Page 80 of Xavier

Someone clinking a glass with a metal utensil brought all of our attention to the opposite side of the station where two men, Jase and Quinn, from what I remembered of Gage introducing them to me, were grinning with a bunch of streamers and large plastic glasses in the shape of the New Year’s date in their hands.

“Mayor just called and said that the fireworks are a go in five.”

Captain Clarke shoved himself up from the card table to clap his hands together loudly, gathering everyone’s attention quickly. “All right, everyone. Out front on the driveway will be the best spot. Let’s get a move on.”

My heart began to pound in my chest. I barely felt Gage squeeze me before he parted from me to grab us both a couple of streamers and two plastic glasses to put on. We waited until the boys were heading for the door with their own sets, following closely behind them as we all exited the firehouse and stood out on the triple-wide driveway.

A bunch of people were already waiting on the sidewalk facing the eastern night sky. Some of them were already setting off sparklers and waving them around in the air, while others were lounging in folding chairs.

“Are the fireworks big this time of year?” Dexter asked while taking a pair of glasses from Asher.

“Oh, the mayor pays for a crazy display,” Gage said, sliding his own glasses over his face. “It’s going to blow your mind.”

Snorting, I settled mine on top of my head, needing the unobstructed view of my surroundings while I got my bearings in gear.

Jesus, I was so fucking nervous it was a wonder I wasn’t sweating through this damn button up. Or that Gage hadn’t noticed and called me out on how antsy I was. He’d been giving me looks all night but had kept his mouth shut, thankfully.

I really wasn’t sure what I would’ve done if he actually called me out and demanded for me to spill the beans on what the fuck was wrong with me. There was no way I would’ve kept this secret long enough to lie to him.

I’d barely kept it together on the damn plane.

Dexter waved one of the streamers in the air in front of him, glancing over at me with a knowing look. He’d obviously guessed by now and was doing his best to keep the heat off of me with the twins—something I was eternally grateful for.

“One minute!” someone called out.

Oh, fuck.

“Hey,” Gage’s arm looped around mine. “You okay? You’re sweating.”

“Swamp weather, babe,” I muttered at him, hoping he’d buy the excuse.

He seemed about to argue with me, but was quickly distracted by someone shouting out a countdown, thankfully. He squeezed myarm in his and lifted his streamer into the air and waved it a few times.

Okay, I could do this.

The worst he’d say was ‘no’.

Actually, the worst he could say washell no.

Fuck, now I was getting in my head.

This was such an impulsive decision. Three days ago at the hospital it’d felt right.This morninghad, too.

Now, I was fucking panicking.

“Five! Four!” People began to chant the countdown.

I’d jumped out of planes, for god’s sake. I’d been through active combat.

I’d gotten sober.

How the hell could proposing to my boyfriend terrify me more than any of those things combined?

“Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!”

People began to cheer around me. The first flash from a firework lighting up the night’s sky shimmered as it broke over the line of buildings in front of us, raining down over the inky blackness with beautiful flakes of white and gold embers.

One by one, fireworks were shot off from somewhere deeper in the city. From golds, blues, purples, and pinks, they were all mesmerizing to watch explode, illuminating the sky for a brief moment before fading like they were never there to begin with.

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