Page 1 of Flame Kissed

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LEILANI

Leilani Silva parked her car a little further down the bustling red brick street dotted with small spindly trees than she needed to, but it was such a nice day she couldn’t resist enjoying a little fresh air.

She breathed in the warm spring air. It wasn’t too hot today, only a little over seventy-five degrees, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before the boiling summer air rolled in from the desert plains. Once that happened, they’d be lucky to have days that didn’t make it into the mid eighties. Leilani didn’t mind though. Having spent her early years on the beautiful sandy beaches of Hawaii, she was no stranger to hot days.

The valley of the tall buildings made somewhat of a wind tunnel, creating a nearly nonstop refreshing breeze. The wind ruffled her long, wavy dark hair.

Her smiled momentarily turned into a grimace at the feeling of the tangles already starting to form. It felt like it was barely contained by the gray scrunchie she’d used to put it back in a low ponytail. Leilani sighed, pushing away a lock that wrapped around her neck. She should have put it in a braid before she left for work. Oh well, she’d just have to deal with it once she got inside.

Maybe one day she’d learn.

Finally, she arrived at Station 15 of the Phoenix Ridge Fire Department. Despite adding a little bit of time onto her commute, she was still almost ten minutes early when she walked through the garage doors. She wasn’t someone who liked to feel rushed so she always made sure to leave home with plenty of time to spare.

She could have gone through the doors that took her straight upstairs, but she opted to come in through the garage. It always seemed like a good way to remind her of the importance of her work. There was something about seeing the vehicles that just put her in the right mindset for any shift whether it was uneventful or hectic.

On her way, she waved to Kaia Montgomery where the other firefighter was checking the supplies on one of the trucks.

Kaia turned to greet her with a grin. “Hey there, Leilani. It's been a while since I got to work with you.”

“I know, Rory had some things going on and she was supposed to be on the night shift last week so I agreed to switch with her,” Leilani explained. “It’s good to be here when the sun’s out for a change.”

“Still as nice as ever I see. It’s good to work together again. How has Jaspurr been lately?”

“He’s doing good. I just got him a new cat tree and the cutest sweater. I’ve got a few minutes before I need to be upstairs. Do you want to see some pictures?”

“Sure, why not? I've got a few minutes.”

Leilani eagerly pulled out her phone, pulling up countless photos of her small cat in all manner of sweaters, shirts, hats, and other outfits.

“Isn’t he precious?!”

“You’ve got the only cat I’ve ever seen who likes clothes,” Kaia laughed.

“That’s my little man.”

“I’ve got to get back to work, but we should talk more later.”

“Absolutely! I can’t wait.”

Leilani took a quick detour to the restroom. In front of the long mirror over the double sink, she worked a thick-toothed comb through her thick, dark hair. Once it was as smooth as it was going to get, she twisted it into a thick braid before heading upstairs to the recreation area where they waited in between emergency calls.

It was an open space, with a small kitchen area and a living room area with plenty of seating and plenty of sunlight. Through a door to the right was also a small gym they could use during downtime. Some of the others were milling about the area, watching television, eating some snacks, or just sitting around talking.

Heading over to the coffee maker, Leilani pulled open the small black drawer. She looked through the pods before picking a caramel latte, popping it inside and turning on the machine. She grabbed her novelty mug, shaped like a pufferfish, and waited.

As she was standing there, Sierra sauntered over to her. “Did you make one for me?” she asked with a grin.

“I can.”

She laughed. “I didn’t expect you to say yes. I was just messing with you. You know you don’t have to.”

“I know,” Leilani shrugged. “But it’s not like I’ve got anything better to do and it isn’t hard. Just pushing a button.”

“Thanks, you’re the best.”

Leilani rolled her eyes. “You can pay me back by making me a cup later. Just grab the mug you want to use.”

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