Page 55 of Burn Point

We finished hose testing and got everything cleaned up and put away. I had enough time to grab a cold shower and some food before tones started dropping. We were on a medical call for difficulty breathing in a house that looked like it should have been condemned.

Thoren met me at the back of the ambulance, looking back at the house. “I can’t believe anyone was even living in this house.”

“I hate to see it. I wish there was something we could do.” I peeled off my gloves and tossed them into the trash at the back of the bus.

“I know. That one civic group did that silent auction fundraiser. Wonder what they are doing with that money.”

I scoffed. “That fundraiser was a joke. It was just a way for people who didn’t want to get their hands dirty to feel like they were doing something.”

“You sound a little bitter about it.”

I sighed. “I’m not bitter. Well, maybe a little. That whole situation was a fucking joke. I wanted to join a group to do some real hands-on work.”

“So, what I’m hearing you say is that you are going to do something about it instead of waiting on someone else?” Thoren raised a brow at me, calling me on my bullshit.

I squared my shoulders. He was right. If I wanted to see a change, I needed to be the one to make it happen.

We loaded the patient and climbed back into the truck. I took one last look at the house before pulling away.

I had the tools and the skills. Maybe I could do some good and help some of these people out.

That idea rattled around in my head the entire way back to the station.

Later that night at the station, I was getting my bed made when Jordan called. We’d gotten into the habit of checking in nearly every night.

“Hey Skippy, what’s happening?”

“Nothing much, just sitting here finishing a project. How’s your day?”

“Pretty good.”

We chatted about regular stuff for a bit, teasing and playful, until she paused and said, “So, I was thinking about heading down to your party.”

“Really?” I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.

“Yeah, you mind if I park Pearl at your place? I mean, if it’s a problem, I can park somewhere else. Leah says Thoren has lots of property and he probably wouldn’t mind.”

“You aren’t parking Pearl at Thoren’s,” I demanded.

“Who’s parking what at my house?” Thoren stuck his head in my room.

“No one,” I said to him at the same time Jordan asked, “Is he there? Maybe I should ask him.”

I pulled my phone away and put it on speaker. “Jordan, you’re on speaker, so that you and Thoren can both hear this at the same time. Thoren, if Jordan asks to park her van at your place, you tell her no. She’s coming to my house.”

“But what if I want her to park at my house?” Thoren shot me a smirk.

“That doesn’t matter. She’s parking at mine.”

“But what about what I want? Doesn’t that factor in?” Jordan’s soft voice cut through my bullshit. And damn. Look at me being an overbearing asshole. Forcing what I wanted, instead of considering her wants.

Thoren raised his brows at me, as if to say, this one’s on you, and gave me a finger wave as he walked out of the bunk room.

I clicked the phone off speaker and put it back to my ear, feeling all sorts of confused. Why was I acting like this?

“Damn, Skippy. You know how to cut a guy.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling like a total shit.

“I’m not trying to make you feel a certain way. I’m just asking. Does it matter to you what I want? And why?”

---