Barn Burner: Dallas Bradshaws Series, #1

By Kayce Lassiter

A fun cowboy firefighter romance that is all about love and second chances.

 

After being away for over six years, fire fighter Tripp Landers has returned to the rural suburbs of Dallas to find his high school sweetheart, Laney Bradshaw, up to her eyeballs in a hay fire that destroys her feed store.

Laney broke Tripp's heart their last year in high school when she dumped him the night of their senior prom, and they haven't seen each other in over six years. So, why is it that he's never been able to get her out of his head?

Laney's affluent girlfriends had been determined to break up the match because they considered Tripp to be from the wrong side of the tracks. So, they had conspired to create a situation where Laney would catch Tripp kissing another girl—and Laney had played right into their hands. She had told Tripp to get lost that night, but it didn't take long for her to figure out what had really happened. Unfortunately, it would only have hurt Tripp to know they considered him low-class, and Laney would rather die than ever cause him that kind of pain. She chose, instead, to let him believe she was shallow and unfeeling than to ever tell him the truth about what had happened that night—even though it meant letting him go.

Now Tripp Landers is back in town, but there's a lot of water under that bridge, and Laney Bradshaw is buried under a mountain of life-gone-wrong.

Will old grudges destroy their lives and keep them apart forever?

Can Tripp and Laney find a second chance at love?

Or are they destined to screw things up yet one more time?

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Booked Worm, LLC
• Release date: Dec 27, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386591887

Kayce Lassiter

Kayce writes snarky contemporary romance in a country setting—what she calls "Chick Lit in Cowgirl Boots" and she likes to throw in some magic now and then just for fun. Now she is adding nonfiction works to her catalogue, which include dysfunctional family stories—something she knows a heck of a lot about.Kayce is a consummate smart-alec, which shows in her humorous, heart-tugging stories about everyday people complete with broken hearts and all the flaws that come with being human. Some of her characters will make you laugh, others will touch your heart, but they will all take you to a world where dreams are possible, hearts can be mended, and people survive through the power of love.A second-generation native Arizonan, Kayce was born to deaf parents and grew up on a dairy farm. Living on a farm as a kid can be fun, but it can be lonely too. So she learned to dream, to imagine, to pretend—something she's never grown out of. She still lives in rural Arizona with her horse and dogs, including a nut-job named Riley whose claim to fame is having eaten an entire rattan chair in one afternoon.So let Kayce introduce you to her world of "Chick Lit in Cowgirl Boots" and seriously dysfunctional families. After all, what would a good story be without a little magic, or a crazy or two? That's what makes the world go round—right?

Book preview

Barn Burner

A cowboy firefighter second-chance romance.

Kayce Lassiter

The Booked Worm, LLC

Barn Burner

©Copyright Kayce Lassiter 2017

Cover Art by Kayce Lassiter ©Copyright August 2017

The Booked Worm Publishing

All rights are reserved.

Without limiting the rights under the copyrights reserved above, no portion of this book may be reproduced in whole or part, scanned, photocopied, recorded, or distributed in any printed or electronic form, or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without the prior express written permission of both the publisher and the author/copyright owner, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

This story is dedicated to my son, Dustin, for his support and encouragement, and his steadfast belief that I can do whatever I put my mind to. You keep me focused on the end goal, and are always kind when you hold up the mirror and ask if I’m doing what I should be. Thank you for being who you are, and for believing in me. No mother could be prouder, nor could she ask for anything more. Thank you, and never forget how much I love you!

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Newsletter Sign Ups

Burnin' It Down - Excerpt

Books by Kayce Lassiter

Acknowledgements

Hey, Landers, the crew chief pointed toward the store at the front of the property. You and Watson make sure no one’s in the store. This fire’s ready to jump, and there’s one hell of a lot of fuel on this lot."

Tripp Landers nodded and motioned for Jake Watson to follow, as he headed for the open barn door at the rear of the shop. Built with old barn wood, the feed store would go up fast if it caught. Anyone caught inside would be dead in a few short minutes.

Smoke billowed inside. Even through his suit, he could feel the heat from the hay barn at the back of the lot. It was completely engulfed and burning hot. Flames shot thirty feet in the air. The old railroad cars used for storage sheds might slow the fire some, but it was just a matter of time before it reached the store.

Tripp set his face piece, pulled the webbing over his head, and adjusted the straps. Then he pulled his hood into place, secured his helmet, attached his breathing tube, and activated his PASS device, which would allow his fellow fire fighters to find him if he got in trouble.

He activated his headlamp and pulled on his gloves as he entered the shop with Watson right behind him. The door was mounted on glides, but it was heavy, so it took some muscle to slide it shut. It brought back memories from when he was a teenager helping Laney work the store.

He scanned the huge room stuffed with rows of shelves and called out, Fire Department. Get out now.

He motioned for Watson to take one side of the store, while he took the other.

Tripp moved slowly to ensure he didn’t miss anything. He saw no one, but it always made him itchy inside to find a store empty during business hours. Made him wonder what he might have missed.

Who’s working the store?

He’d been surprised to see the sign out front still read, Bradshaw Feed & Tack. He figured Laney Bradshaw would have sold the place after her parents died. He’d heard she was engaged to the son of some cattle baron down in Houston. She was probably married with two kids by now.

As he cleared the last aisle, Tripp saw a flurry of movement in the doorway that led to the back room. He sprinted in that direction. Hey, Watson, I think there’s someone in back. I’m gonna check it out.

