Excerpt from Mr. November
Book #11 of the Heroes of Rogue Valley: Calendar Guys Series
Chapter One
Sarah McCone was excited when her ten-hour shift as a dispatcher for the Guff’s Lake Fire Department ended Tuesday afternoon. Instead of heading for home, she drove three minutes up the road to the fire station to meet with Daniel O’Dwyer, aka Mr. November on this year’s calendar. She barely knew the firefighter—he’d only been with the department two years—but the swoon-worthy male was very much on her radar. They’d officially met once, when he’d visited the dispatch center to meet the people who worked with their station.
One glance and she’d been hooked like a fish.
He wasn’t the handsomest man in the hunky crew of firefighters, but to Sarah’s mind he was the most attractive. Besides being big and muscled as most of the team was, he had gorgeous copper-brown hair clipped short. The color somehow brought out his eyes, onyx, she called them, that hinted at sorrow and made her want to know more. The eyes, his proud, prominent nose, chin that jutted out a fraction, and wide mouth that rarely cracked a smile added real character to his face.
The very thought brought on a lovesick sigh. She’d had a crush on him since he’d joined the department. He had no idea, of course, and neither did anyone else except Erin, the bestie who shared her little house, and two close friends at the dispatch center.
They were supposed to meet at five-fifteen to collaborate on the emergency preparedness class he’d scheduled for the following week, but due to a fire call that’d come in several hours earlier, he was likely to be running late.
As she’d expected, he texted a few minutes later. Looks like I won’t get back for at least another hour. Reschedule for tomorrow?
Not only running late, but postponing. She was both disappointed and relieved. Disappointed because she’d so wanted to meet with him today. Relieved because she was exhausted and super hungry. She wolfed down a granola bar before replying. I’m off Wednesdays, so that works. Where and when?
Meet at Rosemary’s for breakfast? My treat.
What time?
My shift ends at seven. How about seven-thirty? Too early?
He wasn’t the only one with grueling hours. With four ten-hour shifts a week, and Wednesdays and weekends off, she’d planned to sleep in tomorrow. Still, considering her usual wake-up time was four o’clock in the morning, an extra hour or so would do. Sounds good. See you there.
She texted Erin to let her know she’d be home earlier tonight than expected. By the time she reached her car, her roomie had texted back that she was working late, as she often did at the Animal Care Clinic, and was meeting her boyfriend Flick for dinner, then a movie. In other words, a late night.
Not in the mood to be alone, Sarah stopped at The Rogue, a restaurant similar to Denny’s only with tastier food, and ate at a table for one. Better to be around strangers than go home and feel lonely, which she was, far too often.
*
In Daniel’s opinion, Rosemary’s Breakfast Nook served the best breakfasts in town. When the team’s shift ended Wednesday morning, he and any crewmates interested in a tasty start to the day headed there to eat. The café was only a few short blocks from the firehouse, and getting there by car or on foot was easy. The Nook always welcomed them and posted the calendar prominently above the display case. Today, Hank, Max, Rob, and Liam headed on foot with him.
“I won’t be sitting with you guys this morning,” he told them on the walk over. At this hour, the air was frosty with a heavy cloud cover, normal for early November in the Rogue Valley. “I’m meeting with Sarah McCone over breakfast.”
Rob, one of his closest buddies, nodded approvingly. “Ah, the upcoming Emergency Preparedness class. Why this morning?”
“We’re both off today, and I want to meet before my appointment with a client at ten o’clock.” When not doing his forty-eight hour shift at the firehouse, Daniel spent time detailing cars for the business Rob had started before Daniel had relocated from Sacramento and the curveball that—not wanting to go there, he shoved the painful thoughts of the past away.
“Interesting you’re meeting with her about that when you already know so much,” Rob said. “But smart.”
“Exactly. She’s full of great info and sees possible disasters from a different view than we do. I want that perspective.”
“When I joined GLFD a few years before you, I did the same thing,” Hank said. “She knows a lot.”
As always, the Nook smelled of good food and strong coffee. Shortly after they stepped inside, Sarah entered. Having met her when he’d first joined the department and seen her at some of the goodwill functions the firehouse sponsored, Daniel recognized her and beckoned her over. She was bundled up in a parka and a bright pink knitted cap.
“Morning,” he said, his greeting echoing those of the other guys.
“Good morning.” Sarah pulled off the cap. Due to static electricity, fine strands of her blonde hair floated around her crown. It was cute. “Brr, it’s cold out there.”
