“You mean it?” Jasper blinked up at her, and for a moment, he looked like he did when he was ten years old. All big, dark eyes and too-long black hair, daring to believe in something impossible.
As usual, once an idea took root in Frankie’s head, it started blooming immediately. “You already know our routine, but there’s tons more you can learn. And I can train you, help you bulk up and improve your strength. I’ll be honest, I’ll kick your butt and you’ll probably hate me. But if you want this, I will do everything I can to make it happen.”
“You’d really do that for me?”
Did he have to sound so surprised? “The chief did it for me.” Because her own father had been gone by then. “Now’s my chance to pass it on.” In case she moved on. Yeah. The more she thought about it, the more fitting her offer felt. She clicked to bookmark the application site. “You go home and you talk to your mom and sisters. You fill them in on everything you’ve told me. If, after that, you decide this is what you want, I’ll go to bat for you when it comes to applying to a firefighter program.”
She saw him swallow hard. “That would be amazing.”
“Just remember you said that when I’ve got you running five miles a day and lifting weights heavier than Mrs. Hastings’s grocery bags.” She had to resist the urge to ruffle his hair. Pride she hadn’t known she possessed welled up. She remembered when he’d been born, had watched him grow up and, at times, had wished she had the opportunity to help him. Now, finally she’d found her chance. “In fact, why don’t you head on home. Think about what you want to say to them. And tell them you have my complete support.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.” His eyes flickered to the side, and for a moment, she saw panic in the dark depths. She turned and found Roman standing in the doorway, unabashedly eavesdropping.
Wow... Frankie had to stop herself from gaping. Did the man have to be so...overwhelming? The last thing she needed was a reminder that her boss had more appeal than a movie-star superhero.
If he’d meant to throw her off-kilter by his surprise appearance, he’d be disappointed. She was the master at hiding her emotions. And attraction. Not that she’d ever felt this level of attraction for a man before. “You can thank me by promising to do your best, Jasper,” Frankie told the kid. “But before you go, it’s time you met our new chief. Chief Salazar, this is Jasper O’Neill. He’s been one of our in-station volunteers for the past few months, helping with paperwork and equipment checks. Jasper, Chief Salazar.”
Roman strode forward and offered his hand as Jasper stood up. “Nice to meet you, Jasper. Did I hear correctly? You’re thinking about becoming a firefighter?”
“Yes, sir. Frankie—”
“I’m mentoring him,” Frankie cut in to challenge any argument Roman might have. “As I’ve been in charge of the volunteer staff for the past three years, it’s in my purview.”
Roman nodded. “We can always use great candidates. I second Frankie’s endorsement. I’m happy to lend a hand where needed. Did I also hear you’re interested in arson investigation?”
Frankie bit the inside of her cheek. Just how long had he been listening?
Jasper nodded. “That’s what I really want to do. But I know I need experience first. And education. A lot of it.”
“Then we have a lot in common.” Roman stepped back. “It was nice to meet you, Jasper. I look forward to seeing you around.”
“You, too, sir. Frankie, I’ll see you tomorrow with an answer.”
“Take your time,” Frankie reminded him. “It’s a big decision. I want you to think about it. Lay everything out. And give your mom time to get used to the idea. You know how much she worries about you.” And diving headfirst into the world of fire prevention and safety wasn’t exactly, well, safe. “Monday’s fine.”
“All right. Should I talk to Luke or will you—”
“We’ll talk to the sheriff about your hours.” And the mayor. The thought turned her stomach. Getting Gil to transfer the funds for Jasper’s part-time employment from the sheriff’s department to the fire department might be the biggest challenge in the whole situation. “Don’t worry.”
“Awesome.” He slapped his laptop shut and packed up his bag. “I’ll see you later. Nice to meet you, Chief.”
“You, too, Jasper.” Roman stepped back as Jasper raced out.
Frankie waited until she heard the front door slam before she looked at Roman. “I didn’t hear you come in.”