Chasing the Fire (Backdraft, Fully Involved, Flashover) by Kathryn Shay Page A

not
enough.”
    She took the dog from him. “Hello, beautiful.
Aren’t you adorable?” She peered back up at Riley. “Why did you get
a dog for me? We decided it wasn’t a good idea to have a pet with
our crazy hours.”
    “I knew you wanted one, so I made
arrangements for her. The Smiths next door are going to watch her
when we…” He swallowed hard. “When you work. I’m paying both Bobby,
who’ll be responsible every day you’re not here, and Evelyn Smith,
who will take over when he’s in school.” He gave her a half smile.
“And Frank on the other side said he’ll spend some time with her if
they can’t.”
    Oh, how thoughtful. “Wow, thanks.” She
cuddled the dog to her chest and made a show of looking around.
“You fixed the steps. And the flowers look great.”
    “Yeah, I’d like to come back again. There’s
more to do.”
    “I can do it.”
    “No, Janie. Please let me get the house ready
for summer for you. Yard work is about the only thing you hate to
do.”
    “All right.” She kissed the dog’s head and
caught Riley staring with a look of such longing, it broke her
heart all over again.
    Still, some things couldn’t be changed.
    Slowly, she turned from him and walked
inside. She squeezed the pup so hard that it yelped. Jane battled
back her feelings and hurried upstairs.
    oOo
    Week 4 after the breakup
     
    “ SERIOUSLY, RYE. YOU sure you want to
do this before we go?” Ben Gallagher sat in Riley and Jane’s
backyard, under a snazzy, blue umbrella Janie had bought.
    “Yeah. Jane’s out with Mom for the morning,
and our appointment isn’t until one. It won’t take long.”
    “I could help.”
    “Nope, I promised Mom you wouldn’t do
anything. You’re still recuperating.” His father was recovering
well, though Riley had noted his ragged breathing at various times
in the past month.
    Thinking that some things were working out,
Riley headed to the side of house, and the dog followed him. He
tried not to read too much into the fact that Janie hadn’t named
her. Was she not planning to keep the pup because she’d been a gift
from Riley? Did that mean there was no chance for them? Riley
banished the notion, having already admitted he hadn’t given up
hope of getting her back.
    He began digging the footers for the pen that
would stretch the length of their backyard. Doggy would have room
to run and Riley would teach her how to use the space for exercise.
He would locate the pen on the side of the house so the Smiths had
easy access to it, too.
    The sun beat down on him as he worked; the
sweat and grind felt good. One footer…two… Finally, one side was
done. He turned when his dad came up to him. “Here’s some ice
water. Drink it. You’ll have sun stroke if you don’t.”
    “I already put the hat on you gave me.”
Having his dad do fatherly things again, take care of him as he
used to was weird.
    By noon, he’d finished the running pen. “I’m
going to shower,” he told his dad. Most of his things were still in
his closet. Unless she’d given them to Goodwill.
    From a chaise, his dad said, “Okay, I’ll
close my eyes out here.”
    Riley’s whole body ached from exertion but
not as much as his soul when he walked into their bedroom, where he
hadn’t been in four weeks. He sniffed. It smelled like her—jasmine
lotion, lemon shampoo. He couldn’t help himself. Like some pervert,
he crossed to her dresser, opened one of the jars there and inhaled
her sweet scent.
    Jesus. He was losing it! Hurrying to the
bathroom, he stood in front of the mirror. Jane had been right all
along. He liked the man he saw there a whole lot better than the
one he’d seen the morning he’d found her note. More than the man
who’d suppressed so much anger and bitterness for years. It felt
good to be letting go of the negative emotions. If she never took
him back, he planned to always be that man. With those positive
thoughts, he showered, shaved and went downstairs.
    His father was in