Serena's Secret (Primrose Valley Series Book #1)

Chapter 2 - Serena

    Serena could feel the burn on her cheeks, but she couldn't control it. The more she tried the harder it became.

    Ethan had a very commanding yet calming presence. The kids had listened to every word so far. He had been so welcoming to the kids and those smiles and winks he was throwing in her direction were causing her breath to hitch and her heart to stutter where she stood.

    Of course, it could be down to his very appealing appearance. She found herself looking at him every chance she got. He was very attractive. His short brown, buzz-cut hair, was just long enough for her to run her fingers through and his deep brown eyes twinkled whenever he smiled; his broad shoulders and strong arms that she imagined wrapped around her and holding her tightly; his cheeky grin and strong jaw she just wanted to run her lips and tongue across.

    When he looked at her, she just couldn't help but blush again, but when he pulled his gaze away. she forced herself to concentrate as he spoke.

    "To answer your first question, what is it like to be a firefighter? It is hard work. You must go through a few years of college and training and becoming the best and the fittest you can be. However, for me, the main thing you need to know is the firehouse crew is a family. I can count on every one of the crew to have my back. Garrett here was with me in training, but I've known him since I was seventeen. He has always had my back and I've had his. This is crucial to the job. If I couldn't trust my crew, I couldn't do this job."

    There were murmurs between the kids as they looked between Garrett and Ethan. Serena smiled at the idea that these two men grew up together. She just knew they would have gotten into mischief back then.

    "As for why I became a firefighter. There are a few reasons. One of them is it's in my family. My dad and grandad were both firemen. I spent most of my days after school here with my dad and his crew learning early on what it was like to be a firefighter. I knew then it's what I wanted to do. I also knew I wanted to help. I’ve lived here all my life and I wanted to look out for the people of my community. Keep them safe."

    Serena felt a rush of something at his words and felt her cheeks burning again. Was it pride? Lust? Desire? She couldn't pinpoint her feelings right at that moment.

    "Have I had any injuries? I've had a few near misses in my time. We both have. I have a couple of scars on the back of my legs where a beam fell and trapped me in a warehouse fire."

    "Yep, I saved his bacon. He'd be nice and crispy if I hadn't been there." Garrett added, doing the superman pose.

    The whole class erupted in laughter and it took a few minutes for Serena to get them under control again, especially with Garrett still in the superman pose. When Garrett relaxed the laughter ceased.

    "You shouldn't laugh at something like that, children. He could have been seriously hurt." She said in a soft but stern voice. Her eyes moved to Garrett and then to Ethan.

    "You're right, I could have." She saw something in his eyes that made her think there was more to the story than he was letting on.

    "What about the weirdest call you've had?" One of the pupils asked.

    "The weirdest call... which one would you say is the winner here Garrett?" Ethan asked looking toward Garrett.

    "That's easy. It's got to be the railing Ethan."

    "I forgot about that one! Right, so we get called out to Primrose Park, a vague report of a young lad being stuck. We thought it would be someone stuck up a tree and frightened to get down or trapped in the well in the park. But we were so wrong. It turned out a group of kids had been messing around on the bandstand. They had dared one of the kids to stick his head between the railings around it."

    The whole class fell silent.

    Serena blinked a moment. "You are joking?" she asked completely unbelieving what he had said.

    "I wish we were. No idea how he got his head through in the first place. But he definitely couldn't get it back out." Ethan shook his head in disbelief. “We got him out and his parents got a bill for the damage we had to do to free him from the railings.”

    "I guess that also answered the next question about do we only respond to fires. No, we do not just fight fires. We deal with chemical spills, people trapped in cars after accidents, building collapses. Do you all know Mr Tiddles? He is Mrs Jones' cat?" All the kids nodded to the question. "Well, we've rescued him from a few trees too."

    She contemplated the idea of these huge men climbing trees to rescue cats. She couldn't quite picture it; she'd love to see it for real.

    "And I can drive the truck, but Garrett claimed that particular duty."

    Garrett nodded with a smug grin. "I am a better driver. He just won't admit it." He pointed at his chest and gave a cocky shrug and the class erupted in laughter again.

    She had Garrett pegged as the class clown and could imagine he was quite the joker all the time. She had also noticed Tina seemed to find him hilarious, and her eyes seemed to be trained on him most of the time. She decided to file that in her mind for now and ask her later.

