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ChapterEighteen
Andrea couldn’t believe that three weeks had already passed, and she was pleased with all the work she’d accomplished. Last week she and Marg had finished painting and wallpapering the kitchen and bathrooms. Marg had convinced her to paint the room she took for her office to maintain uniformity. The new furniture for the lobby had arrived, but they decided not to put them out until the area had been painted. The paints had arrived, and it was now just a matter of waiting on the workmen to finish painting the building so that they could put them out.
She’d also visited the fire station every day after she finished her own work. She had enough to begin designing the new website, but if she was honest, she liked being at the fire station and getting the opportunity just to watch them all in action.
Cora had made a sly comment that it seemed she’d found a new family, but she didn’t take the bait. She was just doing her job, and the time was just a bonus… for now.
“Hi, Andrea.”
Andrea looked up from the pictures she was scanning on the camera to see Celeste standing before her.
“Hey, Celeste,” she greeted back. “What’s on your mind?”
She noted that the other firefighters in the lounge kept throwing furtive looks over at them, and she wondered what that was about.
“We’re having a cookout this Saturday at Captain Braun’s house. Most of the staff will be attending along with some of their family members,” she rambled on. “All the guys are going to be there, and we were wondering if you’d like to come as Lieutenant Hasgrove’s plus one.”
Andrea looked at the woman wide-eyed.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she started to decline.
“Oh, come on, Andrea, it’ll be fun. I promise, and you’re invited because you’re practically a part of the family. We’ve already claimed you, so you can’t say no,” Celeste stated.
Andrea hesitated. She would love to go to the cookout, but she didn’t want to give them the wrong idea that something was developing between their lieutenant and her.
“Guys, back me up here,” Celeste threw over her shoulders.
“It’ll be fun,” Jay called out.
“We promise to be on our best behavior; Scout’s honor,” Nick chimed in, making the sign of the cross.
Andrea snorted at their goofiness.
“Captain Braun would appreciate you being there, and Lieutenant Hasgrove. Right, Donny?”
Andrea turned toward where Celeste was looking to see Donny stepping through the entrance. Donny stopped in his tracks and furrowed his brows in confusion.
“I was telling Andrea that you would appreciate her presence at Cap’s cookout,” Celeste quickly filled him in.
Donny’s gaze quickly cut to Andrea, who was already staring at him before staring back at Celeste and then back to her. Andrea caught movement from her periphery, and she wondered what the other woman was doing. Just as she made to turn her head, Donny spoke up.
“I mean, if you want to come, we’d all be happy to have you,” he spoke with a small unsure smile. “No pressure, though.”
“When you put it like that, how could I resist,” Andrea replied, giving him a small grin before cutting her gaze back to Celeste, who was punching the air as if she’d just won a prize.
Andrea gave her a quizzical look.
“I’m just happy not to be the only female representative from the department at these shindigs,” she explained.
“But I’m not a member of the department.” Andrea released a light chuckle.
The woman said something under her breath, and Andrea wondered what it was that caused Celeste to look at her with so much hope.
“All right, guys, stop pestering Andrea. She already said yes. If you continue being so creepy, she just might change her mind,” Donny chided his team.
“Yes, sir,” the team echoed in unison, giving a half salute before breaking out in laughter.
Andrea shook her head in amusement.
