Gold in the Fire

“Dear Heavenly Father, bless this food we are about to partake of and watch out for each one at this table. Give us the strength to seek Your guidance and the power to know when we need Your help. Amen.”

Darcy lifted her head. Her father snatched up his fork, grumbling something under his breath. When her mother died, he’d stopped going to church, telling Darcy that he was just too busy. She had gone with Lizzy until she had left home, but she had always been aware of her father’s disapproval.

“Grandpa, Joshua’s bringing Arnold here for me to play with. I wish I had a dog.”

“We’ll just see what we can do about that.” Darcy was about to say something when her father continued. “Every boy should have a dog.”

“Dad didn’t like animals. And when we lived overseas, it was hard to have one,” Sean said.

“Arnold recently became a father. The puppies are five weeks old,” Joshua said as he poured ranch dressing onto his salad.

Sean’s eyes grew big. “They are? Can I have one?”

“A friend of mine owns them. I can check—” Joshua swung his gaze to Darcy “—if that’s okay with your mom.”

The full force of his attention was directed at Darcy, causing heat to steal into her cheeks. The urge to shift nervously in her chair inundated her. “I love dogs. That sounds great.” She crossed her legs, then uncrossed them. “But, Sean, you’ll have to learn to take care of your puppy. It’s a big responsibility.”

Her son puffed out his chest. “I’m eight, Mom. I’m big enough.”

“And we need to see about getting him a horse while he’s here this summer.” Shamus pinned Darcy with his eyes. “You had one at the age of five.”

Memories assailed Darcy. She balled the napkin in her lap, her nails digging into the soft cotton material.

“My very own horse?” Sean exclaimed.

“For as long as you’re here and whenever you come to visit again. It would be nice if you visited every summer.”

Again Darcy felt her father’s intimidating glare. She returned it with an unwavering look, though memories of never quite living up to what her father expected continued to flit through her mind, scene after disappointing scene.

“Can I, Mom?” Sean bounced up and down in his chair.

“We’ll see, hon.”

“Yes!” Her son pumped his fist into the air. “A dog and a horse.”

“Your mother’s right about taking care of your animals. Around my farm that is a must.” Shamus broke off a piece of French bread and started to reach for the butter.

“That isn’t on your diet,” Lizzy said, snatching away the butter dish before his fingers touched it.

“Nothing good is on my diet,” Shamus grumbled, his mouth puckered in a frown.

Before her father started in on what he couldn’t eat anymore, Darcy released the tight grip on her napkin and asked, “Joshua, what made you decide to work with a dog?”

“I’ve been known to take in strays. My captain knew I loved animals, especially dogs, so when this opportunity came up, he encouraged me to do it. Arnold and I went through some extensive training, but it’s been worth it.”

“Heard you helped solve the Wright case a few months back.” With narrowed eyes, Shamus stared at the butter dish sitting next to Lizzy’s plate and just out of his reach.

“Wright case? What happened?” Darcy watched the silent exchange between her father and Lizzy—a battle of gazes. In the end her father turned his attention to Joshua. Darcy’s mouth almost fell open.

“It was a warehouse fire in Lexington that spread to some other buildings. It was arson. We were lucky and apprehended the man responsible.”

“Who?”

“An employee who had been fired and was angry at the owner.”

“I came up with another name of someone you could check out,” Shamus said, lifting his water glass to take a big sip. “I’d forgotten I had to let Mike Reynolds go a couple of months ago.”

“He was your assistant farm manager, wasn’t he?” Joshua asked, peering at Darcy.

Did he notice the stiff set to her shoulders and the tight grip she had on her glass? she wondered.

“Yeah. I didn’t like his methods.”

“He’s working at the Colemans’ farm now.”

“That’s what I heard.”

“Dad, I think—”

Shamus swung his sharp gaze toward his daughter, a challenge in his eyes.

Darcy stiffened even more. “I don’t think we need to discuss this at the dining room table.” She glanced toward her son.

“Aw, Mom, I know about the fire.”

“You know, Lizzy, I have to agree with Darcy. You’re a terrific cook.” Joshua took another bite of his spaghetti. He wished he could ease the heavy tension in the room.

