CHAPTER 7 - HELLO CAPTAIN FIRE HAZARD

Friday, Dec 15, 2023, 8:00 AM Australian Time - (4:00 PM and Previous Day in Boston)

Feeling more rested, Elizabeth woke up ready to see Mistletoe Cay with her family. Jumping out of bed, she brushed her teeth and headed downstairs, where Julie, Scott, and Lili were already eating breakfast.

"G'day, Lizzie! You certainly look more awake." Scott greeted. Elizabeth smiled and leaned over to give him an affectionate hug.

"I don't remember coming home or much after dessert and vaguely recall Mark carrying me to the car. Needless to say, I am grateful that I did not wake up with a mustache this morning."

Julie laughed. "You didn't even make a sound when I put you in your pajamas. You were dead to the world. As for the mustache, you threatened Mark with being arrested if he did. I'm actually surprised to see you up this early."

"I feel much better," Elizabeth chuckled. "I hate that I fell asleep and didn't get to visit much with everyone." As she thought more about the previous night, she became embarrassed. "I think I fell asleep as Nathan tried to talk to me."

"He's the one who came to let us know you had fallen asleep," Scott said.

"Oh, what he must think of me," Elizabeth mumbled, unaware that she had said it aloud as she headed to her sister to hug her.

Julie stood up with arms out, and Elizabeth walked into them. They held the embrace for a bit, just enjoying being together. "I missed you so much, Julie," Elizabeth said as unshed tears began to form.

"Me too, Elizabeth," Julie replied, giving her one last squeeze before stepping back. Julie motioned toward the counter, and they giggled as they wiped tears from their eyes. "Grab some coffee, and there's some toast or bagels if you prefer."

"The vegemite is there next to the toaster if you want some," Scott teased, laughing as she shuddered.

"I'll pass," Elizabeth chuckled as she poured a cup of coffee and sat beside Lili. "So, what's on the schedule for today."

"We are going touring Aunt Lizzie," Lili exclaimed excitedly.

"We are? What are we going to see?"

"The big Christmas tree, the beach, the stage, the lights and a show and koalas, and the Christmas market and surfing Santa contest that Daddy and Uncle Nathan are in and the park, and practice…" Lili said, not even pausing to take a breath.

"Wow, that's quite a bit for one day." Elizabeth chuckled. "Can we get it all done in one day, do you think, Lili Pad?"

While Lili nodded, Julie laughed and said, "No, we will have to spread it out over several fun-filled days. But our day will be packed regardless. We are meeting Colleen and Emma, the music director for the High School, at 11:00 to practice the surprise with the kids. While we do that, Scott will take Lili to Aunt Agatha's for a play date with Allie. Moira is going to help Aunt Agatha with Christmas baking. After Scott returns, we will go into town and have lunch with Mark at the Reef Retreat before I give you the grand tour. Then, later tonight, we are all meeting for an early dinner before the concert."

"Exactly who is included when you say all? Are you referring to perhaps those who attended last night?"

Scott laughed, and after giving her a sweet kiss on his wife's lips, he picked up his daughter and headed upstairs. "Give it up, Red; Lizzie is on to you."

"Well, yes, Nathan will be there, and the rest of our friends will be too," Julie said with a shrug.

Rather than comment, Elizabeth looked at the time and realized she was due to talk to Rosemary on Zoom. "What time must I be ready, and what do I need? I promised to call Rosemary this morning."

"We will leave at 10:30 am."

Elizabeth sat in front of her laptop, the screen displaying Rosemary's eager face, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. The guest room at Julie's was now a backdrop for this impromptu virtual gathering, the recent spider scare already on its way to becoming a humorous anecdote.

"So, did you have any excitement on your first full day? Meeting anyone interesting?"

"Yes," Elizabeth interjected, rolling her eyes playfully. "I had quite the encounter with Mr. Fluffy in my bedroom."

Rosemary's eyes widened. "Mr. Fluffy? In your room?"

"Oh yes. Shortly after, I arrived."

"Oh my, Elizabeth, you barely arrived in Australia and are already meeting dashing strangers?" Rosemary's voice was a mix of teasing and genuine excitement. "What is he like? Is he handsome? Is Fluffy his real name or perhaps a stage name? Is he in adult entertainment?" Elizabeth laughed when she lowered her voice as she said the last two words.

"He is quite the character, let me tell you, and left quite an impression on me, I must say. I still get chills thinking of him." Elizabeth said, trying not to laugh as the excitement in her friend's eyes grew.

"Are you planning to see him again? I'm assuming he must be a friend of Scott's then if he was in your room." Rosemary said.

