A Moment To Dance (21 page)

His face became void of expression. Why was he so distant all of the sudden? What happened to his joyous reaction at finding her at the cabin? He had been so warm and comforting then. Why was he acting so cold now?

“No, you don’t.” He turned to her car, pressing his palms against the trunk. With his back to her, he said, “You’re just worked up after the fire. In the morning, you’ll realize what you’re feeling is gratitude for being alive. Not love.”

“I was sure of my feelings before the fire, and I’m sure of them now. They’ll be the same tomorrow and all of the days that follow—”

“Stop.” He turned to her. His eyes were filled with remorse. “You have to realize you’ve been through a trauma. You’re reacting to the moment. This wasn’t the first time you were caught in a fire, and I’m so sorry you had to go through this horrible experience again. With the cabin gone, you have nothing tying you to Whistle Stop. You can chase your dreams wherever they lead you.”

Was this his way of saying he didn’t love her? Or did he believe she’d walk out on him like his ex had? “My life is here with you and Johnny—”

“I can’t do this now.” He stared straight ahead, refusing to look in her direction. “Not while a wildfire’s breathing down on Whistle Stop.”

A wave of frustration hid her wounded ego. “Go. Do your job.”

“I’m sorry.” He turned and walked away without a backward glance.

Ella’s heart ached as she picked up the puppy and stroked his silky fur. Sucking up her crumbling emotions, she climbed into the car. She turned the ignition and was about to put the car in gear when she realized she’d lost everything—all of her worldly possessions. She didn’t even have a fresh set of clothes to change into. Worst of all, she was homeless.

As hard as all of that was to swallow, there was an even bigger loss she had to contend with—Tony. Heat scorched her cheeks as she recalled uttering her love to him with the expectation that he’d return her feelings. She’d never ever thought he would tell her that she was imagining her love for him. Did he have any idea what it had cost her to put her heart on the line?

Memories of the horrific day tumbled through her mind—from the fear for Johnny’s safety to the flashbacks of the night she’d lost her own family, and finally to Tony’s rejection. Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn’t care if that made her wimpy. So be it. Her feelings gushed forth until her nose was stuffed up and her eyes were sore from rubbing them. Her life had come full circle, and even though none of them had perished in the fire, she still felt as though life would never be the same.

The puppy whimpered and crawled into her lap. She scooped up Patch and hugged him. A tap on the door had her swallowing her sobs. She sucked in an unsteady breath as she swiped away the tears. Trying to get her emotions under control, she rolled down the window.

“Sorry to startle you.” Carlota sent her a worried look. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine.” She attempted a smile, but her lips wouldn’t cooperate. “You don’t have to worry.”

The concerned expression on Carlota’s face said that she didn’t believe her. “You’re staying with me for as long as you need.”

It wasn’t a question. It was an order, the kind mothers handed out when they were worried and not in the mood for an argument.

“But—”

“No buts.” Carlota’s voice took on a you-will-lose-this-argument tone. “It’s not like Tony will be there. You can stay in his room. I’m sure he won’t mind. He’s got this fire to deal with right now, so it’ll be a long time before he’s home again.”

Ella’s stomach knotted. She wanted to say no, but she really didn’t have any other options. And at the moment, she was bone-tired. “If you’re sure—”

“I am. I’ll ride back with Melissa and Johnny. We’ll meet you there.” Without another word, Carlota turned and moved away with an uneven gate.

Ella groaned, causing Patch to bark and look at her warily.

“It’s okay, boy.” She ran her hand over his downy soft fur. “You’re safe now.”

Hesitant to make herself an unwanted guest, she tried to come up with alternative lodgings. She drove into Whistle Stop and found a No Vacancy sign at the only motel in town. She considered asking Melissa if she could stay with her, but she realized imposing on her unsuspecting friend when Carlota had already offered her a room would be childish—even if it was Tony’s bed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

T
he next day Ella awoke with a start. Even as she opened her eyes, the nightmare of flames seemed to chase her into the daylight. Her breath was unsteady as she shot up in bed. It took a few seconds for her to realize it’d all been a nasty dream. No, more like flashbacks to yesterday and their narrow escape.

