After finishing up with the sink, we said our goodbyes. My mom wrapped Lyla in one of her mama bear hugs, like she was already part of the family. The whole experience made me want a future with Lyla even more than before. It was like I could picture it so perfectly. And the entire drive back to the apartment I itched to tell her how I really felt. That I wanted more than just friendship with her.
When my phone chimed from the center console, I glanced at it and let out a sigh. One that had a hint of annoyance to it.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, and I didn’t miss the concern in her eyes.
“Chief wants to know if I can come in early for my night shift tonight. They’re dealing with a large fire and someone from second shift just got sent to the hospital for burns.”
“And you don’t want to?”
It wasn’t that. Well, not exactly. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to work. It was that it would be the first night shift since Lyla began staying with me. I was already apprehensive of leaving her alone all night. Adding four more hours to it wasn’t sitting right in my gut.
But I couldn’t tell her all that. I wasn't sure how she would feel about my need to be with her—to protect her. The last thing I wanted to do was make her feel like I was smothering her. So I shook my head and held back the whole truth.
“Just wanted a few hours to chill at home before I have to go in.” I typed out the quick affirmative response to the chief before glancing back over at Lyla. It wasn’t like me to say no to picking up extra hours, and I knew Lyla would be suspicious if I did. “I’ll need to give Dylan a heads up I’m going in early.”
Her shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. “Okay.”
I sent one more text—to Dylan this time—and then we made our way inside. Grabbing my duffle, I stood in front of Lyla, who stifled a yawn. Between physical therapy and then being at my mom’s, she was probably exhausted. I wrestled into submission my urge to reach out and pull her into me. Wrap my arms around her and breathe her in.
Instead, I resigned to squeeze her shoulder. “You okay?”
“Just tired. I’m going to go lay down.”
I nodded. “Good idea.”
“Be safe tonight.” Her bottom lip disappeared as she pulled it into her mouth with her teeth. Her nervous habit had an effect on me that it shouldn't, and I cursed both her habit and my reaction to it for the millionth time.
“Aren’t I always?” Reluctantly, I dropped my hand to my side. “Lock the door behind me.”
She followed me to the door and I waited until I heard the click of the lock before heading toward my car. As I started the engine, I took another minute to glance around. Likely it was just my uneasiness at leaving Lyla for the night, but I was struggling to shake the feeling of dread that suddenly washed over me.
It had taken morethan two hours to get the fire at the large clothing warehouse completely extinguished and the overhaul process complete. With so much cardboard and fabric, it fed the fire faster than our efforts could tamp it down. Since arriving back at the station, we’d begun the process of washing our turnout gear and equipment to decontaminate it.
“Hell of a night,” Daniel, one of our young volunteers, said.
I paused my task of wiping down my helmet and glanced over at him. He was covering a vacation for one of the second shift guys. Barely twenty-one, but a good kid with a lot of potential fora great firefighter. Stayed calm, followed orders, and had all the right instincts.
Jesus. Shitty way to kick off the week though. He was the same age I was when I got hired as full-time, and I had a couple of years of volunteering under my belt by then. I thought back on my first intense fire, similar to the one we just finished with, but with heavy machinery and chemicals that made it even more dangerous. I was impressed he handled the large fire tonight so well.
“Yeah,” I said. “Hopefully it’s quiet for the rest of shift.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out. Fear raced down my spine as Dylan’s name flashed across the screen.
“What’s wrong?” I barked out, bringing the phone to my ear.
“Likely nothing…but patrol thought they spotted someone lurking near the tree line when they drove by. I’m going to post Ethan out front to keep an eye on the building tonight.”
My muscles tighten with tension. “Did you update Lyla already?”
I was surprised she hadn’t texted yet if he did.
“Yes. She’s fine. I told her just keep the door locked and don’t open it for anyone but Ethan, me, or you.”
I tried to relax my shoulders, but nothing about this felt right. Something was screaming at me that danger was lurking outside my apartment.
After hanging up with Dylan, I called Lyla. Hearing her voice instantly made me feel a little bit calmer.
“You ok?” I asked, barely letting her get a whole word out. But I had to hear her tell me she was okay. Then maybe the storm raging inside me would quiet down.
