I eyed Don before turning to Angela. “No, he's just a fool.”
“Fuck no I ain’t. Harvard’s taking the lieutenant’s exam in a few months. And with his brains, we all know he’s going to pass. Rescue Four has only had one lieutenant for two years now, and each station is supposed to have three.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Angela accused.
“It’s no big deal. I’m just taking the test.”
“Itisa big deal. I remember how happy my father was when he made lieutenant. I was still young, but I remember his giddiness and my mama laughing as he kissed her all over her face. And Sean, he was so excited when he passed.”
“Sean?” Carter questioned.
Angela turned her still star-filled gaze to Carter. “Of Rescue Two. He’s my older brother.” She turned back to me. “Oh my goodness! We have to make you some study cards. They always helped me in college. You’ll be able to carry them with you wherever and study at the station, at home, at my place. Wherever.” She waved her hands around animatedly.
I couldn’t help the amusement I felt at seeing how excited she was over this. Pulling a pen out of the workout bag she carried, she jotted some notes down on a napkin on the table of things to pick up from Staples to help me study.
“I think you’ve got a winner there,” Carter leaned over and stated, low in my ear.
I didn’t even look at him to acknowledge the truth of his words. I was too busy staring down at the giddy Angel to the left of me.
****
“I thought we were stopping for food. Come on, Harvard. I’m fucking starving,” Don grumbled as he dismounted from the rig.
“We are,” I answered, glancing at him over my shoulder.
“Then what the fuck are we doing at a community center?” he asked, just as we reached the door.
I held it open for him.
“If there’s not a large pepperoni and sausage pizza waiting inside for us, I’m setting your boots on fire.” He pointed at me.
I laughed, not because I didn’t think he was serious, but because I believed he would light my boots on fire.
“Come on, man. I’ll spring for extra garlic knots later.”
“You better,” he grumbled, brushing past me.
I entered the center behind Don.
“Welcome, gentlemen. Can I help you?” the young receptionist asked.
“Yeah, we’re here to see Marshall Jacobs.” I leaned on the counter, noticing the young brunette eyeing both Don and I. We were dressed in department dark blue T-shirts, displaying the department’s emblem, and our bright orange-yellow coveralls from the waist down with the standard red suspenders to hold them up. We were returning from a call. I’d dropped off the other guys and told them we were heading out to pick up a pizza. Since there was another rig at the station, it was customary that one or two of us would take one out to pick up food for the station.
Her head leaned over the counter, and she saw the huge fire rig that I parked in the lot.
“Are you gentlemen here to do a presentation for the students?”
“No, doll. But if you give me your number, I’d be more than happy to give you a call to set that up,” Don responded, his voice dipping low.
The girl lowered her head as she blushed.
I just shook my head at Don’s way with the women. How someone could be as crude as he was sometimes and still beat women off with a stick was beyond me.
“We just need Marshall for a moment.” I gave her a smile I knew would charm the pants off most women.
“Thanks, doll,” Don added before she even moved to pick up the phone.
Her blush revealed her intentions before her movements. Seconds later she was hanging up the phone and telling us that Marshall was on his lunch break but would be right out.
