How’re you feeling?
Much better, thanks 2 you 3. How are you?
I set the phone on the coffee table and then got up to ensure the front door was locked. I slip the deadbolt into place, shivering at the thought of Jason showing up at my front door. I feel vulnerable without the boys here, and I hate that feeling. Since graduating high school, I have seldom allowed myself to feel this way.
I sit back down on the couch and check my phone. There’s a response from Matt.
Good. I’m glad. I’m on a shift at the station.
I smile, gnawing my bottom lip without realizing it. Matt’s surprise firefighter career was still difficult for me to wrap my head around. I never envisioned Aaron or Matt working in public service, actuallyhelpingpeople.
Before I could type back a reply, my phone buzzed again.
Do you want to stop by? You could meet the crew.
I swallow, frowning at the phone. Matt wants to introduce me to his friends, coworkers, andteam. My fingers skim over the screen as I type up a response.
Sure. I’ll head over now.
Chapter 36
Matt
Istared at Renee’sresponse, rereading it to make sure I wasn’t getting anything confused. I expected her to turn me down, maybe not even respond. But she hadn’t. She was on her way here.
“Shit.” I slip the phone back into my pocket and look down at my dirty jeans and grease-smeared hands from working on the engine. I was tempted to run up to my bunk and change, but that would be stupid. I’m at work. It’s my job to look like this.
“Hey kid, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Paisley, one of my crew, teases, coming up behind me. “Are you talking to your girlfriend?”
I haven’t told anybody about Renee, let alone any other girl, but Paisley constantly teased me about it.
“Her name is Renee,” I said, neither confirming nor denying that Renee Lyon was my girlfriend. “She’s going to stop by for a bit.”
Paisley grins widely just as my captain, Erik Hansen, pops his head into the bay. “There’s someone here for you, Nelson,” he said and then glanced at Paisley. “Agirl.A nice one, too.”
If I were capable of blushing, I probably would have done so.
