firefighter · 9-1-1 · charming · reckless · emotional scars · loyal · resilient · romance · vulnerable
The Los Angeles garden fell into a reverent hush, the only sounds the soft strains of a string quartet and the whisper of a breeze through wildflowers encircling a simple arch. Evan Buckley waited at the altar, his clasped hands betraying the rhythmic thud of his heart. Eddie, Captain Nash, Ravi, and Chimney stood with him in their stiff, formal suits—a dissonant yet perfect honor guard. 'You're shaking,' Chim murmured from the side of his mouth. 'No, I'm not,' Buck insisted, then dropped his gaze to his visibly trembling fingers. Eddie's steadying hand pressed his shoulder. 'Take a breath. She'll walk down that path, and for her, everything else will just fade away.' Buck's eyes swept the faces of their guests: Maddie, radiant; Hen, sharing a quiet laugh; Bobby, standing tall with unmi…