Impulsion: A Station 32 Fire Men Novel by Jamie Magee Read Free Book Online Page A

any trainers unless she approves them.”
    “When is she supposed to do that?”
    “Most, she knows by reputation. She wants to meet the two your mother has found, watch how they work. We’re still working out the dates.”
    “I don’t want anyone to hurt him, Daddy.”
    The thing about Wyatt riding Danny Boy was that he had patience, he never rushed. He saw horses as living souls. That was what Harley’s horse responded to, what Harley responded to.
    Her father laughed. “Harley, I seriously doubt there is an offer I could put before Camille that would persuade her to let Wyatt move to New York and work with your horse and your horse alone.”
    There was an offer, at least one that Wyatt would take, and that was Harley—but she kept that to herself.
    “They’re the best, Dad.”
    “Harley, we’ll take our time with this. You just need to think forward.”
    “All right,” she breathed.
    “I’ll let you go so you can have your dinner. I plan to be there in a few weeks. I have a heavy schedule, but I told them to find me at least three days. I’ll let you know as soon as I know.”
    That made Harley smile and nervous at the same time. Her father was the only ray of light she had outside of Willowhaven. He was older, and she knew her time with him would not be as long as she wanted, but at the same time she knew he was sharp, that sooner or later on one of these visits he would figure out all of Harley’s secrets.
    By the time she put on a simple summer dress and sandals and made her way downstairs, the house was quiet, still. Everyone was outside. Honestly, the Dorans never came inside unless they had to. Every one of them thrived outdoors.
    Harley lingered by the back door, staring out. In the distance, she saw a massive fire in the field, a silhouette before it . It wasn’t Wyatt, but Easton. She imagined that most would not be able to tell the difference, but she had studied everything there was to know about Wyatt, even something as simple as the way he leaned or held his head. Easton was still as a ghost, seemed to be entranced, lost in some way.
    “You’re not afraid of fire, now are ya?” Beckett, Wyatt’s father, said. He was on his way out with a dish full of marinated meat.
    “Is he all right?” she asked before she assumed that question made no sense. Around this farm, you never asked if the boys were all right. Even if they weren’t all right, they were told to man up.
    “Easton?” Beckett said as he shifted the dish he was holding. “The fire is in his blood.”
    Harley looked up curiously. She’d spent the least amount of time around Beckett, so all in all she was still trying to read him.
    “His father was the best fireman that ever walked this Earth. Hell, the night he died, he saved an entire family before he did so.”
    Harley felt a little sick to her stomach. She was terrified of the day she would lose her father, for more reasons than she could count. It was hard for her to imagine Easton without one as young as they all were.
    “He’s not out there crying or anything,” Beckett said with a raspy laugh. “He’s studying it. One day, no doubt, he’ll follow his father’s footsteps, both of them will . Probably Truman, too, if I’m reading that boy right.”
    Beckett said that right as Wyatt pulled up on his four-wheeler with more wood, with Memphis right behind him. Truman was approaching the fire from the other direction. They all seemed to look at it the same way. Even though their backs were to Harley, she could sense the respect from where she stood. Brotherhood.
    “Wyatt wants to be a fireman?” she asked, not meaning to say it aloud.
    “Oh, no doubt. What?” he asked when he saw her shocked expression. “You didn’t think he was going to grow up and be some banker, now did ya?” Beckett said with a laugh. He teased her more than anyone for coming from the background she came from . It was all in good humor, but sometimes Harley took it to heart.
    “I