Page 27 of Dueling Flames

Thorne looked between me and Trevor. He slowly reached his hand out. “Thorne.”

“Trevor.” They shook hands. “You manage to train her correctly after I changed stations? She always needed guidance on the job.”

Thorne’s grip on my arm tightened. “You…tried to guide her…to do the job correctly?”

“Of course,” Trevor said.

Thorne’s hand was the only thing reminding me to keep my job. The rest of the team glared at the back of Trevor’s head.

Thorne looked at me. “How is he still alive?”

“I don’t want to go to jail,” I said.

“Right.” He let go of my arm. Without another word, I walked out of the lounge and downstairs. I paced the bay for a few minutes before Thorne appeared. He had a clipboard with him, ready to take inventory in one of the storage rooms.

“How did you deal with him before?” he asked as I followed him into the storage room.

“For the first few months, I tried to talk things out. Got the captain involved. We didn’t have the personnel at the time to make a permanent switch. Eventually I just spoke to him as little as possible and begged for a new partner.” I leaned against the wall as Thorne started taking inventory. “On a run I’d ignore him when he started barking orders like he was the lieutenant. I got good at knowing when he needed my help and how to do most things without his help.”

“You think you’ll survive these next few weeks?”

“Don’t know. I hope you’re prepared to sprint through physical therapy, Dr. House.”

“Ooh, Dr. House. I’ve been upgraded. I’ll do my best.” He shook his head with a smile and continued the count.

I watched him work, knowing I’d help with the items on the lower shelves. I thought about the weekend and how he came to my rescue. He basically stopped me from getting kicked out of that restaurant. No one would be able to save my relationship with my parents.

Then I thought about the good stuff. Of how we spent most of yesterday learning more about each other after entering a new relationship. I couldn’t believe how much my opinion of him changed. I wondered if I would still find him annoying once we worked as partners again. But maybe some things should stay the same.

He looked over at me after writing his count on the clipboard, catching me staring. “What?”

“Nothing. Just waiting.”

He smiled. “Did you know that fire hydrants were invented in the early 1800s?”

I grinned. “Tell me more.”

Thorne

Lissa survived her first shift with her old partner without bloodshed. After their first run of the day, he spent thirty minutes telling her how she could improve. In short, he followed her around and talked at her. She went about her business without a word or look at him. She walked him in circles around the firehouse as she reloaded the truck. He eventually got bored and found something else to do.

I tried to focus on my own admin tasks. It wasn’t enough to fill the shift, even if others left work for me from other shifts. My mind drifted back to the last two days. Everything changed for the better. Now I needed to find a way to make things better for Lissa at work.

When we got off work the next morning, I went to her climbing training. Today was a bouldering and weights day. The first time I watched her, she climbed as a lead with a belayer on the ground, connecting her rope to the holds on the wall. Bouldering had her climbing without ropes and only up to about twelve feet in the air. The soft mats would break her fall, but she never fell.

Since I could finally move about without crutches, I was able to help her in the gym, even if it was to grab towels to clean the equipment. She used some of the machines since I couldn’t spot her on free weights.

“You know, once you’re cleared to work with no restrictions, we should see who can lift the most.”

I smiled as she pulled down the bar behind her back. “What will you give me if I win?”

“Oh, you won’t win.” She grinned and finished her set.

“Oh, I’ll win.” I loved a good competition.

“You might win in one area, but not all.”

“But I’ll still win. So what do I get?”