Fanning Flames Read online

  “Sorry about that,” Dani said as she dropped her phone in her pocket. “Kelsi’s got another hair-brained idea. Said a woman came into the cafe who looks just like Travis.”

  “A woman?” Alex asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “Actually, I saw somebody who looked familiar just now at the saloon. I couldn’t quite peg why she looked familiar but now that you mention it, she was the spitting image of Travis.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Dani said as she shoved her hands in her pockets. “Travis is an orphan.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you, then,” he said.

  They both turned as the front door of the restaurant opened and the girl in question walked in, her hair a bit wind-blown.

  “Hi,” she said as Alex and Dani both stared. “I’ve reserved a room. My name’s Lindsey Montgomery.” She’d changed her name to her birth name, Montgomery, as soon as she’d found out she was adopted.

  Both Alex and Dani looked from the young woman to the TV, where Travis was still speaking, and back toward her again.

  Lindsey cleared her throat as Dani stared in silence, finally saying, “Well, I’ll be darned.”

  Chapter 3

  There was absolutely no question in Lindsey’s mind that whoever these two people were, they clearly realized that she had some connection to Travis. The looks on their faces were pretty telling. The pretty lady with short-cropped hair continued to stare at her, and the guy next to her—the one from the coffee place—looked confused, if not quite so shocked.

  This wasn’t at all how she’d wanted this to go. Granted, she still didn’t have a plan but she knew this wasn’t it. Wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

  She glanced over at the television and smiled at Travis’s face. Whatever was going on here, she was still looking forward to meeting him and hoping that he would feel the same way.

  Her stomach dropped as it dawned on her that he wasn’t even there. The banner on the TV said he was somewhere in Georgia, on live TV, interviewing a race car driver. She should have figured out a way to check his schedule before she’d flown all the way out here.

  “Who...who are you?” the lady asked as the color came back into her face. “I feel like I’m seeing a ghost.”

  Things had clearly gone wrong. Travis should be the first person that she talked to about this, but that option was in the rear-view mirror.

  After a second of thought, Lindsey decided she may as well take the reins now and try to make it better. Obviously, these two were friends of Travis and she looked enough like him to throw everybody sideways.

  “Like I said, my name is Lindsey Montgomery. I’ve reserved a room here—the Copper Cabin, I think.”

  The woman stepped a little closer and looked her over. “Do you know Travis?”

  Lindsey cleared her throat. This was her moment of truth, and it really wasn’t the way she’d wanted it to go.

  “I—well, I don’t know quite how to answer that. I believe I did at one time. But I don’t now.”

  Great. That really cleared it all up. Lindsey watched as confusion flitted over the woman’s face.

  “All right. My office. Now,” she said before she spun on her heel and walked toward the back of the restaurant.

  Lindsey glanced at the man who’d been standing by. “I’m not sure what’s going on here, but my name’s Alex Bauer. I work with Dani Montgomery, whom you also just kind of met. And we’d better do as she says.”

  He shrugged his shoulders and held out his arm for Lindsey to follow the woman, and she noticed that he fell in behind them.

  She gulped as she tried to catch up with Dani. “Dani Montgomery?” she asked, walking as quickly as she could.

  “Yep. Travis’s wife.”

  She groaned, took a deep breath and tried to figure out what she was going to do next. She turned into the door she’d seen Dani disappear into and stopped short as Dani paced behind a big mahogany desk.

  “Sit,” Dani said. “Stay, Alex. I think I might need another pair of ears for this one.”

  Lindsey and Alex sat in the leather chairs on the opposite side of the desk and she couldn’t help but feel like she was in the principal’s office at school. Not that she had been there much.

  From the look on Alex’s face, she thought maybe he did, too, but she relaxed a little when he smiled at her—a bright, kind smile that she was very grateful for.

