.
Her heart did a little pitty-pat. “We’re doing great. Have you been worried about us?”
“More about you. Two kids can be a handful so I can imagine three’s more difficult.”
He had been thinking about her? “Everybody’s fine. They’re all in bed now.” She yawned.
“I bet you’re thinking about going as well.” The timbre of his tone suggested ideas better left locked away. She sat straighter. “I’ll be up for a little while longer.”
“I really thank you for this.”
It was nice to feel useful to a man to whom she was attracted. For so long she’d felt unworthy. In the end duped and rejected. “You don’t have to keep saying that. How did your meeting with the Chief go?”
“Really well.”
He’d asked her some personal questions, so she felt entitled. “Do you mind if I ask what’s going on?”
“No. It’s just that I’m on the shortlist for Battalion Chief. I’ve been trying to make a good impression. Not being there when the Chief’s making his rounds wouldn’t have been good.”
“You’ll make a great Battalion Chief.” Of that she had no doubt.
“I don’t have the job yet.”
“Maybe not yet, but you’ll get it.” He was good at his job and others noticed. She certainly had.
“The competition is pretty strong. I’ve worked with all of them at one time or another.”
“I can’t imagine anyone being more qualified than you.” And she couldn’t.
“Thanks, Sal, for that vote of confidence. It means a lot.” Ross’s voice held a note of gratitude.
She couldn’t stem her curiosity about him. “Have you always wanted to be a firefighter?”
There was a pause. “Yeah, ever since I was a little boy.”
“That’s a long time.” Her amazement rang in her voice. They shared something in common. They both had known what they wanted to do since they were young.
“I’m not that old.” He chuckled.
“You know what I mean. What made you want to be a firefighter?”
This time he didn’t falter before answering her. “I saw firefighters at work when I was a kid and I decided then that I want to help people like they did.”
She almost said aww out loud. “That’s very admirable. Was it a bad fire?”
“The worst. My grandfather’s house was a total loss.” His voice had grown rougher with each word.
She could tell that it had been a life-changing event for him in more than one way. “Oh, Ross. I’m sorry. I hope he was all right.”
“He was. He rebuilt. You’re sitting in his house now. He left it to me when he died a few years ago. I’ve made some updates.”
Sally looked around. “I like your house. I want something like it one day.”
“I’m happy there.” There was a pause, then he said, “Tell me something, are you going to sleep in my bed tonight?”
Heat flowed hot and fast throughout her body. Her mouth went dry. Ross coming on to her. She liked it.
The buzz of the fire station alarm going off, then the dispatcher speaking, was all she could hear for the next few seconds.
“Gotta go,” Ross said. “See you tomorrow.” More softly, as if a caress, he finished with, “Take care, Sweet Sally.”
“Bye,” she said into an empty line. Sweet Sally? She liked the sound of that coming from Ross.
Ross neared the end of the drive to his home with keen anticipation. He was coming home to someone. Was his life really that isolated? Not until this moment did he realize how much he liked the idea of having someone waiting on him at home. He’d looked forward to seeing Sally and the kids. Hearing how their time together had gone.
He grinned. Maybe now he’d get an answer about where she’d spent the night. It still shocked him that he’d dared to ask. Had called her Sweet Sally. After all, she was doing him a favor and he’d hit on her. He hoped things