The vulnerability he glimpsed in Darcy’s eyes melted through his defenses. He found himself wanting to help her through the pain he knew she was experiencing. Her smile touched his heart, urging him to comfort. After Carol’s betrayal he hadn’t thought that possible, and was surprised by the feeling.

Lizzy blushed a nice shade of red, her eyes twinkling. “You always do know just the right thing to say, Joshua Markham.”

Shamus snorted but continued eating.

Sean added, “He’s right. I love your spaghetti.”

Darcy slid a glance toward Joshua. Her smile reached deep into her large brown eyes, fringed in long, black lashes. The beat of his heart accelerated. He gripped his fork tighter.

“I agree with my son, Lizzy. But if I remember correctly, you make a great lasagna, too.” Darcy’s shoulder-length blond hair fell forward and she pushed it behind her ears.

With the conversation turning to favorite foods, Joshua sat back, watching the exchange at the table. The lively gleam in Darcy’s eyes made her whole face light up. He tried to picture her breaking in a yearling, but couldn’t. She was petite, not more than five foot two.

When Lizzy served sliced peaches and ice cream for dessert, Sean snapped his fingers and said, “I’ve got the perfect name for the new filly. Peaches.”

“Not a bad name, son.” Shamus frowned at Lizzy, who had handed him a bowl of peaches without the vanilla ice cream.

When Joshua’s cell phone rang, everyone shifted their attention to him.

“Sorry.” He retrieved his phone from his pocket and checked the message. Tension whipped down his length as he surged to his feet. “I have to leave. There’s a fire at the Coleman farm.”

Darcy’s eyes widened and she came to her feet too, her napkin floating to the carpet. “A barn?”

A new tension descended in the room. “Yes,” Joshua said as he headed toward the door.

Chapter Three

“Mom, let’s stop. I want to see where Joshua works. Maybe Arnold’s there.” Sean bounced up and down in the front seat of the truck, pointing to the fire station at the end of the block.

“Hon, I still need to pick up some things at the store and there’s a lot to do back at the farm.”

“Pleease, Mom.”

Pausing at the stop sign, Darcy chanced a look at her son. The eagerness in his expression shoved away all her doubts. Just because she had thought about Joshua Markham several times in the past forty-eight hours—okay, more than several times—didn’t mean she couldn’t pay him a visit, then go her merry way. “All right. But we can’t stay long. And if he’s busy, we’ll need to leave.”

“Sure.” Sean stretched his neck to get a better look at the fire station as Darcy pulled into the driveway and parked behind the building.

“Hon, he might not be here.”

“He is.”

Suspicion began to form in her mind. “How do you know?”

Sean ducked his head to the side and studied the scenery out the side window as though fascinated with the brick wall several feet from the truck.

“Sean.”

“Uh—” He stared down at his hands fidgeting in his lap. “I called him this morning.” Her son’s voice was barely audible.

“Sean, you know better than to bother a busy man.”

He lifted his head, turning his appealing look on her. “But, Mom, he told me I could play with Arnold. I wanted to find out when.”

“That doesn’t mean you have an open invitation to visit him at work or to call him anytime you want.”

“Yes, I do.” His grin split his face. “He invited me this morning. Said I was welcome to come by anytime they were there.”

“Only after you called.” Darcy gripped the steering wheel and thought about backing out and escaping before anyone saw them. Her dream about the fire last night was filled with the image of the smoke and fog parting and Joshua walking toward her. Everything had dimmed except the man in the fire gear striding toward her with exhaustion evident in every line of his handsome face. Confidence had marked his stance as he’d come to a stop in front of her. His blue eyes had gleamed in the early morning light, drawing her toward him—dangerously close.

The flashback to the previous dream made beads of perspiration pop out on her upper lip. Darcy brushed them away. What am I doing? I have no business thinking about Joshua Markham in any terms other than as a firefighter and an acquaintance. She started to switch on the engine and leave before anyone knew they were there. She would find some excuse to give her son.

Too late. Joshua waved from the door and strode toward them.

“See. He’s expecting us.”

Darcy wanted to hide. She felt the heat suffuse her cheeks as the man walked to the truck, a smile of greeting on his face. The first thing she thought about was the dusty jeans and the old worn shirt she wore. Why hadn’t she changed before coming into town? Why did she care? Her record with men was no good. She just had to think about her husband and father to confirm that.

