Page 8 of Burn With Me

Sam: Don’t you play to her good side . . .Plus, it isn’t just her. Am is here.

I’m gonna tell her you won’t stay here because you think she’s a bitch.

Me: DON’T YOU DARE!

I’ll deny it. Plus, she loves me more than you and I have only met her a couple times.

Sliding my phone into my pocket, I walk up the steps and am shocked by how large the property is for a bed-and-breakfast, but the firehouse captain highly recommended this place when I told him my rental wasn’t ready. It’s the only one in town and is run by one of the local farming families.

I open the door, and the smell of chocolate chip cookies hits me, making my stomach rumble. It reminds me I haven’t eaten in a while.

“Luna, dear! Our guest just arrived. I’m in the middle of making dinner. Can you check him in?” someone shouts from what I’m guessing is the kitchen.

A younger woman walks into the foyer and says, “Hi! Welcome to Griffin Farm’s Bed-and-Breakfast. I’m Luna. I’m so sorry about your wait. How can I help you today?”

“Lucas Grant, here to check in.”

I take in my surroundings. It looks like it’s caught between a modern farmhouse and one stuck in the nineties, but you immediately feel at home.

“Perfect! I see here you’ll be checking out on Wednesday morning. Although it looks like we upgraded you to one of the on-site cabins due to some maintenance at the main house. It’s a one-bedroom, one-bathroom cabin with access to a hot tub. I hope that’s okay?”

A whole cabin with a hot tub all to myself? You won’t hear me complaining. “No problem, I really appreciate it.”

“Cool. Here’s your room key. You’re in cabin three. Someone is always here if you have questions or concerns. We serve three meals, and if you miss one, any leftovers will be in the refrigerator labeled with your name if you’d like it. I also see that you waived having housekeeping every day, so if you need anything, just give us a holler. Do you have any questions?”

“Nope, everything sounds good to me,” I say as I grab my key, ready to sit in the hot tub before passing out.

“Perfect. Your balance is already paid in full. Now, to get to your cabin, you’re going to exit out the back door straight ahead and turn to the left. It’s the closest one to the main house. Have a great stay!” Luna says with a smile.

“Thanks,” I say as I grab my suitcase and follow her directions to get to my cabin.

I should probably grab the rest of my stuff from my truck, but it can wait till tomorrow.

Walking up the path to my cabin, I see a little white picket fence around the whole place. Once I walk through the door, I drop my bag on a chair.

Standing in the main living area, I take in the space. A fireplace is to my right, and a door to my left leads outside to the patio with the hot tub. I grab my bag from the chair and bring it to the bedroom. After setting it on the bed, I grab my swim trunks and quickly change before grabbing my phone. Once outside, I turn the jets on and hop in, not even caring that it’s still warm out in the late spring afternoon.

The hot water immediately has the tension leaving my body, and I think about how great starting this new chapter feels so far.

I soak in the hot tub until my fingers look like prunes. With a groan, I climb out and take a shower. As I crawl into bed, totally exhausted, I check my email and confirm that the movers are still on time for Wednesday afternoon.

Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly and the rental will be ready on time.

Closing my eyes, I start to plan my next two days since I know I’ll get roped into doing something with Sam at least once this weekend, and I want to make sure I’m ready to start work on Monday and then move into the rental on Wednesday.

The captain here tried to get Sam and me to start a week later, but they’re short staffed and neither of us felt comfortable leaving them like that. We spent many shifts in Boston understaffed, and it isn’t safe or pleasant, so we’re going to start right away.

Leaving the fire department in Boston was something I’d been thinking about for more than half the year, and when Sam said he was also looking to leave, it was an easy decision. Which is funny because if you asked me a year ago, I would have told you I was never leaving Boston.

It’s where I was born and raised, but my dad always told me the hardest choices work out for the best most of the time. I realized several things at once when I decided to leave. Not only was there no growth in the shitty toxic system we were surrounded by, but I just wasn’t happy in the city I called home anymore.

I had never heard of Griffin’s Den before, but Sam’s sister moved here right before we became friends. When he found out a few months back that there were a couple of openings, we jumped to start the interview process. I wouldn’t trade my experience from the firehouses in Boston for anything. I just wish it would have ended differently.

During the interview with the captain, I mentioned I had finished my schooling to be a fire investigator and was interested in learning how their fire investigators worked here since it’s a small town. He got excited and said the current fire investigator was going to retire soon. He told me I could shadow him and, if I enjoyed it, continue to train under him so I can take over when he officially retires.

When the offer came in not long after the interview process, it was a no-brainer that I was going to take it.

I roll over to plug my phone in, and my screen lights up with a call.

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