Meet Me Under the Mistletoe Read Free Page B

upon.”
    Amusing how men liked to name their vehicles—even a fire engine. Julia observed, through veiled lids, as the handsome firefighter lifted the smallest children and planted them safely on the sidewalk. Although they couldn’t weigh much, Jake obviously paid no mind to any pain caused by the pressure on his wounded shoulder and back. She watched as he led them around the truck, explaining where the other firefighters sat and their individual responsibilities when called out on a run.
    In kid-friendly terms, he showed them a few pieces of the equipment and gave examples of how and when they might be used. The children were wide-eyed and curious, and Jake obviously loved his job as a Starlight legacy firefighter, coming into the department when his father retired. With ease and skill, he redirected an older girl, who’d been bossing a younger boy, by having her try to hold and aim one of the fire hoses. Then he told her how heavy it was when filled with rushing water. One boy tried to impress the others with his working knowledge of the engine, and Jake praised him for being so smart. He paid close attention whenever any of them had a question and tried to draw out the shyest of the bunch, a girl with red curls who hung on Jake’s every word. Good thing they were all bundled up, but the kids seemed enthralled with the tour and oblivious to the cold night air.
    Another girl asked him where Sparky was, and Jake said the firehouse mascot was back at the station slumbering away and dreaming of Christmas treats. He explained how Dalmatians such as Sparky were ideal mascots in the days before gasoline-powered fire trucks. The breed was a natural friend to—and possessed a calming power—for the horses.
    “Can I ring that?” Tyler tugged on the sleeve of Jake’s jacket and pointed to the shiny, silver bell topped with an eagle anchored above the engine’s right front bumper.
    “I’m sure that can be arranged, Tyler James Sinclair,” Jake said.
    Tyler laughed. “Don’t forget the rest of my name. It’s very important.”
    Jake pretended to think about it. “The Tenth?”
    “Third. After my grandpa, Tyler James Sinclair, Jr. I don’t get that part, but it’s a family tra…” he hesitated and shrugged. “Whatever that word is.”
    “Tradition,” Jake said. “I like it. Your name sounds presidential.”
    “That’s what Aunt Julia says, too.” Tyler gave her the cute grin that captured her heart every time.
    “Your Aunt Julia sounds like a smart woman.”
    Julia turned her head when Jake glanced her way. His charming dimple could easily become addictive. Her thoughts wandered to the woman who’d waited for him outside his front door. She found it odd how the woman—his ex-girlfriend, Nicole, according to Dylan—waited in the shadows, not stepping forward until Jake came outside. They’d shared a few words before Jake joined them in the car. He’d been subdued, but whether from Dylan getting after him, his obvious physical pain, or the brief exchange with Nicole—or all of it—she couldn’t know. A terrific guy like Jake surely had several women vying for his affection. Then again, it made no difference since she was supposedly taken. What a mess I’ve made of everything. A pang of guilt pierced her conscience. She rarely told a fib, even as a child, but now the lie she’d told to escape her family’s relentless matchmaking was snowballing fast.
    Snapping to attention as the clear tones of the bell rang out in the stillness of the night, Julia listened as Jake told them how the bell was the forerunner of the modern siren, alerting others to move out of the street to allow them passage. Tyler’s endless fascination with the bell amazed Julia, especially since he visited the guys at the station at least once a week. When Tyler finished his clanging, Jake explained how fire bells across the country had taken on new significance since the events of 9/11. They’d become a symbol of freedom and