    Ethan answered a couple more questions about the years coming up to becoming a firefighter. What college was like, what courses he took and how long it took. When the training itself was brought up he grinned and rubbed his hands together.

    "I think it would work best if we showed you the kind of training we did. We've had the guys set up a makeshift obstacle course like what we would have done in our training." He led them a short way to the grass. There were huge tires, hoses, helmets, and oxygen tanks laid out around the course; as well as makeshift stairs and obstacles to get around dotted around the large stretch of grass. "Who wants to have a go?"

    Serena wasn't surprised that it was mainly the boys who wanted a go. She was very proud to see a couple of the girls stepped forward too, eager to try out the obstacle course.

    Whilst those who volunteered went towards the circuits, the rest were stationed around the outside ready to cheer on their favourites to get through the course. It looked really difficult and she was extremely proud of all her class for participating in some way. The feeling made her chest swell in pride.

    She caught Ethan's eye and smiled. 'Thank you.' She mouthed.

    He tipped his head gently and the smile he gave her made his eyes twinkle, and her heartbeat a little harder.

    After about twenty minutes of watching, she glanced around the class and Chloe caught her attention. She was hovering at the back of the class; close enough to be in the class, but not enough to be listening. Her eyes would lift every now and then, but she couldn't tell if she was really seeing anything around her.

    Pulling away from the class slightly, Serena made her way slowly over to where Chloe was, studying her movements carefully. Something was going on with this young girl. Her gut was screaming to ask her what was wrong. Chloe's friends were too engrossed in the obstacle courses to even notice that she was withdrawn from the group. As she got closer, she noticed Chloe was fidgeting and unable to stand still.

    She could tell the moment Chloe realised she was no longer alone because her back stiffened, but she didn't lift her head to look at Serena.

    "Is everything okay Chloe?" She asked very quietly, careful not to let her voice carry over the class.

    Chloe didn't say anything. Serena was itching to push her but knew this would do no good and may actually push her away from wanting to talk about whatever was going on with her. She pretended to watch the others in the class whilst she waited. They stood there a few minutes before Chloe acknowledged her question.

    "No," Chloe whispered so quietly Serena had to strain to hear her. But she heard.

    Serena turned her head to look at her and took a deep breath. "Okay... would you like to talk about it?"

    She could feel her own heart beating faster as she pleaded to whatever God was listening that he would give Chloe the strength and courage to not back down.

    "Yes"

    "What about after school?" She suggested.

    "I-I c-can't. I'll b-be late..." Chloe panicked and stumbled over her own words. Serena could hear the panic in her voice, and she frowned. Whatever was going on, Chloe was frightened to be late home and alarm bells were ringing in her head, but she steadied herself and thought quickly.

    "You can come and see me at lunchtime tomorrow. You can tell me all about it." She smiled warmly at Chloe. "If anyone asks, we will be working on your career essay."

    When Chloe finally looked up at her, her heart broke a little. The hurt and pain she could see in her blue eyes was the same hurt and pain she had in her own eyes so many years ago. That look confirmed her worst fears even without Chloe’s admission. Serena breathed a sigh of relief when Chloe nodded in agreement; she squeezed her shoulder gently and looked back to the class.

    Taking a deep steadying breath, she stepped forward. Her mind was filled with all those locked up memories that had escaped that imaginary box in her mind. The confusion of finding out someone you trusted was really a monster, the fear of speaking up and the pain she had felt both emotionally and physically. The inner turmoil as she battled with herself about what happened to her. All those feelings and emotions were flooding back so quickly she didn't know how to stop them.

    The force of them caused tears to swell in her eyes, and her stomach to churn. She had to fight down the urge to be sick and covered her mouth with her hand. She pushed the tears back as best she could, and quickly wiped her cheek when one escaped.

    Do not break.

    You are stronger than this.

    Chloe needs you to stay strong.

    Feeling a weird prickling sensation, she looked around and spotted Ethan watching her, he smiled at her and she gave him a small smile in return. The moment she saw his brows furrow in concern; she looked away from him and wrapped her arms around herself. She needed to hold herself together. She caught Tina’s knowing eye and shook her head gently.