Rosemary, plump with a toothy smile, bustled toward them. “Table for six?”
Daniel shook his head. “Sarah and I have a breakfast meeting scheduled.”
He swore she blushed. Nah, had to be the sudden warmth after the cold that put the color in her cheeks. The restaurant owner nodded and directed them to a table on the far side of the café. The other guys headed for a bigger table closer to the entry.
“I haven’t been here in years,” Sarah commented as she hung her jacket on the back of her chair and sat down.
The second he joined her, he bumped her knees with his. He scooted his seat back some. “Sorry about that—I have long legs.”
“So I noticed. This place smells so good, my mouth is watering.” She studied the menu.
“Me, too—every time.” In the awkward silence, he cleared his throat. “Did you walk from home?”
“How did you know?”
“Your cheeks are red.”
“Are they?” She cupped her palms to her face. “I sit most of the day at work and try to get outside when I can. I’m not that far from here, only a few blocks east of Main Street.” Which was about six blocks from the station and another few from Rosemary’s.
“That’s a good walk. Nice location.”
“It’s close to the dispatch center. How about you?”
“I live about a twenty-minute drive west.”
A middle-aged waitress stopped at the table with a pad and pen at the ready. Sarah ordered an omelet, pancakes, and bacon, and Daniel wide-eyed her. “That’s a lot of food.”
There went her cheeks again, flushed pink. “I’m hungry. Don’t worry, I won’t waste one bite. I’ll take any leftovers home.”
“I’m not criticizing, I’m surprised. You’re tiny.”
“High metabolism. I’m lucky that way. You ordered a lot, too. That breakfast special is huge.”
He shrugged. “I’m a big guy.”
The coffee arrived. “Do you want to work while we eat?” she asked.
“Let’s enjoy our food first. If it gets crowded, we’ll have to order something else so we aren’t forced to rush.”
“I have errands to run and can’t stay too long,” she said.
“So do I.” She had pretty eyes, if he wasn’t mistaken, hazel and gold.
“Why are you studying me?” she asked with a slight frown.
Was he? Hadn’t meant to put her on the spot. “I don’t think I’ve seen hazel eyes with gold ringing the pupils.”
“As far as I know, it’s common. The color changes depending on the lighting or what I’m wearing, so maybe it’s extra noticeable? Yours are onyx, I think.”
“Is that what they’re called. To me, they’re plain old dark brown.”
“Okay, but I’m sticking with onyx.” Her expression shifted and her lips curled into a smile that brightened her whole face. He felt the vague stirring of something long dormant—physical attraction. Immediately after he acknowledged the thought, guilt struck. Kendall had been gone almost three years, yet he couldn’t look at a woman without his conscience pricking. Penance for the past, a yoke his brain refused to relinquish, and the reason he’d tried dating only twice since moving to Guff’s Lake.
“Suddenly, you look so serious,” she said.
He didn’t want to get into that, didn’t talk about it. Lucky for him, the food arrived, and he was saved from replying. After a few bites, he felt okay again.
“You seem better now,” she commented.
“I was running on empty.” Which was true, but not the whole story.
“Me, too. This is delicious.” She ate with gusto, the same as him.
The conversation was mostly chitchat about this and that. She was more relaxed now and easy to talk to—witty and animated. Not what he’d expected, but then, he hadn’t really thought about it. He told her about his dog Toad. She laughed when he explained that the animal’s ability to hop like a toad when excited had led to the name.
She talked about her roommate, who worked for the same vet where he took his dog. Small world. After ordering more coffee, they set to work on the class. Hank had been right—she had great ideas. He added smart to the list of things he liked about her.
When they finally finished and he settled the bill after refusing her offer to pay her share, they gathered their stuff together and stood. His buddies had gone, and he hadn’t even noticed. Huh.
He offered her a ride home. She declined, and a good thing—he just had time to pick up Toad from Jenny’s. She was Rob’s ex and boarded his dog and others during the team’s forty-eight-hour shifts. He’d take the pooch with him to his appointment to detail a sweet BMW3.
On the way to the location of the vehicle, he thought about Sarah. He’d enjoyed getting to know a little about her. The truth was, he wouldn’t mind learning more. She wasn’t wearing a ring. Was she dating anyone? Not his business. Quickly dismissing his curiosity, he set to work.
And ordered himself not to think about her again.