Annabel watched the look of utter shock appear on Cole's face and regarded it as partial payment for the way he had ignored her for the past five days. Clearly, he had no idea how much she had missed him.
As he practically gaped at her, she said, "Perhaps you didn't understand what I said—"
"I understood perfectly," he cut in. "But it's impossible, absolutely impossible. Those contests are only open to members of the fire department."
"If you'll remember," she said, "I told you that I'd like to join the fire department."
Cole shook his head. "You can't. You're—"
He was about to say a woman. Annabel knew that, and so did he. The look on her face stopped him short. He hesitated, then continued lamely, "You just can't." He brightened abruptly and went on, "Anyway, you already have a job, working for Mrs. Noone."
"That won't last forever."
"The contest is in four days," Cole pointed out with a smug smile.
He could be such an infuriating man, Annabel thought.
But she kept a tight rein on her temper as she continued putting into words the idea that had come to her when she saw the poster concerning the fire department competition.
"If I enter those contests and do well in them, that ought to prove to you or anyone else that I'm qualified to be a member of the fire department."
"Well, maybe, but you'd still be—" Again, he stopped himself short.
"This is the twentieth century," Annabel said. "It's time for new ideas, new possibilities."
Cole rubbed his jaw, and grimaced. "I don't know . . .," he said slowly.
"Who's in charge of your engine company?"
"That would be Lieutenant Driscoll," Cole replied, then looked as if he wished he hadn't answered the question.
"Ask him," Annabel challenged. "I'll compete for the San Francisco Fire Department, and if I do well enough, I'll become an official member of the department."
Cole shook his head. "The lieutenant will never agree to that."
"You'll never know what he would agree to . . . unless you ask him."
Annabel watched the conflicting emotions at play on Cole's face. She saw surprise, confusion, maybe even a little outrage.
Then, finally, a look of resignation came over his features. "You're not going to let go of this, are you?" he asked.
"I think it's a reasonable request," Annabel said.
He nodded. "All right. I'll ask the lieutenant. But that's all I can do. If he says no, that's the way it'll have to be."
"Fair enough," Annabel agreed, although she really didn't think it was the least bit fair. "There's only one more condition."
"What's that?"
"That you put the question to him without any bias. Don't go into the firehouse and say, There's this crazy woman who wants to enter the competition but she really can't, can she, Lieutenant?"
Cole frowned and said, "That idea never occurred to me. I told you I'd ask him, and I will. Straight out, no bias one way or the other."
"All right, then." Annabel felt a small twinge of regret. Judging from Cole's reaction, he really hadn't intended to sabotage the request he'd be relaying on her behalf. She realized belatedly that he would have regarded such sabotage as being dishonorable. She changed the subject by saying, "What are you doing here? Are you on duty?"
He nodded. "The lieutenant sent me to buy some fresh coffee."
"Oh." A part of her had entertained the crazy notion that maybe he had gone to Mrs. Noone's house and found out where she was. That he was actually looking for her. Hiding her disappointment, she said as casually as she could, "Well, I'd better be going."
Cole didn't budge as she took a half-step toward him. He was blocking the doorway, so unless he moved she couldn't leave the market without retreating back into the building and going out through one of the other doors.
His intransigence lasted only a second; then he stepped aside. Annabel walked past him, gave him what she hoped was a pleasant nod, and turned away.
"Annabel."
She turned her head so that she could look back over her shoulder at him.
"You look . . . very lovely today," he said.
She couldn't stop the bright smile that broke out on her face. All the friction, all the disagreements between them were forgotten, at least for the moment, as she smiled at him and said, "Thank you."
Then she walked away.
Well, that had gone almost as badly as it could have, Cole told himself as he watched Annabel's easy stride carry her along the sidewalk and into the crowds. He had acted like a stubborn mule. Only at the end had he done a fragment of the right thing.
But the suggestion that she enter the firemen's competition was ridiculous! The lieutenant would never agree to such a thing. Having a woman compete for the department would make them laughingstocks. And if the Oakland department defeated them because of that—! Cole knew that he would never hear the end of it.