Chapter 5

I was already heading for the coffee shop door. "We need to get supplies to the fire scene."

"How?" Logan asked, following me. "My car's still broken, remember?"

"Don't worry about that." I assured him.

Logan looked at me without argument. "What kind of supplies?"

"Coffee, food, blankets. Firefighting is exhausting work, and it's going to be a long night."

I unlocked the coffee shop and flipped on the lights. Mrs. Henderson had left everything clean and organized, which was going to make this easier.

"Grab those thermoses from the shelf," I called out, already starting the industrial coffee maker. "I'll get sandwiches together."

Logan did as I asked, then started helping without being told what to do. He found the stack of takeout containers and began packing sandwiches while I got the coffee brewing.

"You've done this before," he said.

"Small towns, emergency response is everyone's responsibility." I was pulling sandwich meat and bread from the walk-in cooler. "Last year it was a search and rescue when little Tommy Peterson got lost in the woods. Before that, it was the ice storm that knocked out power for a week."

"And you always coordinate supplies?"

"Grandma Rose used to. Now it's my turn."

We worked in silence for a few minutes, moving around each other in the small space behind the counter. Logan was quick and efficient, and he seemed to understand what needed to be done without me having to explain everything.

My phone started buzzing with texts. River asking if I needed him to come back. Sage saying he was grabbing first aid supplies from his farm. Mrs. Henderson offering to come in and help.

"Small town network," I explained to Logan, typing quick responses. "Word travels fast."

When we finished packing supplies, I led Logan toward the back door. "Come on."

In the small parking area behind the coffee shop sat an old green pickup truck with faded "The Daily Grind" lettering on the side.

"Grandma Rose's old delivery truck," I said, patting the hood fondly. "Not pretty, but reliable."

Logan looked skeptical. "Does it run?"

"Of course it runs." I climbed into the driver's seat. "Never let me down yet."

The engine coughed once, then settled into a steady rumble. By the time we loaded the truck with supplies, other people were starting to show up. The fire was visible now, a angry orange glow against the dark sky. I drove carefully but quickly, and I found myself grateful for Logan's steady presence.

The scene at the Murphy farm was controlled chaos. Fire trucks, ambulances, and half the town had descended on the property. The barn was fully engulfed, but it looked like they'd managed to keep the fire from spreading to the house.

I spotted Knox near one of the trucks, his face streaked with soot. When he saw me, he jogged over.

"Murphy and Jake are okay," he said before I could ask. "Got them out before the roof collapsed."

Relief flooded through me. "Thank God."

"They're pretty shaken up, though. Lost most of their equipment in the barn."

I started handing out coffee and sandwiches to the firefighters coming off rotation. Logan was doing the same thing, and I noticed how easily he'd fallen into the rhythm of helping.

"Harper!" Sage appeared at my elbow, looking frazzled. "I brought bandages and burn cream from the farm. Where do you want them?"

"Give them to the paramedics. And check on Mr. Murphy, see if he needs anything."

River showed up a few minutes later with a truck full of bottled water and energy bars from his bar. He immediately started helping distribute supplies, but I noticed how he kept glancing over at me, making sure I was okay.

"You good?" he asked during a brief lull.

"Yeah. Tired, but good."

Logan was watching our interaction, but this time his expression wasn't cold or judgmental. He looked thoughtful, like he was trying to figure something out.

For the next two hours, we worked alongside the emergency responders. Logan turned out to be useful in ways I hadn't expected. When one of the volunteer firefighters got a minor burn, Logan examined it and recommended treatment. When Mrs. Murphy started having chest pains from the stress, he helped keep her calm until the paramedics could check her over.

"You're good at this," I told him as we packed up the empty thermoses.

"So are you."

Knox, Sage, and River had all checked on me throughout the night, but not in the way Logan had originally thought. It was protective, yes, but protective the way brothers looked out for their sister. There was nothing romantic about the way River ruffled my hair when he brought me a bottle of water, or how Sage made sure I ate something instead of just feeding everyone else.

Logan seemed to be noticing this too. I caught him watching Knox throw his arm around my shoulders to steer me away from the still-smoldering barn, saw him take note of how Sage automatically handed me his jacket when I started shivering.

By the time the fire was fully out, it was after midnight. The Murphy barn was a total loss, but the house was saved, and more importantly, everyone was safe.

I was loading the last of the empty containers into the old pickup when my phone rang. Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Harper Sullivan?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"My name is Vivian Blake. I represent Pinnacle Development Group. I understand you recently inherited a property on Main Street."

My blood went cold. Development companies didn't call small coffee shop owners at midnight unless something was very wrong.

"What do you want?"

"I'd like to discuss a business proposition with you. We're very interested in your property, along with several others in the area. I think you'll find our offer quite generous."

The woman's voice was smooth, professional, and absolutely terrifying.

"I'm not interested in selling."

"Perhaps we should meet in person to discuss the details. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement that benefits everyone."

I hung up before she could say anything else. My hands were shaking.

Logan was standing next to the truck, looking concerned. "Everything okay?"

I stared at my phone, mind racing. A development company calling about my property. At midnight. Right after a crisis that had the whole town distracted.

This couldn't be a coincidence.

"Harper?" Logan's voice was gentle. "What's wrong?"

I looked up at him, and for the first time since he'd walked into my coffee shop, I saw genuine concern in his eyes instead of judgment.

"I think," I said slowly, "I might be in trouble."