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Marco rolls his eyes.“Nice deflection but I’m not buying it.Tell me this then, little brother.When was the last time you went out on a date?”
“I’m not interested in dating at the moment,” I shoot back.
He crosses his arms over his chest and quirks a brow.“OK.So why haven’t you datedanyonesince London moved back to Chicago?”
“Because I’ve been busy, andagain,refer to my first answer.”
“Riiight ...”
Now I’m getting annoyed.“Look, I'm notanti-relationship.I just don't see the appeal right now—not with our job, the schedule, all of it.I can't give one hundred percent to someone if I'm married to my work.”
“Bullshit,” he coughs, not hiding it.“I call bullshit because I work the same hours as you and have the same shitty schedule, and I’m three months away from marrying my own showstopper.”We walk through the kitchen, giving chin lifts and waves to the oncoming crew before making our way into the corridor leading to the locker rooms.
“It’s not like that with London.We’re friends.She gets me and I get her.It’s good and there’s no pressure, no drama, no feels.”Because I won’t let there be.I won’t do that to myself, her,orthe Captain.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Luc,” he says, grabbing my shoulder and giving it a hearty shake.“Just be aware that although you won’t admit what the rest of us can see as clear as day, London has had a crush on you for years, and that kind of history doesn’t just vanish because you turned her down.”
My heart stops in my chest, and I nearly trip over myself as my feet stop moving of their own volition.I jerk my eyes to his.“How the hell do you—” I groan and shake my head.“Fucking Gio.I swear our brother is more of a gossip queen than our Mom and sisters combined,” I say with a growl.
“It’s not exactly hard to see, Luc.I think you’re theonlyone with their head in the sand.”
“There’s nothingtosee.We’re friends, best friends, and I’m not about to do anything or have Lonnie do anything to mess that up.What we have is good—better than anything I’ve had with a woman before.And that’s because we’renotfucking.There’s no pressure—no expectations.We can justbe.And yeah, I know she caught feelings, but we’re past that now.She told me she understood and agreed with my reasons why we’re better off as friends.”
“Age gap, different stages of your life, work, Cap, and the no exes, wives, or daughters rule?Does that about cover it?”
I nod, my chest easing a bit at the look of understanding in my brother’s eyes.“The last thing I’d ever do—everwantto do—is hurt her, Marco.”
“Hey.You know I’m just looking out for you.And if you can’t trust your big brother to level with you, then who can you trust?”
“I hear you.I’m just tired, and after getting shit from the guys and you about London, I guess I’m sick of my friendship with her being questioned all the time.”
“OK, Luc.I get it.I’m heading out now anyway.I have a warm bed and an even warmer body to go home to, and she’s a hell of a lot better-looking than you,” he says with a laugh.
“Say hi to Renee for me.And tell her there’s still one single Rossi brother waiting for her to change her mind about you.”
He smirks and shakes his head.“Fuck off and go see Cap.”
“Run tomorrow morning?”I ask just as we reach the doorway leading to the locker room.
“Yep.Gio, Rhodes, and Jake are coming too.”
“Sounds good.See you then.”I walk toward the admin offices at the end of the firehouse when Marco stops me.
“Oh, and message from my lovely wife-to-be—keep Friday free because she’s booked us in for our suit fitting.”
I turn around, still moving backward.“Ah, yes.Finally, it’s my time to outshine the groom.It’s called being the best man for a reason you know ...”
Marco chuckles and flips me off.“If you’re the best man on the day, then we’re all fucked, little brother.”Then, with a smirk and a mock salute, he disappears from sight.
A few moments later, I knock on the Cap’s open door.He glances up and ushers me in, leaning back in his chair.
He looks as tired as I feel, but after a busy twenty-four-hour shift, we’re all ready to call it a day and head home..
I walk in and take a seat opposite him, happy to get off my feet.“Marco said you wanted to see me?”
“I won’t keep you long, but there’s something I wanted to talk to you about—this firehouse and your future plans”
I still, every muscle in my body tensing because the one thing I’ve never focused on is that.The future.It’s always seemed toobig, toomuchto think about, so I don’t.I live every day to the fullest and take life as it comes—I always have.So having my boss, my mentor, and one of the most trusted men in my life tell me he wants to talk about it has me on edge and ready to bolt at the first opportunity.
