Epilogue

Hudson Fox

Four months later

I reached for my crutches, silently cursing as I pulled them out of my truck. Walking with crutches meant a slow hobble into Fireweed Winery. My friends Griffin and Tish were having a gathering here to celebrate their recent engagement.

I rested my crutches against the back of my truck. Conveniently, I could drive because my left knee was the problem. I ignored it when my crutches toppled over to the ground.

When I discovered I'd forgotten my wallet, I carefully hobbled to the driver's side door to fetch it out of the console between the seats. Just as I closed the door, I heard the sound of tires on gravel and glanced up to see a hatchback car approaching.

My eyes snagged on tumbled blond curls just as there was a loud crunching sound and the car came to a jerking stop. I reached the back of my truck and looked down to see my crutches crumpled under a front tire.

The woman who was driving leapt out, her eyes going wide when she looked down. "Oh, my God! I didn't see them! I am so sorry."

I'd seen this woman before. Stella. She was impossible to forget. My hormones had emblazoned her in bold strokes into my memory. Her glossy blond curls bounced as she looked between me and my crumpled crutches.

Stella met my gaze, her brown eyes wide. "Hudson? Right?"

I smiled. "That's right. Nice to see you again, Stella."

"Oh, my gosh! You got injured in the plane crash."

"Right on two counts," I said with a chuckle. "Don't worry, I can get a new pair of crutches. To be honest, I hate them. Using them gets old fast."

Stella pressed a palm to her chest. She looked distraught.

"Stella, it's no big deal. I can still drive. I'll just hobble around this afternoon."

"I know, but…"

I hopped closer to the back of my truck as Stella bent down and fetched my bent crutches.

I reached for the one that looked less bent. "This will work."

She looked at it doubtfully. I took the other one from her and tossed it in the back of my truck cab.

"I'll walk you in," she said, holding out her elbow.

"I appreciate it, but you should probably park your car first," I pointed out.

"Oh!" She hurried around the front of her car.

She quickly parked on the other side of my truck and climbed out. I didn't need her to walk me in, but I certainly wouldn't mind it. She was cute as hell, and the spark I felt just looking at her burned bright and hot.

She stopped beside me, tucking her keys in her purse before holding her elbow out again.

My lips tugged into a smile. Stella was easily a foot shorter than me. "I appreciate that, but it'll be lopsided. Why don't you just walk beside me?"

Her curls swung with her vigorous nod. She insisted on staying at my side as I began to awkwardly hop along on the one crutch. I contemplated going without it altogether, but I really wasn't supposed to put much weight on that knee yet.

"I know there was a crash landing and a couple of the firefighters were injured, but what happened to your knee?" she asked as we walked.

"I dislocated it. It was almost better, but then I dislocated it again." I rolled my eyes. My own impatience had created that issue.

"I bet that hurt," she commented.

"Ten-ten would not recommend," I said dryly.

All things considered, it could've been much worse. When an engine went out, the pilot had executed a controlled crash landing. One of the wings hit some trees, and I dislocated my knee somehow. It's one of those injuries that's not horrible, but annoying as hell.

"How did you dislocate it the second time?" Stella peered up at me, her teeth catching the plump pink surface of her bottom lip. The sight of it jolted me with a hot sizzle.

She seemed oblivious to her effect on me. I ordered my hormones to stand down. With only one hand available, I couldn't risk trying to adjust my jeans as I felt a subtle swelling against my zipper.

"I was letting my cat out on the porch and I tripped."

"Oh," Stella replied slowly.

My eyes focused on her lips forming the shape of that single word. She had freckled cheeks and big brown eyes. She was on the short side with enough curves that the buttons on her blouse were strained. She was wearing a skirt that fell to her knees and flared out with a little ruffle, paired with a button-down blouse and fitted leather boots. Her clothes hugged her close, delineating every curve. It was distracting as hell.

When we approached the doorway to the winery, she hurried ahead, her hips swinging with every step. She held the door open, smiling as she gestured me through. "I'm assuming you're here for the engagement party too?"