Joshua stopped on her side of the truck, his face framed in her window, only a few inches from her. She rolled down the window and forced a smile to her lips. “Is this a bad time to come?” Please let it be, she silently added, even as she responded to his heart-melting grin, her pulse accelerating.

“It’s been quiet around here.”

“That’s good” was all she could think to say with the man dominating her space, his musky scent surrounding her.

“Yeah, we feel the same way.”

“Where’s Arnold?” Sean asked, unbuckling his seat belt.

“He’s in the station. Come on in and meet the rest of the guys.”

Sean hopped from the truck before Darcy could say anything. Joshua opened her door, and she slid out, glad to see her legs would support her weight. Her son ran ahead while she and Joshua walked at a leisurely pace toward the building.

“I checked with my friend about a puppy for Sean. It’s fine with him. In fact, he can have the pick of the litter.”

“How much are the puppies?”

“Free. He just wants to give the puppies good homes.”

Darcy halted, causing Joshua to do the same. “What aren’t you telling me?”

He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I told him I didn’t want the pick of the litter.”

“So Sean gets it instead. I can pay for a puppy. I know teachers don’t get rich teaching, but—”

“I wanted to do this for Sean.”

“Why?”

“I can remember my first dog when I was growing up. Lady was so special to me. I want Sean to experience that.”

“But—”

Joshua held up his hand to stop her protest. “If you saw my house and the animals I have, you wouldn’t say anything. I don’t need to take on another pet.”

“How many do you have?”

“Three dogs besides Arnold, two cats, a rabbit and an aquarium full of fish.”

“Don’t tell Sean. He’ll be begging to come over.”

“I’ve never bought one of those animals. Either people give them to me because they don’t want them anymore or they are left in my yard.”

He was a large, muscular man in a dangerous profession, but underneath everything he was a softie, taking in strays. There had been times when married to Clay that she’d felt like a stray, wandering from city to city looking for a permanent home. She was glad now that she and Sean had one in Panama City. This spring had been the beginning of their second year there.

Sean stood at the door to the fire station, waiting for them. He hopped from one foot to the other. “Come on, Mom,” he finally shouted when he couldn’t contain his impatience any longer.

“Do you want me to tell him about the puppy now?” Joshua said in a low voice.

“You might wait until later or he’ll want you to leave your job and show him the puppy.”

“I’m off on Sunday. How about after church? We can leave after the eleven o’clock service, pick up something to eat for lunch, then go to Ned’s. Sean can pick out the puppy he wants.”

Darcy didn’t say anything for a few seconds. She’d made plans to start going to church again with Lizzy. She’d gotten out of the habit when married to Clay. They had moved so often it had become difficult to find a place to worship where she was comfortable—at least, that was the excuse she’d given herself over the years.

“I’m sorry. I’m assuming you’ll be going to church while you’re home. I can meet you at Ned’s place if you want.”

“No. Lizzy mentioned something to me the other day.”

“You can come with Lizzy, and then I can bring you and Sean home later. I should have the results back from the lab by then and I promised your father a report on what I found.”

Sean danced around. “Mom! I’ve got to go.”

Joshua chuckled. “I guess we’d better get inside.”

“It was that pop he drank on the way into town.”

Joshua reached around Sean and pulled the door open. “The rest room is down the hall on the left.”

Her son shot down the corridor and disappeared into the bathroom. They waited by the entrance until he came out into the hall. He headed straight for them with determination on his face.

“Where’s Arnold?”

“Probably watching TV.”

“He watches TV?”

“Yep, I’m afraid so. Nasty habit he’s gotten into. The last time I saw him he was in the living area in front of the set.” Joshua gestured to the right.

Sean darted ahead of them into a large room with several couches and chair. A table that sat twelve was off to one side in a spacious kitchen of gleaming stainless steel. Arnold was where Joshua had left him, perched before the big-screen television set, his head resting on his front paws.

“He really does watch TV,” Darcy said in astonishment.

While Sean kneeled next to the black Lab, Joshua chuckled. “Like I said, a really nasty habit he developed. He likes the noise, and when a dog appears he begins to bark, which doesn’t always sit well with the other guys who are trying to watch the show.”

