Bella tried to calm her breathing. She needed to be checked out even though he figured she’d protest.
Jake shared a glance with Ben. They were often called heroes but to them it was a job. A job they loved. So engrossed in his own thoughts last night, he hadn’t taken much notice when Mari’s sister had come into the restaurant apart from the scream of joy from Noah. Petite like her sister, Dakota, but that was where the similarity ended. Dakota was blonde and bubbly. Bella had dark, sultry looks and it would seem a firecracker temperament to match. Lucky for her, she knew her way around a kitchen fire. Mari would have been devastated if the hotel had been blazed to the ground. She’d put so much work into it already.
“You sure you’re feeling okay?” Jake helped Bella to her feet when she struggled to get up on her own.
She wobbled and he grabbed her, held her close. Before she could protest, he scooped her up and carried her over to an outdoor setting where he placed her down on a chair.
“I think you should go and get checked out just to be on the safe side.”
“I’ll take her right now if you wouldn’t mind taking her to my car, Jake. I’ll grab my keys. Can I go inside now?”
Bella protested, her voice wheezy. “Stop! I’m fine. Just a little light-headed is all.” Her sister ignored her and ran into the hotel with Ben in close pursuit.
“I suggest you let her take you to the clinic, if only to make her happy. You inhaled a fair bit of smoke which can be dangerous. We’ll stay here and make sure the fire doesn’t start up again and by the time you get back, hopefully I’ll have confirmed the source of the fire and see if you can have access.”
“Of course we can have access. You just let Mari back inside now.” She rubbed at her eyes, trying to stay the tears she couldn’t hold back.
“Sure I did but that was to get her keys and Ben was with her so I doubt there was any danger. He wouldn’t have let her in if that was the case.”
Mari came running out and headed to her car. Jake lifted the protesting woman up and carried her to the vehicle, depositing her in the front seat.
“Thanks, Jake. You don’t know how glad I am you were on duty. It could have been so much worse if the flames had managed to take hold before Bella put them out.”
“It could but your sister seemed to have it pretty much under control. See you both soon.” He slammed the door and watched as they drove out before he followed Ben back into the hotel.
After scrutinizing the smoke damaged kitchen, he agreed with Ben. “Stove is ruined but it’s probably a good thing the fire was contained to such a small area.” He stood with hands on hips and studied the walls, the smoke shadowing the corners and staining the light fittings. “They’ll need to get an electrician in to do a safety check first before I give them the okay to operate again but I think a good clean, a new stove and it should be fine to go.”
“Yep. You want to do the fire report or shall I? They’ll need it for insurance, I suppose.”
“Add it to my list for tomorrow. I’ll get it done as soon as I can. Mari will want to send it off to her insurance company.” He walked through the rest of the hotel, noted no damage anywhere else and even checked upstairs in Mari’s apartment. Bella must have been quick to attack the blaze for there to be no smoke through the air conditioning ducts. “I’ll wait for them to come back. You take the truck and Aron back to the station, do the hand over. I’ll radio control that I’m staying then find my way once Mari comes back. Give her the news.”
“Righto, Chief.”
Chapter Three
The following morning Bella surveyed the mess. What a way to start the new project – by setting the place on fire. Even though it wasn’t her fault, it was hardly the start she was hoping for. The only bonus had been being rescued by the hunky fireman. She’d found herself struggling from the smoke inhalation and seeing his gorgeous blue eyes hovering over her hadn’t helped matters any.
The embarrassment of it all. She, who’d risen so far in the last couple of years, setting fire to a kitchen. Unheard of. If word got out, she’d be ridiculed, it would be in all the gossip magazines. Bella could see the headlines now. That would go down well with the studio. Bella shuddered, imagining the fuss that would cause even though it wasn’t her fault. Nobody ever admitted to something like that. She stared at the smoke-stained walls. So much had changed in such a short space of time. Not having control killed her.
Mari walked in, faltering when she spied Bella. Her usually calm appearance slipped, annoyance tugging at the corners of her lips. “What’re you doing here? I told you to sleep in today and I’d see you later once I had Noah to school. The doctor might have given you the all clear but still…”
“I couldn’t sleep. Wanted to see how much damage had been done, since you wouldn’t bring me back here yesterday. See if we could salvage anything.” She ran her finger over the work prep area and grimaced. Soot made the grime seem even worse than it’d looked before.
“Jake said everything is fine apart from the stove.” Mari relaxed and gave her a smile.
“Oh, thank goodness someone agrees.
