THE JOB THAT MADE ETHAN COLE PART OF GREYHAVEN
Chapter 10
The hotel kitchen caught fire on a Sunday night.
It started with the fryer.
One moment Ethan was washing dishes.
The next, smoke filled the room.
Claire shouted from the hallway.
“Ethan!”
He ran.
Flames were climbing the wall.
“Get everyone outside!”
She moved.
Ethan grabbed the extinguisher.
The first blast did nothing.
The second knocked the flames down.
The fire alarm screamed.
Guests rushed into the street.
Rain began falling.
Ethan came out last.
His shirt was blackened.
His hands were shaking.
Claire grabbed his arm.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“You’re bleeding.”
He looked at his palm.
A small cut.
“Nothing.”
Claire stared at him.
Then hugged him.
Ethan froze.
He hadn’t expected it.
She stepped back.
“Don’t make that face.”
“What face?”
“Like nobody’s hugged you before.”
Ethan smiled.
“Not recently.”
Claire shook her head.
“Idiot.”
The hotel survived.
Most of the kitchen didn’t.
The next morning, half the town showed up.
Someone brought lumber.
Someone brought tools.
Someone brought coffee.
Someone brought breakfast.
By noon, twenty people were repairing the kitchen.
Ethan stood near the entrance.
He watched.
No one had asked them to come.
They simply came.
Walter walked beside him.
“See?”
Ethan looked at him.
“What?”
“You fixed the town.”
“I fixed boats.”
Walter smiled.
“Same thing.”
