2. Zoey

2

ZOEY

Z oey Knight glanced at her phone. A text message notification flashed on the screen. Dad.

Settled in already?

Zoe sighed. Her father was "settled" somewhere on a Montana ranch, vacationing with her mom. She was in a new town, unsure if she would ever settle in.

Her thumbs hovered over the keypad, thinking of how best to reply.

She heaved and looked around.

The room was sparsely furnished. A desk was pushed against the far wall, a chair tucked neatly under it. A stack of unopened boxes leaned against the wall beside a file cabinet.

The fluorescent lights above hummed quietly, casting a stark white light over the space. The walls were painted a dull beige, and a single window offered a view of the parking lot.

Her thoughts were riveted to the woman she had seen when she arrived at the station. Their eyes danced together in unison for what felt like an eternity. How long did she stand there, staring?

Not now, Zoey, she warned herself.

It was way too early to be attracted to anyone. She wasn't even sure she was attracted just yet. It didn't work that way, right? She hadn't come down to Phoenix Ridge only to find solace in the arms of the next woman who smiled at her.

Lisa, her older sister, would tease her for always having fickle emotions and craving a life forever with anyone who smiled at her. She liked to argue that she wasn't a hopeless romantic, but then she knew, as did Lisa, that she was.

At least, she used to be. Romance was not necessary anymore.

She ran her fingers over the smooth desk surface then glanced at the empty shelves on the wall. The office felt sterile, impersonal. A place that didn't yet feel like home.

Her phone buzzed to life. The caller ID was one she didn't expect. Jamie. She smiled. Jamie was her younger brother and favorite sibling.

"Hello, Jamie." She pressed the phone against her ear.

"Hey, Z. How's my little big sister doing?"

"Holding up, I guess," she said. "Dad just texted."

"You must be the only middle child in the country who gets this much attention."

Zoey laughed, even though she'd argue that they only cared this much because they feared she'd fall apart if left alone. At thirty-one, one would think their family would cut her some slack.

"I guess so," she said. "How's the army treating you?"

"Not bad," Jamie replied. "Snuck off just to check up on you."

"That's sweet."

"I'll be heading back out now. You're fine, right?"

Zoey rolled her eyes. She hated being asked that. It's been three months, and she still gets asked this. "I'm fine."

"You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

Zoey paused. "If you believe that, you don't have to say it."

Jamie chuckled. "Typical Zoey. You always have to be a?—"

"Say ‘wise ass,' and I'll whip yours from over here."

"I was gonna say ‘loving older sister,' but you took the words right out of my mouth." Jamie chuckled. "Take care, Z."

"You, too, Jamie."

The line clicked. She smiled, but it only survived the next few seconds.

There was a knock on the door. Zoey turned as the door creaked open and Fire Chief Becky Thompson stepped inside, holding a thick folder.

"How's the office treating you?" Chief Thompson asked, her voice no-nonsense but not unkind. She was an average-height woman with a head of sandy-colored hair streaked with gray and lines around her eyes, and she was renowned for running a tight ship.

"It's fine," Zoey said, glancing around. "Still getting used to it."

"You'll settle in soon enough," Thompson said, setting the folder on her desk. "These are the files you asked for. Reports from the last few years. Thought you might want to go over them."

Zoey nodded, eyeing the folder. "Thanks."

"Take your time," Chief Thompson said, straightening up. "No need to rush. Just ensure you're ready for the drills tomorrow and the command ops meeting later, Don't forget to take a peek at the simulation."

"Command ops?" She raised a brow.

"It's our fancy word here for the tactics room. That's where we decide on strategies and the like. You'd like it there."

"So, it's straight to work then."

Becky smiled. "I know what you're capable of, Lieutenant. Can't wait to see you in action around here."

Zoey nodded. "Can't wait either."

Becky lingered for a moment, then gave a curt nod and left the room, closing the door behind her. Zoey stared at the door momentarily, then turned back to her desk.

She opened the folder, flipping through the details of Phoenix Ridge and its history of wildfires. The paper felt thin under her fingers, the text dense with numbers and details. She tried to focus, but her mind wandered back to Forest Vale, her previous station.

Chief Thompson said she knew what Zoey was capable of. She wondered if she knew that she made a poor call once and lost a child in the process. Did she also know how much it had hurt her? So much that she opted for a transfer away from Forest Vale to help her deal with it?

Even now, she wasn't even certain she had dealt with it. How does one deal with the fact that the error they made led to the death of a child?

Zoey's body shuddered. She walked over to her seat and sank into it.

"Get yourself together," Zoey said to herself. She sighed again.

The door opened again, this time without a knock. A young woman walked in. She was very beautiful with thick dark hair in a long, messy plait and a kind smile.

"Lieutenant," she said, then took a step back. "I'm sorry, I should've?—"

"Knocked? Yes, you should have." Zoey said. "Pilot?"

"Firefighter. The name's Leilani Silva. Chief Thompson says I'm part of your team."

"You'd have to remember to knock next time if you're going to remain a part of my crew."

"I will, Lieutenant." Silva nodded.

"What's the rest of the team like?" Zoey asked.

"Most of the team like you already."

Zoey shrugged. "I didn't come here to be liked." She came here to make sure no one else died under her watch, but she didn't say that. "There's a lot to catch up with around here." Zoey pointed to the files on her table.

Leilani walked over, standing beside the desk as she glanced at the open folder. "I can go over them with you if you'd like. I can tell you about many of them firsthand."

"That would be helpful," Zoey said. "You've been here a while?"

"Seven years," Leilani said. "Started as a rookie, worked my way up."

"Impressive," Zoey said, watching her closely. "You must know this place inside out."