"I hope not," Elizabeth said. Seeing Rosemary open her mouth to begin a lecture, she came clean because her friend could go on at length on any topic. "I'm teasing. I had an encounter with a humongous spider."

Rosemary just rolled her eyes and huffed, "Elizabeth Thatcher, that was mean."

"I apologize, Rosemary,"

"As you should." Rosemary retorted with a nod. "Wait then, who is Mr. Fluffy?"

Julie appeared beside Elizabeth; her face lit up with glee. "Mr. Fluffy is our resident Huntsman spider. We call them that for Lili's sake."

Elizabeth turned to look at her sister, bringing her legs up from the floor. "What do you mean by 'resident' Huntsman Spider?"

Julie shrugged, "They like to come indoors, especially in the warmer months and when it rains."

"So, what happened with the spider?" Rosemary asked impatiently, sensing by Julie's reaction that there was more.

Elizabeth chuckled, feeling the heat creep up her cheeks. "Oh, Rosemary, if only you'd seen it. I was trying to charge my phone when—"

"She screamed like she'd seen a ghost and climbed Nathan like a tree," Julie exclaimed, clapping her hands with delight," Then, unable to contain her enthusiasm any longer, she added, "But let's talk about Nathan."

Rosemary lit up. "This would be the Nathan she climbed like a tree?"

"Yes. He is just a friend of Scott's, and I wouldn't say I climbed…." Elizabeth began before being cut off by her sister.

"Oh, Lizzie, Nathan is not just some guy." Julie corrected before turning her attention to Rosemary.

"He's the most sought-after bachelor in town. Tall, dark, and definitely handsome. He's got this charm, you know? Like, he walks in the room, and it's like the sun decides to shine brighter."

Rosemary leaned closer to her screen, her interest piqued. "Oh, do tell more about this, Nathan. What does he do?"

"He's a firefighter," Julie said with a conspiratorial grin. "And not just any firefighter. Captain Nathan Grant was chosen to be Mr. February on the local fire department's calendar. The ladies all say he is so good-looking he's practically a fire hazard."

"OOOOH! Captain Fire Hazard!" Rosemary exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "That's what we'll call him. Oh, Elizabeth, you've landed in the middle of a romance novel."

Julie and Rosemary were avid readers of all romance genres, from historical to modern, and all the tropes. When it came to seeing romance everywhere, even in the littlest things, they were a perfect match.

"I wouldn't say that. I was being saved from a humongous spider. I wouldn't call that romantic." Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head, trying to tamp down their enthusiasm but to no avail.

Julie laughed heartily, completely ignoring Elizabeth. "You should've seen it, Rosemary. Nathan was there, all calm and collected, while Elizabeth was clinging to him for dear life. Like Rose clung to that door. And then, he smiled like he was genuinely enjoying the moment. Scott even said he was reluctant to let her go and had to remind him that he could put her down."

"How would you know you weren't there?" Elizabeth said, shaking her head.

"Well, Scott, who was there, told me right after, and then I also saw the video, remember?" Julie said, smirking.

Elizabeth groaned. 'How could she forget that there was a video?'

"We all watched while you were outside," Julie added smugly.

"A video?" Rosemary exclaimed, practically bouncing in her seat. "And what happened after? Did he ask you out? Please tell me he asked you out."

Elizabeth's smile was shy but unmistakable. "Well, after Scott took the spider away, I told Nathan I owed him for the heroic rescue. So, he asked if he could take me out for coffee sometime as a thank you for... well, for saving me from my own panic."

Julie and Rosemary gasped, their excitement ratcheting up higher.

"Coffee? That's the modern equivalent of a duel for a lady's hand, isn't it, Julie?" Rosemary mused, her romanticism in full swing. "And with a man like Captain Fire Hazard, I bet it's not just any coffee shop he's taking you to."

Julie nodded enthusiastically. "He's got this way about him. Every girl in town has tried to catch his eye, but I think you, dear sister, might just be the one to do it without even trying."

Elizabeth's blush deepened. "Oh, stop it, you two. It was just a moment of panic. "I'm sure it was just a friendly gesture on his part. You two are making a mountain out of a molehill. If anything, he seemed amused by what happened, just like with the Vegemite tasting."

"Amused by your charm, no doubt," Rosemary quipped. "And let's not forget, he is Mr. February. That means he's used to posing in... less than-full attire. Which means—"

"Nothing, Rosemary!" Elizabeth interrupted, laughing. "You're incorrigible, and I don't even want to know where you were going with that thought. I agreed to go for coffee with the proviso that no spiders are allowed. He said he knew of a place, and that's it."

Julie said, "I bet I know exactly where he will take you. It's this quaint little café near the beach called Surf's Up. No spiders guaranteed, just the sound of waves."