    You will not break.

    "Lunchtime kids, come on. You've worked hard on the obstacle course. It's great to see." She heard Tina's voice call out to the class as if she were far away.

    On autopilot, Serena herded the kids back inside towards the kitchen area. Garrett and Tina were at the front of the class, and Serena brought up the rear. Ethan fell back to walk at her side. At first, he didn't say anything to her, but she could feel his eyes on her face. She knew she probably looked miserable compared to earlier.

    "Is everything okay Serena?" He asked his voice soft and laced with concern.

    Serena noticed he used the same question, she gave Chloe. She would have found it amusing if she weren’t so concerned about what was going on with her student, let alone fighting back her own demons. His shoulder brushed against hers gently as they walked slower, coming to a stop at the back of the kitchen area. She vaguely registered Tina as she distributed the kid's pre-packed lunches.

    Glancing up at him, she studied his face and his eyes shimmered with worry. In reality, she didn't know this man at all. But she couldn’t escape the fact that she felt at ease with him. She sensed like she could tell him anything and he would listen to her which was mad in itself because they’d known each other a few hours. He gave off a protective alpha male aura, which made her feel safe, just by standing beside him.

    She opened her mouth to speak then closed it again. She felt foolish. She had no proof of her concerns for Chloe, yet her gut screamed at her to stop being so naive and believe in herself. The teacher in her knew she couldn't say anything either. Not where others could overhear. The situation would need to be discussed with Chloe, her parents and the headteacher way before Serena could know what to do or say here.

    "Honestly... I am not entirely sure what I am allowed to actually say." She let her words linger between them.

    He seemed to consider her words and she watched his gaze shift from her and to Chloe then back.

    "Okay." He rubbed her arm gently, a small smile of understanding. Coffee?"

    She shook her head sharply the thought of coffee always made her sick. She knew it was because it reminded her of him. She didn't mind others drinking it, but she had never been able to stomach the taste.

    "I'd prefer tea please."

    "Coming up, do you take milk and sugar?"

    "Just milk but no sugar. Thank you."

    "Ah of course."

    "Of course?"

    "You're already sweet enough." He winked and went to the counter and busied himself with the kettle and gave her a great view of his back. If it was even possible, he looked even broader from behind, and she bit her lip subconsciously. How was it one small conversation with this man had her completely relaxed and nausea subdued?

    She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even hear Tina as she approached.

    "He likes you," she teased.

    "Geez T, I hate when you sneak up like that." She held her chest.

    "Do you like him?"

    "I hardly know him." She blushed and avoided eye contact.

    "You do like him!" Smiling devilishly, she looked Ethan over. "Not that I blame you."

    Serena giggled and shook her head.

    "What about you? You've had goo-goo eyes for Garrett since we pulled up..."

    They both glanced in his direction. Garrett was sat with Chris, Luke, and Jim, the three boys Serena had pointed out this morning. They were talking animatedly about something; she figured it was about firefighting.

    "Oh, he is definitely worth a look," Tina agreed, a small blush appearing on her cheeks. "But he seems familiar to me. I've been trying to figure out where I recognise him from... He reminds me of someone I knew years ago but it couldn't be..." She sighed and chewed on her lip as her mind continued to work out the mystery.

    Serena found it amusing to watch her friend stew over Garrett. She could physically see the gears turning. At that point, Ethan re-appeared with her tea.

    "Thank you." She took a sip and smiled. Perfect.

    "What are you two ladies talking about?"

    "Garrett." She said and then noticed his eyes narrowed a little in confusion. "T thinks she knows him from somewhere."

    "Yes. It's mad. And I’m sure I haven't seen him before... But I feel like I know him..." She trailed off.

    "Well, he moved here from Scotland when he was fifteen, that was seventeen years ago. How long have you ladies been living in Primrose Valley?"

    "About eighteen months, we went to college together and then University. We both started together at the Academy." Serena explained.

    Ethan nodded and gazed across the room at the class as they ate.

    "What's his full name?" Tina asked suddenly.

    “Garrett O'Conner.”

    Tina seemed to freeze where she stood for all of a few minutes, a huge smile lit up her face and tears filled her eyes. Serena was about to ask what was wrong when she jumped up and down in glee.

    "Oh, my goodness! No way!" Tina squealed and dashed off without another word.

