“Uh, Adam, hey. It’s Rico.”
“I know.”
“Oh, yeah. Uh, okay, the reason I’m calling is that there may be a slight hitch, one that you’re gonna have to check with your guys about.”
Adam sat on the locker room bench, while the guys walked in and out, giving him curious looks but not stopping. “What is it?”
“Well, the kitchen has to be kosher, so I’m gonna need someone to come in and do that to your kitchen. It means cleaning the oven a certain way, and then they do all kinds of prayer stuff. Will they be okay with that?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t be. I’ll let the chief know, and if he says anything, I’ll call you back. But plan on it being a go.”
“Man, I owe you everything.”
“Don’t. Whatever it is, I’m still your friend. Remember how you came to Texas to help me? This here is me being a friend right back to you, no strings.”
“I’ll never be able to repay you.”
“That’s the funny thing about friends. You don’t have to. Talk to you later.” And he clicked off. Giving himself no time to ruminate, Adam left the locker room to find Lt. Dixon.
As always, the lieutenant was to be found behind a mountain of files in his office. The harsh overhead light struck his silvery short-cropped hair.
“Lieutenant?”
Dixon glanced up from his desk.
“Yes, Barton, what is it?”
“It’s about what we discussed this morning. Something extra that came up you need to know.”
“Go on.”
As Adam relayed Rico’s information, Dixon’s eyes never left his face.
“It’s okay with me. You know City Hall and HQ are always telling the houses to become part of the community. I think this’ll be a great human-interest story. You might get us some very good press, maybe local-news worthy.”
“That’s not why I’m doing it, Lieutenant.”
Dixon quirked a dark brow, his lips tilting in a curious smile. “In that case I’m going to ask you: then why are you? This is going a bit above and beyond. I’m all for helping out the community, and I agree it’s a good idea, but do you have some other reason for helping out this particular store?”
When he was moved to this house, Dixon had been made fully aware of the bullying and harassment issues Adam endured as a probie. That was one thing. Talking to his chief about a former boyfriend? Ain’t gonna happen.
“Yes and no. I know them personally; both guys who own the business are friends of mine. And one of the partners isn’t even in town for the weekend, so everything is falling on the other’s head.” Shifting slightly on his feet, Adam shrugged. “I’m trying to help out best as I can.”
Those piercing eyes missed nothing, yet Adam stared back at Dixon unflinchingly. Everything he said was the truth, minus a few details.
“Go ahead and tell your friend it’s okay. Whomever and whatever he needs for the kitchen, we’re at his disposal.” A twinkle lit his eyes. “I hope he at least lets us taste something for all that we’re turning over our kitchen to him. I think that’s only fair, don’t you?”
Ten minutes later, while speaking to Rico again, he told him what the lieutenant had said, and for the first time since that morning, he heard laughter in Rico’s voice.
“Tell your boss he can have whatever he wants. I’ll feed the whole damn firehouse free for a day.” His voice dropped to a low, intimate level, sending shivers through Adam, who chastised himself for getting caught up again in Rico’s magnetic pull. “Seriously. Thanks for this. I don’t know why you’re being so nice to me, but I owe you big-time.”
Again, Adam shivered.Get a grip. Nothing’s changed.
“Like I said before, that’s what friends do. Let me know when you’ll be here.”
“You don’t have to waste your time with me.” Rico sounded so sad. “I’m sure you have a million better things to do than hang around a crazed person.”
“As a matter of fact, I don’t. It’s my favorite place, didn’t you know?”
