Chapter 9

The bell on the door jangled as Chloe arranged a bouquet of sunflowers, their yellow heads reaching toward the sunlight streaming through the large front windows.

Her flower shop was her pride and joy, filled with colorful blooms that scented the air with a mixture of fragrances — roses, lilies, orchids. The worn wooden shelves and floors gave it a cozy charm. This was her happy place.

A crackling sound shattered the peace, and the scent of smoke seeped into the air. Chloe’s head snapped up, her heart pounding. Flames licked at the shelves and then at the threshold of the back room, spreading with alarming speed.

Panic rose in her chest. The fire had already engulfed the door. Trapped. She was trapped.

Smoke filled her lungs as she screamed for help. No one was outside. She was alone.

Chloe collapsed to the floor, choking and gasping for air as the inferno raged around her. The heat was unbearable, searing her skin. She was going to die here, surrounded by the flowers she loved.

Tears streamed down her face as she thought of her friends and family. She didn’t want to die. She wasn’t ready. There was so much left unsaid, so much left undone.

The crackling flames drowned out her ragged sobs as the smoke thickened. Darkness crept into the edges of her vision, her consciousness fading. As everything went black, her last thought was of Hendrix. If only he were here...

* * *

Hendrix hurried down the street, a bouquet of lilies and Chloe’s favorite pasta dish in hand. He was going to surprise her with dinner at the shop after hours.

His heart nearly stopped at the sight of smoke pouring from the windows of the flower shop. “No!” He broke into a run, dropping everything as he sprinted to the door. It was locked.

Panic and dread rose in his chest as he pounded on the glass. “Chloe! Chloe, can you hear me?!”

There was no response. Squinting through the haze, he could just make out a figure slumped on the floor.

He had to get in there. Now.

Hendrix rammed his shoulder into the door, ignoring the sharp pain as the glass splintered around the lock. He stumbled inside, the heat and smoke hitting him like a wall.

“Chloe!” He scrambled over to her prone form, dropping to his knees. She wasn’t moving.

Lifting her into his arms, he ignored the flames licking at his shirt. He had to get her out. Now.

Kicking open what was left of the door, he raced out into the cool night air. “Help!” he bellowed. “Call 911! Fire!”

He laid Chloe gently on the ground a safe distance from the blaze, tilting her head back and starting CPR.“Come on, Chloe, don’t do this,” he muttered between chest compressions.“I just found you. You can’t leave me now!”

Tears mingled with the soot on his face as he desperately tried to revive his best friend, the woman he realized he couldn’t live without. She couldn’t die, not like this.

The wail of sirens in the distance pierced the night, a sign of hope.Hendrix leaned down, whispering in Chloe’s ear.“You hear that?Help is coming. Just hold on, Chloe. Hold on...”

Chloe’s eyes fluttered open as the paramedics rushed over with a gurney. Hendrix sagged back in relief, wiping a hand over his face.

“Easy now, miss, we’ve got you,” one of the paramedics said as they moved to lift Chloe onto the stretcher.

She reached out a trembling hand, clutching at Hendrix. “Don’t leave,” she rasped, voice hoarse from the smoke.

He grasped her hand tightly. “I’m not going anywhere.”

They loaded her into the back of the ambulance, Hendrix climbing in beside her. Chloe gripped his hand the entire way to the hospital, eyes drooping closed, but each time she woke, she searched for him.

At the ER, the staff tried to shoo him away to be treated for his own injuries. He refused to budge from Chloe’s side.

A nurse came over, hands on her hips. “Sir, you need to be evaluated. You were in a fire too-“

“I’m not leaving her,” Hendrix said flatly.

The nurse’s eyes softened. “I understand you want to be here for your girlfriend, but you could have serious injuries. You might have burns or-“

“I’m fine,” Hendrix snapped. “Just help her.”

Chloe’s eyes fluttered open again. “Hendrix...”

He was at her side in an instant, taking her hand. “I’m here, Chlo. I’m not going anywhere.”

She gave him a faint smile. “My hero.”

Hendrix brushed a lock of hair from her face, heart swelling. “Looks like I got there just in time.”

Hendrix stared at her, eyes widening in understanding. His chest tightened as her words sank in. They had been dancing around this for years, but it seemed fate had finally pushed them together.

He leaned down and kissed her, a sweet, tender kiss full of promise.

Chloe smiled, squeezing his hand.

Hendrix leaned down and kissed Chloe tenderly, his lips soft and warm against hers. It was a kiss filled with unspoken emotion, conveying what words could not.

When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers. “I’m not leaving your side.”

Chloe smiled, her eyes stinging with tears of joy and relief. “I don’t want you to.”

Hendrix refused to leave her side even for a moment. He paced the room, running his hands through his hair as she slept. The depth of love and concern in his eyes made her heart ache.

When she woke, he was instantly at her side. “How are you feeling?” His voice was rough with emotion.

“I’m okay,” she said softly. She reached for his hand and he took it, squeezing tightly. “Thank you for saving me.”

“I will always save you,” he said fiercely. “I love you, Chloe. I have for as long as I can remember.”

Joy and love flooded Chloe. “I love you too, Hendrix. I always have.”

Hendrix leaned down and kissed her again, this kiss filled with passion and promise.

They both knew that while the path ahead would not always be easy, together they could face any challenge. Their love had been forged in fire and would withstand the test of time.