Page 19 of Hearts & Embers

"And you never changed your mind?"

"Not once."

The certainty in his response caught my attention. Most people seemed to arrive at careers through a combination of opportunity and circumstance, yet Jasper spoke about his as though there had never been any real alternative.

"What about you?" he asked. "Did you always want to teach?"

"Not always."

"What changed?"

I smiled.

"My Year Six teacher."

"Really?"

"She somehow convinced a classroom full of eleven-year-olds that reading was exciting."

"That sounds like a useful skill."

"It probably saved my future students."

The discussion shifted naturally toward teaching after that. I told him about difficult students, faculty politics, and the countless responsibilities nobody mentioned during university. In return, he shared stories about Firehouse 99, the friendships that developed after years of working together, and some of the stranger situations emergency responders occasionally encountered. More than once we discovered similarities between our professions despite how different they appeared on the surface. Both required patience, adaptability, and the ability to respond to unexpected situations without warning.

Time slipped by far more quickly than I realized or liked.

Eventually we found ourselves back near the front of the store where Elyssa reappeared carrying several books. She took one look at us before glancing toward the checkout area.

"Ready?"

I looked at the stack in her arms.

"I see you found something."

"A few things."

"A few?"

She ignored the question completely.

The three of us joined the line near the registers and continued talking while purchases accumulated on the counter. Between us, we had somehow selected enough books to keep several publishers in business. The cashier appeared delighted by the situation. My bank account was considerably less enthusiastic.

By the time we stepped back outside, the afternoon had slipped toward evening. Cold air greeted us immediately, and for a moment nobody seemed particularly eager to bring the conversation to an end.

Jasper shifted his books beneath one arm.

"I know this might sound a little forward, but would it be okay if I gave you my number?"

The question caught me slightly off guard, although not unpleasantly.

His expression remained relaxed.

"I thought it might be easier than relying on bookstores and coffee shops. I’d like to see you again."

A smile tugged at my mouth.

"That does seem like a flawed system."