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“Doyou want to come with me? I’m running to go pick up an order at the garden center. I’ve got to get mulch and gravel.”
Dad’s eyes are hesitant and hopeful at the same time. As if he’s not asking for me, but for him. “Sure. Let’s go.”
While he goes back to tell the crew we’re leaving, I head to his truck and hop in the passenger seat. It’s hot, flat-out sweltering in the cab. The heat is unusual for this time of year. If this is any indication, we’re in for a scorcher.
Reaching over, I turn the ignition and sigh when the cold air hits my heated skin. Just as I’m about to pull my phone out of my pocket and text Hayden, dad opens the driver’s side door and slides behind the wheel.
“Thanks for coming with me.” He puts his seatbelt on and then turns to check his blindspot as he backs out.
“Nothing else I’d rather do.”
It’s true. When he asks, I always want to rise to the occasion, be the son he’s raised me to be.
“How’s it going at the station? They still giving you a hard time?”
“Not so much anymore. I’ve been here six months now.”
“Still the Rookie,” he points out.
“True, but not as much as I once was. I’ve seen my fair share of fires now and I’ve actually saved a person or two.” I grin over at him.
“I’m proud of you, Danny. I don’t say it enough, but it’s true.”
The power of those words tighten my throat. “I’m the only one who hasn’t necessarily followed in your footsteps.”
“You have,” he argues. “You’ve helped more than you probably should’ve.”
“I’m not working full-time like the rest of you are to further our family name.”
“While that’s true…” He comes to a complete stop at the end of the road before turning his blinker on and veering left. “You’ve brought a legitimacy we didn’t have before. Doing what you’re doing now? At some point, your grandfather is going to have to acknowledge you.”
It’s a topic I don’t want to discuss. “As long as I’m making you proud, I could give a fuck.” Which we all know is a lie.
“I talked to your mom last night,” he continues.
A grin tilts my lips. “Did you? She talked to me the other day. Wonder if she discussed the same thing with both of us?”
“Almost positive she did.” He leans his head toward me. “And I have to say, I agree with her.”
“You do?”
“I worry,” he admits. “You work so hard with us. What if you’re too tired when you go into a fire?”
“Dad…”
“No, I’m serious. What if you’re dehydrated? You’re thinking about what you have to do on your day off? In the job you love, you can’t afford to be distracted. I don’t want that on my head, Danny. Couldn’t stand for it to be.”
I can’t argue with him. Not with this. There’ve been times when I was distracted, was thinking more about my family business than I should’ve been. In certain circumstances, he’s right. “I don’t want to leave you high and dry.”
“Losing one worker isn’t going to kill us, Danny. I’ll hire another one. They won’t be you, but no one is.”
“They won’t work as hard for you as I will.” I rub a hand across my jaw.
“I don’t need them to work for me the way you do. What I need is to know you’re safe.”
We pull up to the garden center. He parks, turning the truck off.
“Is this what you want?” I ask, almost dreading the answer. This has been my identity for as long as I can remember.
“It’s what I want for you, Danny. Only because I’m so proud of the man you’ve become.”
And with those words, I almost break. My throat as tight as it’s ever been. “Then that’s what I’ll do. Every time I put on my turnout gear, I’ll do it with pride, knowing my name is on the back.”
The one he gave me, when my mom’s family had rather he hadn’t.
