The Fireman Who Loved Me by Jennifer Bernard Page B

other.”
    “I know exactly what you mean,” said Melissa. “It’s the same way in the newsroom. Once we moved our anchor’s clock forward, so when he came back from dinner he thought he’d missed the news.”
    Ryan threw his head back and laughed. In a dispassionate way, Melissa admired the strong, clean line of his throat. “Good one. I like that. Reminds me of when we sent Vader out for takeout, and when he got back we were all gone. Hiding behind the station, but he didn’t know that. He thought it was invasion of the body snatchers.”
    Nelly chimed in and told a story about an April Fool’s prank she had once pulled on her husband, Leon. Before long, the three of them were happily exchanging stories, and Melissa felt as though she’d found a long-lost brother. She even felt comfortable enough to bring up Loudon’s favorite topic.
    “So I heard you guys are called the Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel. What’s that all about?”
    For the first time, Ryan looked uncomfortable. The man they called Double D leaned over. “Look around you. All these young studs? Single. I’m the only married one here. Me and a guy on the C shift. Everyone else is ready, willing, and available.” He winked.
    “The captain hates it when people talk about it. But it’s true,” said Ryan. “We don’t have a lot of married guys. Cap was, but not anymore.”
    “It’s the curse.” Double D glanced around the table and lowered his voice. “The Curse of Constancia B. Sidwell.”
    Melissa nearly choked on her sip of water. She couldn’t do a news story about a curse, could she? “Who’s that?”
    “Mail-order bride, selected in 1850 by one of San Gabriel’s first volunteer firemen, Virgil Rush. His house used to stand on this very spot. He led a lonely, solitary existence, and hoped Miss Constancia from Boston would be the answer. They corresponded a few times, then she packed up to move West. He met the mail wagon month after month, but she never showed up. Held up by robbers, the legend says. Then she fell in love with the leader of the gang. All the other firemen mocked him. He ended his days bitter and alone, and supposedly his last words were a curse in the name of Constancia Sidwell against all the other firemen, vowing they should have just as hard a time finding love as he did. And to this day, the path of true love pretty much goes off a cliff when it hits this firehouse.”
    Melissa was so caught up in the story she barely realized that a hush had fallen around the table. “That’s a great story. Do you have any examples?”
    Ryan interjected. “It might also be that we have a lot of younger guys here. They come to Captain Brody to get trained, because he’s the best. Cap says the curse is a load of bull.”
    “Yeah? Explain Stan, then,” said Double D.
    “Stan? Who’s Stan?” asked Melissa.
    “Okay, that’s enough of that.” A commanding voice from the doorway sent butterflies streaking through Melissa’s stomach.

Chapter Eight
    D amn . The sight of Melissa hanging on Ryan’s every word with her lips parted and her eyes shining did unpleasant things to Brody’s gut. She looked different, her creamy skin flushed pink, her hair in smooth waves. Why had he ever thought she wasn’t beautiful? She was stunning. And Ryan seemed to be glued to her side.
    Talking about the damn bachelor fireman curse.
    On cue, Stan pressed against his leg.
    “Just look at that cute doggy!”
    A familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. Good thing, because he’d been about to stalk to the table and swat Ryan away from the girl he couldn’t stop staring at. He wrenched his eyes away from Melissa and blinked at the onslaught of shiny red vinyl. It encased a tiny, curvy woman whom he’d last seen on his TV.
    Fred, hovering at Ella Joy’s elbow, jumped to attention. “Captain, look who came tonight. Ella Joy, from Channel Six! Can you believe she’s going to eat with us?”
    Ella offered him the kind of smile that said