Erin took a steadying breath. “I should stop talking now. I am on duty right now, and you, my superior officer, unnecessarily apologized to me. So, I’m sorry, again.”
This time, she looked him directly in the eye, and he stared back, impassive.
For all her apologies, he must have guessed that she wasn’t sorry and would do it all again if she had the chance. With his evil Jedi Chief powers, she was certain he could read her thoughts and had no difficulty knowing how much she had downplayed the entire thing. He was too much of a gentleman and professional to call her out. What could he say anyway?
Stop lying and have sex with me now?
Stop pretending two almost-kisses didn’t happen?
Or maybe he was simply confused by her stream-of-consciousness babble.
“Thank you for your candor, Hudgens.” He turned around. Apparently, bathroom use was no longer a priority for him.
Erin sighed. She should be used to him rejecting her by now. It was time she swore off attractive, blue-eyed, ineligible, disinterested, fire chiefs.
Chapter 10
The fireworks continued upon their return.
Downstairs, Williams had the men inventorying any object branded with ‘Cleveland Fire Department’ for eventual replacement. He assigned the women to remove products containing white flour and refined sugar from the kitchen after they changed into their regular uniforms.
Luna fumed the whole time they collected their large supply of white pasta. “The team voted on this food. Each shift was presented the different options, and the teams made the decision. As a team.”
“It’s noodles,” Vanessa said. “He wants us to be healthier. Maybe he’s looked at the insurance plan and found out after McClunis lost her spleen that we should focus on low glycemic whole wheat for our cholesterol.”
“It’s diabetes that needs a low glycemic index, not cholesterol. The spleen doesn’t do anything with digestion,” Luna grumbled.
“Fine, diabetes and the pancreas. It’s stupid noodles, and it’s stupid complaining. Why are you upset over this?”
“I’m sorry, I thought officers were supposed to involve the team in management decisions. Soto did.” Luna tossed a box of noodles in the trash with frustration.
Even though Erin didn’t approve of Soto’s actions, she understood Luna better than Vanessa did in this. Luna held a great deal of affection for her gruff uncle. Her mother’s brother had taken her in when her parents died in a car accident during elementary school, and she’d haunted the firehouse until Soto made her attend college, then joined the force after her graduation. The firehouse had been her extended family, and the foods were a symbol of the impending loss of her uncle and her home being dismantled brick by brick in the name of progress.
“It’s not that big of a deal. He must think it’s better for us,” Vanessa said obtusely, either choosing to avoid the elephant in the room about Soto or too focused on winning the support of the new captain.
“I know it’s better nutritionally, but isn’t it that big of a deal that he wants to overrule a firehouse tradition on his first day? What does that say about how he respects the team? How does he know anything about us?” Luna complained. Ridiculous as it may have been, Erin wasn’t shocked that Luna viewed critical evaluation of their food choices equating to critical evaluation of her uncle by extension.
“I do know that in a short-handed shift like yours, it is essential we maintain the highest standards of health and nutrition. Whole-grain diets may decrease cholesterol and improve diabetes, which are major problems among career firefighters.” Captain Williams had silently ascended the stairs with three loaves of wheat bread. He no longer wore his dress blues and had changed into his regular navy uniform, complete with a large GPS smartwatch on his left wrist.
“Sorry you had to hear that, sir,” Erin said quickly. Whether they liked it or not, he was the captain, and her team needed less division, not more.
“Lieutenant Rodriguez, you’re always welcome share your opinions in my office during the designated afternoon coffee hours.”
As he started to walk away, Luna mumbled under her breath in Spanish, “No se ahogues con su cafe o ego, calvo.”
Erin hoped she had misheard. She spoke high school Spanish, which was enough to order food and calm patients, but she was fairly certain Luna told her new captain ‘don’t choke on your ego, baldy.’
He turned back around, “Gracias por su preocupacion pero mi ego esta bien y mi cafe tambien. Feel free to make sandwiches for lunch on the wheat bread before we start taking calls again.”
Luna turned dark red at having been thanked for her worry and that his ego and coffee were fine. Erin wordlessly got out the peanut butter. No one spoke for a while, even when the rest of the crew arrived to tally any serving utensils branded with ‘Cleveland FD.’
Their first call came around 1500 from a residential area for a possible fire in progress. Usually, they’d have followed their morning assignments, but they didn’t know if their captain wanted them to take the original assignments. Instead, they stood waiting next to their turnout gear.
“Why aren’t you loading?” Williams barked at them.
“Assignments, sir?” Vanessa explained helpfully.
“Rodriguez, Jefferson on Medic. Clarke and Carver on Engine. Hudgens, Jones, and Knight with me on Ladder.”
