Smoking Hot Summer

By Leigh Macfarlane

A Peachland Passions novel.
An enemies to lovers romance.

Nina Fournier thought she and her childhood sweetheart, Colton Boyd, would always be together. Instead, a month before high school graduation, Nina told Colton she was pregnant -- and Colton bolted. For the last six years, Nina has been raising their daughter on her own. Even if Louisa is the best thing to ever happen to her, Colton's defection is pretty much unforgivable.
Then Colton had the nerve to go and become a freaking firefighter. And he's still smoking hot. To make matters worse, he's moved back to town. He's not a scared little boy any longer. And he wants his girls back.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leigh Macfarlane
• Release date: Apr 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005334208

Leigh Macfarlane

Leigh Macfarlane is a proud Canadian (eh!) author of both fiction and non-fiction books who is fortunate enough to live in California North -- the gorgeous Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Since Leigh already lives in one of the most beautiful places in the world, many of her novels are set locally. In Leigh's books you will be transported to orchards, vineyards, ski hills, ranches, beaches, art galleries, athletic fields and waterfront cafes.Well, maybe not ski hills. Rumour has it Leigh is afraid to drive in the snow.Where heroes are concerned, I love me a cowboy, or a guy who can fix a car, a fearless protector type, or a studious professor with a sharp mind, the soft touch daddy, or a hard-body with a soft-heart. Sometimes I love me a bad boy, but I'm working on it. Just as long as he is good to his woman and cares about the world around him, I'm in.My heroines might be clutzy, or chubby, still figuring life out, or they might just have swollen bank accounts and be living the high life. Either way, my ladies are real women who appreciate life, laughter, beauty, family, puppies, chocolate, and especially the love of a strong man.When not writing, Leigh is mom to four wonderful, not so small, humans, one yap-monster dog, a gorgeous but aging cat and a fish whose quality of life appears to be declining. Once, Leigh fell off a horse, wrapped the back of her knee around a telephone pole, had horse liniment applied to her injury, and was proclaimed part horse by the race horse trainer who had fixed her up. To date, this claim has not been proven false.

Book preview

The water was cool against the August sun rays blazing on Nina’s skin. Stepping into the dancing blue shallows of Okanagan Lake was a welcome relief -- even if it was Cassidy, not her, who had a true, full-out love affair with being a beach baby. 

Nina liked taking advantage of living in the Okanagan -- who wouldn’t -- but she was never going to be that person who spent all her time at the beach. In and out. That was how Nina preferred to dip into the lake. And right now, she was going in. 

The sun was turning the silky hair on top of her head into a scorching inferno, and that meant it was time to dunk. Standing knee-deep in the water, Nina glanced over her shoulder to where her daughter, Louisa, sat digging a trench between the waterline and the sandcastle she and her Auntie Cass had built together. Cassidy had retreated a few feet to join Ian, her cop fiancé, on the beach blanket they had spread out on the rocky beach at Swim Bay. 

You guys coming in? Nina called, but before the words even left her lips, she knew the answer. Cass was the consummate beach baby, but she was currently leaning her body into the solid bulk of Ian’s naked chest. The two of them were being respectful -- more Ian’s influence than Cass’s, Nina would bet -- but it was clear their minds were on something other than swimming.

Later, Cass called, then readjusted her position so that she lay on her stomach. Her perky, bikini clad boobs turned into round mounds pressed into the beach blanket, and her perky, barely covered butt peeked up so that Ian’s hand rested halfway on Cassidy’s lower back, halfway on her ass. 

Geez, they were cute together. 

A flare of something which felt a lot like jealousy pinged inside Nina, here then gone in an instant. It was a jealousy not aimed at Ian, but rather at the love the two had found together. Ian was a great guy -- for Cass. Watching them together, though, made Nina painfully aware that it had been a long time since a guy had reached out to pat her butt on a beach.

Nina figured the whiff of jealousy didn’t make her a bad person. She could be happy for her friends and also want to find love of her own. Still, it was pretty clear Cass wasn’t joining her for this particular swim.

What about you, Lou? Want to come swim with mommy?

Lou answered with action. She plunged her plastic shovel into the wet sand she’d been diggin so that the toy impaled the ground, then shivered back and forth like some Arthurian sword. The six-year-old was running almost before she was standing, her arms windmilling in an effort to keep her balance as she plunged into the lake beside her mother. 

Watch our castle, Uncle Ian!

 Lou yelled the words as she ran, making Ian grin in appreciation. It seemed unlikely that he’d need his badge or his gun for this one, but he’d watch over Louisa’s keep all the same. 

You Dragonslayer, you, Cassidy said, dimpling up as she watched Louisa’s wild charge. 

I’d slay your dragons any day, milady, Ian said, and Nina rolled her eyes.

