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I suck my lips into my mouth to keep from laughing about all the ways my dad has no idea Garrett has already said hello, goodbye, and a million other things to all different parts of me today.
Garrett walks quickly and holds out his hand for me to take.
It feels so wrong to take it casually before letting it go, but I force myself to get with the program.
I mean, it’s not Garrett who insisted we keep this whole thing a secret—it’s me.
“I know the two of you have met before, but I don’t know how much you remember. It’s been a few months since Thanksgiving.”
I nod numbly.
“Plus, IHC called to tell us we’re finally getting our Hotshot qualification evaluation on our next wildland callout. Garrett just agreed to be my assistant supervisor when we get our certification.”
My eyes widen. Hotshot certification? I’ve known my dad always had an eye to getting his entire team certified one day, but…I don’t know. I didn’t expect it now.
I didn’t…Hell, I don’t know what I thought.
I just know that Hotshot certification means Garrett’s—and my dad’s—job is only going to get more dangerous. They’ve been getting more and more callouts to wildland fires in recent years, but I just didn’t consider the consequences of this station fully converting to an Interagency Hotshot Crew.
They’ll be on the front lines of wildfires if they do that. Cutting the actual lines and doing back-burns to get them under control.
And God knows what else it’ll mean.
My tongue is tied. I stand there gulping like a fish as I try to get a grip on something to say. Oh God, I’m turning into Frank. Something positive, something negative—I don’t care. I’ll settle for anything at this point.
Garrett
Lauren looks like she’s been T-boned by a Mack truck on the Autobahn. I’m talking completely blindsided in a way I would have loved to be able to prevent.
But I had no idea she’d be showing up here today, right after my talk with the Cap about the changes that might be coming to San Diego’s Station 18.
Getting offered the assistant supervisor position is an honor and a privilege, and I’ve been working toward something like it for the bulk of my adult life. But it’s a huge responsibility and a strain on families. It’s busy and demanding, and completely unforgiving of other plans a huge portion of the year.
I know we’re just starting out, but it’s the kind of thing I would have at least liked the chance to discuss with her before it got dropped on her like a fucking bomb.
“I’ve agreed on the condition of assuring it’s okay with my family, Cap.”
Jimmy Carroll waves me off. “That’s a yes.”
“Cap,” I warn, trying like hell to keep myself in check. “It’s a maybe.”
Cap smiles and pulls Lauren in with an arm around her shoulders. “What do you think, baby? Is that a yes or what?”
“I think it’s a maybe, Dad. Stop giving him a hard time,” she chastises.
“Horseshit,” Cap disagrees on a hearty chuckle. “Hard times are a Hotshot’s middle name. If he can’t take this, he can’t take being an assistant supervisor, and I know Alexander can take it.”
I nod. I have to. All the other guys are looking on, and my reputation within the firehouse is at stake. “I can take it, Cap.”
“I know you can. Now get the fuck out of my way so I can have lunch with my daughter.”
Lauren jumps, and I begrudgingly step to the side so they can pass.
It hurts like hell to watch her go without anything more, but I know I can’t push it. All hell would break loose in this place if I made a move on Lauren in front of everyone.
I’d have twenty guys on top of me, all trying to take their shot in a heartbeat.
Just on the principle of defending the Cap.
Because they’re all thinking about doing the things to Lauren that I’ve already done—I know it. But they’d never dream of saying that in front of our superior.
This is a place of respect.
Which is part of why I feel so shitty right now. Because I’ve taken it this far behind the Cap’s back.
Lauren closes the door to Jimmy’s office at his prompting, and they sit down on opposite sides of his desk to open up their lunch.
I saw the bags from the Boluga Deli sitting behind him on the windowsill, but I had no idea they were for anyone more than him. Especially not for him and the woman I left in my bed this morning.
Sure, she’s his daughter too, but my whole body seems averse to accepting the second one as true at the moment.
Evan Wilks apparently notices the direction of my attention and bumps me on the shoulder before turning his big, fat mouth elsewhere. Probably because he knows I’m the last guy who will offer up an encouraging reaction to his normal pussy talk.
