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I grabbed four plates and lined them up on the island. I rushed to the oven to pull out the eight English muffins, plating them before I went to take out the two eggs and add two more.

The door opened, and Thatcher stepped inside, seeming surprised at having guests so early in the morning. “Oh, hey, guys. Everybody okay?”

“Things are just fine. Are you hungry?” I asked as I grabbed a plate from the cabinet.

“I feel like I should say yes.” Thatcher’s grin was cute.

River stood. “Yes, you should say yes. Kit is teaching JD and me to cook. Are you hungry?” River asked again.

“Fucking starving.” The look on his face was a little uncomfortable for a moment before his grin returned.

River retrieved the ham from the microwave where we were keeping it warm, putting the pan on the counter for me before speaking to Thatcher. “Thatcher, we walked down the beach to watch that fire where your team was working very hard to keep that building from igniting the whole block. How bad was it? I thought JD was going to have a panic attack as he watched you climb that damn ladder with the hose, but when you came back down, we were both in awe.”

Thatcher chuckled. “Just another day on the job. Was Jordan in awe because I climbed a ladder and aimed a hose at the same time? I know not many men can multitask.”

Kit started laughing as I assembled the components and presented the first plate to Thatcher, including the hollandaise sauce Kit made. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to recreate it the way he’d done, but I was happy it was all going to be delicious.

Once I handed out the plates, we all went out to the back porch and sat to enjoy the morning sunshine as we ate. The food was delicious, but I noticed that Thatcher wasn’t really eating, which had me worried. “Do you not like eggs Benedict?”

I should have asked him before I recruited Kit and River to go to all the trouble they’d gone to. Not everyone liked a soft poached egg. My grandmother didn’t.

“Oh no, it’s delicious. I, uh, I ate at the station before I came home.”

“I should have mentioned I was making breakfast. I didn’t remember that you guys cook meals there. I’m sorry. Please, you don’t have to eat it. I wanted to surprise you.”

My cheeks heated as I glanced toward the ocean to watch the waves until my embarrassment subsided. I hadn’t thought about him not being hungry when he came home, and I should have. God, I was the worst boyfriend in the world. Was I even his boyfriend? We actually hadn’t talked about it other than when I told him I didn’t want anyone but him the night he instructed me to use his toy to get off and send him a recording of it.

Thatcher stared at me for a moment. “This is delicious. Thank you all for making me breakfast. By the way, I called the lady I told you about who works with our department regarding our mental health. She said you can call her anytime. She’ll meet with all of the band or just you, if that’s what you guys decide.”

River turned to me. “You wanna see a therapist? I think it’s a good idea for all of us. You want me to have Lerner reach out and coordinate our schedules so we can all go?”

“Yeah, but this has nothing to do with why I don’t want to perform, okay? I’ll go to Rocktoberfest with the band, but after that, I’m resigning.”

I glanced at Kit, seeing him nod. “Uncle Nate won’t be upset, JD. If that’s what you want, he’ll be supportive.”

Thatcher’s hand touched my shoulder. “I’ll give you the information for Dr. Liu, River. Just tell her you know me, and she’ll get you guys in as quickly as she can.”

Thatcher went back to eating the other half of his English muffin, ham, egg, and hollandaise, even though he was stuffed. That was his way of showing me he loved me and appreciated what I’d tried to do. I turned to him and smirked. “I love you, but don’t pop, please. If you’re full, don’t eat anymore.”

Thatcher stood and reached for my empty plate before collecting Kit’s and River’s plates to take them inside. River stood from his place on the stairs and reached for Kit’s hand. “We better get home. Are you on for Santa Monica next weekend?”

“Sure. I’m not sure if Thatcher can get off for it, so it might just be me. If it is, can I ride with you guys?”

Kit tugged on my braid before smiling. “Anytime. If you quit the band, you know, you’re still a member of the family. We’ll see you later.” The two of them went down the stairs and toward the shore before heading home.

I hurried inside to clean up my mess, smiling when I saw Thatcher loading the dishwasher. “I’ll do it. I made this mess, so I’ll clean it up.”

He laughed. “Firehouse rules. The cook never does the dishes. Have a seat and relax.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Thatcher

I was so full, I worried I’d throw up every time I bent to load the dishwasher, but Jordan had been so thoughtful to enlist Kit to teach him how to make eggs Benedict, so there was no way I was going to turn it down. I’d eaten three large pancakes at the station, along with bacon and hash browns, so I was already stuffed when I arrived home that morning.

I was surprised to see Kit and River in the kitchen, and when I saw what Jordan was doing, I knew I had to eat the food. It was a sweet gesture, and I appreciated it very much.

“I’ll wash the pot and skillet. Kit said you’re not supposed to put them in the dishwasher.”