“Yes, sir.”
Giving Lexi a nod, he turned and left the locker room, closing the door behind him.
Tears stinging her eyes, Lexi turned and walked down the row of lockers until she got to hers. She didn’t know whether she wanted cry because she was hurt by what Dane had said or because she was so freaking pissed at him.
She was taking off her shoes when she heard the door open. She quickly wiped the few tears that had escaped to slide down her face and spun around, thinking Dane had come back for another round. But it was Kate Fairchild, one of the female firefighters on the shift. While she and Kate had met when Lexi transferred to Station 58, they were becoming fast friends.
Lexi peeled off her damp T-shirt. “I guess everyone in the station heard Dane and me, huh?”
Kate gave her a sympathetic smile. “Actually, I think they heard you guys down at the next station.”
Lexi groaned. “Great.”
Kate she sat down on the long bench in front of the lockers. Slender with long blond hair and green eyes, she had that quintessential girl next door look about her.
“I didn’t know Dane was such a sexist jerk,” Lexi said, pushing down her pants and stepping out of them.
“I don’t think he means to be,” Kate said. “I think he cares about you.”
Lexi angrily shoved her wet clothes in the laundry bag she kept in the bottom of her locker. “Then he’d respect me enough to let me do my job.” She glanced over her shoulder at Kate. “Have any of the guys in DF&R ever called you out because they didn’t think a woman can do the job?”
Kate nodded. “A few times. I hate to say it, but it’s one of the hazards of being a woman in a male-oriented, macho occupation.”
Lexi tossed her soggy sports bra and panties on top of the other wet clothes in the laundry bag then pulled new underwear and a fresh uniform.
“Why do guys have to be that way?” she asked as she sat down on the bed beside Kate and pulled on her shoes.
Kate shrugged. “In some cases, men are simply wired at the genetic level to protect women. In other cases, it’s a blatant preconceived notion that women aren’t capable of doing the job.”
Lexi remembered what Skye had said about being grateful she’d found a man who believed in her and helped her get where she wanted to be. She’d thought Dane might be that man for her.
“For what it’s worth, Dane has always been fair with me and the other female firefighters in the station,” Kate said quietly.
Lexi wasn’t sure if that made her feel better or worse. “Do you think getting involved with him was a mistake?”
Kate gave her a small smile. “You’re the only one who can answer that question.”
That wasn’t much help. But Kate was right. She was going to have to decide if Dane was worth it. Despite how much she was beginning to care about him, right now, she wasn’t so sure.
* * * * *
Dane should have known Jax would follow him. No sooner had he walked outside to cool off than his friend caught up with him. Even though the torrential rain had stopped right after the Dallas PD detective had shown up to talk to Lexi and Trent, the ground was still soggy.
“What was that all about?” Jax demanded.
“Nothing,” Dane barked as he strode over to the picnic tables set up near the grills along the side of the building.
Jax kept pace with him. “It didn’t sound like nothing to me.”
When Dane didn’t answer—or stop—Jax grabbed his arm and jerked him to a halt. “What the hell is your problem?”
“My problem is that Lexi almost got herself killed tonight.” Dane’s gut clenched thinking about it. “I told her that she shouldn’t have taken a risk like that, and she took it the wrong way.”
“Did she?” Jax said. “Because it seems to me like she took it exactly the right way.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“If Trent had been the one crawling out there on the top of that car, would you be berating him for being reckless?”