Rosemary sighed dreamily. "I can see it now. You two, sipping coffee, watching the sunset, discussing the finer points of spider identification..." The laughter from the three women filled the room.

"I think you guys are setting yourselves up for disappointment." Elizabeth teased.

"Alright, alright," Rosemary said, waving her hands as if trying to settle the laughter. "But back to this calendar …. Nathan is Mr. February, you say Julie? Tell me, was it one of those calendars where they're all in uniform, or did he take the liberty to... you know, show a bit more?"

Julie snickered, nudging Elizabeth. "Oh, it's definitely the latter. Nathan was in nothing but suspenders, turnout gear pants, and his hat.

Rosemary leaned forward, her face almost touching the screen. "Oh, I want details. Was there water involved? Maybe a hose? Please tell me there was a hose."

"He was holding a big old axe and a fluffy white kitten with a big red bow that he had adopted. He named her Esmerelda, and it was love at first sight." Julie smiled, adding, "Nathan absolutely has 'Axe' appeal according to all his admirers."

Rosemary's eyes lit up like Christmas lights. "Axe Appeal! That's brilliant! Did he have that smoldering look where they stare into your soul through the camera?"

"Oh yeah. They all have that look and an 'axe' appeal." Julie said with a sly smirk. "Scott is featured with an Australian shepherd rescue named Daisy, who will join our family on Christmas Day," Julie said with a soft smile.

"What month is Scott?" Elizabeth asked.

"He's December, and boy does…." Julie trailed off as she thought of his picture and became flushed as she was caught in a memory. One that, judging by the sultry smile and look in her eyes, Elizabeth didn't want to know about.

"Julie!" Elizabeth said, finally bringing Julie back to the present.

"Sorry about that. I got a little distracted." Julie giggled. "Anyway, it's all for a good cause. All the animals are just so precious, and the money goes towards our children's charities."

Without a word, Julie jumped up and, in a sing-song voice, said, "I'll be right back. She returned a few moments later, flipping through the calendar to February and turning it to face the screen. "Here he is! Just look at that smirk. It's like he knows we're all looking."

Rosemary peered at the screen, whistled, and began to fan herself. "That settles it. There's no doubt that Nathan is a walking fire hazard."

Julie nodded and then handed it to Elizabeth so she could see. She felt her cheeks warming despite herself. "Oh my! He does have a certain... confidence about him."

Looking at his picture, she could see the definition of his 8-pack and the bulge of his biceps and felt breathless as she recalled being held in those arms against that very chest. Feeling increasingly flushed, she unconsciously began fanning herself with the calendar for Julie and Rosemary's amusement and satisfaction.

"Confidence? That's one word for it," Rosemary chuckled. "I bet he could start a fire with that look alone. Maybe you should add that the coffee place also needs a fire extinguisher handy."

Julie nodded, "And the best part? He's as nice as he looks. He came rushing up the stairs to rescue Lizzie, and he was all, 'Oh, don't worry, I've got you,' with that deep voice of his."

Elizabeth, who had been looking at his picture again, chuckled and looked up. "That is not what happened, Julie."

"Oh, that's right. He and Scott came running in, and you jumped him." Rosemary said.

Elizabeth shook her head and giggled. When she started to protest again, Julie jumped in. "Lizzie, I have seen the video, and you threw yourself at him, and he had no choice but to catch you."

The room was filled with laughter as Elizabeth, still chuckling, said, "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"

"Not with friends like us," Rosemary replied, beaming. "We'll ensure your love life is as spicy as a jalapeño in a coffee shop."

Now fully invested, Rosemary asked, "So, what's the plan for this coffee date? Is he going to wear his calendar attire?"

Elizabeth laughed out loud. "Oh, please, no! Though I suppose if he did, it would be quite the spectacle at the coffee shop. No, Rosemary, we're going for normal, everyday coffee. No axes, no hoses."

"But maybe a little bit of that calendar charm?" Julie teased, winking at her sister.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes in exasperation and laughed. "You two are incorrigible."

Rosemary sighed dramatically. "I need to come visit. I want to see this calendar come to life. And maybe, just maybe, catch a glimpse of the real Captain Fire Hazard in action."

Julie laughed, "Well, we can arrange that. But Lizzie might want to keep him all to herself for a while."

Elizabeth shook her head, but her grin betrayed her amusement. "I'm just here for the coffee, remember? To thank him for his rescue, hopefully in a spider-free environment."

"But think of the stories, Elizabeth!" Rosemary exclaimed. "You've got Mr. February, a spider named Mr. Fluffy, and a coffee date. It's like you're living in a rom-com!"

