Free The Fireman's Secret by Jessica Keller Page A

and big box stores within city limits. Because of this, the closest grocery store was in Shadowbend. But townspeople usually only left Goose Harbor when they were low on packaged staples such as flour and sugar. Eggs, milk, bread, baked goods and produce all could be picked up fresh weekly here.
    “If it isn’t my sweet little Joel.”
    Mrs. Clarkson latched on to his forearm. Her hands were rough with age. She’d been considered an old lady when he had been a teen. By now, she must have been ancient. In her cat-eye glasses and home-sewn shirt, she was hard to miss. Her shirt looked like it had been made from pieced-together socks.
    Once a week, after classes let out at the high school, Mrs. Clarkson used to pay Joel ten dollars to vacuum her house. Even though the chore had taken only thirty minutes to complete, he’d always been at her house for at least two hours afterward visiting. Did she still make those peanut butter cookies with the chocolate kiss in the center? His stomach rumbled at the memory. He probably should have eaten before he’d left his house.
    “Look at you.” He placed his hand over hers and gave it a light squeeze. “Still just as pretty and stylish as I remembered.”
    “Stylish, my eye.” She swatted at his chest. “You were always a joker, but in the end such a good boy. I’m glad to see you finally decided to return home to us.”
    Such a good boy . Hardly. If she knew the truth, even kindhearted Mrs. Clarkson wouldn’t be wasting her breath to welcome him back. She had played the piano for the church choir and had told him once that using the instrument was her only way to serve God. Had Joel, with the fire, taken that from her?
    Shelby waved at them from the gazebo and then picked her way through the crowd. A large messenger-type bag bounced on her hip with each step.
    “Mrs. Clarkson, is this ruffian bothering you?” She smirked at Joel.
    Glad for the change of subject, he placed his hand over his heart and turned to Mrs. Clarkson. “Do you hear how she talks about me?”
    The woman patted Joel’s arm. “Shelby, dear, you need to be nice to our prodigal son. We don’t need him getting any ideas and taking off on us again.”
    Her words were like a punch to his gut. He swallowed hard. Taking off on us again. Would they ever see him as someone other than that sixteen-year-old kid? If only she knew how much he’d wanted Goose Harbor to be home. That he’d never wanted to leave. Couldn’t they see he really hadn’t had a choice?
    Why hadn’t some kind, sweet old woman taken him into her home when he had been a teen? Joel would have loved someone like Mrs. Clarkson, crazy outfits and all, if she had let him. But she wouldn’t have let him. Because no one wanted him in their family.
    Probably still didn’t.
    But he’d show them. After all, he was an EMT and a firefighter. He rescued people for a living. How could they not like him? In fact, that would be his way to win them over. If they saw him as Joel-the-firefighter, then they’d want him. Joel just needed to work hard to blot from their minds the memory of Joel-the-troubled-youth, Joel-the-runaway and Joel-the-orphan. Because he didn’t want their pity. He’d never wanted it. Only their acceptance.
    At first, he’d been unsure about the idea of helping with the church fund-raiser because of the past, but when he had walked Dante the previous night, he’d realized that working with Shelby was his best hope for moving forward in Goose Harbor. Not only would he be the new firefighter in town, but people would think well of him for giving so much time toward rebuilding the lost church. This project was the perfect opportunity to win respect again.
    “Oh, don’t you worry.” Shelby grinned at Mrs. Clarkson and then winked at Joel. “He’s not allowed to go anywhere because I need him.”
    “Do you, now?” Joel stepped closer, bringing an almost instant pretty flush to Shelby’s cheeks. He’d never noticed the way