Free Before the Mission Begins (When The Mission Ends) by Christi Snow

Prologue
    Lights flashed through the darkened night as another rugged, sexy fireman rushed across Julie’s yard in front of her townhouse. She smothered a hysterical giggle. She really should call Penelope. All this fabulous man-candy was wasted on her. She’d proven that she had no idea what to do with a hot guy, but Penelope would know how to take advantage of the situation.
    She sank down on the curb , taking deep breaths trying to curtail the rush of tears. She could really use a pen and paper. She needed to make a list.
    So far, all the men rushing around had ignored her in favor of getting the fire in her kitc hen under control. Once they’d ascertained the house was empty and that she wasn’t going anywhere, they’d urged her to stay out of the way. But Julie couldn’t sit here quietly any longer. She needed some paper. Now.
    A police officer stood by his car, watching the scene unfold. Studiously ignoring the curious glances from her neighbors who had braved the cold to come out and gawk at the circus her life had become in the last hour, she headed toward him. It was hard to see his features in the deepening darkness until she got close. Younger than she expected, he turned toward her with a concerned glance.
    “This is your place, right?” At her nod, he continued. “Are you okay? Do you need a blanket to stay warm?” His eyes trailed leisurely over the too tight Texas Tech t-shirt straining over her bra-less chest to her flour covered jeans with the holes at the knees to her bare feet. Blood rushed to her face. How humiliating. She hadn’t planned on leaving the house tonight. There was no need to dress up just to stand over the oven all evening, working to perfect her latest recipe. She wrapped her arms around her waist hoping to disguise the tightness of her t-shirt.
    Honestly, she hadn’t even noticed the cold , although she knew it was closing in on the lower 30’s. She just needed to work on her list. “No, I’m okay. I was wondering if maybe you had a pen and a piece of paper I could use.”
    A frown marred his forehead as he looked at her curiously. “Um, sure.” He reached into his car and pulled out a spiral notebook. After ripping a sheet of paper out of it, he handed her the paper and pen. “Here you go. Are you sure you don’t need anything else? Do you have someone coming to pick you up?” He glanced back over to the townhouse still swarming with firemen. “I don’t think they’re going to let you back in the house tonight.”
    She nodded at him and gave a tight smile, although her fingers thrummed with the need to start writing. “No, it’s fine. My brother and sister should be here soon. I’ll be sitting over on the curb if anyone needs me.” She pointed to the place she’d just vacated and tried to ignore the look from the cop. She wasn’t crazy. She just needed order in her life. No need to call the guys with the white jacket and van to haul her off to the sanitarium. Not yet, anyway.
    She settled back onto the cold cement of the curb and squinted down at the paper tryi ng to see the lines from the glow of the emergency vehicles. She started writing:
    1.         Buy a fire extinguisher.
    2.        Take a fire safety class.
    3.        Call insurance.
    4.       Ask fireman how long before can go in townhouse again.
    5.        Ask fireman if someone can get her purse for her.
    6.        Ask fireman to get car out of garage.
    7.        Ask Penelope if she ever dated a fireman.
    8.       Look up physical requirements of becoming a fireman in Lubbock (thinking they must be rigorous from the physique of these guys.)
    9.        Find a place to live for the next couple of days.
    10.     Maybe check out if fire station has extra beds.
    11.      See if fire station could use a physical therapist.
    12.     If #11 is yes, volunteer services to fire dept.
    13.     Check restrictions on her hospital contract about