He’d asked her to go, and she’d said she’d try to make it, but by the time she got Granddaddy in bed and the caterers had cleaned up and left, she collapsed on her bed with Judah in a pool of tears, emotionally and physically wiped out.
And Declan hadn’t texted or called—not that she could blame him.
But he had to be here today. She scanned the crowded square, peering between groups of families, tourists, dogs, and past the fiery trees that exploded in the reds and oranges of autumn, but she didn’t see a single member of his family. But then she spied the bleachers and recalled someone referencing the “family viewing section” in the square.
They’d all be there, she guessed. But would Declan? Because once, a long time ago, he told her he used to get here early to sit on the steps of town hall.
She’d find him, one way or another. But she couldn’t drag Granddaddy around on that mission. “Let’s go this way, toward those bleachers,” she said. “You can sit with your friends for a while, since we’re early.” An hour early because she wanted to see Declan so bad. “And I can…” Apologize to the man she loved.
It had been tempting to call him, but what needed to be said had to be done in person, holding his hand, looking into his eyes, asking his forgiveness and assuring him they could make it through anything.
As she rounded the bleachers, she spotted the distinctly silver hair of Daniel Kilcannon, one arm around Katie, the other holding one of his grandbabies. Her gaze darted over rows of family members, all of them laughing, animated, and talking in groups.
But no sign of Declan.
“Evie!” Molly stood and waved.
“Let’s go join them,” she said to Granddaddy. Before he had a chance to respond, Connor and Braden both shot up and jumped off the side of the bleachers to come help her grandfather. The people in the front row, including Gramma Finnie and Yiayia, started clearing some space, and Pru headed over to greet her, holding little Danny’s hand as she helped him walk on unsteady baby sneakers.
Suddenly, they all looked very much like…family. And her throat grew thick with regret for the things she’d said and the need to talk to Declan.
“Aren’t you supposed to be going to the staging area?” Connor asked, reaching them first.
“We’re early, and we thought Granddaddy could rest here a minute.”
“Sure,” Braden said, taking her grandfather’s other arm. “I know a couple of ladies who haven’t stopped talking about taking shots with you last night.”
Granddaddy adjusted his cap again and grinned. “Wait till they see me in the convertible.”
As Braden helped him toward the bleachers, Evie turned to Connor.
“Where’s Declan?”
They asked the question in perfect unison, making Evie draw back.
“I thought you’d know.”
Connor lifted his brows. “I thought he stayed with you last night.”
“Didn’t he go to Bushrod’s?” she asked.
“He never showed.” A frown pulled. “I called him about an hour ago, but it went straight to voice mail.”
“Could he be at the station?” she asked, knowing how often he popped in there to check on things even when he wasn’t on duty.
“I’ll go check.”
“No, I will, Connor.” She couldn’t wait one more minute to see him. And maybe he was on the town hall steps. Just for old times’ sake. “Let me go,” she insisted. “I need to.”
“Everything okay with you two?” he asked. “’Cause he was kind of quiet during the party last night.”
“Everything’s fine.” Or it would be. “I’ll find him, Connor. Keep an eye on…” She leaned around him and caught sight of Granddaddy sitting between Yiayia and Gramma Finnie. “Never mind. He seems fine.”
Connor laughed. “Yeah, he found his drinking buddies.”
With a quick wave to Granddaddy, she headed out of the square toward town hall, her heart rate increasing with hope as she searched the crowds already seated on the wide front steps.
But there was no sign of him, no handsome firefighter waiting in the spot where he used to perch at every Founder’s Day parade when she was a kid.
Biting back her disappointment, she hustled through the crowd, turning onto the street that led to the fire station. He told her once that he slept there sometimes, or went in to work on admin.
Hope growing, she pulled open the glass front door and smiled at an older woman at the front desk. “Is Declan Mahoney here?” she asked without even a hello first.
The woman frowned and shook her head, turning to glance at a board behind her. “He’s not on duty until tomorrow.”
“Oh. And there’s no chance—”
A tall, bald man stepped into the reception area, looking up from some papers in his hand. One look at his uniform and badge, and Evie knew exactly who he was.
“Chief Winkler?” She extended her hand. “I’m Evie Hewitt.”
“Evie!” His face brightened. “Well, I bet you can help me out. I can’t seem to get a hold of Declan.”
“Oh.” The word slipped out. “I was hoping he was here.”
Dark brows furrowed as he shook his head. “No. I haven’t heard from him since he texted me in the middle of the night with his bad news.”
“Bad news?”
“For me, but not for you.” He winked and leaned closer to whisper, “I think he’ll like Raleigh. I’m crushed, but I totally get his decision.”
His decision? To go to Raleigh? He was giving up his dream of being chief so she could follow hers? Her heart almost burst with love and the need to hold him in her arms and tell him—
“You’ll see him before I will.” Chief held out the packet to her. “Will you give him this? He called last night and asked for it, and I was about to scan it in to email it, but this is easier.”
“Sure.” She closed her fingers around what she already knew was a list of firefighters who’d been at Gloriana House the night of the fire. “You don’t have
