Now here I am, on one of the greatest days of my career, pining after a woman that I’d only known a few days.
“Let it go,” I chide myself as I tuck my shirt into my black, department-issued pants, before buttoning them. Giving myself one last look over to make sure my uniform is impeccable, I head out of my bedroom, cross my spacious living room, and pluck my keys off the wall mount where they hang. After I grab my bomber jacket, I head out the door, locking it behind me.
“Hey, Emanuel.”
Turning, I see the real estate agent that I’d worked with to find my condo greeting me. “Jack, how’s it going?”
He steps over the threshold, closing the door of the condo directly across from me.
“Same ol’ same. Got a new tenant for this place.”
I lift my brows. “That’s good news.” The condo had been empty for about a month after the owner’s previous tenants abruptly picked up and moved out.
“Yeah, she’ll be moving in this weekend.”
I nod. “It’ll be nice to have a new face around here,” I say absentmindedly. “I’ll see you later, Jack.” I don’t wait for his good-bye as I turn on my heels and head toward the staircase. I rarely take the elevator at home since I only live on the third floor and waiting takes longer than taking the stairs.
I reach the enclosed garage where I pay extra to park my maroon 2018 Ford Mustang. Hopping in my car, I rev up the engine because it’s been a few days since I’ve had the pleasure of doing so. Backing out of my parking space, I turn to pull out of the parking garage and make the twenty minute drive to my new station. My commute to work is longer at Rescue Four but it’s worth it.
A short while later, I am pulling into the fire station with the words Station Rescue Four emblazoned at the top of the brick building. The welling of pride that I was searching for earlier begins to emerge and I breathe a little easier. Thoughts of my time in Mexico still dance around in the background of my mind, but for right now I’m ready to take on a new adventure.
Parking alongside the other vehicles, which presumably belong to my new squad members, I turn my car off and exit, taking a moment to look around at my new home. Rescue Four is larger than my previous assignment, Station Two. To my left there are two fire trucks parked halfway out of the garage. The trail of soap and water from the garage tells me the trucks are being washed.
I walk toward the garage and enter that way instead of the front door. I’ve already memorized the layout of the station. And having been a firefighter for over seven years now, I know that the kitchen is the most likely place to find the guys hanging out.
“You’re shitting me?” are the first words I hear as I enter the kitchen.
I turn to see Don who is talking to Carter about something. Carter looks over and catches sight of me. A lift of his eyebrows is partnered with a sideways grin.
“You finally made it, huh?” he greets, walking over to me. He raises his hand.
I slap fives with him and pull him into an embrace. Carter and I go back to our time spent in the military. We weren’t in the same squad but there was some overlap from time to time. We got along well.
“Captain put you on for the evening on your first shift?” he asks.
I nod. “Seems to be the case.”
He whistles low. “He’s throwing you into the lion’s den head first … literally.”
I chuckle. He’s right. Everyone knows that evenings shifts at the fire station are busier with often larger and more chaotic fires. And since more people tend to be home during the evening hours, it also means more lives need to be saved in those fires.
“Just how I like it.”
“Damn straight,” Carter agrees, his blue eyes glinting at me. “You’ve met everyone?”
I open my mouth to respond but am interrupted.
“Allende!” a deep, gruff voice calls.
I look toward the swinging door of the kitchen to find my new captain standing at it. I’m not surprised to see the deep frown and wrinkle in his forehead that he’s known for. Captain Waverly has a reputation around the department for being one of the toughest but most efficient captains in the city.
“Captain.” I nod.
“This way.” That’s all he says before he turns and exits, leaving the kitchen door swinging and me to follow along.
When I pass through the door to the living room space of the station, a couple guys are on the couch watching an early season football scrimmage. I nod at a few who look up at me and keep walking. Though I haven’t spotted him since he left the kitchen, I assume the captain went upstairs to his office, which is the direction I head.
After taking the steps two at a time, I hook a right at the top, and go down the hall a few feet where I am met with a closed door. I knock.