When she leaned back against the pillow, Tony’s spicy scent wrapped around her, and she remembered spending the night in his bed—alone. This time when she closed her eyes, she envisioned his tanned face with its strong jaw and chin and soft, kissable lips.

She wished he’d returned home during the night, safe and sound, but she knew that wouldn’t be possible with the raging wildfire. Determined not to dwell on something she couldn’t control, she rolled out of bed, shocked to find it was close to lunchtime. She really had been physically and emotionally exhausted.

Even though she’d showered the night before, she needed the warm spray of water to help wake her up. As the sleepiness wore away, the reality of yesterday’s events settled in. The cabin by now was a complete loss. She no longer had a place to call home. Thank goodness Carlota had welcomed her with open arms.

Still, her mind circled back to the homeless part.

Tears pricked her eyes. Everything she’d ever owned had been reduced to cinders. Her chest throbbed as she grieved for all the possessions she’d lost. Now, with Tony rejecting her love, she needed to reconsider her plans. Once she completed her temporary teaching position, perhaps she should leave Whistle Stop.

She emerged from the bathroom to find new clothes waiting for her and a brief note from Carlota telling her to choose what she wanted and that she and Johnny would be home later. This time, Ella’s eyes misted over with happy tears. Carlota was the sweetest lady. Tony was so lucky to be able to call her mom.

Dressed in pink, drawstring jogging pants and a white long-sleeved T-shirt, Ella meandered into the kitchen. There was something Ella needed to do, and it couldn’t wait. She grabbed the phone and dialed Tracey’s cell phone. Instead of her friend answering, it was her husband. Tracey was in the hospital with complications related to her pregnancy. Her husband promised to call as soon as Tracey was up for visitors.

With a heavy heart, Ella grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table. The newspaper was laid out. The headline read:
Roca Mountain Ablaze
.

Ella didn’t have the heart to read the article. She opened the paper and flipped through the pages until she got to the classified section. She needed a place to live until she decided whether to rebuild the cabin, not that it’d ever be the same, or whether she needed to move on to a different town, a different state.

After scanning the page, she picked up the phone, calling the first listing for an apartment that she could reasonably afford. She stuttered in surprise when she found herself talking with Mrs. Sanchez. It appeared the woman had a little efficiency apartment above her place. The kind woman promised to hold it for her, if Ella could look at it that afternoon. Ella quickly agreed.

A knock at the door interrupted Ella’s continued perusal of the classifieds. She folded the paper and got to her feet. She felt weird about answering Carlota’s door, but she supposed it was only polite to take a message.

An attractive female stood at the door. “Hi. Is Tony home?”

Ella didn’t recognize the young woman. “No. He isn’t.”

“How about Carlota or Johnny?”

Who was this woman? She appeared to be no older than Tony. In fact, she might be a bit younger.

Ella eyed the woman closely, taking in her tailored slacks and colorful summer top. Her made-up face and bobbed dark hair only enhanced her natural beauty.

“They aren’t home either.” Who was this woman? She’d never seen her around Whistle Stop. “Can I give them a message?”

“That’s too bad. I was hoping to catch Tony. I need to talk to him. It’s personal. He isn’t out at the barn is he?”

“No, he’s not. And your name would be?”

“Too bad I missed him,” the woman said, not acknowledging Ella’s question.

Obviously, the woman wasn’t a local or she would know that every trained firefighter was on Roca Mountain, protecting the community.

“I need to go. I have an appointment.” She hoped the woman would get the hint and leave.

“Are you staying here?”

Ella moved so her body filled the gap between the door and wall. She refused to invite this pushy woman inside. Then an awful thought occurred to her. Could this woman be Jessie? Tony hadn’t described her, but it’d certainly explain how she knew the whole family. Ella’s gaze narrowed. Had she finally figured out she’d made a mistake and come here to make things right with Tony?

The thought made Ella sick to her stomach. She swallowed hard. That couldn’t happen. This thing between her and Tony wasn’t over. He said they’d talk later. So if this woman had any ideas of getting her claws into him, she’d have to get past her first.

“Yes. Tony invited me to stay here.”

The woman’s eyes lit up. “Really? Are you his girlfriend?”

