Page 5 of Her Older Fireman

Chapter 3

Maddie

“Earth to Maddie.”

A hand waves in front of my face, fingers snapping, and I look up into Colette’s amused face.

I flash Colette a tired grin. “Sorry, just a little distracted right now.”

We’re meeting at a little diner just off campus to grab some lunch before I run to my next class. After that, I’m scheduled for a shift at the coffee shop before I go home, collapse, and repeat again tomorrow.

And the next day.

And the next.

I don’t mind the hard work—really, I don’t. It wears me out, but every good grade and every extra dollar in my bank account is a step closer to living the life that I want. A life where I don’t dread going home every day, and where I surround myself with people who want me to be happy and encourage me to work hard and achieve something.

“Distracted?” Colette smirks and pops a French fry in her mouth. “By what?”

I can feel my face redden. Thanks, freckled Irish skin, I think. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

She rolls her eyes. “Well, I know you better than that. But I’ll let it go.”

I sigh as I stab at a forkful of my caesar salad. “Not what. Who.”

She cackles. “I knew it. Is it your hot neighbor?”

Damn it. “How did you know?”

Colette shrugs. “Who else could it be? You’re always in class or working, and I know you think all the guys in your classes are dicks.”

“You have me there,” I say. I don’t tell her about the soft conversation on either side of the fence the other night, or the fact that I’ve started fifteen different text messages and deleted them before I worked up the courage to hit send. That strange connection is so new and different that I need to keep it inside myself, at least for now.

Colette knows me well enough that she doesn’t push it, and for the millionth time, I’m grateful for her perceptiveness and understanding. She’s not stupid—she knows something’s going on. And she knows that I’ll share when I’m ready.

It’s long past sunset by the time I finish with class and work and pull into the short gravel drive next to the trailer. Mom is home, and even before I climb the wooden porch steps, I hear the TV blaring inside. I walk in and see Mom asleep on the couch, head tipped back as she snores lightly. I switch off the TV and consider my next move. If I wake my mom, she’ll want to talk, and talking usually turns to criticizing me. And today, I don’t feel like I have the bandwidth to deal with it.

I think about Gabe’s warm, caring attention the other day. It felt so good, and I want to feel like that again.

I pull my phone out of my purse and open my text messages. Gabe’s first message is still there—I’ve never replied. My fingers tap over the screen.

Hey Gabe. Is your offer to talk still open?

Three dots dance on the screen almost instantly, and I don’t have to wait long at all before he replies.

Absolutely. Come over.

My tummy feels tight and nervous as I slip out the door and walk quickly around the block until I reach the front of his modest, well-kept ranch house. I don’t even have time to raise my hand and knock before he whips the door open, smiling broadly. He looks so handsome in his worn jeans and an old t-shirt that my heart beats faster.

“Uh, hi,” I stammer, reaching up with one hand to smooth away a few escaped curly wisps from my ponytail.

“Hey.” His voice is soft and sounds so kind, and for some reason it feels like a glass of water when I’m dying of thirst. I look away and blink away the unexpected moisture that springs into my eyes. He steps closer, and I feel a warm hand on my cheek. Something warm presses against my leg and I look down to Bruce sniffing at my hand, his big doggy eyes fixed on me.

“Do you want to get out of here?” he asks. I look up and his face is sincere. Concerned.

“I would like that,” I tell him. Wordlessly, he nods and reaches inside to grab a leash before bending down to clip it to Bruce’s collar. He steps outside, closing his door behind him before he motions to the pickup truck in his driveway and gently nudges my arm.

“Are you ready?” he says. “I want you to text a friend and tell them you’re with me. Just to make sure you’re comfortable and feel safe.”

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