  “So. You don’t know Travis, but you think you did. That doesn’t even make any sense.” Dani stopped pacing and plopped into the chair behind her desk, running her hand through her short hair. She had crystal blue eyes, just like the waitress at the restaurant and Lindsey wondered if they were related, too.

  Lindsey sat up straight in the chair and tried to gain her composure. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. While this obviously wasn’t how she’d wanted this to happen, she hadn’t done anything wrong.

  She turned and glanced at Alex, who nodded at her for what she thought was reassurance. She nodded her head in his direction.

  “He says that you’re Dani Montgomery? Travis’s wife?”

  “I am, yes,” Dani said as she tapped a pencil on her desk, her eyes narrowed. “And you’re Lindsey Montgomery. I got that part. But...why do you look so much like Travis? He’s an orphan. And has no other family.”

  Lindsey cleared her throat again, although she was trying not to. It was probably better just to get it all out at this point.

  And just as she was ready to tell these two people whom she’d just met that she was Travis’s long lost sister—she just couldn’t. It wasn’t right. She needed to tell him in person.

  “Yes, well...I really think that I need to talk to Travis in person,” she said, squirming a little in her seat as Dani glared at her.

  “Oh, really? I’m his wife. Whatever you have to say, you can say to me, too.”

  Lindsey twisted her hands in her lap. She couldn’t blame Dani for feeling off balance, wanting to help and protect Travis, and she had no doubt that was where she was coming from. But it just didn’t seem right to have him hear it second-hand. She was positive that if she didn’t remember him, he wouldn’t remember her, either. And she was the one who’d gotten the unexpected documents.

  She’d met a lot of people in her travels and could handle them fairly well. She took a chance that Dani was indeed wanting to protect her husband—she didn’t want to think that he’d married anyone but someone kind and caring, so she continued.

  “I really do owe you an apology. It was not my intention to come here and make trouble. I just wanted to meet Travis, and talk to him. And it’s really something that I need to talk to him about personally. I’m sure he’d be happy to include you in the conversation, but I need to talk to him first. It’s about family.”

  Dani let out a big sigh and pushed back from the desk. She leaned back in her chair and held Lindsey’s gaze.

  Lindsey let out her breath when Alex jumped in, throwing her a life preserver of sorts.

  “Hey, families are complicated. Mine is, that’s for sure. I have four sisters and man, can it get messy. I mean, not to imply that either of your families are messy, I just mean—”

  Lindsey shot him a look of gratitude. Even his rambling seemed to let the air back in the room, and Dani looked over at him and smiled—well, maybe not smiled exactly but she was no longer frowning.

  “Okay. I get it. I can certainly understand the in’s and out’s of complex family relationships,” she said finally, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Thank you,” Lindsey said quietly, hoping that the crisis had been averted—for now.

  Dani stood and fumbled for her cell phone. She pulled it out of her pocket and said, “I’ll call Travis and see how quickly he can get home. I’m assuming you want to stay and talk to him in person, correct?”

  Lindsey nodded. “If that’s at all possible. I’m happy to wait here until he can get back, if that’s okay with you.”

  Dani glanced at Alex and Lindse
y and now she really did smile.

  “Of course. You can stay here. Now I’m dying to find out what’s up. Stay as long as you like,” she said, almost with a chuckle as she walked out into the hallway and dialed her phone.

  Lindsey’s head dropped into her hands and she fought back tears. How could she have walked into this without a better plan? Of course people would be blindsided—just like she had been.

  She brushed a tear from her cheek and felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up at this poor guy who’d gotten stuck in a very strange situation and the pained and compassionate look on his face made her feel instantly more calm.

  “Wow, sorry to do that to you,” she said. “I never meant to—”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said quickly, holding his palms up toward her. Like I said, I have sisters. I have seen much, much worse. That’s what brothers are for, and I can be yours today if you need one.”

  She glanced at a picture of Travis on Dani’s desk and sighed. “Yeah, I guess I do need one. Especially today. Thanks for the offer.”