"Sure am."

I glanced around once we walked inside. So far, this place was only used for events. Fireweed Winery was well-known in Alaska. It was an international brewery and distributor now, and it had all started in Alaska. Griffin Cannon, a fellow firefighter, and my friend, had family who ran the corporation.

The location was beautiful. They'd renovated an old plane hangar. High beams crisscrossed the ceiling above. They'd kept the industrial look but softened it with color and wooden touches. The floor was stained to a deep mahogany shade. Brightly colored rugs were scattered about the space. There was a small circular bar in the center, along with a bar running the full length of one side.

The back wall had windows floor to ceiling, offering a beautiful view out over a nearby lake. There were tables scattered throughout the area. Stella herded me over to one, insisting on pulling out a chair for me.

Just as I was resting my bent crutch against the table, Griffin and Tish approached. Griffin's eyes landed on the crutch. "What the hell happened?"

Before I could respond, Stella jumped in, "I didn't see his crutches on the ground and I drove over them. This one's in the best shape." She grimaced, glancing down to me apologetically. "I really am sorry. I will buy you a new pair of crutches. I'd do it right now, but I don't know where to get them."

Tish smiled between us, her eyes twinkling. "Hudson looks okay."

I gave a thumbs-up. "I am."

"I thought your knee was better," Tish added.

"He tripped when he let his cat out," Griffin explained with a chuckle.

Tish snorted. "Really?"

"Yeah, I love my cat," I countered.

"Stella is one of the most efficient human beings I've ever known, so I'm sure she can figure out where to get those crutches for you by tomorrow," Tish said.

"If you tell me where, I could go now," Stella interjected.

I shook my head. "No need. I got them from my doctor's office." I glanced around the room to see Charlie Franklin, the doctor in question, with her husband. In the small-town world of Willow Brook, my doctor was married to another hotshot firefighter, Jesse Franklin. "I know her office is closed today because she's right over there."

Stella moved as if she was going to walk over there. I reached out and caught her hand in mine. At the mere touch of her, electricity sizzled up my arm.

"It's really okay. I'll give her office a call tomorrow. The receptionist will take care of it."

Griffin chuckled as he glanced toward Stella. "Hudson's fine, you don't need to worry. We have plenty of food and drinks. I will go order–" he began just as a waiter stopped by our table.

Tish elbowed Griffin in the side. "Let them do their jobs."

The waiter took our orders and moved along. Griffin and Tish sat down with us, along with a few other firefighters and friends.

"This is a really nice space," I commented to Griffin.

"Thank you. I'd like to take credit, but Chase and Archer have been coordinating this part, along with the restaurant manager back in Fireweed Harbor. Tish is running the whole show on the admin side."

Tish rolled her eyes. "I manage the office here for Fireweed Industries, but I haven't really done much for this project, except tell them when I thought things looked good and take care of paperwork."

"I am so glad the winery added a location here," Stella chimed in. "That's part of the reason why the law office where I work added a location here. As soon as I finish up my law degree, I'll be able to start here."

Stella's eyes twinkled with her smile. My eyes lingered on the little dimple that peeked out.

Stella

The table was crowded, and I scooted my chair over to make room for someone else. My leg bumped into Hudson's and I jumped. "Oh, God! Is that your bad knee?" Not thinking, I actually put my hand on his thigh.

Hudson slid his gaze to mine, his green eyes darkening. "No, but you can leave your hand there," he teased.

Hudson had this low, raspy voice that made my belly spin in flips and my hormones twirl. I couldn't help but laugh as I took my hand away.

I cleared my throat, willing the heat rising in my cheeks to dissipate. I knew it wouldn't. I was prone to blushing.

"How is your knee?" I asked.

"It's getting better. I've been very careful." He patted the knee on his opposite side. "So, if I trip again, hopefully it'll be okay."

I cleared my throat again because I couldn't think of what to say. "I hope it's all better soon," I finally said.