Eww. The sun has clearly gone to your heads, she said. 

Neither of them denied it for a moment. At the sound of Cassidy’s laughter, Nina shook her head, then turned her back on her friends and started jogging out to catch up with her daughter. 

After her pell-mell sprint, Louisa had come to a shuddering stop where the water met her armpits. That, she knew, was as far as she was allowed to go without adult supervision. She’d been swimming since she was four years old, but her mom still thought she was a baby. Still called her one, too.

Ready to swim, baby girl?

I’m not a baby, mom, Lou complained. 

She squinted over at her mother. Nina was standing waist deep beside her, and she was probably the prettiest mom at the beach. Even if she hadn’t already known it, Louisa had heard the other moms from kindergarten say so. In her fancy two-piece swimsuit with the ruffles, her mom looked extra nice. Still, that didn’t mean it was okay for her to treat her like a little kid. 

The sulky pout on Louisa’s face had Nina grinning. 

You’ll always be my baby, Louisa, she informed the girl. When her daughter’s forehead puckered, it made her laugh. In a flash, she sliced her palm across the surface of the water and sent a steam arcing into Louisa’s face. The child shrieked, and it was game on.

 Mother and daughter each gave as good as they got in the game of water fighting. If Lou was shrieking with laughter, Nina had to admit, she had given a pretty solid yelp when her daughter sent the first splash all over her heated skin.

She was laughing, too, and it came from the heart. There might not be a guy in her life but come on! She had Lou. What else did she really need?

They were both sputtering now. Water had soaked the navy ruffles of Nina’s tankini and had dripped down its cleavage-baring V. The two-inch gap where the top of her suit rose above the bottoms was just enough for Nina’s exposed belly to be shivering. If she was going to make that stop, she either had to come out and warm up in the sun, or she had to go in deeper. One look at the smile on Lousia’s face, and Nina knew which it was going to be -- in. 

Lou lifted her arms to send one more splash her way, and Nina evaded it in the most natural way possible -- she dove under the surface of the water. When she surfaced, she lifted her face sleekly to the sun, plastered her hair back, and wiped the streams of water from her face. With a single kick and an encouraging smile, she flipped onto her back and gestured at Louisa.

Race you to the dock, baby.

"Mom," Lou complained, but Nina had already turned over and angled in the direction of the floating dock where a pair of nine-year-old boys took turns doing cannonballs into the lake. Snapping her mouth shut, Lou put her effort into showing her mom she wasn’t a baby. She swam for all she was worth.

 Even with the head start Nina had, Lou caught up just before her mom reached the dock. It never occurred to her that her mom had chosen her own pace to guarantee as much. She simply celebrated the way only a six-year-old could when her palm smacked down on the wooden edge of the dock first. With a whoop of victory, Louisa’s smile exploded.

I won! She turned back to the shore and screamed at the top of her voice. I won, Uncle Ian!

Nina turned from her widely grinning daughter to glance back up the beach at her friend. As she watched, Ian stood, lifted his hands in the air, and did a little victory dance for Louisa’s benefit. It made Nina laugh, which made her choke on a mouthful of water. Sputtering, she pushed through the lake with powerful strokes that let her grab the edge of the dock beside Louisa. 

She glanced over her shoulder again to see Ian still wiggling. It was hard, at the moment, to picture the man with a gun and a badge. Not hard, though, to understand why her child had chosen Cassidy’s finance -- Louisa’s ‘uncle’ Ian -- for her first full-blown crush.

You ready to stop bragging and climb up? Nina teased with an indulgent smile.

I bet I can jump farther than you, too, mom.

Oh yeah? Prove it, chicka. Get up the ladder, kid.

With a shriek of laughter and wildly splashing arms which were meant to imitate the front crawl, Louisa navigated through the water over to the side of the dock where a metal ladder waited for them to climb up onto the flat surface of the dock. Hoisting Lou up by the waist, Nina’s chin slipped under the surface of the water a moment. Then she followed her child’s spandex-clad butt up the slippery metal steps of the ladder. 

He needed the water like it was oxygen. Running around in the heat of an Okanagan summer wearing sixty pounds of firefighting gear wasn’t for wimps. It might possibly say something about his mental health, Colton thought with his crooked grin lifting one side of his mouth, because he still got off on his job, anyway. 

Not every guy could say the thought of going to work made their heart sing, but he could. Days like today, though… brutal. It felt like he’d sweated off ten pounds. He wanted a quick swim in the lake, then he was heading home to throw a steak on the barbeque, pop open the cap on a Molson, and see if there was a baseball game worth watching on the tube.

His mouth was watering just thinking about it. So, Colton wasted no time stripping his shirt over his head and tossing it down on the grassy bank just to the north of Swim Bay. He wasn’t one for the beach -- that was for the tourists and the families with children. Mostly, he avoided both. Today, though, it seemed the heat had brought everyone out. The town was packed. Colton had taken the first parking spot he had found and backed his truck in.