  Dani dropped her phone in her pocket as she walked back into the office.

  “Okay, he can’t get out of the race this weekend, but at least it’s Wednesday. He’s very curious, too, but there’s nobody to cover for him. He’ll hustle back as fast as he can. Do you mind waiting, or would you rather go to him?”

  Lindsey looked out the office window at the beautiful mountains and lake and at these two people in front of her who she’d jolted pretty badly.

  “I hate to make this all dramatic and everything, but if you’re okay with me staying, I’d like to just wait.”

  Dani nodded. “Sure. Must be big.”

  “It is,” Lindsey said quietly.

  “Okay, then, it’s a done deal.” Dani looked out the window for a moment, too, then said, “Alex, we haven’t been able to talk about the fire situation. Everything all right?”

  “It is, for now. No calls and they think they’ve got it contained. I’m on stand-by, though, and will let you know if that changes.”

  “Good. Since that’s the case, would you show Lindsey to the Copper Cabin? Maybe get her situated and a little familiar. She’ll be here waiting for a few days. I’d appreciate it.”

  Lindsey’s eyebrows rose. “I’ll be fine on my own, I’m sure. That’s not necessary.”

  “I insist,” Dani said. “Alex doesn’t mind, do you, Alex.”

  Alex laughed. “No, I don’t. I’m happy to get you settled and answer any questions you have. I have sisters, remember?”

  Lindsey stood and reached over to Dani to shake her hand. “I really am sorry about this,” she said as she followed Alex out the door.

  She really was sorry. And she sure didn’t want to make it worse, so she’d better start practicing what she was going to say to Travis when the time came—in a few very short days.

  Chapter 4

  “Well, that was awkward,” Lindsey said, her head down as Alex led her back out of the Main House and onto the porch, his work boots clomping on the wooden planks. They’d picked up the keys to the Copper Cabin after they’d left Dani’s office and Alex had agreed to get her settled.

  “That’s an understatement,” Alex replied.

  He stopped and turned around, and she ran into him before looking up. He placed his hands on her shoulders as her hazel eyes searched his. She was very pretty, he noticed, but definitely struggling with all of this. He sensed that this had thrown her as sideways as it had Dani. He battled with his curiosity, wanting to ask her what exactly the deal was, wanting to help. But he knew from his own experience that women had their own timelines for divulging things, and it would be better to wait until she wanted to talk about it—if that ever happened.

  “Look, Dani and Travis are fantastic people. You have to know that this was just a surprise. A big one.”

  She shook her head. “I—I knew it would be a surprise, but I didn’t know any other way to do it. It would be a surprise no matter how the information was delivered, so I just thought it would be best to do in person. I had no idea he wouldn’t be here.”

  “I guess that makes sense. He just started this job as a race commentator. I don’t think it’s even big news yet. Normally, he would be here.” He headed down the steps and beckoned for her to follow.

  “That’s what I assumed,” she said.

  “Do you have a rental car?” he asked, looking over toward the cars parked next to the Main House.

  “Oh, yes, I do. Should we drive?”

  He followed her to the SUV. “Sure. We can park right in front of the cabin. It’ll be easier for you, and I can help take your stuff in.”

  “Thanks,” she said.

  The car beeped twice and he hopped in beside her., directing her along the short trip to the Copper Cabin. He unlocked the door and followed her inside, carrying her bags.

  “This is gorgeous,” she said as she walked through the kitchen and over to the plate glass windows that overlooked the lake and the mountains.

  He dropped her bags in the bedroom and headed back out, looking around at the cabin itself. He’d never been in it, and it lived up to its name. Copper pots and pans hung over the five-burner stove on the island, and he couldn’t help but think it’d be a fun kitchen to cook in.

  And the view—it was one of the best in the valley.

  “It’s a pretty nice set-up.” He walked over to the refrigerator and peeked inside. He opened one of the cabinets and peered in there, too.