    Serena was completely confused but they both watched as she approached Garrett, and they stepped to the side. A few words were exchanged and then recognition sparked in his face and they hugged tightly. She heard Tina giggle as Garrett spun her around.

    "I have no idea what just happened..." She whispered to Ethan as she sipped her tea.

    Ethan shrugged, "Don't ask me."

    The rest of the afternoon flew by. The kids got to speak to the other firefighters properly; they had a chance to go down the sliding pole; even Serena and Tina tried it. They tried on the coats and gear to test how heavy everything was all together. Ethan and Garrett gave demonstrations on the jaws of life, a halligan iron, and the hoses. This turned into a water fight, Garrett picked a team and Ethan picked a team. Serena stayed well back from the fight but somehow, she still got sprayed at some point.

    As they were wrapping up the trip, they were joined by the Chief again who gathered them all outside the firehouse. They gave them all a talk on fire safety, how to spot dangers, what to do if there was a fire and how to raise the alarm. Hoax calls were also mentioned; he made sure everyone understood the consequences of hoax calls and how that one call can affect the response times for a genuine call for help.

    The kids were excitedly chattering away as they got back onto the school bus. She counted everyone as they got on board and took their seats. Hearing her name being called, she looked up and spotted Ethan coming towards the bus. He climbed onto the bus and stood on the bottom step watching her.

    "You've forgotten something." He had a blank look on his face.

    Frowning she tried to think. "What did I forget?"

    "To give me your number" A huge smile split across his face and he leaned against the side of the bus, arms crossing his chest.

    Blushing, but with a small smile on her face she looked up as she heard gasps and giggles from the students on the bus. "You really want my number?"

    This had to be a dream. She pinched her hand, feeling the pain.

    Nope, this is not a dream.

    "Yes. I want to take you out." Ethan climbed another step up onto the bus and turned to the class. "What do you think kids? Should Miss Mills give me her number?"

    "Yes!"

    "Go for it, Miss M!"

    "Yeah, go on Miss!"

    “Yep, please Miss”

    “Hell yes!”

    "They think it's a great idea." He grinned triumphantly.

    She was completely shocked. This sexy as hell fireman wanted her number. Her mind couldn’t understand why he would want her number, but she wasn’t about to complain either.

    "Okay." She blushed more but her smile widened. Her hands shook slightly as she scribbled her number on a piece of paper and handed it over.

    "Thank you." He took the paper and placed it in his pocket. Then he leaned in and kissed her cheek gently and whispered in her ear. "I'll be in touch."

    The bus erupted in cheers and whoops as he got off the bus, and she watched him swagger over to the firehouse where the Chief and Garrett waited. She watched them clap him on the back and then all three raised their arms to wave.

    With a huge grin on her face, she sat down beside Tina.

    “Told you he liked you.”

    “Do you think he will ring?” She asked shyly.

    “Of course!”

    A second later she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She fished it out and saw a number on her screen she didn’t recognise. Her mind instantly thought of Ethan and hoped she was right.

    “Hello?” She said nervously as butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

    “I just wanted to check you gave me the right number.” Ethan’s voice came through the phone. She grinned wide; Tina gave her the thumbs up and mouthed ‘I told you so.’

    “Of course, I would.”

    “I’m glad. I’ll ring you after my shift to arrange our first date, and discuss the second and third and fourth…” His voice trailed off. She could picture his cheeky grin and, laughed at the thought.

    “You are very sure of yourself. Who said anything about a second date?”

    “I did.” There was an alarm in the background. “I have to shoot Serena, but I’ll be in touch.”

    “Stay safe please.”

    “Always.”

    The line disconnected and Serena held it to her chest as she looked up out of the window. Her eyes watched the view as it flew by, but she didn’t really see any of the beauty as it passed around them.

    Tina stayed silent beside her; she seemed to understand that Serena needed a moment with her thoughts as they buzzed around her mind like busy bees.

    She felt happy that he seemed interested in her. But after all this time could she trust a man? Was there any chance this could be her happily ever after?

    And would he still want her if he knew about her past?

    She had no idea what would happen next.

    However, for the first time in so long, she felt the spark of hope deep within her soul. She had been wrong in the past. She hoped she wouldn’t be this time.