“I swear to god,” Hugh interrupts, “if you go in for anequipment inventory, I’ll beat you. I’ll ask Metier to do it on his next shift. He’s got a good eye.”
“Is the goal here to show me I’m replaceable?” I demand, only kind of kidding.
“The goal is to show that we know you’ve got other, more important shit going on—” Hugh tilts his head toward the elevator, toward Ames. “—and we’re stepping up to help you while you helphim.”
“Yeah, who’s taking care of Axford when he gets discharged?” James asks. “Collarbone injury’s a bitch. Broke mine on a skateboard back in college, and my mom had to move in with me. Pretty humbling when a man can’t scratch his own balls. Of course, I didn’t have a pretty boyfriend to help me.”
“Auden’s not physically strong enough to help Ames with anything,” I say without thinking. “And he probably doesn’t realize how Ames will bullshit about being fine when he’s not.”
“True story. It’s rare to meet a stubborner soul,” James agrees.
“I’ll take care of him. Ames needsme,” I say, defying either of them to argue.
To my surprise, neither does.
“Figured you’d say that,” Hugh says instead, “after the way you carried Axford out of that building.”
“Yep.” James slaps my biceps. “Like something out of that old bodyguard movie?—”
Hugh starts laughing before I even get the joke. “Oh, shit. Dibs on telling Axford he’s Whitney Houston in this scenario.”
Despite everything, I roll my eyes. “You two done?”
“Yep.” Hugh grins. “I’ll put in for two weeks’ vacation for ya.”
I hesitate for a fraction of a second because I really do suck at stepping back from my job. But for Ames?
“Yeah,” I say. “That’d be good.”
James’s smile spreads across his face slowly.
“What?” I demand. “It was pretty much your idea.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’ddoit. Only person stubborner than Axford is you when you get an idea stuck in your head. You guys are a matched pair that way.”
In other ways too.
My throat goes tight. “Thanks. Thank you. All of you. For having my back.”
“Don’t get weird and weepy, man, or you’ll makemeweird and weepy.” Hugh sniffs. “You fuckingknowI’m a sympathetic crier. Jesus.”
I shake hands with each of them while Hugh grumbles and coughs about how the flu makes a man sentimental. Then I excuse myself and head for the stairs. I don’t wanna wait for the elevator, and I need the movement, the physical action.
I’m rounding the second-floor landing when my phone buzzes. Wondering if it’s something with Ames, I pull it out, but it’s a text from Mike.
Mike
Bro, I know you said no more money, but my car’s FUCKED. Mechanic wants $3k down before they’ll even schedule repairs. Without it, I can’t help Anna with the girls! If you can Venmo, that’s easiest.
I stare at the screen, there in the cold stairwell, for the longest time.
Threethousandfucking dollars? Is he kidding?
No, “Hey, how are you?” No, “Robbie, I heard about the fire. Everything okay?” even though I know that’s probably all anyone in town is talking about right now. There’s nothing aboutmehere at all… except the part where he needs me to bail him out again.
I think of my fire crew having my back, stepping up to take weight off my shoulders. I think of Vivian, frantic with worry over Ames, asking me ifI’mokay. I think of Anna taking her break to come check on me last night.
My hands shake as I punch the Call button.