Refusing to give the woman a direct answer, she said, “You might say that. We’ve grown close during our practice for the upcoming dance contest.”

“Oh, you must be Ella.”

She knew her name? “I’m sorry. Do we know each other?”

“I’m Mary Sorkin, the court liaison working on Johnny’s adoption, and you have presented me with an interesting wrinkle. I think you and I have a lot to discuss.”

This was the court investigator? For some reason, Ella had imagined a more mature woman with graying hair and glasses, not a beautiful young woman. This would teach her for assuming things.

Ella’s heart sank as she caught sight of the woman’s expectant look. What had she just done?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

E
verything was out of sync.

It’d been a few days since her talk with Ms. Sorkin. The woman had gone over a long list of questions with Ella, but the Q&A had gone only one way. Ella’s questions had been deflected or outright ignored. By the end of the meeting, Ella hadn’t known where things stood. And when Tony finally got home, she had the distinct impression he wouldn’t be happy about the development, not happy at all.

With a sigh, Ella stepped out of her newly rented apartment over Mrs. Sanchez’s home. Who’d have thought the town busybody would become her landlord? But Ella had come to have a soft spot in her heart for the woman who had taken time out of her busy life to help stitch her an elegant dress for the dance contest.

With the fire on Roca Mountain still raging, the school was serving as a temporary shelter. Classes had been canceled for the week. Ella used the free time to visit Tracey in the hospital. She’d delivered her baby a little early due to complications exacerbated by the stress of losing her home to the wildfire. The baby, though a little on the small side, was a healthy boy named Zackery.

Now, as evening settled over the town, Ella couldn’t stand to be cooped up in the tiny apartment. She needed to be doing something, anything. With Patch fed and settled in his brand new crate, she started down the steps.

She had some really big decisions to make—decisions that she’d been putting off for one excuse or another.

The stark truth was, with her cabin nothing more than a pile of ash and still no word on the permanent teaching position at the school, she didn’t really have anything tying her to Whistle Stop—especially after Tony had rejected her love. Her heart ached as she recalled how he’d dismissed her feelings before he turned and walked away. She gave herself a mental jerk, chasing away the disturbing thoughts.

Having no appetite, she hoped a walk around town would settle her mind. She couldn’t avoid a decision about her future indefinitely, but for one evening she wanted to think of anything but her troubles. They’d been all she’d thought of recently.

She stepped onto the sidewalk and noticed lots of people. They were everywhere. She paused, taking in the scene. They were all walking in the same direction. What in the world?

“There you are.”

The familiar voice came from behind her. She turned to find Mrs. Sanchez stepping onto her porch. “Where’s everyone going?”

Ella moved to the front of Mrs. Sanchez’s house. The covered porch had a swing where the woman spent many evenings sipping sweet tea. Ella knew this because she’d joined her a time or two.

For Ella, taking up residence in Whistle Stop sure wasn’t like living on the mountain, but Mrs. Sanchez made an allowance for Patch, and there were benefits to living in the heart of town. Everything was within walking distance, even the school. There was no chance of growing lonely. All you had to do was step outside to find a friendly face. And there was no need for an alarm clock, as the train whistle blew repeatedly at six a.m. No one could sleep through that blaring sound.

Mrs. Sanchez joined Ella on the sidewalk. The older woman hooked her arm through hers. “Didn’t you hear? There’s an emergency town meeting.”

“A town meeting? About what?”

Mrs. Sanchez arched a brow. “Where have you been, girl? There’s a wildfire. We need to do everything we can to help the victims who lost their homes on Roca Mountain—people like you.” She paused and lifted her gaze to the sky that held the haze of smoke. “I just hope it doesn’t head in our direction.”

The thought of facing the fire again sent goose bumps cascading down her arms. Mrs. Sanchez gave a tug on Ella’s hand, not giving her much time to consider such a devastating event. “Come on, girl. We don’t want to be late.”

“I…I don’t know. I’m not really a resident of Whistle Stop—”

“Sure you are.” Mrs. Sanchez stopped walking and faced her. “You do want to help, don’t you?”

“Of course. I’ll do whatever I can.” The residents of Whistle Stop had welcomed her with open arms. Whether she stayed or left, she wanted to do whatever she could to help.

