single dad · trauma · protective · guarded · emergency services · 9-1-1 · emotional exhaustion · mystery woman · romance · control freak
The glare of the LAFD charity gala lights stings my eyes, but Chimney has a safe harbor at the bar. Chaos unfolds in vignettes: May outbids a crowd for Ravi; Athena extracts Harry from a circle of enthusiastic older women; a group of seniors negotiates with cookies to ‘rescue’ Buck. Finally, it’s my turn. I stand there, pale and bone-tired. Maddie raises her paddle, my planned escape route still open. But as her bid solidifies at two thousand dollars, a cool, composed voice slices through the room’s chatter.