Falling Hard (Colorado High Country #3)

*

Jesse got off work early again and headed down to SnowFest for his two-hour shift. Ellie had changed her shift again and was there when he arrived. She was in the warm-up room starting an IV on a white-haired older woman, the soothing tone of her voice carrying through the tent.

“The IV fluids are warmed, and so is the oxygen. They’ll help raise your core temp.”

The woman saw Jesse and pointed. “Can he warm me up?”

Ellie glanced over her shoulder at him, clearly fighting not to laugh, then finished the IV. “Mr. Moretti, I believe Donna here would like you to take over. She still needs a warm blanket, and you’ll need to turn on the heating pad. I’ve already called for an ambo. Donna used to be the town librarian.”

“I got to reserve all those sexy romance novels for myself—a perk of the job.”

Ellie walked out of the back room, a little smile on her face. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You certainly know how to bring the heat.”

Jesse couldn’t help but smile, memories of last night on both of their minds. He took off his parka and walked into the warm-up room. “So, your name is Donna?”

She nodded, looking like she was about to fall asleep.

“We’re going to have you feeling better soon.” He reached into the blanket warmer, took out a heated, thermal blanket, and tucked it around her, then flipped on the heating pad that lay beneath her.

She smiled at him from behind the green oxygen mask, then gave him a wink. “I feel better already. I like men, you know.”

Ellie spoke from behind him. “Jesse is a ski patroller. He’s also a member of the Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue Team, an EMT, and a former Army Ranger.”

Donna’s smile got brighter. “Be still my heart.”

Jesse looked over at Ellie, wondering what the hell she was doing.

She gave him an innocent look, those green eyes wide. “I just want Donna to understand that she is in very good hands.”

Just then Ellie’s father walked in carrying Daniel. A woman who looked so much like Ellie that she could only be her mother walked behind him holding Daisy.

The children’s faces lit up, Daisy reaching for Ellie. “Mama!”

“We thought they might like to see all the pretty lights and the snow sculptures,” Ellie’s mother said.

“Great idea.” Ellie took Daisy, gave her a little bounce, the pink tassel on top of her hat bobbing. “Are you ready to see some snowmen?”

“They’ve been talking about horses nonstop—and they’ve mentioned you a lot too,” Ellie’s father said, looking Jesse squarely in the eyes.

Uh-oh.

Yeah, the old man knew.

“Are those your kids?” Donna asked Jesse.

Some part of him wished he could say they were.

“Those are Ellie’s twins.”

“They’re cute.”

He couldn’t disagree with that.

Ellie’s parents stayed for a few minutes, leaving with Daisy and Daniel just as two of Hawke’s crew— Brandon Silver and Jenny Miller—pushed through the door with a gurney, playing EMTs today instead of fighting fires.

“Who have we got here?” Brandon asked.

“Ooh, he’s handsome, too,” Donna said. “You mountain boys grow up big and strong, don’t you?”

Silver blinked, looked at Jesse.

Jesse couldn’t help but laugh. “This is Donna. She likes men.”

While Ellie went over Donna’s chart with Jenny, Jesse and Brandon lifted Donna onto the gurney. Jesse moved the bag of IV fluids, then bent down and gave Donna a peck on the cheek because, well, why the hell not?

She giggled.

Jesse and Silver maneuvered the gurney through the tent and outside, and then Jenny stepped in. “We’ve got it from here, Moretti. Thanks.”

“Have you seen Daisy?”

The words had Jesse’s head turning.

Ellie’s mother stood about twenty feet away, glancing around her. “I set her down for just a second to zip Daniel’s coat.”

Jesse stopped where he was, looked around.

His heart gave a hard knock.

Jesus Christ!

A pink tassel. Blond hair.

He started running. “She’s by the water!”

Ellie’s parents turned and saw her, but it was too late.

Daisy slid on the ice and slipped over the edge and into the frigid reservoir.



*

Ellie heard Jesse’s shout, heard her mother scream.

“Daisy!”

She ran outside to see Jesse sprinting toward the polar bear plunge area, her parents running behind him. Her father had Daniel. But where was Daisy?

Oh, God! No!

“Daisy!” She ran, slipping on snow, her heart slamming in her chest. “Daisy!”

Jesse reached the water and without a moment’s hesitation jumped in. He looked around for a moment, then dove under the water.

A crowd had begun to converge, people drawing closer to see what had happened.

Ellie fought her way through them. “That’s my little girl! Move! My little girl’s in the water!”

She broke through, saw Jesse come up, take a breath and go under again. “Daisy!”

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