Logan’s jaw visibly clenches. I turn to face the parents with a sympathetic smile and walk over to them. “Ya’ll can go to bed now. I promise it’s all fine for tonight.”
“Thank you so much,” Mr. Ellis says to me and shakes my hand. “Jake Grady, right? You went to school with Robbie. You played soccer too.”
I nod. “Yes sir. But it’s Maverick now. I changed my last name at eighteen.”
I hate what comes next.
Mrs. Ellis pats my hand. “Fresh start. I understand why you’d want that.”
“Actually it was my middle name,” I shrug. “My mom picked it from a character in her favorite movie growing up,Top Gun. She was sixteen when she had me, and I guess it seemed like a good idea to name your kid after a Tom Cruise movie. Anyway, I always thought it sounded cooler than Grady so I changed it.”
She looks confused. Mr. Ellis looks like a lightbulb has gone off in his head. “Oh right. Your mom was … well, look at you now though. You’re a responsible young man with a respectable job. I bet you know how to use a deep fryer and don’t just drop in an entire frozen turkey all at once.”
I don’t answer that. Instead, I hand them one of the pamphlets I keep in the truck. Mr. Ellis looks at it. “This is a very good program for adults who might need a little help with their drinking or other substances. It’s day patient, and you don’t need insurance. It’s free, covered by public donations and therapists who donate their time.”
Mrs. Ellis lets out a huff and shakes her head. “Whatever would we need that for?”
Mr. Ellis shakes my hand again. “Myrtle, this is exactly what the damn kid needs and you know it. Thanks, Jake.”
I nod and leave them on the porch to fight, which is exactly what they do. Logan is still treating Robbie, who is suddenly concerned. “Will my eyebrow grow back?”
Logan shrugs. I try not to laugh. “Usually, but people who abuse alcohol sometimes have a harder time healing.”
“Shit.” Robbie mutters.
I slap Logan’s shoulder. “See you back at the firehouse.”
“Hey… Maverick!” Robbie calls out in a slurred voice. I turn around and see him pointing at me with the arm Mason isn’t bandaging. “Were you here earlier tonight? In the woods, sucking face with some chick?”
How the hell is he so drunk he murdered his own eyebrow but somehow still has the ability to recognize me while I was making out with Terra? Shit. I shake my head and shrug. “I’ve been working, Robbie.”
“Yeah but I swear…” his eyes scan the firefighters who are all starting to climb back into their trucks. “I mean I saw the crest on the uniform and the guy was tall, and you’re the tallest … the girl was not tall at all. Like teeny weeny itsy bitsy and I—”
“Robbie, did you fall when the deep fryer exploded? Maybe hit your head?” I interrupt. Logan has gone back to help Mason get the stretcher Robbie is lying on into the ambulance.
“I dunno,” Robbie mutters and tries to scrunch his brow while he ponders the thought but it makes him wince. “Oww! Don’t make me think, Maverick. It hurts.”
I smirk. “Okay Robbie, don’t think about anything then. Or talk. Just chill while they get you to the hospital.”
Mason stays in the back with Robbie as Logan hops out, shuts the doors and walks around to the driver’s seat. “See you later at the station.”
I nod and walk back to the fire truck. I try not to freak out that Robbie saw Terra and me. He doesn’t know for sure and he didn’t recognize her so if I’m lucky, he’ll forget it completely or everyone will chalk it up to him being drunk and getting confused.
We roll into the truck bay at the station and I jump out and start peeling off my protective gear. Logan and his partner went to an ambulance-only call so they aren’t here yet. The captain walks up to me, smiling. “You know what you did back there, talking to that guy’s family about the addiction program, that’s why you’re definitely the best candidate to replace me.”
I smile, grateful he’s in my corner. “I applied. They start the interview process next week, so that might be an issue. The donation process is really rolling forward now. I could be in the hospital.”
He nods and looks conflicted. “I’ll do everything I can to champion you and push them to make exceptions and give you more time if you need it. But Green also wants this, bad, and he is older and been local this whole time. Plus with you being so young, they might just move ahead without waiting for you because they know you’ll have another shot at the position later on in your career.”
I hate that because it’s not necessarily true. If Ronan Green or any of the other lieutenants applying from other stations get the spot, it won’t become available again for a long time. I’ll have to switch houses to grab a captain’s spot anytime soon and I don’t want to leave Ocean Pines again.
“Thank you, sir.”
“It would help if you let me tell them why you’re off work,” he suggests for the third time this week.
I shake my head like I have all the other times. “Not right now. I’ll tell them if I need to.”
“Okay,” he nods.
