Western Flame

Chapter 21

Note: Sexual scenes 

Truck tires crunching on the gravel and the flash of headlights through the window in the driveway pushed Peony and Liana to their feet. They'd been sitting in the front living room, waiting and it was now well after midnight. Keith was with them as well, quietly reading the latest edition of Practical Horseman.

"They're back," he remarked, looking up. "From the sounds of it just Jake and Tanner. Wait... Liz too. That's the crew truck that Jake took over."

"How do you know that?" Liana asked. "Just from the sound?"

He winked at her. "When you work with animals, you learn to listen. Footfalls, breathing, the world around you can tell you what's what if you do. Long habit, I guess. Also? Three doors slammed."

"Can you tell me what I ate for dinner too?" Liana teased, understanding Keith's relief that they were back. Fire on a ranch was no easy thing. All of them had been tensely silent, waiting.

"Something with garlic," Keith replied, an impish smile on his face. One that Liana recognized, it was just like his son's.

"You definitely gave Brady your sense of humour," she muttered good naturedly and turned to head to the back mudroom with Peony. Keith stood and followed.

"I'll put the kettle on.They'll need a tea for their throats," he said as they reached the kitchen. Peony was rummaging in the cupboard, and she pulled down a bottle of what looked to be scotch, and some tumblers.

"I think we'll need more than tea, Keith," Peony chided. "They'll likely stink to high heavens of burn. Get ready for that. Liana, can you get the first aid kit? It's in the front closet."

Liana strode out towards the front of the house, and found the red box along one side on a shelf. She pulled it out, and opened it, seeing burn cream, antiseptic, and bandages. Perfect. She turned at the noise of boots on the hardwood, and a very dirty Jake shouldered an equally filthy Tanner into the hallway.

"We need to get him into a steam shower," Jake rasped. "He breathed in a lot of smoke."

"Oh shit," Liana exclaimed and shoved the first aid kit into Peony's hands when she rushed up behind them. Liana took Tanner's other side and they hefted him down the hall, Peony following behind them.

"Dammit I'm fine, I just—" Tanner protested. He was leaning heavily on them despite his protests. Liana caught Jake's eye. Jake looked really worried. What the hell happened? She'd get the story later. Right now, they needed to get Tanner into the steam, and get some saline rinse ready.

"Stop," Liana hissed. "Smoke inhalation means you need to clear your lungs, you dipshit. Why the hell aren't you on oxygen and on the way to the hospital?"

"No need for a hospital," Tanner grumbled.

"Paramedics did a saline rinse after they got him breathing with some oxygen and once he was stable he said he just wanted to come home. We're supposed to do saline again tonight and tomorrow," Jake added, frowning, obviously frustrated at his brother. "I can't force him if he doesn't want to go."

"We need some tea with thyme and some mint in it. It works wonders," Liana added, glancing back at Peony. She nodded silently and turned, striding back towards the kitchen.

"How do you know all this?" Tanner muttered as they shouldered through his bedroom door.

"We had a set of kids come into Nancy and Jeremy's from a fire where they lost their parents. Got a lot of great advice from the agency on how to help them while they stayed with us," she said.