We all try not to voice our worry about Damien. But when we see him on video chat, it's hard to keep that worry from seeping into the open. Each time he's fighting a fire, he looks older. More serious. More anguished.
Today, though, he's none of those things. Must be Kate and the power of love. All that mushy stuff.
"Yeah. Hopefully soon. Couldn't say no when the chief asked. But after this fire's contained, I'm home for good. Hey, how are Dad and Ma? And how are things at the resort with Max?"
"Doing well," Nat chirps. "Dad and Ma are planning their big cruise. The resort's doing well. We got a nice write-up in Florida Trend. Let's see, what else? My jewelry's now in three more stores."
"Awesome. You're killing it, sis."
Nat grins. "And Tate and Isabella are working hard on some turtle thing. With Lauren. A book or something. Oh, and your twin has a girlfriend."
I laugh. "Do not."
"Shut up." Nat swats me on the chest. "Wanna know how I know it's serious?"
Damien's cracking up. "How?"
"Because we've been here at Ice Ice Baby for an hour and he hasn't flirted with a single woman." She leans in. "Not even Sadie, who's wearing a really low-cut top tonight. Remy's been sitting and talking with Sadie like she doesn't even have boobs."
Damien's eyebrows shoot up. "Seriously? You? Shut up."
"Aww, come on, bro." I wave my hand in the air dismissively. "You know I'm not interested in Sadie. She's like another guy."
"You really have a girlfriend?" Damien asks skeptically. "Who?"
I shrug. "Leilani's not a girlfriend, not exactly. She's more like a..." I grin. "A magical unicorn mermaid that spreads joy and love wherever she goes."
Damien brings the phone close to his face so that only his eye is visible. He moves the camera in and out. "What did you just say? I didn't quite catch that. Repeat."
Nat giggles. "Let me translate. Your twin brother has a friends-with-benefits situation with a beautiful, awesome woman who is opening a mermaid-themed bar. In her spare time, she puts on a sparkly tail and swims at the springs like she was born in the water."
Damien strokes his beard, grinning. "Well, dang."
I lean into the phone and lower my voice, trying and failing to hide my excitement. "It's everything I ever wanted, man. Like, we're totally good friends plus there's chemistry. We hang out, we kiss, we order pizza and eat it in bed. We're easy. This way,I can remain spontaneous; she has her space to focus on her business…"
"You two exclusive?" he asks.
I shrug. A funny, fizzy feeling in my stomach appears whenever I wonder if Leilani might be dating someone else. I don't think she is. I sure hope she's not. "We haven't talked about it, but yeah. I mean, I don't want anyone else, and heck, why would she, when she's got this anytime she wants?"
I raise my arm into a bodybuilder pose, showing off my bicep. Nat rolls her eyes and says something snarky under her breath.
"Gotta run, guys," Damien says. "Crew chief just rolled up. Briefing in two."
"Stay safe!" Nat cries.
"Bye, bro," I yell.
Nat taps the phone off. "Geez, whenever we're on with him, we all start yelling, don't we?"
I take a sip of coffee and nod. "Can't help it. Just feels too good to know that he's okay."
"He looked good just now, though."
Sadie wanders back, toting an enormous iced coffee. "How's Kate holding up?"
Nat sighs. "She's a champ. But this last rotation was supposed to be the last. Now another. She's quieter than she lets on."
"Poor Kate," Sadie says softly. "She doesn't deserve this limbo."