So today he was beach adjacent -- more so than normal. For now, he left his wallet in the glove compartment, stuck the key in the metallic holder under the back bumper then headed for the shoreline, not remotely worried by his lack of a towel. 

He was in the water the second he kicked his feet out of his shoes. And holy hell, yes! His entire body was quivering with gratitude within seconds.

He was a solid hundred yards out and vibing with the refreshing cool of the waves when he saw them. His vision zoomed onto the little girl -- Louisa -- first, and then her mother. It was inconvenient, really, since the pain that sliced through his chest and lodged in his left shoulder felt an awful lot like a heart attack -- he imagined -- and he was way out in the lake, nowhere near the shore.  

Colton flipped over on his back and floated, but his eyes stayed focused on the pair on the dock. They had it to themselves for the moment, and as he watched, Louisa wrapped her arms around Nina’s waist. Next thing he knew, he heard the sound of a shriek, and the child -- his daughter -- started wrestling against the taller and stronger woman at her side. A moment later Nina toppled with a large splash into the lake, and the pressure in Colton’s chest eased. Without even realizing he was going to, he slowly began swimming nearer.

From the angle he was approaching the dock, Colton could no longer see Nina. Probably, that meant she couldn’t see him either. He figured that was the only reason she hadn’t fled to safer waters. He could still hear her, though, and that was painful enough. The only thing more excruciating, Colton figured, was once again living in the same town as the woman -- and knowing he was unwelcome in her life.

Come on, Lou, jump.

Un nuh.

Louisa Joy, you got this. Get your tush in the water.

It’s too deep, momma. I’m not ready.

Then go down the ladder, Lou. I’m freezing out here.

Ladders are for babies, his daughter said, making Colton grin. Although, he noted, she still didn’t jump off the side of the dock. 

Colton was close enough that he could hear their conversation clearly, and Louisa’s fear pinged his heart. He’d learned to swim here at Swim Beach -- all the local Peachland kids did -- and he could still vividly remember the fear he’d felt as a boy when it came to jumping off this very dock and into the darkness below. 

Jumping into swimming pools never fazed him. He could see all the way to the bottom and tell what was underneath him in a pool. There had just been something about jumping into the inky darkness of the lake water that at Louisa’s age had scared the bejeezus right out of him. 

When he’d let himself wonder about this girl, asked himself in which ways she might be like him, this was hardly what he’d imagined. Still...  It touched him. 

Colton placed his palms flat on the sides of the dock. His muscles contracted and he hauled himself effortlessly up out of the water and onto the surface of the dock. The motion rocked the planks, dipping the wood under his weight so that the end of the dock Louisa stood on tipped upwards slightly. She didn’t make a sound, just stretched her little arms out to balance herself against the rocking of the waves, so Colton didn’t speak, either. He simply stood on his own side of the dock, water running down his muscular body in streaming rivers that made puddles around his bare feet.

Now Nina could see him. Colton knew, because her eyes had gone wide and seemed to be locked on his pecs. He didn’t mean to flex them, it just sort of happened involuntarily when he noticed her scrutinizing them with an expression that made him think of a hungry lioness. With Nina, the description was all too apt -- she was far more likely to eat the heart from his chest than she was to cuddle up and purr at his side. 

These days, anyway. 

He’d filled out since their days together. He’d been a scrawny teenage boy in those days -- in more ways than one, it turned out. Despite the distance between them these days, Nina still liked the way he looked, Colton knew. They’d proved that the year he’d first moved back to town. 

She’d been drunk when they’d run into each other at the club. He hadn’t realized just how drunk until they’d woken up together the next morning, and she had no memory of the night before. 

He remembered. Every devouring, burning detail. Maybe it took booze to get Nina to forget that she hated him. But, she’d forgotten firmly enough that he knew that whatever her mind thought of him, her body still liked him just fine. 

Good to see you haven’t stopped bullying people into jumping off this dock, Nina.

The eyes which had been roving over his six-pack jerked up to lock with his gaze. Hers flashed and sparked. His showed nothing but calm amusement. 

"It’s a surprise to see you at all, Boyd."

And not a pleasant one, her tone said. The grin which spanned his cheeks was as involuntary as flexing had been earlier.

You saying you missed me?

It was just a quick comeback. He hadn’t meant anything by it. Still, Colton regretted the words the moment they left his lips. Or rather, he regretted them the instant the look of unguarded pain flashed in Nina’s beautiful cat-shaped eyes. The look was gone in a second, but it made him feel every bit the asshole he was. He’d been the one to put that look in her eyes. Not just with his words, either. And he knew it.

