Hunter and Kat lift their glasses. “Cheers to that.”
I drop my head in my hands with a dramatic groan. “Stop, please, for the love of cheese fries and beer. No more married sex talk. My dick is gonna shrivel up in fear.”
The assholes I apparently am stuck with for a family all just laugh at me. Listen, I’m happythey’rehappy, but does that mean I have to put up with their lovey-doveyrelationships are greatbullshit all the time?
No thanks.
This calls for another drink.
Chapter six
Sawyer
“Donnelly, you’re the perfect man for the job, and you know it.”
Those words are what led me to this moment. Well, those words and the realization that these kinds of things look really good when you’re waiting to hear about a promotion like I am. Which is why, when Chief said he needed a volunteer for career day at Dogwood Cove Elementary, I put on my best smile and said, “Sure, sounds fun.”
Spoiler alert — itisfun. Kids are a fuckin’ riot. Their questions had me fighting back a grin. One asked, “Does it hurt when you slide down the pole?” Which was just marginally less hilarious than another who asked, “Why is your hose so big?”
Oh kid, you have no idea.
Of course, the best question of all came from one nosy little girl who waved her hand frantically at the end of our session, only to have every adult turning bright red in the room when she said, “My mom has a calendar with you in it holding a puppy, but it looks like you’re not wearing pants. Is that ’cause the puppy peed on you?”
I nodded very solemnly at that one. “Yup, that’s exactly why.”
After the Q&A, the kids all followed us outside to climb on the engine, playing with the sirens and lights, but not thevery big hose, no matter how much they begged.
Honestly, the whole day was fun. And over too soon. The kids headed back to their classrooms to get their bags and do whatever it is kids do at the end of a school day. Then Sloan, who was the sucker that had to come with me, and I had the job of putting everything back on the rig.
Reid Corser, the principal, wandered over to thank us again and we got caught up in conversation about a local rock climbing area I’ve been wanting to check out. Next thing I know, the bell rings and kids come flooding out the doors of the school, most of them beelining straight over to the rig.
Sloan shoots me a glare. “Told you we shoulda left,” he mutters. Guess someone isn’t a fan of rug rats. I shrug, grinning at his discomfort.
“Too bad, dude, we’re here until the kids are done. It’s called community service.”
With a long sigh that makes it clear I owe the man a beer, Sloan turns to the kids and greets them.
Reid’s chuckle draws my attention back to him. “I get why you’re here, you’re a natural with them. But he doesn’t seem to share the enthusiasm.”
“Nah, but he’s a probie, so he didn’t have a choice.” I smirk.
Reid looks confused, so I explain the nickname. “Probie because he’s still on probation, new to the department. Except, Sloan volunteered with us for a while before getting hired, so he knows what he’s doing.”
Understanding shows on Reid’s face as he shakes his head. “You and your nicknames.”
I shrug. “Eh, that one’s cheating, we call all new recruits ‘probie.’”
The sound of a pained cry pulls both of our gazes to the playground, where a boy is slowly picking himself up from the ground.
“Uh-oh, Cooper’s a new student here. Hope he’s okay,” Reid says, the two of us already hurrying over to the kid.
“Hey buddy, did you fall?” I ask, taking in his brave face and the way he’s fighting back tears. He gives me a shaky nod and holds out his hand, the palm of which is pretty scraped up.
“Ouch, that looks sore, Coop. Is your mom here? We can take you inside and clean it up.” Reid’s voice is calm, and it’s clear why he’s in charge of all the kids. The dude is unfazed.
“She’s not here yet,” comes a soft whisper. But I catch his eyes bouncing over to the fire truck, and I have a moment of brilliance if I might say so myself.
“Hey Mr. Corser, could you bring Cooper over to the rig? We’ve got a first aid kit and can clean him up there.”
