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“What is with all the racket? You’ve all had Arbaroa’s pasta before. I know it’s good, but is it worth all the hubbub and noise you’re making?” the chief asks with a smirk, knowing full well it’s better than what you can get at any restaurant. Sebastian’s wife, Marybeth, makes it from scratch for him to bring in and cook al dente.
Winslow and Burton roll in the portable whiteboard, and I hear Rodriguez yell from the back, “Hey, Carter, it’s time to settle the bet! At least this time, we get to hear it directly from the horse’s mouth and don’t have to wait for Leanna to bring us the information!”
“Does this mouth look like it belongs on a horse?” Carter retorts while stroking his dark facial stubble. He points at Rodriguez, “Think very carefully before you answer that. And remember that I have a gun.”
“Yeah, but do you know how to use it?” Winslow chimes in and begins to chuckle at his joke. He stops when he realizes he’s the only one laughing, and everyone is staring at him wide-eyed.
Chief Larson gives Sebastian a look that says he should handle the situation. My brother walks over to Winslow and says deadpan, “As a probie, you haven’t earned the right to heckle our guests, especially one that can kill you with his thumb. You have to obtain ‘rookie’ status before you’re granted that luxury. Even then, it should be used sparingly. But after that? It’s open season on anyone who walks through those bay doors, Carter included.” The poor guy has no idea that the dressing down is just my brother messing with him. It doesn’t help that no one is correcting his assumption. Instead, they only contribute to it further.
They all nod in unison, confirming my brother’s words, while Trey adds his two cents. “The price for your blunder is doing the dinner dishes. Burton will assist.” Burton begins to protest, but one look from Trey silences him. Dishes aren’t really a punishment. All probies and rookies have to do the dishes when the captain cooks. It’s our firehouse tradition.
Carter turns to me and asks, “How is it that you’ve been my roommate for a year, and only today did I learn you’ve been betting on my job? I would have dropped a few hints to help you out so you could buy the pizza on movie nights.” He says with a wink.
Trey comes over and places his hand on my shoulder. “Lucky doesn’t bet. She thinks she has an unfair advantage as your roommate.”
I bob my head because what Trey says is true. Carter might not be able to discuss the specifics of his assignments, but I overhear snippets when he’s on the phone with his boss. Mainly, I don’t bet because I want to avoid thinking about him protecting beautiful women in exotic places.
“Okay, Carter. I’m ready to win this! Was your client an actor, model, athlete, or musician?” Sebastian asks.
“She is most definitely not an actor or musician, but she is in show business. If I had to fit my client into one of your boxes, I would classify her as a model.”
“What? You said she was in a competition!” Sebastian says, slightly frustrated but still in good spirits. He knows Carter’s answer just lost him the pot.
“Models compete in beauty pageants, like Miss New Jersey or Miss America!” shouts someone from across the room.
“I bet she was gorgeous!” someone shouts.
“She was. Her long, white hair was so soft and always smelled like peaches,” Carter says.
“Did you get pictures?” Burton asks.
“I did. I promised I wouldn’t post them on social media, but the Rose family had no issues with me taking a few pictures of Briar.”
Even her name is pretty. My stomach turns at the far-off look Carter gets when he describes her, and what appetite I had left is now gone. Unable to stand it anymore, I excuse myself as the guys clamor around him to get a good look at the pictures on his phone. The last straw for me is when I hear Carter say, “I wish I could have brought her home with me.”
Carter knocks on the door to the ladies’ room, my hiding spot for the past half hour. “Are you in there, Leanna? Are you okay?” he asks worriedly.
“Yeah, I’m all right,” I choke out.
“I wanted to let you know that dinner’s ready, and we’re all waiting for you,” he says.
“You guys go ahead and eat. I’m not feeling too hot right now and don’t know how long I’ll be.”
If I don’t get rid of him, Carter will hang out on the other side of the door to keep me company and ensure I’m truly fine. There’s only one surefire way to get him to go away and spend time with the guys, leaving me alone to wallow in my jealousy and self-pity. “Seriously, Carter. I’m okay. It’s…It’s a woman thing.”
“And that’s my cue to leave.” The sound of his footsteps walking away can be heard through the door. When I’m positive that he’s left, I slip out of the bathroom and head for our gym in the basement to work out my frustrations.
When my brother walks into the room by himself and gives me a sympathetic look, I know that Carter has gone home.
“How upset is he that I didn’t come to dinner?” I ask.
Sebastian sits on the bench beside me, clasping his hands and resting his elbows on his thighs. “He wasn’t mad, just worried about you. He barely ate anything because he kept looking down the hallway, waiting for you to show up. He was here to visit you, not me or the other guys. What happened, Lee? Did he say or do something to hurt you?”
I shake my head, unable to voice my thoughts or answer his questions. A tear I had managed to keep at bay for the past hour finally falls, a clear sign I’m in dire need of a hug. Sebastian wraps around me, and we sit there like that until I dare to say the words I’ve held in for far too long.
“I love him, Sebastian. I have for nearly two years, and being in the friendzone is killing me.”
“I know, Lee. We all see it. But that’s because we’ve known you all your life, and you can’t hide it from your family. You’ve done a great job hiding it from everyone else—including Carter—which is why I think something happened today to make you break. Care to share?”
