Page 27 of Scorched

Chapter 5

Maggie entered the fire station, ready to get Declan and go home. The doctor gave him the okay to go back to desk duty last week, but he still wasn’t allowed to drive, so she offered to take him and pick him up every day. She just hoped he was ready to go. She had to peel him away from the station the last few days. She was starving. All she wanted was a giant slice of pizza and a glass of wine. It was officially the weekend.

She waved at several of the firefighters as she walked through the station to his office.

“I’m not ready yet, Maggie,” he said through the open door before she even showed her face.

“How did you know it was me?”

“I could hear you coming.”

She glanced down at her shoes, then shrugged. “How much longer do you think you’ll be? I’m ready to eat.”

“So go eat,” he said, not looking up from the pile of papers on his desk. “I have plenty to keep me occupied.”

She heaved a sigh. “You’re terrible. I don’t think working twelve-hour days, even behind a desk, is what the doctor had in mind when he said you could go back to work.”

“Well, it’s the reality. I have annual reviews to process.”

“It’s October.”

“It’s almost November. And raises from these start in January, so they all have to be completed in time for the paperwork to get sent over to the budget office so people get their increase on time.”

“I guess that makes sense.” She sank into the chair opposite his desk. “How about I order us a pizza? We can pick it up on the way back to your house. That’ll give you an extra twenty minutes.” She stared at him, waiting for him to look up.

“I might be done by then,” he said, meeting her gaze.

“I hope so, because I might have to get your guys out there to back me up if you aren’t. You need to rest, Declan.” She could see the fatigue pulling at his face. The lines around his eyes were deeper than normal.

“Why don’t you go get the pizza, and we’ll eat it here while I work?”

“Not gonna happen. I need wine too. And you need to rest.” She knew she sounded like a broken record, but it was true.

He arched a brow. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

She shook her head.

He huffed. “Fine. Twenty minutes.”

Maggie beamed and hopped up out of her chair. “I’m going to order the food and mingle. Twenty minutes, Deck. Not a second more.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He waved a hand at her. “Go away.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, but flounced out the door, smiling, knowing she won. As she walked down the hall, she took her phone out of her purse and called the local pizza place she had on speed dial. She placed her order, then entered the common room, where several of the firefighters were hanging out.

They looked up when she came in. A couple of the younger ones stumbled out of their chairs, eager to greet her. Sam Reeves stood more slowly, sauntering over to wave off the rookies.

“Leave her alone, boys. Unless you want to suffer Lou’s wrath.”

Maggie smiled up at him as the younger men dispersed. “Thanks, Sam. It’s good to see you. Declan said you were coming back. I’m glad your injuries healed quickly. I know with Austin still recuperating, things were tough.”

“Yeah. But the boys here pitched in. I still have a freezer full of meals and a stack of gift cards to use if we don’t want to reheat something.”

“I’m glad. So how are you doing?”

“Pretty good. I’ve got a hard head.”

“Apparently so. How’s your brother?”

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