AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s not what I am saying at all. This is not a date, and you know that.”
“I have been known to bring a few here, but that’s if I like them enough to share this space with them.”
I glanced around, and it was only then that I realized the walls were covered in old fire hoses and pictures of firefighters doing their jobs. I shifted in my seat to look around me. “Wow! This place is incredible. What is the name of it? I didn’t even pay attention when we pulled in.”
“It’s called The Fire House Tavern.”
I smiled at him. “No wonder you like to come here.”
“Yeah, and the guys she mentioned are the ones I used to work with down at firehouse forty-one.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Not a day goes by that I don’t wish I were still riding the truck.”
I had this irrational urge to reach over the table and hold his hand. I clenched the napkin in my lap tighter instead. “I’m sorry that you can’t.”
“Yeah, me too.” Vera returned, setting down his soda and my glass of water. She told me that my milkshake would be out soon and then disappeared.
“It was after your accident that you decided to open your own business?”
“Yep.” For a few minutes, he explained how Lydia had pulled him away from the edge and shifted his focus to recovery. Once on his way, he came up with the idea for the business. With the help of their friend, the three of them quickly started the company. It only took a couple of months to get it up and to grow steadily, although it took two years before they expanded and built the plant where they manufacture most of the systems.
It was an empowering story, and I hung on Smoke’s every word as we ate our meals.
“You overcame so much to build this. I’m so glad I am lucky to be part of it now.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy working there.”
“So far, I do.”
“What did you think of the plant?”
“Well,” I paused. “It was good. It was fascinating to see how things were built, but I have to admit that I didn’t understand everything. I know Paul was busy, so I didn’t want to ask too many questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
“Well, mostly how all the parts work. He showed me different things and told me their names, but I have no real clue how they go together or work to stop a fire.”
He nodded. “When we get back, I will show you how it works.”
I eyed him warily. “What are you going to do, start a fire?”
He laughed. “We have a safe location. We test all of our equipment there, and that is where we take to our clients when we sell them on the systems. Usually, after one test run, they are sold.”
“You have an actual test room?”
“Yep. I’ll take you through a demonstration when we get back. Once you go through it, it will make a lot more sense.”
“I look forward to it,” I told him but wasn’t sure I honestly believed that.
Zack changed the conversation in the blink of an eye. “You said you moved here to get a new start. Where did you live before?”
“Um, about three hours from here.”
“Did you work as an administrative assistant then?”
She shook her head slowly. “No.” She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. “My husband didn’t want me to work. He preferred me to stay home and take care of the house.”