Watson waved over the top of a display rack. I got one more aisle to go.

A window behind him exploded, showering broken glass into the shop. A shard thunked against the back of his helmet. Adrenaline flooded his system. He could feel his heartrate kick up a notch as he hurried toward the hallway.

A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed the fire had jumped to the store. Flames shot through the broken window, reaching for the merchandise on the nearest shelves. Small trails of flame began to trace the window frame.

He bolted into the back room. A cluttered desk sat under one window, with the chair pushed neatly under it. There was a bathroom to the left, and the light was on.

As the light from his headlamp swept low across a doorway to his right, he stopped. Jeans and boots stuck out of what appeared to be a closet. Women’s boots, with a woman in them. She was on her hands and knees, fussing with what looked like a big box and a bucket.

Smoke started to fill the room. The woman began to cough, a deep hacking sound.

I gotta get her out of here.

He grabbed the back of her belt and hauled her out of the closet. She kicked out with one booted foot, catching him on the shin.

He jumped, startled by the kick, but the thickness of his suit muffled the blow.

She scrambled into the closet again.

Smoke roiled on the ceiling and hampered visibility at his height. He reached again for the woman’s belt, intending to carry her out by it, if need be. As he bent to grab her belt, he noted the smoke was thinner down low. It wouldn’t be for long.

In the beam of his headlight, he could see it was actually a safe the woman fussed with. She was coughing as she stuffed paper bags from the safe, into the bucket in her hand.

Shit. Why do people always keep cash in these old safes.

The woman kicked out again, but he expected it this time. He dodged her boot heel as he tugged her from the closet. She turned and swung at him, connecting with the side of his helmet. He smiled as she winced and shook her hand.

That had to hurt.

She looked directly at him, as if it were his fault she’d hurt her hand, before lunging into the closet again.

He was so shocked to see Laney Bradshaw’s face staring back at him, those familiar blue-green eyes flashing with anger, that he staggered back a step.

What’s she doing here? She should be in Houston.

Well, it didn’t matter. He needed her out of here, and he knew Laney. She wanted whatever was in that safe, and she’d fight for it.

He pushed back against the tendrils of fear that snaked through his gut—fear for her safety. The fastest out would be to help her get whatever she wanted.

He muscled her to the side and reached into the safe with one large, gloved hand and scooped everything into the bucket. Then he stood and pulled her to her feet.

She twisted back into the closet to grab a small box from on top of the safe.

He’d had enough.

She turned toward him. Her eyes watered as they stretched wide with panic. He could see she’d finally realized the fire was almost on them.

His gut clenched as adrenaline slammed through his system.

Here, take this. He held out the bucket and she reached for it. In one swift move, he bent and scooped her onto his shoulder. She screeched and the bucket bounced against his back, but he was already headed for the doorway. He could feel one hand dig into his coat as she clung to him, hacking as the smoke swirled around them.

Tripp hurried down the short hallway. Flames reached the front of the shop and drifted hot across the opening from the hall to the store.

He scanned the store for his partner. Watson, where are you?

Watson waved from the other side of the curtain of flame. I’m over here.

He nodded. I see ya.

Put me down, she demanded as she wiggled on his shoulder.

He ignored her. Is there another exit?

No. She fell limp as she dissolved into a fit of hacking coughs.

The fire roared through the shop. Smoke roiled across the floor. Flames raced over the ceiling above their heads. The heat he felt through his suit would sear Laney soon if he didn’t find a way out. She wouldn’t last long in this.

He spoke into his headset. Watson, I’m taking her out a window. Meet me around front.

His partner’s voice came across his headphone. Will do. Watson headed to the front door.

Tripp turned back to the office, where he set her on the wooden desktop. Pulling an axe from his belt, he swung above her head. The window shattered onto the sidewalk out front. He scraped broken glass away from the frame and pushed her toward it as he pulled himself up onto the desk.

Laney was quick as she pulled herself carefully into the window. Watson was on the other side to help her out, the bucket still clutched in her hand. Smoke swirled around her like a black demon determined to pull her back.

Tripp followed, his larger frame and bulky suit making it harder for him to push himself through the window, but he managed.

By the time he was clear of the burning building, Watson had walked Laney into the street.

The paramedics then took charge and led her to a place where she could sit.

Tripp followed, as Laney coughed and choked, insisting she was fine. Eventually she gave up and complied with everything the paramedics asked, as they strapped an oxygen mask on her. He smiled as one of the men tried to take the bucket, and she clutched it to her chest as if it were a child.

Gotta be more than money in that bucket.

Whatever had happened to Laney in the years since high school, she still had that fire he remembered from the first day they met.

His father had just started working for hers as the ranch foreman. They were both about eight years old, and the minute he stepped out of the truck, she’d walked up to him, put both hands on her hips, and said, The big red horse with the white blaze and one blue eye is mine. You can ride any horse but that one.

He’d nodded, and they were inseparable from that point forward. By the time they were teenagers, he’d developed a full-blown crush on her. But she fell in with the rich kid crowd in high school, became a cheerleader and a rodeo princess, and then dumped him for her new friends their senior year.

He’d taken her to the Senior Prom on their first real date. But when he made a bathroom run, one of her rich girlfriends, Mitzy Duncan, caught him in the hallway and backed him into a corner as she tried to kiss him.

Laney showed up to find him