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Part One
Summer BBQ
Chapter 1
“Well, it’s been a month, and if Vanessa hadn’t caught us at a funeral, I don’t think any of my team would believe that we were dating, let alone quasi married. We haven’t been seen together in the same place since the funeral other than the one day we got our talking-to at Firehouse 15. It’s amazing I had time to seduce you last year.” Erin’s head was on Noah’s shoulder, listening to the rumble of his voice, his work shirt unbuttoned as they curled up on the couch.
She’d been waiting at home on her day off, and he’d worked until after five. The house was immaculate, as she’d cleaned up in her spare time after her morning workout.
“We aren’t ‘quasi-married,’ we’re married. No one has seen us because Bat Chief McClunis doesn’t want me anywhere near Firehouse 15, and you work two to three twenty-four-hours shifts a week. I’m lucky I see you at all.”
Noah was stretched out on the couch, his blazer lying on the floor. Erin nudged it with her foot, trying to figure out if she could fling it to the hamper in their bedroom from the living room. He might have been the fire chief, but at home, he was a clutter magnet.
“I bet Captain Williams will let you stop by if you put on a visitor’s badge,” Erin suggested.
Noah gave her his best ‘you’d better be kidding’ Chief face. “No.”
“Come on. For me? Why can’t my husband bring me lunch at work? Other husbands and wives do.” Erin looped her fingers in his soft T-shirt, deciding to forgive him for the blazer, since he was cuddly enough.
“Really? Name one.”
“Okay, I can’t name anyone because we don’t have any married people at our firehouse anymore since Jacob Carver left.” She pretended to pout. “You realize that we could have not gotten married and continued to secretly see each other indefinitely? If we just kept up our same patterns, no one would notice. Even now that we’re married—what’s happened? Nothing has really changed other than us living together officially.”
He sat up a little bit. “Where is this going? Other than you wanting me to hang up my blazer?”
Erin continued talking like he hadn’t spoken. “We haven’t even gone on a vacation or a honeymoon. Other than work, and the ‘get in shape’ running plan for the wedding, we aren’t doing the normal couple stuff normal couples do.”
She hadn’t minded the lack of wedding stuff thus far. While they’d missed the meeting at the North Star Cafe, they hadn’t been given much to do yet for their upcoming ‘show’ wedding this winter. Noah had an enormous pile of paperwork on the rules of the wedding that he’d been avoiding, and he hadn’t been invited to the upcoming team sexual harassment training weekend in late August.
“Do you want to go out more?” he asked. He nuzzled her neck. “Find friends who are other couples? Double date?”
“Don’t be silly. I just happen to feel that my team needs to accept that you are permanent. We are permanent. That our coupledom is real.”
“What would you like to do?” Noah laid back, likely guessing Erin had made a decision about her team and wasn’t asking for his input.
“Is it okay if we have my entire shift over as a get together to see ‘us’?” Erin gave him her best puppy-dog eyes.
He twisted his mouth up in thought. “You want us to do a couple’s performance art for your friends.”
“Williams used to be your friend. And someday we’re going to be performing as an engaged couple in front of the county, so we might as well practice.” Erin waved her hand in front of his face, Obi-wan style. “You want to have a barbecue. It’s a great idea. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”
“This is how I got in trouble the first time,” Noah pulled her to him for a long kiss. “Though I never could say no.”
“You are so getting rewarded,” Erin exclaimed and added. “Especially if you move the blazer.”
Without a single word of protest, Noah got up and retrieved his jacket. By the time he returned, Erin was lying naked on the couch, and Noah was far too occupied to voice any more objections.
Chapter 2
You are invited to the first annual bi-Baker BBQ for Firehouse A shift. Expect party games and a keg. Significant others welcome. Bring a dish to share. Vegetarian options will be available for Kevin. Year-end awards will be presented. Clothing mandatory, swimsuit recommended, hot tub optional.
Please RSVP - emails, paper airplane, texts, and verbal messages accepted.
Chapter 3
The following Sunday ended up being a beautiful day—eighty-five degrees—and, for once, not cloudy.
Erin greeted the crew at the door sporting blue jean shorts over a blue bikini and a white and blue striped short-sleeve button-down shirt. Her team had listened to the dress code and wore T-shirts or tank tops and shorts. All four women had visible bathing suit straps under their outfits and had skipped the skirts.