“What does he do when a cat appears?” Darcy watched her son rub the length of Arnold’s back, then bury his face in his fur.

The dog rolled over, his tail wagging.

“He loves cats. His best buddy is Ringo, a white male cat that found me about two years ago and adopted us. When we’re at home, they are usually inseparable.”

“Hasn’t Arnold heard a cat is a dog’s enemy?”

“Apparently not.”

An older man came into the room, Joshua introduced him to Darcy and Sean as his captain. When he left, another man, younger, entered and waved at Darcy.

“Joshua said something about you and your son coming to visit this morning.” Glen hugged her. “I haven’t seen you since right after high school graduation.”

“We went to school together since kindergarten,” Darcy said to Joshua, then turned back to Glen. “I heard you married your high school sweetheart.”

“Nancy and I will have been married ten years come this July. How’s your father doing? I’m sorry about the fire at the farm.”

“He’s the same. Thinks he can single-handedly do everything around the farm.”

“That sounds like Shamus. Well, it’s my turn to make lunch so I’d better get going before I have seven guys breathing down my neck.” Glen made his way into the kitchen area and opened the refrigerator.

“Sean, would you like to go on a tour of the station?” Joshua asked.

Her son glanced up. “Can Arnold come too?”

“Sure, if you can get him to move from the TV set.”

Sean leaped to his feet and patted his leg. “Come on, Arnold.”

The black Lab lumbered to his feet and nudged Sean’s hand so he would continue rubbing him behind the ear.

“I think your son has a gift with animals.”

Darcy thought of all the times Sean had wanted a pet and Clay had refused to let him. She thought of how her son had taken to the farm as though he’d grown up there, doing chores, helping take care of the horses and other animals. Her throat closed. She should have brought Sean to the farm sooner. For her son’s sake, she should have put her past with her father behind her. It had taken a crisis with her father to get her back home. But the minute she had stepped on Shamrock land, all her insecurities, doubts and guilt had flooded her, as though she’d never left ten years ago.

“Wait up, Darcy.”

Darcy turned to see her best friend from high school hurrying toward her from the back of the church. For a few seconds she lost Jesse Bradshaw in the crowd, which was not unusual since her friend was only five feet tall. Darcy stepped to the side to allow the other parishioners to pass while she waited.

“I should berate you, Darcy O’Brien, for not coming by to see me, but I know you’ve had your hands full with your father’s illness and the fire. I’m sorry.” Jesse Bradshaw hugged Darcy. “I’m missed you.” She pulled back to get a good look at Darcy. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

Darcy laughed. “I’ve missed you, Jesse, and you have changed.” Her friend had lost twenty or so pounds, and her long brown hair was now short and feathered about her pixie-like features. The only thing the same was her green eyes—clear and sparkling with humor. Darcy turned to the side. “This is my son, Sean.”

Shaking Sean’s hand, Jesse said, “My son, Nate, is around here somewhere. You two will have to get together. Darcy, I’ll call you this week. Let’s get together for lunch. I want to know everything that’s happened to you in the last ten years. E-mails just don’t tell me what’s really going on with you.” Jesse fell into line with them to speak with the reverend.

“There’s Joshua. He’s waiting for us by his truck. Come on, Mom.” Sean tugged on her arm.

“Joshua Markham?” Jesse asked, one brow quirked.

“Yes, he’s helping Sean get a puppy.” Darcy leaned toward her friend. “And that is all, so don’t get any ideas.”

Jesse held up her hand. “Who, me? Never.”

Moving forward in the line, Darcy smiled at Reverend Collins and shook his hand. “I enjoyed your sermon.” Out of the corner of her eye she could see her son dancing about.

“It’s good to see you back home, Darcy. Don’t be a stranger.”

Darcy pulled Sean to her side. “And this eager young man is my son, Sean.”

The reverend held out his hand. “I hope we’ll get to see more of you this summer.”

Sean contained his enthusiasm long enough to straighten and shake the man’s hand. “Joshua introduced me to a couple of the boys in his Sunday school class. One lives down the road from Grandpa.”

“That must be Brad Anderson.”

“Yep.” Sean glanced up at Darcy. “Can we go now? I don’t want to be late.”

