“Where are you right now?” I asked.
“Standing on the sidewalk with half my building. It’s like a scene from a disaster movie out here. Except Mrs. Smith from 4B is in her bathrobe and fuzzy bunny slippers.”
I could picture it—Étienne in the middle of chaos, trying to make jokes because that’s what he did when stressed. Deflect with humor, keep things light, never let anyone see he was rattled.
But I could hear it in his voice. The slight tremor underneath the casual tone. He was more shaken than he wanted to admit.
“I’m coming over,” I said, already looking around for my jeans.
“What? No. Marco, don’t?—”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
“There’s nothing you can do here. It’s chaos. Fire trucks everywhere, neighbors milling around, smoke—” He broke off, and I heard him take a breath. “Seriously, I’m fine. I don’t know why I called. I’ll?—”
“Étienne—”
“I’m okay. Really.” His voice was firmer now, that stubborn edge I recognized. The one that meant he’d dig inhis heels if I pushed. “You coming here would just… you’d be standing on the sidewalk with the rest of us. There’s nowhere to even park. It’s a mess.”
I stopped in the middle of my bedroom, phone pressed to my ear, every instinct screaming at me to get in my Suburban and drive over there anyway. To see with my own eyes that he was fine, that he was safe…
But he was right. What would I do? Stand around with him in the cold while fire crews worked? Get in the way of first responders?
“You’re sure?” I asked, hating how helpless I felt.
“I’m sure. I’m literally just waiting until they let us back in to grab stuff. Then I’m out of here.”
“You’re not waiting out there in the cold. Come over here. We’ll get your stuff tomorrow.”
“Marco, I can’t?—”
“Yes, you can.”
“I’ll just get a hotel or something. I’m not going to impose?—”
“Étienne.” I gripped my phone tighter. “I have a guest room. Don’t be stupid.”
“I don’t want to?—”
“If you say ‘impose’ one more time, I’m hanging up and coming to get you myself.” I ran my hand through my hair, suddenly exhausted. “It’s not a big deal. Stay as long as you need to until your place is fixed.”
He was quiet for a moment. I could hear voices in the background and someone shouting instructions.
“You sure?” he asked finally.
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, but I’m going to wait and grab my stuff first. Fire chief just said it won’t be much longer.” He sighed. “This is such a mess.”
“It’ll be fine. Text me when you’re on your way over.”
“Okay. Yeah. Thanks, man. I really—thanks.”
“Don’t thank me. Just get your stuff and get over here.”
I hung up the phone and stared at it.
Étienne. Living here. In my house.
