Exhaustion weighs on me.

The fireman removes his mask. “We’re good here for a while. The wind has picked up, and the fire’s moving away.”

Moving away? Moving toward my grapes, he means. I take off my mask and inhale. The air is still smoky.

“I know,” the fireman says, as if reading my mind. “But we need to conserve the O2 while we can.”

I nod.

“You okay? Any burns?”

I shake my head. “I need to go.”

“Find a tree.”

“I don’t mean I have to piss. I need to go. My property is right in the fire’s path. I’ve got to—”

“There’s nowhere to go, Steel. We’re here until I get word. Take off your pack and stay a while.”

“No,” I say. “I need to get down. My vineyards are—”

“You’re staying here. Your folks paid us a lot of money to find you up here.”

“You mean you’re not a fireman?”

He shakes his head. “Yes and no. I’m part of a private company that’s called in when the government needs help. We’re also for hire by anyone else who needs our services.”

“Has the government called you in yet for this fire?”

“It’s a new fire, so not yet. I expect they will. It looks pretty vicious.”

My father. My uncle. They’re paying for this babysitter. “Sorry,” I say. “I’m out of here.”

“Are you crazy? Sit the fuck down.”

“You’ll have to physically restrain me,” I say. “Nothing’s keeping me from going.”

He grabs my shoulders. “Your family has been notified that you’re safe. Do you want to put them through any more worry?”

“My family knows me. I’m a survivor.”

“Not if you go walking into a fucking fire,” he says. “You’re not doing it.”

“Try to stop me.” I grab the oxygen but leave my pack. I’ll need to move quickly, and everything in the pack is replaceable.

“You’re crazy. Go then. I’m not going after you. I don’t have a death wish.”

I nod.

Then I turn.

Ashley.

At the moment, Ashley thinks I’m safe.

What if I don’t make it? What will that do to Ashley?

“Fuck it all.” I turn back toward the man. “What’s your name?”

“Mark Johnson.”

“You win, Johnson.” I huff. “Is my family safe?”

He nods. “Yeah. They’ve evacuated the orchards and vineyards. None of the buildings are in harm’s way—at least not yet—and the livestock is safe.”

They’ve evacuated the orchards and vineyards.

The vineyards.

My vineyards could be in flames right now. I long to go to them, put out the damned fire myself.

But I’ll stay safe.

I’ll stay safe for Ashley.

Chapter Four

Ashley

Talon peeks into Dale’s office a few hours later. I haven’t gotten anything done. I can’t concentrate because of my concern for Dale.

“Just heard,” he tells me. “They found Dale. He’s safe on high ground.”

A burdensome yoke lifts from my shoulders. “When will he come home?”

“No way to know,” Talon says. “The fire’s not contained yet, but he’s with someone who knows how to stay safe.”

“Who?”

“A guy with a private firefighting company. There are others in the area working on containment.”

“And this person will stay with Dale? Get him to safety?”

Talon nods. “That’s what we paid him for.”

My breath whooshes out in a heavy sigh. “Thank God.”

“This will be tough for him.”

“To wait it out?”

“Yes, but that’s not the only reason.”

I lift my eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Our defenses have been breached, Ashley. The fire has spread to the northern vineyards.”

“No!” I clasp my hand to my mouth.

“Firefighters are working, plus other private people we hired. We’re hopeful that not too much will be lost.”

“What can I do?”

“Pray the wind changes. That’s what will help the most.”

“Do we need to get out of here?”

“Yeah, that’s what else I need to tell you. Get back to the main house. We don’t believe this building is in danger, but it’s best to be safe.”

“I’m staying at Dale’s,” I say softly. “Taking care of Penny.”

“You’ll be safe there as well.”

“What if…”

“We’ll get the fire under control before any of the residential properties are in danger,” Talon says. “We have adequate firebreaks around all residential areas.”

I nod.

“You okay?” he asks.

No, I’m not okay. The man I love is stuck on a mountain with only a stranger for company while his Syrah vines are compromised.

No, I’m not okay at all.

I lie on Dale’s bed, Penny at my feet. I’ve tried watching television, listening to music, and reading. Nothing has helped me get my mind off the fire destroying Dale’s Syrah.

I even tried calling my mother. She didn’t answer, so I left a voicemail.

Jade is most likely at work in town, where she’s safer than she would be here. Yes, Talon told me this was safe, and I believe him. I’m no stranger to fire, living in California since the day I was born. Fires are a part of life there, as they are here, apparently.

I’ve never been in harm’s way, living in the city. Even when we were homeless, we were never touched by fire, though sometimes, when they got close, I could smell them. The scent of burning wood and brush that seemed bright orange but never really had a color.

Penny barks.

“What is it, girl?”

Then I hear it—a knock on the door. I sigh as I rise from the bed and walk out of the master suite. Another knock.

“I’m coming!” I yell.

I look through the peephole.

It’s Brock Steel, Dale’s cousin.