Mrs. Sanchez smiled. “Good. I knew we could count on you. Now let’s get moving before all of the seats are taken.”

They joined the crowd of people hustling across the small town. Mrs. Sanchez appeared to know them all on a first-name basis. She introduced Ella to many of them, but there were so many faces—so many names—that Ella couldn’t keep all of them straight. She smiled and nodded, letting Mrs. Sanchez do the bulk of the talking.

In no time, they arrived at the oblong community center with a bright red tile roof and cream-colored adobe walls. So many people had turned out for the meeting that there was a line up the walk as people waited to get inside. This was Ella’s first town meeting, so she wasn’t sure what to expect.

They’d just stepped inside when Mrs. Sanchez clasped her hands together. “Look! There are still a few seats up front.”

Wanting to fade into the crowd, Ella said, “Go ahead. I’ll just hang out back here.”

“Nonsense.” Mrs. Sanchez grabbed her hand, and Ella, not wanting to be rude and cause a scene, followed the woman.

Ella glanced around the crowded room, looking for familiar faces. Alexis caught sight of her and waved, but she was already seated in the middle of a row, so there was no chance for them to speak. Ella kept moving forward, and then she spotted Melissa standing with the mayor, deep in conversation.

No sooner had Ella and Mrs. Sanchez asked people to move down so there could be two seats together than there was the bang of a gavel calling the meeting to order. Silence settled over the spacious room. Mayor Ortiz, dressed in a dark suit and a gray dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar, stood at the podium. His dark hair was speckled with threads of silver. His clean-shaven face wore a serious expression as his eyes scanned the crowded room.

“Thank you all for coming. I know that everyone is busy and has their hands full, especially with the schools closed until this emergency is under control. At this point, we still need the school for temporary shelter for evacuees. We are working diligently to find them more permanent housing.”

“Any word if the fire has been contained?” a man called out from the back of the room.

“I was updated about an hour ago. The good news is, other than the smoke and haze, Whistle Stop is safe.” A round of chatter filled the room. Mayor Ortiz banged his gavel again. “The bad news is, without some help from Mother Nature, the fire continues to ravage the mountainside. Every available firefighter is doing their best under very tough circumstances.”

“My boy is a firefighter on that mountain,” hollered out a woman. “Is there any word when they’re coming home?”

Ella waited anxiously for the answer. She wanted to know the same thing about Tony. She was worried about him. When she’d spoken to Carlota that morning, there hadn’t been any word from him. Ella prayed that he was safe.

The mayor shook his head. “I’m sorry. There’s no way of knowing when the fire will be contained. They’re waiting for the wind to die down.”

The questions kept up, one after another. The mayor didn’t seem to know any more than Mrs. Sanchez, whom Ella had kindly dubbed Whistle Stop’s queen of gossip. The woman was like a sponge. She soaked up information, and it didn’t take much to squeeze it out of her.

“You don’t seem to know much,” a man grouched. “Why’d you call us here?”

“Because we need to pull together and help those of us who have been displaced by the fire. There are a number of families that live on Roca Mountain. Most won’t have a home to return to.”

The crowd erupted in a murmur of voices. Ella squeezed her hands together and sucked down the rush of emotions at the thought of her cabin being nothing more than a pile of smoldering ash. But thanks to Tony, she hadn't lost everything. Her most cherished positions had been saved—the picture of her family and her brother’s teddy bear. When she’d found them at the bottom of the basket, tears had welled up in her eyes. When she saw him again, she owed him a big thank you.

The mayor banged his gavel to silence the uproar of chatter. “Ladies and gentlemen, I know we all have opinions about how to help these unfortunate people, but we can’t all speak at once. Now raise your hands, and I’ll call on you one at a time.”

And so the process began. Resident after resident threw out their ideas of how to help.

“A rummage sale.”

“A bake sale.”

“A bachelor auction.”

Mrs. Sanchez shifted in her seat as she held up her hand each time and yet the mayor passed over her. Ella had a pretty good idea that the mayor was worried Mrs. Sanchez would commandeer the meeting, but Ella had been around the woman long enough to realize that Mrs. Sanchez had a knack for coming up with some very helpful ideas. And she for one wanted to hear what the woman had to say. So Ella put up her hand.