"And I haven't even unpacked yet," Elizabeth laughed sarcastically and added wryly. "Who knew Australia would be this... entertaining."

Julie patted her sister's shoulder. "Welcome to the land of Oz, where even plugging in your phone can lead to romance.

"Oh, brother," Elizabeth sighed, triggering an outbreak of giggles.

The laughter barely subsided when the door to Elizabeth's room creaked open. With a mischievous grin, Scott entered, bearing a steaming mug of coffee, the aroma preceding him. "Here you go, Lizzie," Scott said, handing her the mug. "It's got an extra shot of espresso. We can't have you wilting away early like yesterday with everything that Red, Mom, and Aunt Agatha have in store for you." Turning to the screen, he smiled. "G'day, Rosie,"

Rosemary's eyes lit up like she'd just been given the best Christmas present. "G'day! So, what's the scoop on Nathan's dating status? Is he single, ready to mingle, or is our Elizabeth about to step into a love triangle?"

"Rosemary!" Elizabeth exclaimed in frustration. "Scott, please wait until I'm out to answer that. I keep telling them that there is nothing other than friendship between us. Maybe you can get them to listen. I'll talk to you later, Rosie. Tell Lee and the others hello, and I miss them." Elizabeth stood, grabbed some clothes and a toiletry bag from her suitcase, and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Scott chuckled as he moved Julie to his lap to snuggle her. "Well, though he goes out on dates, he's single. The whole town knows Nathan's a bit of an elusive lone wolf, which makes the ladies even more determined to win his heart. But there hasn't been anyone serious in several years, and I think his last relationship may be the reason. His longest relationship since that one has been a couple of months."

"I see. What is your takeaway from what happened yesterday between Nathan and Elizabeth?"

"Well, he was acting different with her, which, while unusual, doesn't necessarily indicate anything."

"Different, how?" Rosie asked.

"When we picked her up from the airport, they seemed to have a natural ease between them from the start. Usually, upon meeting new people, he tends to be quieter and withdrawn until he gets to know someone, but with her, he was different, as I said. However, Lizzie has a way about herself that immediately puts people at ease, so maybe that explains it." Scott shrugged.

"Well, that's not very helpful at all, Scott." Rosie huffed in frustration.

"Not at all," Julie agreed, crossing her arms across her chest. "There has to be some way to…."

"I'm sorry about that. However, there is another possibility." Scott said, pausing for effect. "Since both are aware of the matchmaking shenanigans afoot to bring them together, perhaps they are simply joining forces to thwart them. Elizabeth even told Nathan not to worry because she was only visiting for 2 weeks and wasn't a threat to his marital status."

"What? Why would she say that?" Rosie exclaimed.

"To put Nathan at ease so she could enjoy her stay without worrying about embarrassing situations and misunderstandings that might pop up between her and Nathan. If she is upfront, then they can avoid any awkwardness." Scott explained.

"How do you know that they know about our plans? We are very discreet." Julie complained.

Scott snorted. "Sweetheart, I hate to say this, but none of you know what discreet means. Then there's also the extremely long track record of numerous obvious failed attempts at set-ups," Then he glanced at his watch as he stood and issued a reminder, "Just so you know, we need to be leaving in 45 minutes, so you need to get ready, love."

A collective groan went up from Rosemary and Julie, though they smiled.

As Scott prepared to leave, he paused at the door. "I will offer one last observation, though. Nathan was quite reluctant to put Elizabeth down after the spider debacle. For that matter, Lizzie seemed the same way. I would say that points to at least a bit of mutual attraction, wouldn't you?" Then, with a wink, Scott disappeared downstairs, leaving the two women to wrap up their conversation.

Rosemary, ever the matchmaker, clapped her hands in delight. "Captain Fire Hazard has found his flame! I love it!"

"Me too," Julie grinned. "I'd better go."

"Okay, keep me posted on Captain Fire Hazard and Elizabeth!" Rosemary said with a knowing smirk, "Give my love to Agatha."

"Will do. I can't wait to tell her, Hazel, and Colleen about Nathan's nickname. Everyone is going to love it."

Julie, already plotting her subsequent conversations with the others, moved toward the door and added with a giggle, 'Captain Fire Hazard.

Elizabeth and Julie bumped into each other as she returned to her room. Having heard her sister mention Nathan's nickname with a giggle, Elizabeth's face flushed with embarrassment, knowing full well that Julie would share this with Aunt Agatha and the others. "You and Rosie are impossible, you know that?" she said, but her laughter betrayed her amusement, taking the heat from her comment.

"But you still love me and wouldn't want me any other way." Julie retorted. Then, after giving Elizabeth a brief hug, she was gone, leaving a bemused Elizabeth behind.