“Then you’ll be real quick the second time.”
Colt snorts a laugh into his fist as Fletch drags a hand down his face and pushes to his feet.
“This is harassment.”
“It’s your job,” Beck replies, flipping a page. “And you’re an easy target.”
There’s a beat where Fletch looks like he might argue, then thinks better of it.
“Unbelievable,” he mutters, heading for the bay. “I bring innovation to this station, and this is the thanks I get.”
“Your innovation is yapping,” Colt calls after him. “We got plenty of that already.”
Fletch flips him off over his shoulder without breaking stride, and the room settles back into its early-morning rhythm.
I move to rinse my mug at the sink. Cold water runs over my fingers with enough sharpness to wake me up properly, and for a second, I watch the swirl of coffee dilute and disappear down the drain.
“So, you’rejust fine, huh?”
I glance back over my shoulder to see Colt watching me. “Yep.”
“Good,” he says with a nod and a frown. “Love that for you.”
There’s a beat before he casually clears his throat. “Everything sorted with Elle for school restarting?”
I shrug, drying my hands on the towel. “Working on it.”
“Translation,” Ghost says, making his way over to pour his own cup, “not sorted.”
I shoot him a look while Colt chuckles.
“Schedule’s just a bit tighter lately,” I explain, trying to keep the strain out of my voice. “That’s all.”
“Tighter,” Beck repeats. “Man’s out here running on fumes and calling it a light jog.”
“I’m fine.”
“He’s fine,” Fletch echoes, reappearing from the doorway. “Everyone relax.”
“You’re not helping,” Beck mutters.
“I’m backing him up,” Fletch shoots back. “Huge difference.”
I shake my head and grab the rag again, just to give my hands something to do. “It’s just childcare stuff. Elle’s restarting school, hours are different. That’s it.”
Beck looks up. “And the nanny?”
“Miss Mabel had to move back to Toronto,” I say. “Went a couple weeks ago.”
“Oh,” Colt says with a frown. “Thought she was just away for the holiday break…”
“Yeah, well.” I shrug. “I’ve got it covered. Herb and Leah have been helping.”
“Course they have,” Fletch says. “They’re basically the town’s unofficial grandparents.”
“Accurate,” Ghost mutters.
I don’t know what I would’ve done without Herb and Leah. Herb, the town’s retired fire chief, saw me through some of theworst days of my life, and Leah has never once made me feel like needing help with Elle is some kind of failure. Including today.
