Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
It felt like I was traveling back in time, but things were also so different. Her mom was gone. We were all grown up. When I looked at her, I didn’t just see my childhood neighbor and friend. I saw a beautiful woman with pain and determination in her eyes.
I had to get to know her all over again, and I was interested to see what I would learn. If she let me.
I parked in front of my parents’ two-story brick house, a wave of nostalgia rolling over me. Damn, it was nice to be back. Dallas was cool and all, but there truly was no place like home.
“We’re doing a little renovating, so it’s kind of a construction zone inside,” I told Zoe once she joined me on the porch.
Zoe gave me a little pout.
“Aw, are you changing a lot?” she asked.
I chuckled and shook my head as I led her inside, hearing a few beats and bangs from the kitchen.
“Just changing out countertops, some cabinets, and most of the flooring,” I reassured her before leading her out of the foyer toward an open doorway on the left. “Kieran! You won’t believe who I ran into while I was out!”
“Who?” my brother’s voice echoed from the kitchen.
I paused at the doorway and motioned for Zoe to go inside first. Kieran was going to freak!
Zoe stepped into what used to be our functioning kitchen. Now, most of the old tile was torn up, and the countertops were gone. It looked like Kieran had ripped out one of the old wooden cabinets too. The smell of wood and metal infected a space that used to smell like lemons.
“Hey, Kieran,” she greeted him.
Kieran spun around from inspecting the sink, his eyes widening at the sight of her after a second of hard staring.
“Wait… Zoe?” he asked as he froze in place, probably trying to make sure that she was real.
Zoe held her hands out like she just performed a magic trick.
“Looks like we’re all back in town for the same reason,” she said with a wry look on her face.
Kieran’s eyes darted between me and Zoe as stunned silence rang from him.
“She’s doing a story on the arson incidents we were told about,” I explained to my brother, hoping to pump some life back in him.
Kieran snapped his fingers in realization.
“Right! Holy shit. You’re a writer?” he asked Zoe, his eyes doing a quick sweep of her. Something glinted in his eyes, and I was pretty sure he was mentally checking her out too. A lot had changed since we moved away.
Zoe nodded.
“And you two are firefighters. Remember your old treehouse? How you guys would rescue me from it?” she reminisced, quoting ‘rescue’ with her fingers.
“Hey, we were brave for nine-year-olds,” Kieran laughed as he stepped closer to her, his hand brushing her arm.
Zoe echoed his amusement and returned the touch, her eyes doing a sweep of their own.
While I kept mine short around my ears, Kieran let his dark hair curl past his ears. He had more of that rugged look than me, opting for flannel shirts and jeans over button-downs and khakis. We were only two years apart, so people always mistook us for twins when we were younger.
“Since we’re going down memory lane, I do request a tour of all the renovations you guys are doing,” Zoe said as she gestured around her.
“So you can approve or disapprove?” I teased her.
Zoe laughed, her eyes shining like they used to.
“Exactly,” she replied. “And you can tell me how you guys came to choose firefighting. I thought you would be scientists or artists or something.”
Kieran motioned for her to follow him to the dining room, which was only a room over.
“That was a long time ago, Zoe,” he chuckled. “But it’s not too far off. I went to school for engineering.”
“Engineering? What do you work on?” Zoe asked as she admired the new coat of pale green paint that I put on yesterday.
“Urban development. I actually want to do some work here once someone stops burning down everything,” Kieran muttered as he walked around the new dining table.
“This place could use a little TLC,” Zoe agreed as she passed by me, her arm brushing mine. She looked over her shoulder at me, my heartbeat stalling. “And what were you up to?”
“Criminology,” I replied with a proud look. “All those mystery games we played as kids helped a lot.”
“Put those detective skills to the test and figure out who’s causing all these fires,” Kieran told me, prompting me to chuckle. That was part of the plan.
Zoe placed her hand on her cheek and shook her head as her eyes darted between us.
“I can’t believe it! We’re all so grown up,” she sighed.
I shared a look with Kieran before holding my hand out to her.