Only Her Smokejumper Firefighter - Cami Checketts Page 0,40

I think it’s Redding, but check for me. I’ll drive to Missoula. Hopefully, I can get a flight landing in Redding or close by and then drive to him. I don’t know, but I have to do something. Now.”

Cora had never doubted Mavyn’s instincts, but she gave her an odd look. “So now that you’re a believer, these instincts you’ve always had are going to get scary.”

Mavyn was trying, but could she truly be called a believer after a few prayers? It was still her own instincts, right?

No. Her own instincts hadn’t saved her from James on that icy road. Ren had, but he’d been inspired to come and she’d prayed her guts out. Ren needed her prayers now and she needed to trust.

Forgive me for doubting and lying and … everything. Please protect Ren. I know I don’t deserve that, but he does.

“Please,” she begged.

“Be right back.” Cora closed the door.

Mavyn changed into a fitted shirt and skirt then hurried to shove her things into her suitcase. She needed to move and she needed to go now. She carefully put the painting of the Savior in her large purse with her laptop. The door opened and Cora, Quill, Aster, and Chelsea all rushed in.

Mavyn gave Cora a look. “This is not telling anyone?”

She lifted her shoulders and hands innocently.

“You think Ren’s in trouble?” Aster stepped right in front of her. As an ultra-successful construction worker, his strong build was very similar to Ren’s. Those Chadwick blue eyes pinned her in place.

“Yes. But whatever is going on, I need to be there. Is there some contact you have with his crew that might know if something’s going on? Can you also text me the airport your pilot dropped him off at so I can try to fly as close as possible?”

Aster studied her and then muttered to Quill, “Get Cedar.” He looked at his wife. “Chels, you and Cora are going to have to keep Grams distracted and make up some excuse. Tell her we went to play basketball or hockey or something and Mavyn laid down for a nap.”

Chelsea’s eyes widened. “You want me to lie to Grams?”

Aster lifted his hands. “It’s that or deal with her stewing about Ren the entire time we’re gone.”

Chelsea glared at him. “I won’t lie to Grams.”

“Thank you, Chelsea,” Grams said from the doorway. “What’s going on?” She pinned Aster with a look.

Mavyn couldn’t handle any long explanations as she slung her heavy purse over her shoulder, grasped her suitcase, and rolled it toward the bedroom door. “We’ve got to go, Grams. We love you. We’ll keep you updated. Please pray for Ren.”

Grams’s mouth dropped open, but she recovered quickly. “Well, get on out of here then.”

Mavyn gave her a quick kiss and led the way. She was breaking her promise to Ren, but she hoped he’d understand. She couldn’t care less about Kris Bellissima any longer.

If Ren was safe, she’d share all her awful secrets. She hoped he could forgive her for lying to him. She was terrified of him hating her, but much more terrified that he might be burning on a mountainside somewhere.

Chapter Ten

Ren closed his eyes and buried his face in the ground as he heard and then felt the fire swoop over him. Embers and chunks of debris rained down on his back. He shifted his weight and shimmied to try to knock them off and still keep his shelter edges pinned down. It sounded like a hurricane was thrashing above him. The wind tried to pull his shelter from his grip. Nearby trees burst into flame with a whoosh. Sweat ran down his face, back, and chest from the intense heat.

No matter how well-trained he was on deploying shelters, the real experience was a hundred times worse than he could’ve imagined. Even under the best of circumstances, the shelter hadn’t protected some firefighters and they’d died. He wasn’t one to focus on fear because he was always acting, working, doing. Lying here and not having any chance to fight for his and his men’s lives was as excruciating as the heat.

He gritted his teeth and tried to focus his thoughts somewhere else. Mavyn. He could see her beautiful face with smooth brown skin, full lips, and green eyes full of fire and life. He could picture her wild, dark curls and her petite, fit body. He could almost feel her in his arms.

It almost worked, pushing the horror and heat and stress from his mind, but a