Page 27 of Sparks Fly

She can do this. Hallie is just the boss now.

The session is grueling as usual, both physically and mentally, but Kaia throws herself into it with everything she has. After the mess she got herself into yesterday, she has to prove that she can be a dependable teammate, that she’s worthy of the trust being placed in her. She and Richards work seamlessly, communicating clearly and efficiently as they take turns playing the downed firefighter and the rescuer in various scenarios.

Throughout the entire morning, Kaia feels the weight of Hallie’s gaze on her, watching her every move with critical eyes. It’s a struggle not to let her emotions show, to keep her movements precise and her mind focused. But even as she pushes herself to her limits, Kaia can’t shake the torture of being in Hallie’s presence, the unspoken tension that crackles between them like a live wire.

Finally, the drills come to an end, and Kaia is left panting and sweat-drenched, her muscles burning with exertion. She braces for the lieutenant’s final assessment, steeling herself for the cold professionalism she knows is coming.

“Good work, you two,” Hallie says flatly, her face an impassive mask as she looks between Kaia and her partner.

There’s no warmth in her voice, no hint of the affection that once colored her face when she praised Kaia. It’s as if nothing ever happened between them, as if all that time they shared was nothing more than a figment of Kaia’s imagination.

The heartbreak is like a physical thing, a vise around Kaia’s chest that threatens to squeeze the life out of her. She swallows hard, fighting back the sudden sting of tears as she nods stiffly. This is how it’s going to be from now on, she reminds herself, even as every fiber of her being seems to crumble where she stands.

Hallie doesn’t want her anymore.

As the crew begins to disperse for lunch, Richards jogs over to Kaia, a grin on his face as he wipes the sweat from his pale brow.

“Hey, a bunch of us are grabbing drinks tonight,” he huffs, slightly out of breath. “You should come, bond with the crew outside the station for once.”

Kaia hesitates, her gaze drifting over to where Hallie is marching back towards her office. The thought of trying to be sociable, to pretend like everything is normal when her entire world has been turned upside down, is almost more than she can handle. She starts to shake her head, a weak excuse forming on her lips, but Richards beats her to it.

“C’mon, Kaia,” he presses. “You’re part of this crew same as any of us, and I swear we’re not all that bad. One drink, that’s all I’m asking.”

Kaia sighs deeply, looking down at her feet as she toes the ground. She has a feeling Richards won’t let it go very easily. And truth be told, the thought of going back to her empty apartment, to the echoes of Hallie’s presence that linger in every corner, is suddenly suffocating.

“Alright, Richards,” she relents, a wry smile tugging at her mouth. “One drink.”

His grin widens as he claps her on the shoulder.

“Atta girl. Meet us at Murphy’s at 8. And Kaia? Lose the last name basis crap. We’re friends now. Call me Adam.”

With that, he jogs off towards the guys’ locker room, leaving Kaia to shake her head in bemusement. She doesn’t know if she’d call them friends just yet, but perhaps a clean slate with this crew is exactly what she needs right now.

Hours later, Kaia pushes through the door of Murphy’s Bar, the low thrum of music and chatter washing over her. She spots her crewmates gathered around one end of the bar, their laughter and easy camaraderie a stark contrast to the sidelong glances and sniggering she’s become accustomed to since starting at Fire Station 3.

“Kaia!” Adam calls out, waving her over with a grin. “Glad you could make it. Get over here, Finn’s buying the first round.”

Kaia weaves her way through the crowd, pasting on an easy smile as she joins them. The guys are rowdy and boisterous, reminding her instantly of her older brothers as they clink glasses and chug beers. Kaia forces herself to laugh along, to join in the easy banter even as her gaze keeps wandering to the door, half-hoping and half-dreading that Hallie might walk through at any moment.

But as the night wears on and the alcohol starts to loosen the knot in her chest, Kaia feels herself start to relax at last. She finds herself trading stories and jokes with her fellow rookies, reveling in the way they include her so effortlessly, as if she’s always been one of them.

“Gotta admit, Montgomery,” Finn Cochran slurs at one point, raising his glass in a salute. “You’re not so bad. To our sister in arms!”

“Hear, hear!” the others cheer, sloshing their drinks slightly with the drunken toast.

Kaia grins and gulps down her own pint, feeling a warmth bloom in her chest that has nothing to do with the alcohol. The night out is bittersweet, tainted slightly by the hollow ache of Hallie’s absence. But as Adam slings an arm around her shoulders and crows about their killer teamwork in training, Kaia allows herself to forget for a moment that she’ll be going home to an empty bed.

13

HALLIE

Over the following week after telling Kaia they had to put their careers before their feelings, Hallie watches with a mixture of awe and longing as the rookie seamlessly integrates herself into the fabric of her squad. Gone is the reckless loner who charged headfirst into any situation without a second thought. In her place is a team player, a confident and dependable firefighter who understands the importance of communication and trust.

During today’s rescue simulation, Hallie finds herself transfixed by Kaia’s performance. The rookie takes charge of coordinating her crew’s movements, her voice steady and sure as she directs them through the maze of obstacles, and every one of the guys listens and obeys.

No snide remarks.

No disdainful side eyes.

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