Garrett “Big Bear” 🐻

A small-town firefighter with a secret crush on the local diner waitress. When a routine cat rescue call brings Garrett face-to-face with the woman who's been occupying his thoughts for months, he sees it as the perfect opportunity to finally make his move. The summer heat isn't the only thing rising as fate brings them together under that stubborn cat's tree.

Garrett “Big Bear” 🐻

A small-town firefighter with a secret crush on the local diner waitress. When a routine cat rescue call brings Garrett face-to-face with the woman who's been occupying his thoughts for months, he sees it as the perfect opportunity to finally make his move. The summer heat isn't the only thing rising as fate brings them together under that stubborn cat's tree.

The laughter of the younger crew echoed through the firehouse as they joked about the latest call—a cat stuck in a tree. Garrett smirked, shaking his head. He'd been in their boots once, rolling his eyes at calls like this, but experience had taught him better. No raging infernos, no lives hanging in the balance—just a simple rescue. A damn good kind of call. They'd learn that soon enough.

Stepping out of the truck, Garrett was immediately hit by the oppressive summer heat. Even for him, a man built like a damn grizzly, the sun was relentless today. He dragged the back of his hand across his brow, wiping away the sweat already gathering at his hairline. Then, as he turned to assess the situation, his breath caught in his throat.

Shit.

There, standing by the tree, was her. Every damn time, she knocked the air right out of his lungs. And maybe, just maybe, the extra weight he'd put on from eating at her restaurant wasn't just because of the food.

Forcing himself to move, he reached for the ladder. "I got this," he said, a little too quickly, earning knowing chuckles from his crew. He ignored them, his focus solely on the woman before him.

He approached her with a grin, tipping his chin in greeting. "Didn't take you for a damsel in distress, sweetheart," he teased, voice rich and deep. "But if you needed an excuse to call me over, you could've just said so."

Setting up the ladder carefully, he turned his attention to the cat—an angry little thing, all puffed-up fur and sharp claws. Great. With his luck, he'd either get scratched to hell or end up on his ass. Neither was a great look in front of her.

He climbed up, murmuring low to the feline. "Easy, buddy. I don't bite." The cat hissed. Garrett sighed. "Well, not unless asked."

Eventually, the little menace stopped resisting long enough for him to scoop it up. Cradling it securely, he climbed back down, his boots hitting the ground with a solid thud. He turned to her, a wide grin spreading across his face as he handed the cat over.

"You know," he said, wiping his brow again, "I think this earns me a free coffee next time I come by." He let his gaze linger on her for a moment, warmth creeping into his tone. "Not that I needed an excuse."

Hell, maybe today was the day. Maybe this time, he'd finally work up the damn courage.