There were plenty of lighthearted jokes about Hudson's bent crutch. At one point, his doctor came over. She was pretty with dark hair and almost-violet eyes. "Tell me what happened?" She eyed the crutch resting beside him.

"It's my fault!" I actually raised my hand as if I was in class.

Hudson chuckled as his gaze slid toward me. My belly felt all funny when his eyes met mine. He was way too good-looking with rumpled brown curls and green eyes. Although he had an easy manner to him, there was an intensity shimmering underneath. I sensed he had secrets, and, oh, boy, did I love a man with secrets. My hormones loved a mysterious man.

When his doctor prompted, "Oh?" I added, "I drove over them because I didn't see them."

The doctor smiled. "Ah, well, Hudson will be fine. I'm Charlie Franklin, by the way."

"Stella Lancaster," I replied. "Nice to meet you."

"Technically, in the chain of events, the crutches fell first, so it's not really your fault," Hudson offered with a low laugh.

Charlie assured me I could stop by the office to get him a new set of crutches the next day. As the gathering carried on, I got to hold Tish's adorable little baby boy, Teddy. Teddy had plump cheeks and a sweet giggle. Eventually, it was time for the purpose of this party. I held Teddy while Griffin's twin brother made a toast.

"Griffin, the last," Wyatt said, holding a glass of wine aloft.

Griffin chuckled. They had a big family, and the oldest brother also made a toast, offering, "It's the scandal that never was. Griffin still doesn't work for the family yet, so…" Rhys grinned over at Griffin and Tish.

Her cheeks were pink as she looked up at Griffin. Even though there were about forty people here, it almost seemed as if they were entirely alone. The look in Griffin's eyes was filled with love.

For just a minute, my little wishful heart wondered if maybe I could have something like that. My cynical mind elbowed its way in. Not so fast. You know that whenever you hope for something like that, it doesn't work out.

I had a terrible tendency to fall for guys who treated me like an afterthought. I was a perpetual people pleaser, even for people I shouldn't worry about pleasing.

I bounced Teddy in my arms and kept my focus on my happiness for my friends. I eventually threaded my way through the well-wishers to hand Teddy back to Tish when she waved me over. "Here's your little guy."

"Thank you so much for holding him," Tish said as Griffin reached for Teddy. Teddy squealed, kicking his feet in joy.

I'd gotten to know Tish because I'd been the paralegal helping on her custody case. Blessedly, that was all resolved.

When I returned to the table to fetch my purse and keys, Hudson was standing there with his bent crutch. My belly did another little shimmy. When he looked up and caught my eyes, my lungs seized, and heat blasted through me. If I spent too much time around him, I was going to need to carry a fan. I wanted to run my hands through his rumpled brown curls and get up close and personal with his fit firefighter bod.

Willow Brook had firefighters everywhere. Yet, not a one had done a single thing for my hormones. Until Hudson. With him, my hormones were going crazy like they'd never seen a man before.

I managed to breathe even though my pulse was bouncing around like an excited pony just let out to pasture when I stopped beside Hudson. Seeing as I'd run over his crutches, I thought I needed to be gracious.

"Do you need help out to the parking lot?" I asked as I glanced up.

I had to crane my neck to meet his gaze. He was easily a foot taller than me, maybe more. He was definitely tall and strapping, as the cliché went.

His lips curled at the corners in a slow smile. "I was just about to leave, but I can walk myself."

"Oh, okay," I squeaked. "Let's walk out together."

I told my hormones to calm the hell down. They didn't need to behave like an overeager puppy every time I got close to Hudson. I managed to walk like a perfectly normal person beside him out to the parking lot. Everything was going just fine. Until we reached his truck.

I was trying to be helpful. "Do you want me to get your door for you?"

I blamed it on his smile, the way his lips kicked up at one corner first, the way his eyes twinkled with a sly glint of amusement, and his rumbly voice when he said, "I appreciate it, but?—"

My stupid hormones were just going wild inside, and I could barely focus. With that enthusiasm shoving reason out of the way, I reached for his door handle. My boot heel caught on the gravel and I tripped, falling right into Hudson. When I collided with him, my momentum threw him off-balance and he stumbled backward into his truck, his crutch clattering to the gravel.

