“Hey, Michelle. You’re an event planner, right?” Corey called across the table.
She nodded. “I am.”
“We were just discussing the annual firefighter picnic earlier. Rescue Four didn’t attend last summer, but we’re thinking of hosting it this year.”
“Annual picnic?”
“Yeah,” I interjected. “Each year one squad from the department hosts the picnic at a local park. All the squads in attendance compete against one another for prizes, but it’s mostly for pride.”
“No shit it’s for pride!” Don belted out, pointing his beer bottle in my direction. “Rescue Four has been jipped for the last five fucking years. And since we didn’t have enough lieutenants last year, we opted out.” His eyes shifted over to Eric. “Now that Harvard’s got us back in the game with lieutenants …”
“Sean, too!” Angela added, speaking up for her brother while she sat on Eric’s lap.
Don nodded. “Sean, too. We got enough lieutenants and we’re going back for that damn trophy.”
“There’s a trophy involved?” Michelle questioned, excited.
“Prettier than the Stanley fucking Cup.”
“Watch your goddamn mouth when speaking to my woman,” I shouted at Don.
He merely winked at Michelle, his dark eyes gleaming.
“So, what do ya say, dollface? You willing to help us bring that trophy home where it belongs?”
“How can I help?” Michelle’s brows were furrowed in the cutest yet sexiest way I’d ever seen on a woman. She leaned an elbow on the table.
“We need you to plan the event. Make it all pretty like, so when we kick those fuck … squads’ asses, they’ll at least have pretty memories of the event.” Don grinned.
“Don’t ask my woman to do any extra work for you. She’s busy enough.”
“It’s not just for me. It’s for Rescue Four, which includes you, too, Richie Money Bags.”
I growled, hating it when Don taunted me with my family’s wealth.
“Richie Money Bags?” Michelle leaned back, laughing eyes looking down at me.
“He’s a prick.”
“Be nice. You know he teases because he knows it gets under your skin.”
“Only where you’re concerned.”
Her smile softened and she cupped the side of my face, leaning in for a quick kiss. My temper deflated instantly.
“I’d love to help organize the annual picnic.” She turned back to Don by that point.
I just wondered how long it’d be before I could get us out of here and alone.
~ Chapter Eleven ~
Carter
I felt like a total fucking heel for bringing herhere.The condo. The bachelor pad as my brothers often referred to it as.
“This is your place?” Michelle asked, as we strolled toward the elevator.
We’d just come fromCharlie’sand in my anxiousness to get her alone for the rest of the night, I’d brought her here.
