“I thought you and I were getting to know one another.”
“Right. We were. Are. Were.”
He frowned at my confused statements.
“Marshall, you’re a great guy. It’s just that…well, the feelings and chemistry aren’t there between us.”
“There’s more to a relationship than chemistry.”
“I know that,” I retorted, feeling defensive all of a sudden.
“And I know I’m not some macho six-foot firefighter who women swoon over, but I won’t dog you out like?”
“Dog me out? Wait, how do you even know what Eric does for a living?” I haven’t spoken to Marshall since the night he saw us together on our first date.
“I came into the bar one night. I saw you and him at one of the booths. A couple of the other firefighters were there talking about their fellow firefighter dating the owner.”
I blinked, feeling somewhat caught. “I didn’t see you that night.
“I know. I left after I saw that kiss between you two. Looked like a lot more than just getting to know one another.”
I tilted my head back, angling a sideways look at Marshall. I didn’t like the accusation I heard in his voice at all.
“I never would’ve thought you’d fall for one of them. You know how they run through women. I thought you were smarter than that.”
“Whoa!” I was taken aback by the harshness of his tone and insulted. “I could’ve sworn you just called me stupid. But I’m sure that’s not the case because I knowyou’resmarter than that.”
“I didn’t call you stupid. I just?”
“Insinuated it.”
“I just meant that I thought what we were building was something real. And you traded it in for a roll in bed with a firefighter. For what? A fun story to tell your girlfriends?”
I could feel my anger rising, my heartbeat quickening, and my hands balled into fists at my side. How dare he insult what Eric and I have? Marshall knew nothing of went on between us, nor was it any of his business!
“Marshall, I’m going to excuse everything you’ve just said and intimated about my character. My intent was never to hurt your feelings. You and I were just in the ‘getting to know one another’ phase, and now that is over. Thiswillbe our last conversation. You have a nice life.” With that, I sidestepped Marshall and headed to the women’s locker room to gather my belongings, not bothering to give him a second thought. I was not about to ponder for a second longer on his words. I knew all too well about the reputations firefighters held of being players and breaking hearts left and right. I also knew Eric wasn’t above any of that, as well. The man looked good, and he knew it, but I could feel right down to my toes that what was happening between us was deeper than a woman going all heart-eyes emoji over a good looking firefighter, and him playing me. There was something real between Eric and me, and I had every intention of finding out what it was, even if it meant the possibility of getting my heart broken in the long run.
Chapter Nine
Eric
“Hey, Captain, you wanted to see me?” I knocked on the open the door to alert him of my being there.
The captain’s head popped up from the files on his desk. He didn’t exactly smile, but his lips turned upward into a grimace that I’m pretty sure was supposed to come off as a smile.
“Yeah, Kim. Come in.” Captain referred to all of the men in the station by our last names. Considering it’s only been a few weeks since he signed on as our captain, we all were still feeling him out, as he was us.
“Shut the door,” he ordered.
I did as told and moved to sit in the hard metal chair across from his desk, which reminded me of the ones teacher’s used in the classroom. His desk was covered in files and stacks of papers.
“You hear they think that apartment fire from the other week was set intentionally?”
I wrinkled my forehead. “Not an electrical fire?”
He shook his head. “No, but that’s what the department is letting the media run with for now. If it was arson, they want the suspect to think he got away with it.”
“Don knows?”
