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For the next hour or so, after I convince the paramedics I’ll survive, I try to go back, but Blake isn’t having it. I’m forced to watch from the sidelines for over an hour before the fire is finally under control.
When we make it back to the station, Arnie and I are instructed to head to the emergency room to get checked out.
As I’m sitting in my little cubicle, I’m shocked when Beau walks through the curtain.
“What are you doing here?” It comes off ruder than I intended, but throw me a freaking bone. I just inhaled ten gallons of smoke.
He only chuckles, the contrary bastard.
He sprawls on the wheeled stool that the doctor normally uses. “I think you had a point about forgetting the past and starting over?”
I eye him wearily. “What brought this on?”
He shrugs, his typical smirk in place. “I thought about what you said the other day about me being bitter that you got the Captain spot.” He leans close and lowers his voice so only I can hear. “If anyone asks, I’ll deny it, but you were right. Plus, I figure I’m in love with your best friend, so it wouldn’t hurt if you know… we got along.”
I cock a brow at him. “Am I gonna have to give you the, ‘if you hurt my best friend, I’ll have to kill you,’ speech?”
He snorts. “Pretty sure that ship has sailed, but not to worry, I’d punish myself if I ever hurt Caleb.”
I study him before slowly nodding. “Good, he deserves to be happy.”
“Mmm,” he agrees. “And what about you and a certain fire engineer?”
I can’t contain the giant smile bound and determined to take up half my face.
“Well, I’ll be damned, Miss Independent went and found herself a keeper.”
I copy his earlier movement by leaning close and lowering my voice. “If you tell anyone, I’ll have to kill you.”
He mimics zipping his mouth shut and throwing away the key. “Your secret is safe with me. Although, I’m not sure how long you two can keep a secret like this. The entire department has been taking bets on when you two would hook up. If only you waited a few more weeks I would’ve won big.”
I glare, but it quickly dies when I can’t find it in me to be mad. I’m almost to the point where I want to climb to the highest rooftop and scream to the world that I’m in love with Sakura Takahasi.
“I don’t suppose you know who won?”
He winks. “Pretty sure that would be our little Scottish newbie, Abi.”
I throw my head back and laugh before I begin wheezing. “Great, I hadn’t realized I was that transparent.”
“Mostly, it was your general good mood that tipped everybody off. Not to mention Sakura follows you around like a lost little puppy.”
I’m certain the look on my face is pure indulgence, and I don’t have it in me to even try to hide it. “She’s pretty adorable, huh?”
“If I wasn’t stuck on a certain cowboy, I’d whole heartedly agree.”
By the time the hospital lets me go, the sun is already setting. “Fuck me! I don’t even remember the damn thing rising.”
I follow Beau to his truck who only laughs.
“Hear anything about Tiny?” I’m kicking myself that I’m just now remembering him.
It takes little effort for Beau to throw his big body behind the wheel. Meanwhile, I feel like I’m climbing Mount Everest. “You know what they say about men overcompensating with big trucks?”
He rolls his eyes. “Enlighten me.”
I chuckle. “I haven’t heard any complaints from Caleb, and I know for a fact that he’s a bit of a size queen, so I’ll just assume it’s a bunch of bullshit.”
He laughs long and hard. “You’re lucky you’re a girl, or we’d have to square up about you fucking my boy.”