"I do," Leilani said, pointing toward the door. "I should get back to the rest of the team."

"I'll meet up with you guys soon," Zoey said.

Leilani left, closing the door softly behind her.

Zoey exhaled and looked around the room again.

She turned back to the folder, this time focusing on the reports, determined to make this place home—or at least safe. At the moment, it felt way too dull inside.

Needing fresh scenery, she headed outside into the hallway, her boots echoing on the concrete floor. The walls were lined with framed photographs of past crews, smiling faces, and scenes of controlled chaos.

A few people walked past her, everyone seeming to be in a hurry. They were trained to be this way. To be ready for any and every eventuality. She wondered how they dealt with it when something came along that they weren't prepared for.

Zoey spotted Chief Thompson a few steps ahead, deep in conversation with someone dressed in a pilot's uniform with short, messy hair. Becky Thompson's own strawberry-blonde hair was neatly cut in a bob and her uniform was immaculate. Thompson turned just in time for her eyes to meet Zoey's.

"Lieutenant Knight," she called to her. "Join us."

Zoey walked over to meet them.

The pilot with messy hair nodded toward her as she approached. "Welcome, Lieutenant."

Zoey matched her smile. Something about her looked familiar.

"Thanks, and you are?"

"Jay Summers," she said as they shook hands.

"Pilot?" Zoey asked, glancing at her hair.

Jay seemed to catch her eye. She patted her hair as she replied, "Yeah."

"Lux Valentine keeps these pilots in line." Chief Thompson chuckled.

"Lux Valentine?" Zoey asked.

"She's the chief pilot around here," Jay said. "We both saw you step off your truck this morning."

The memory raced through Zoey's mind. She recalled those blue eyes that held hers, the curl of her lips that moved slightly as they held her gaze, and the beauty—and defiance—that lurked behind it.

Zoey frowned. She hated the thoughts that swarmed her head. She hated the fact that she wasn't even settled in and some very attractive woman who looked like trouble—the chief pilot, to make it worse—was filling her head with thoughts of passion. Passion, Zoey certainly wasn't sure she desired.

"I don't think we've been introduced," Zoey said.

"It won't be long now. Which reminds me, I should go meet her in simulations." She nodded toward Chief Thompson. "Chief?"

"Alright, Jay."

Jay walked off, and Chief Thompson turned to Zoey. "Come, it's about time you meet your team."

Inside, firefighters milled about, some checking equipment, others conversing.

"Lieutenant Zoey Knight, I want you to meet some of the team," Chief Thompson said, waving her toward the open room.

A tall woman with a no-nonsense expression was the first to approach. Her uniform was crisp, and her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. "This is Captain Ramirez," the chief said. "She handles most of the ground operations. She'll work with you."

"Nice to meet you," Zoey said, extending her hand.

Ramirez shook it firmly, her gaze sharp as she looked Zoey over. "Welcome to Phoenix Ridge."

Zoey nodded, not quite meeting her eyes. The room felt too warm, the air heavy. She forced a smile, her mind drifting back to Forest Vale, to the faces of her old team, the way they had looked at her after the fire where they had lost the girl. She swallowed hard, pushing the memory down.

"And this is Captain Hallie Hunter," the chief continued, introducing her to a serious-looking woman with a tired smile.

"Good to have you here," Hallie said, her handshake quick but firm.

"Thanks," Zoey said, quieter now. She could feel the weight of the room pressing down on her, the unspoken expectations. It was the same as Forest Vale, only her previous comrades didn't hold any silent judgment.

A familiar face walked over to meet them. It was the nice firefighter, Leilani Silva. "Hello, Lieutenant Knight."

"Leilani, we meet again."

They shook hands.

"I see you've met Silva here," Chief Thompson said.

"Yeah, I already did."

Leilani nodded and walked toward the hoses. The chief led Zoey through more introductions, each blending into the next until they reached the large bay where the trucks were kept. Zoey's eyes scanned the area, taking in the equipment, the orderly rows of hoses, and the gleaming trucks. It was all so familiar yet foreign at the same time.

As they reached the end of the bay, Zoey spotted a group of pilots near the far wall. One of them, the woman from earlier with dark hair and intense blue eyes, caught her attention. She stood apart, her arms crossed over her chest, whispering with another pilot.

"That's Lux Valentine, chief pilot," the chief said, following Zoey's gaze.

Zoey almost said she recognized her from earlier, but she didn't. The other pilot next to Lux listened attentively, nodding intermittently. It looked more like a rallying of directives than a conversation. Lux's body was striking, and the curl of her lips switched from sensual to a snarl constantly. Her blue eyes were hard, and her dark hair was in a neat bun. Her body was beautiful, lithe, and athletic with beautiful curves.

Zoey nodded, tearing her eyes away from Lux. "Looks like she knows her stuff."

"She does," the chief said. "But she's not the easiest to get along with. Stubborn, to put it mildly."

Zoey shrugged. She could see that Lux Valentine was difficult. It was written all over her face, defiant stance, and tense shoulders. Lux looked like she seriously needed to loosen up. "I'll keep that in mind."

Zoey glanced over her shoulder at Lux one last time. She quickly dismissed the thought. Relationships hadn't worked out for her before. There was no reason to think this time would be any different. And as beautiful as she was, Lux Valentine looked exactly like trouble. Trouble with a capital T.

The chief studied her for a moment. "Get settled in. We'll need you at command ops tomorrow."

Zoey closed the door behind her, leaned against it, and closed her eyes. The room was quiet, but her thoughts were loud. She took a deep breath and pushed away from the door, looking to clear her head.

She'd need a clear head to contribute tomorrow, which meant she'd need to stop thinking of Lux Valentine in any way other than professional.