Laughing.
Actual, genuine, stupidly attractive laughing.
“This is emotional manipulation,” I said.
“She just likes attention,” he replied, scratching behind her ear.
“She likes you.”
Esmerelda leaned harder into him, confirming my point.
I folded my arms. “You owe me an explanation.”
“For what?”
“Your nickname. Donkey. You said you’d tell me at our next meeting.”
Realization flickered across his face, followed by something warm and sheepish. “Oh. Right.”
Esmerelda all but sparkled with pride, like she knew the story was about her.
“There was a barn fire two years ago when lightning hit the McKinnon place.”
My irritation wavered.
“Everyone got out,” he continued. “Except her.” He patted Esmerelda’s shoulder. “The stall door jammed. She was screaming.”
My breath caught.
“I went in and carried her out.”
I blinked at him. “You carried a donkey out of a burning building.”
“She’s lighter than she looks.”
Esmerelda snorted, as if offended.
“The guys at the station thought it was hilarious,” he added. “Said I was stubborn as a mule and now officially donkey-adjacent. Name stuck.”
I stared at him, the ground shifting a little under the foundation of ten-year-old resentment I’d been standing on.
As if summoned by the sudden quiet, Esmerelda clip-clopped over to investigate me. She nudged my boot with her soft nose, then looked up with dark, impossibly sweet eyes.
“Oh no,” I whispered. “Don’t you dare.”
She nudged again, more insistent this time.
My hand moved without permission, settling between her ears. Her fur was unbelievably soft, like someone had crossed a teddy bear with a cloud. She leaned into the touch, eyes half-closing in bliss.
“This is cheating,” I muttered, but my fingers kept stroking.
Powell saved a donkey from a burning building. A donkey. Not a person—which would’ve been heroic but expected for a firefighter. A donkey. Because she was scared and trapped, and he couldn’t leave her.
Esmerelda pushed her head against my palm, demanding more attention.
“You’re biased,” I told her. “Of course you think he’s wonderful.”
She made a soft huffing sound, like she was laughing at me.