After saying her goodbyes to Reverend Collins and Jesse, Darcy allowed her son to drag her toward Joshua. As they approached, Darcy’s heart increased its beat, aware that her friend was probably watching every move she made. She didn’t dare look back at Jesse and encourage her in any way.

Darcy turned her full focus on the man before her. The sight of Joshua in black slacks with a sky-blue short-sleeved shirt and a striped tie was just as compelling as the image of him in his fire gear or navy-blue firefighter’s uniform. The bright sun beamed down on her, but that wasn’t the reason she perspired more than usual. The warm greeting in Joshua’s eyes did strange things to her. Her stomach flip-flopped; her pulse quickened.

“Are you ready, Sean?” Joshua asked, swinging open the passenger door of his red truck.

“Yes.”

“I thought we would grab something to eat, then go to Ned’s.”

The wide grin on her son’s face fell.

“Or, we could go to Ned’s first, then eat,” Joshua amended when he saw Sean’s crestfallen expression.

“Yes!” Sean hopped up into the cab.

“I can’t believe he’s turning down a meal. That just goes to show you how important this puppy is to Sean.” Darcy followed her son into the truck, relieved she wasn’t pressed up against Joshua.

He shut the door and leaned forward, his head framed in the open window. “You understand, Sean, you won’t be able to take the puppy home for a few more weeks.”

“Can I visit my puppy?”

“I don’t think Ned will mind—if it’s okay with your mother.”

Sean sent her a beseeching look.

“We’ll work something out,” she said.

Her son breathed a deep sigh of relief while Joshua rounded the front of the truck and slid behind the steering wheel.

“Actually, Ned lives about halfway to your farm on Old State Road, not too far from Sweetwater Lake.”

“Maybe I could walk to his place.”

“No way, young man,” said Darcy. “When you get your chores done, I’ll drive you. No walking along that highway.”

“But, Mom—”

Joshua backed out of the parking space. “I’ve had a few near misses out on Old State Road. Some people think its straightaway is an invitation to race. Not a safe place to be.”

Again Sean sighed, but he remained quiet.

In a short time Darcy had begun to notice the influence Joshua had over her son. For a boy hungry for male attention, Joshua was a wonderful role model. But what was going to happen when they returned to Panama City in August? She hated disappointing her son. For years he had tried to get his father interested in what he was doing, but Clay had hardly ever been around. When they’d been in the same room, it had been as though they were strangers.

As they drove toward Ned’s, her son thankfully kept up a running commentary about the Sunday school class he’d joined that day, the one Joshua taught. Sean described each of the boys he’d met and gave a rundown on their likes and dislikes. She was glad he had been readily accepted by his peers, especially Brad Anderson and Nate Bradshaw, Jesse’s son. Darcy relaxed and listened to Sean and Joshua.

Fifteen minutes later Joshua drove through an opened gate and down a gravel road that ended in front of a one-story, white, wooden house with an old brown barn nearby. “He’s probably in the barn.”

“Does he raise horses like Grandpa?” Sean exited the truck on Joshua’s side.

That gave Darcy a chance to take her time and allow the two guys to go ahead of her. She heard Joshua say, “No, he takes in strays like I do. He’s a firefighter at the station where I work. He doesn’t have a lot of land, just a few acres. But I must say, he has more room than I do. I’m running out of places to put my animals.”

Dressed in a plaid short-sleeved shirt, a man who appeared to be in his forties came out of the barn. He brushed some dust from his jeans and adjusted his navy-blue ball cap. “Right on time. I just got through feeding the animals.”

Sean raced forward. “Where are the puppies?”

Ned placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and led him into the barn. Joshua waited for her by the entrance.

“I think your son is excited.”

“A small understatement.”

“I’m glad he enjoyed this morning. How did you like the adult class?”

“Lizzy and Jesse took me under their wing. I didn’t realize there were so many new people since I last attended.”

“When was that?”

“Over ten years ago.”

“You never had time to come with Lizzy when you visited?”

Darcy stepped into the coolness of the barn, the familiar scents of leather, dirt and hay drifting to her. “This is the first time I’ve been home since I got married.”

When Joshua didn’t say anything for several heartbeats, Darcy felt compelled to add, “We were out of the country for half that time.”