Page 73 of His Greatest Treasure

“Oliver doesn’t know about this, and I still don’t know if I want him to. I’ll talk to the shop myself.”

“No offense, but you’re crazy if you think he won’t find out. If your name was known amongst stations, he’d already have been contacted.”

“Well, it’s not. And he doesn’t.”

She releases a quiet laugh. “Alright, didn’t mean to push.”

“How many people in this city know him, anyway?”

“Enough. He’s been a firefighter for seven years. Jumped the ranks quicker than usual and made friends all over. You’d be surprised how many people we come into contact with on the job. Those cops back there are only two at that specific station that I guarantee he knows on a first-name basis.”

She unhooks her arm and gets in the driver’s side of the car. I get in the other and wait for her to start the engine before answering.

“Do you think Officer Richards will call him?”

“No. I’d bet he assumes he already knows, considering he sent me. So, where am I taking you now? The station?”

I pause, and she’s too focused on me to ignore it.

“Or we could get coffee first? Bateman’s already going to be scrubbing turnouts for sending me on a personal mission today, so might as well make it worth his while,” she offers.

“I’dlike that.”

Twenty minutes later, we pull into the station lot. I’ve got a cardboard holder full of four drinks on my lap and another four buckled into the back seat. Apparently, coffee runs involve everyone in the station, and I couldn’t argue with that. They’re one big family here, and I’ve always admired relationships like that.

“If you need a ride anywhere until you get your wheels figured out, just give me a call,” she says while we’re unloading the coffees into our arms.

“Thank you, Becca. I appreciate the help today.”

She smiles softly. “Anytime. You’re a cool chick. I can see why the lieutenant sent me.”

“Why’s that?”

“As if you don’t know,” she teases, a snort following. “You’ve got a leash around his neck. I’d bet he barks when you ask him to.”

The image is more funny than sexy, but where Oliver’s involved, anything can be at least a little sexy. I don’t think he’d ever bark on command, though.

“I’m family.”

“You’re also stubborn as fuck.”

My smile is genuine, easy. While I may not have wanted Rebecca to show up in the first place, I’m happy she did. I think we could be easy friends.

“Not the first time I’ve heard that one,” I reply.

Following behind her to the station doors, I let her step inside first. She sets the coffees on the desk at the front and then takes the ones from me to do the same.

“Just grab yours, and everyone else can come get their own,” she instructs, snagging Nova’s strawberry banana smoothie and her large vanilla drink.

I take my almost black coffee and reach for the second on instinct. “Lead the way, Hart.”

“Funny. It’s Becca to you.”

“Hart, that you?” a deep voice shouts from the top of the stairs we’re climbing.

“Yep. Found a straggler too.”

At the top of the stairs, I whirl around in search of Nova, finding her not even a heartbeat later. My throat and mouth dry at the sight of her and Oliver at the table.

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