Come on, Lou, Nina said. Her eyes had dismissed him, settling with some urgency onto her daughter. But Lou ignored her mother, and turned instead, to look up at the man standing on the dock, the man who had put the tense tone into her mom’s voice.

Hello, she said, My name’s Louisa.

Colton nodded.

I know. It’s a good name. I like it.

Lou gave him a curious look, like she’d never given that a second thought. A name was just a name, and Louisa was hers. 

What’s your name?

He took a few steps closer, so that he was standing in the middle of the dock instead of at the back edge. It didn’t appear to bother Louisa at all that he had moved nearer. She was a confident kid, if you didn’t count the jumping into the lake thing.

I’m Colton, he said. Did you know your mom and I learned to swim together? Right here. She used to always try to get me to jump in off this dock, too.

Really? Were you scared?

Well, Colton said, The water’s really dark.

Yeah, Louisa said, nodding quickly. I mean, I’m not scared, though. I’m just taking my time.

I get that. He gave her a little smile and walked over some more until he was standing on her side of the edge beside her. I’m gonna jump in, though. Do you mind?

She wagged her head so fast Colton was amazed she didn’t get dizzy enough to fall in.

I don’t mind. Or, she craned her neck sideways in a gesture that Colton recognized instantly as the one he made when he was thinking through a problem, I guess we could jump together.

At the same time?

She nodded, and her eyes beamed up at him in a way that made his heart quiver.

I like that plan, he said. 

Holding out his palm, he offered her his hand, then held his breath and watched her decide whether or not to take it. She did. Her little fingers clamped around the side of his hand in a life grip that showed just how scared she truly was up here.

Ready? Colton asked.

Louisa squinted her eyes shut tight and nodded. In response, Colton closed his hand around her smaller one.

You jump, I jump, he said. One, two…

He never got to three. Louisa took a huge, blind faith leap, and her momentum tugged him forward so that he jumped, too. He released her hand as the water dragged him under, then surfaced beside his splashed and spluttering ex.

Three, he said, and when Louisa giggled and grinned at him, he smiled back. 

Did you see me jump, mom? Louisa demanded.

You were amazing, Lou, she said with a smile for her child, So brave.

What about me? Colton said. I was brave, too.

The look Nina gave him told him he’d been brave indeed -- to even exist in her presence. Her smile withered into the flat, angry look she reserved for only him. The expression didn’t change until she lifted her eyes from his and directed her attention back at Louisa.

Come on, Lou, she said, We need to get back. Cassidy and Ian are going to think we drowned.

Louisa didn’t argue, she just started paddling her way after Nina. Stopping, she turned slightly in the water. 

Thanks, Colton, she said.

It was my pleasure, Louisa.

Treading water, he watched them swim off and felt an emptiness leaching the pleasure of the swim from his body. Time to go. Still, he waited, watching. Nina was halfway back to shore when something broke inside him, and he plowed his arms into several quick, ground-eating strokes of front crawl. He cut the distance between them in half before he called out.

Hey, Nina, he called, Is your number still the same?

Her stokes faltered, and she twisted in the water so quickly that a little whirlpool formed around her body.

Why?

The harsh, demanding suspicion in her tone only made his voice calmer, more reasoned.

I’m going to call you later.

Why? She asked again, and this time placed a pained emphasis on the word.

Don’t you think it’s time? Colton asked. He spoke so softly, and yet his words arrowed straight to her heart. The gorgeous brown eyes of the bravest person he knew, the only woman he’d ever loved, locked with his as she tread water a few feet away. 

And in her eyes the moment before she turned to swim after their daughter, Colton saw a look that could only be described as stark, visceral terror.

Chapter Two

The aerial attack pretty much had the worst of the blaze extinguished. It had been touch and go for the first two days, though, with some whispering that the conditions mirrored those which had the Okanagan Mountain Fire taking off and burning out of control in 2003. 

Wind conditions weren’t making fighting the fire any easier, and so both Osprey Lake Resort and Bankier Resort at Three Lakes had been evacuated as a precaution. Reinforcements from departments across the Southern Okanagan had been called in to help fight. Colton was the newest firefighter on the force in Peachland. He was the one they sent.

It wasn’t that he minded. BC’s forests were every resident’s resource. It didn’t matter to Colton what town he fought to save. Especially when a fire, like this one, was believed to have been caused by a carelessly tossed cigarette. 

It was just bad timing. This fire was keeping him from Nina. From Louisa. And he’d already stayed away long enough.

While the fire was hot, he kept his mind clear of everything except the work. Fighting flames required pure focus. If you let your mind get crowded with distractions even for a moment, you took the very real risk of injury.

Right now, though, they were mopping up hot spots to make sure the fire didn’t whip itself back up again. Thoughts of Nina and Louisa kept creeping into his mind. For the first time that he could remember,