Kirby stared at me for a long time. “I’m so sorry.” Once the shock wore off, her expression twisted into revulsion. “I’m sorry. I really am. But he was willing to forgo a family for you, and you won’t even entertain the idea of a family for him?” she asked. “You think you’re saving him or whatever, but you’re covering your own ass. You’re scared.”

“Kirby!” Phaedra said. “Enough!”

Kirby hopped off the stool, looking for something to clean. She turned up the volume on the small overhead television in the corner. Looking up at it, she crossed her arms.

“Falyn?” Kirby said, watching the screen.

“Leave her be, Kirby,” Chuck said.

“Falyn?” Kirby said again, scrambling for the remote and turning the volume to the maximum level.

The rest of us watched in horror as a female reporter stood in front of tall grass and burning trees not two hundred yards behind her while the words ALPINE HOTSHOT CREW FEARED MISSING scrolled across the bottom of the screen.

“That’s correct, Phil. The Estes Park crew who have traveled to the Colorado Springs area to help control this fire have not returned or reported in, and officials have listed them as missing.”

I rushed to the television, standing next to Kirby. In the same moment, everything I swore to forget came back to me—the way his skin felt against mine, the dimple that sunk into his chin, his laugh, the security I felt in his arms, and the sadness in his eyes when I’d walked away from him in the hotel.

“Cassandra, do officials have an idea where the crew is?” the anchorman asked.

“The last reported communication with the Estes Park crew was at six o’clock this evening, right about the time the two main fires converged.”

I grabbed my keys before sprinting out to my car. The moment my seat belt clicked, I twisted the key in the ignition and stomped on the gas.

Less than ten minutes later, Taylor’s hotel came into view. I parked and ran inside, immediately seeing Ellison standing with a crowd of firefighters and hotshot crew members from the entire state. She was watching the large flat screen with her mouth covered.

“Ellie!” I called.

She ran to hug me, nearly knocking me over. She squeezed me tight, sniffling.

“I just heard. Any news?” I asked, trying not to panic.

She released me and shook her head, wiping her nose with a tissue she had tucked in her palm. “Nothing. We arrived just after seven. Tyler drove like a maniac. He’s out there with the crews, looking for them.”

I hugged her. “I know they’re okay.”

“Because they have to be.” She held me at bay, forcing a brave smile. “I heard about the baby. First Maddox grandbaby. Jim’s ecstatic.”

My face fell.

“Oh God. Oh, no. Did you … are you not pregnant anymore?”