“Someone is groveling I see. Care to share with the class?”
“Oh, it’s a long story. Come on, let’s tackle getting these tables in order while I tell you.”
I want to go home now to get ready, and rush the day but I know I can’t. So might as well work until Jaycob wakes up.
At least I’m doing it with a smile on my face now.
Fuck, I’m tired.
Should I have stayed up with Juliette last night? No.
Do I regret any minute of it? Also, no.
We’re on the last stable and getting our new mare out was a test of patience. Smokey, Sanders’ horse, was able to sway her into going to graze the fields so we could get in here. He’s the only creature, human or animal, she’ll let near her.
Murray and I are the only ones allowed to muck her stall since we don’t trust the young hands around her yet. They all want to be the ones to prove something and they’ll get their asses kicked in the process. Or more likely their head.
“I’m so fucking glad we’re done after this. I might actually get a nap before my date with Juliette.”
“She texted me earlier. Dakota is struggling with Jaycob being sick and having no help. I could fucking punch that asshole sperm donor of hers.”
“He still not responding to any of her lawyer’s requests?” I stab the shovel into the wheelbarrow.
“Not that he isn’t responding, he’s missing in action. Miraculously no one from the Black Key seems to know where he went. Hugh says he’s just a travelin’ cowboy looking for work and roamin’.”
Hugh Chiave, the owner of the Black Key Ranch. Shit. He’d lie to his own mama. I’d be willing to be on my life he knows where that fucker went.
Both of our pagers sound, breaking up the conversation about Dakota and her deadbeat ex.
“Shit. Ground fire at the rec center.” Murray tosses his shovel in next to mine. “I’ll text the guys to finish up. Hopefully none of ‘em get kicked.”
I nod at him taking action and pull out my own phone to text Juliette. I’ll probably be late for our date.
Shit.
Me:Getting called out for a fire. I love you, but I will be late for our date. Hopefully not too late. >
I toss my phone in the truck and Murray and I speed off to make it to the station in time.
We fly into the parking lot, tires squealing behind some of the other guys. Pulling my gear out of my locker in the station I jump into it while running to the rig.
“Let’s go boys! We’ve got a jumper. It started on the ground, but it’s already taking the porch,” Chief O’Reilly yells to us.
“Yes, Chief,” we all respond in unison.
Our station is small with only three full timers, and the rest being volunteers. A lot of the ranch hands volunteer since an out of control wildfire affects us most, we want to protect the ranches at all costs.
We have five minutes or less to get to the station for a call. If you don’t make it you wait for the next rig to fill up. We have to respond to the page so we know who we’re waiting for, and that second engine will take the stragglers.
We pile in while Chief turns on the sirens and briefs us on the fire.
“When we get there, I want fire breaks. We need to find the source. It’s already jumped to the porch so I want the ground and building doused. You’ll know where to go with the melted snow.”
We nod. All of us getting in our headspace that we need to be in to fight the fires.
“Kids are not evacuated. We don’t know where the fire is, Davies and Adler, I want you to evacuate with me. We’ll need to clear a line for them to follow to the bus that’s waiting.”
Fucking shit.I hate when there are kids involved. When their little lives are on the line it makes the whole call that much more involved and important.
