Page 24 of Burn With Me

Sam groans. “When did we turn into a bunch of girls and start gossiping more than anything else? We should be talking about the next time we’re going out or working out . . . anything else.”

Noah laughs. “We aren’t gossiping. I was just stating facts. You both just moved here, so it’s not like you know that guys have been asking Amelia out since she moved here, and I don’t think she’s given anyone the time of day.”

“Well, I guess she was just waiting for the right guy to ask her,” I say with a smirk. Movement out of the corner of my eye draws my attention, and I turn to see the ambulance pulling away and the tow trucks loading up the cars from the accident. “Do you need anything from us? I think we put everything on our end in the report you’ll need.”

“Nah, you’re good to go, Romeo. I just wanted to say hi and ask if you guys work this weekend,” Noah says.

“Nope,” Sam and I say together.

“We were planning on pizza, beer, andMario Kartnight at our place as long as nothing comes up. Either way, you’re more than welcome to join,” I tell him.

“For sure. I’ll text you guys for the details,” he says as his radio goes off for another call, and he turns with a wave and walks away.

Sam and I walk quickly back to the truck and get in.

The transition to the new firehouse and working with our new coworkers has gone smoother than I thought it would. The relationship with the first responders is different than in Boston. Here, everyone wants to work as a team, and it’s not an every-man-for-himself situation.

As we load up in the fire truck, we start to talk about who’s in charge of meals for the next shift, and food suggestions get thrown around.

Five minutes later, Carter, one of the calmest people I’ve ever met, backs the truck into the firehouse, and we climb out and put our turnout gear in the bay. I walk toward the showers, figuring if I shower and change here, I save time so I don’t have to go home.

As I’m walking back to say bye to everyone, Jack, who seems to be the jokester of the group, says, “Damn, Grant, you’re looking awfully fancy to go home and sleep.”

“He isn’t going to sleep, he’s going out with my sister,” Sam says and fake gags.

Jack raises an eyebrow. “Damn, you’re going out with Pam?”

Sam rolls his eyes, but I say, “No, not Pam, Amelia.”

“Amelia is your sister, Sam? Hot damn, it’s about time someone won that woman over. Who would have thought it would be your ugly ass.” He baits me and laughs.

I laugh as I grab my keys and bag.

He claps me on my shoulder as I walk by. “I’m glad you’re taking her out. That woman works too hard.”

“Thanks, man. She does work hard. Now I have to head out to make sure I’m on time so she can’t back out of this date.”

Everyone laughs and makes kissing noises as I walk toward the exit. With one hand on the door, I flip them all off over my shoulder with the other.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Jack yells as he laughs harder.

“Gross, you fuck, that’s my sister! I don’t want to think about that,” Sam says and fake gags again.

I laugh at that as I get in my truck. I’m starting to realize the shy woman who moved here out of nowhere five years ago has made a much bigger impact than she probably thinks or would take credit for. I wonder if she has anyone to take care of her. It’s at that moment that I realize I want to be that person more than I want anything else, and I’m going to show her that.

Eleven

Amelia - A couple hours earlier

As Kristen and I go over her thesis outline, I look down at my watch.

“Holy shit. I have to go, or I’ll be late to meet with Wayne to go over the construction plans,” I say.

“And your date with Luukkeee,” she singsongs.

“Whatever. First, I have to worry about the contractor and the plans he wants to go over. Ya know, business things. So we can expand the farm,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“The plans look great. You say you don’t have an eye for design, but you’re damn good at building greenhouses.”

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