A few minutes later, the mayor hesitantly called on Ella. “Yes, young lady. What’s your idea?”

Ella, not used to being in the spotlight, didn’t get to her feet. Instead, she remained seated and raised her voice. “I suggest we listen to Mrs. Sanchez.”

The older woman glanced her way, smiled, and squeezed her hand. Not waiting for the mayor to respond, Mrs. Sanchez got to her feet. Without saying a word to the mayor, she turned to the people. “You all have fabulous ideas. And if we had more time, we could implement a number of them. But let’s face it, these people need help now, not a month or two down the road—”

“What are you suggesting?” The mayor had a pained look on his face, as though he were preparing for an unpopular answer.

Mrs. Sanchez glanced his way. “I’m getting to it.”

The mayor made a point of checking his watch. Ella couldn’t blame him. Mrs. Sanchez was well known for being long-winded. But something told Ella that it’d be worth the wait—at least, she hoped so. People like Tracey and her husband, not to mention that precious little baby, needed all of the help they could get. The sooner, the better.

Mrs. Sanchez turned back toward the people. “I want to petition the community to take the money we raise from the dance contest and—”

Voices loud and soft rumbled through the hall. Mrs. Sanchez’s words got lost in the cacophony opinions. Ella liked the idea. Her thoughts turned back to her friend.

Tracey had a new baby and no home to take him to. She’d lost everything, from the baby booties that Ella had splurged on to the heirloom cradle that her husband had lovingly restored. But even with insurance money, they would still need some assistance to get situated in a new home.

Mrs. Sanchez sat down with a thump and shook her head. “Unbelievable.”

Ella glanced over at her friend. She looked a bit on the pale side. Mrs. Sanchez had been on the go helping families since the fire started. She’d probably worn herself out.

Ella couldn’t just sit by and let this meeting run amok. Mrs. Sanchez may not be up for a fight, but Ella was. Images of Tracey and her newborn baby flashed in her mind. She had to do what she could to help them.

The mayor banged his gavel repeatedly until silence fell over the room. Ella immediately jumped to her feet. She caught the mayor’s surprised look, but she ignored it as she turned to the citizens of Whistle Stop.

“My name is Ella Morgan. I’m new to your town, but I would like to say that I have good friends who’ve lost everything they own. It’s all gone—everything they bought for their newborn. All of it has been decimated by the wildfire. Can you imagine having a brand new baby and having no place to take him when you leave the hospital? They aren’t the only ones who have been deeply hurt by the blaze. I know that many of you were counting on the fundraiser to fix up the town, but isn’t it more important to help your neighbors, your relatives, your friends?”

Complete silence fell over the crowd. Some people nodded in agreement. Others lowered their heads. And some pressed their lips together, holding their tongues.

Satisfied that she’d made her point, Ella sat back down.

The mayor appeared a bit flustered as he moved the gavel aimlessly through the air. Then, as though realizing that it was not necessary to bang it, he set it aside. He cleared his throat. “Thank you, Ms. Morgan.” His gaze met hers, and he smiled. Then he turned to the crowd. “Could I have a vote on reallocating the funds from the dance contest to a fund for the fire victims?”

Ella raised her hand. Mrs. Sanchez raised hers. The mayor raised his. Then Ella turned to a sea of raised arms.

This time, she was the one to lean over and squeeze Mrs. Sanchez’s arm. “You did it.”

“No, dear. We did it.”

But there was still something nagging at Ella. Everybody else was donating their time and cash. She not only needed to talk the talk but also walk the walk. She needed to donate her share.

With the meeting wrapped up, she slowly made her way to the door. Somehow, she’d lost sight of Mrs. Sanchez in the crowd. All the while, Ella pondered the best way to help Whistle Stop. It was in that moment that she realized this place was now her home in every way that counted. And she wouldn’t let what happened with Tony run her off. They were both adults. They’d learn to deal with each other.

This still left her with the problem of what she could donate to help the town. She didn’t have much. And then a thought came to her. She had one valuable possession that hadn’t been destroyed in the fire.