In a hot second, he had curled one arm around me to keep me from falling to the ground. The end result was me plastered against him with his arm around my waist and his palm splayed over the upper curve of my bottom. My hormones were ecstatic. They wanted more than just a look at his body, and they sure had it. I could feel every delineated inch of his muscled chest.

I was breathless when I looked up into his intense eyes. "Oh, my God! I'm so sorry!"

He stared down into my eyes, smiling a little bit. Heat pooled in my belly as butterflies took flight inside, sending tingly sparks scattering through me.

"Definitely no need to apologize." His low raspy voice sent a shiver chasing over the surface of my skin with goosebumps rising in a prickle all over.

When I managed to get myself together and step back, my breath was shallow and rapid. I tried to order my pulse to slow down, but it was a pointless effort. "I promise, the next time I see you, I won't drive over your crutches and I won't fall on you."

Hudson chuckled. "I don't mind if you do."

With that, I scrambled up some kind of composure, babbled something polite and climbed into my car.

I was just about to drive away when I rolled down my window. "I need your phone number, so I can call you when I get your crutches tomorrow."

Hudson recited it, and I tapped it into my contacts, texting him quickly to confirm. This is Stella.

When I stopped before turning out of the parking lot a moment later, my phone vibrated. I couldn't resist looking down at the screen where it sat face up in my console. This is Hudson.

The next morning, I had a little chat with my hormones and explained that I knew how things went when I let them—my hormones, that is—run the show. I was going to keep it together around Hudson. My hormones shrugged and laughed at me.

I picked up his crutches and texted him that I was dropping them off at the fire station because I had a meeting. I did have a meeting, but I was also being a coward and trying to avoid him.

Later that day at the office, my phone vibrated. I spun it around.

Hudson: I'm taking it personally that I didn't get to see you when you brought my crutches.

Thank you for reading Tish & Griffin's story! Want a glimpse of the future for them? Join my newsletter to receive an exclusive scene.

Sign up here: https:// BookHip. com/ WDCZMPP

p.s. If you are already subscribed, you'll still be able to access the scene.

Up next is in the Wild Fire Series is When We Dare.

What could go wrong when my brother's best friend becomes my roommate?

I'm about to find out.

When I met Hudson Fox, I drove over his crutches. Way to go, girl. My hormones think this hotshot firefighter is all that and then some.

My hormones have a terrible track record. They are cheering for Hudson, but my brain knows better. I'm a smart woman with plans and none of them involve romance.

Until I move into my new place and Hudson is my roommate. Complete with Butter, his cat.

Don't miss Stella & Hudson's intense, protective, and emotional romance!

For more swoony romance…

This Crazy Love kicks off the Swoon Series - small town southern romance with enough heat to melt you! Jackson & Shay's story is epic - swoon-worthy & intensely emotional. Jackson just happens to be Shay's brother's best friend. He's also seriously easy on the eyes. Shay has a past, the kind of past she would most definitely like to forget. Past or not, Jackson is about to rock her world. Don't miss their story !

Burn For Me is a second chance romance for the ages. Sexy firefighters? Check. Rugged men? Check. Wrapped up together? Check. Brave the fire in this hot, small-town romance.Amelia & Cade were high school sweethearts & then it all fell apart. When they cross paths again, it's epic - don't miss Cade's story !

For more small town romance, take a visit to Last Frontier Lodge in Diamond Creek. A sexy, alpha SEAL meets his match with a brainy heroine in Take Me Home . Marley is all brains & Gage is all brawn. Sparks fly when their worlds collide. Don't miss Gage & Marley's story !

If sports romance lights your spark, check out The Play . Liam is a British footballer who falls for Olivia, his doctor. A twist of forbidden heats up this swoon-worthy & laugh-out-loud romance. Don't miss Liam & Olivia's story .