Page 22 of Burn With Me

Since part of my job involves training with the fire investigators, it means I’m on-call with one of them while at the firehouse for my normal shift, but I’m also on-call with them every other weekend. If I didn’t love my job, it would suck, but I’m so excited to continue learning.

“No, why, what’s up?” I say over my shoulder.

“We should have a game night. It’s been a while since you had your ass handed to you inMario Kart.”

“It was one time, and you can’t say you’ve never thought you were winning but were looking at the wrong screen, asshole,” I say, throwing a hanger at him.

“Never, I’m the king ofMario Kart,” he says as he catches it and walks backward out of my room while laughing at me and throwing the hanger back.

“You’re on.Mario Kartand pizza this Saturday as long as nothing crazy comes up, but you have to buy the pizza!” I say and flip him off as he turns around.

I look at all the clothes on my bed and regret thinking that I should do this right now. So instead of finishing my clothes, I start planning this date. There isn’t much to do around here, and the lack of things to do is my biggest obstacle. It makes me doubt that I can plan a date good enough because, from what I’ve seen so far, she deserves it.

Nine

Amelia

I’m so stupid, I think as I take Penny for her evening walk. Why did I agree to go out with him?

So I do what any sane woman would do. I call my best friend.

“I’m freaking out,” I say without even saying hi when she answers.

“Oh, the drama,” Pam says. “What’s wrong?”

“I told Luke I would go out with him tomorrow night after I meet with the contractor. Why did I do that?” I say in a panic.

“Because you like him? Because you know you’re ready to date, even though you fight it like the little bitch you are.” I can feel her eye roll. “You’ve already been on one date with him a couple of weeks ago. What’s the difference?”

“No, that wasn’t a date. That wasn’t the plan. We were all supposed to go out, and you all backed out and left me hanging,” I say quickly.

“You might not have planned it, but we all did. We helped you rip the Band-Aid off, so you got all the awkwardness out of the way from not dating at all in the last five years.”

“You what!” I yell. “I knew you had something to do with how things worked out because Sam never backs out of free food!”

“Oh, stop acting like you’re mad and just thank us. Now, what are you doing? And what are you going to wear? But most importantly, are you going to try and dust some of the cobwebs out of your cootch after all this time?” Pam laughs.

“He said we’re going to play mini golf . . . I should probably find out if food will be involved or if I should eat before I go because you know I get hangry.”

“Yeah, that’s smart. Also, I was thinking we should plan a girls’ night, but I want to invite Luna to come out with us. That girl needs a day off. Ann was telling me she had to lock her out of the kitchen on one of her days off because she wouldn’t just go back to her cabin,” Pam says.

“A girl’s night isexactlywhat I need. I agree, Luna needs to be brought into our little group and soon! Maybe if we can get her out more with us, she’ll stop working so much. Oh! We need to invite Abby too. I swear I saw her when I was getting a latte every day this week,” I add. “You know, I’ve decided, I don’t think I’m going to go. I’ll tell him Penny got sick or something is wrong with the contractor.”

“Absolutely not!” Pam yells at me so loud I have to pull the phone away from my ear.

“I just think it’ll be easier to end it now instead of either of us getting emotionally invested and then it being harder to end later,” I say, allowing some of my true fears to come out.

“How did I not know how dumb you are when we’ve been best friends for so long?” Pam asks. “Yes, what Leo did to you and how things ended sucked. It was awful, and to this day, I curse his name and hope he gets every STD possible.Butthat doesnotmean that you just shut yourself away. You deserve to find more happiness than you already have.”

“God, I hate you—literally. I don’t know why we’re friends either when you just call me out all the time,” I say half-heartedly because I know damn well she’s right, and I’m just not ready to admit it to myself—at least not out loud. “Fine, I was thinking about jeans and a shirt that says ‘Hey, I like you,’ but not like ‘Hey, I haven’t had sex in five years, and I just want you to fuck my brains out,’” I say as I turn back down my street.

“Send pictures when you get home tonight, but I think you should wear the shirt that says ‘I haven’t been fucked in five years, so fuck my brains out.’ Oh, and don’t forget to shave,” Pam says with laughter in her voice.

“You’re dumb, but I’ll send what I’m thinking about wearing. I’m walking up to my place. Thanks for calming me down and being the voice of reason. As usual, you’re the best.”

“No problem. Let me know if I need to let the princess out after work. I can swing by on my way home.”

“I might take you up on that because I’ll feed her before I leave. Toodles, my dude,” I say as I hang up.

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