  “Looks like Old Mother Hubbard was the last to stay, though. You’ll need some supplies. Happy to take you over to the store to pick up some things. There’s a bigger store in Riston, but you could get enough to get by for a bit.”

  “You’ve been very kind to put up with this whole thing. I can head over on my own a little later. It’s been a really long day and I think maybe I could use some down time.”

  He was dying to learn more, but bit his tongue. He was pretty positive that this was as big a deal for her as it was for Dani and Travis, and that had to be pretty tiring.

  She walked toward the door and he followed her.

  “Besides, I have plenty of time. I have several days, at least, with absolutely nothing to do. I can go to the store.”

  They stepped out on to the stoop as she thanked him for his help. Her sandy brown hair blew over her face in a gust of wind, and he looked up instinctively at the mountains where the smoke had been. It was still there, and he sniffed at the air.

  Lindsey followed his gaze. He must have been frowning, as she said, “What’s wrong? I mean besides the fact that I’m here.”

  He smiled at her attempt at humor. She really did seem very sincere and he didn’t think she had any ill will toward anybody.

  He took a deep breath, relieved that the smoke seemed to be blowing steadily from the still far-away fire and not something new, and turned back toward her.

  “I think you heard Dani ask about the fires. She and I run the Search and Rescue for the area. There’s a very large forest fire that’s under control for the moment, but we’ve been on pretty high alert for the past couple of months. This fire season is just crazy, and I keep hoping things calm down. And that nothing happens close by.”

  Lindsey nodded slowly. “I understand. I know a little bit about that myself,” she said.

  He took another glance toward the smoke and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Oh?” he said, feeling the tug of the command center, wanting to check and see if much had changed since he’d left for coffee. He hadn’t planned on being gone this long.

  “Yeah. I’m a nurse for the Red Cross. I help with disaster preparedness, and of course participate in any disaster relief as needed.”

  “Impressive,” Alex said, and he meant it. It took a certain kind of person to want to help at that level—he knew all about that. “That’s quite an assignment. You must have traveled quite a bit.”

  She looked down at her boots and smiled. “Y
eah. Things work out better for me that way. Never in one place for too long. I’ve been almost all the way around the world.”

  His eyebrows rose. She seemed much too young for that, and he admired her courage. He hadn’t spent much time outside of Idaho, although he’d always wanted to.

  “Awesome. I’d like to travel like that someday.”

  She looked up at him and nodded.

  “Well, looks like I’ll be in one place for a little bit. With not much to do. Guess I could use a break.”

  “I imagine all of this has been pretty stressful. Maybe that would be good,” Alex said. It was the only thing he could think of that didn’t feel like prying.

  She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, it’s been a lot. It’s been months now, and I haven’t known what to do. At least something’s finally happening.”

  Alex wanted badly to ask so many questions—months? Instead, he quietly said, “Are you all right?”

  She brushed at her cheek and gave him a weak smile.

  “I think so. Thanks for asking. It won’t be much longer now. I’ll just have to bide my time.”

  He wished there was something he could do to help, but there wasn’t.

  “I’ll check in on you tomorrow, if that’s okay?” he asked as he turned back toward the command center.

  “Thanks,” she said as she opened the door to the cabin. “But don’t go to too much trouble. I’m used to being on my own.”

  She closed the door after a small wave, and Alex stood for a moment, looking after her. She’d looked tired, and sad. And there wasn’t anything he could think of to do about it.

  Whatever it was that she had to tell had clearly taken a toll on her. And she’d kept it to herself for months. That couldn’t be easy.

  As he headed back to the command center, he wondered about the possible reasons she’d come. The only thing he could come up with was that she was a long lost relative—and it sounded like this was new information for her, too. What could she be? A cousin? He knew Travis was an orphan with no family. So whatever it was, however she was related—and it was clear as the noses on her and Travis’s faces that she was related—it must have been a surprise somehow.