Page 13 of A Very Grumpy Firefighter

“She needs help right now, and I know that she won’t let me. She’s been keeping me at arm’s length since I met her. I just…I can tell that she needs someone right now. She’s working like crazy, agreeing to shifts when she needs a break. She needs someone to look after her.”

“And that’s you.”

“That’s all I want to do. She’s meant to be mine, Luca. I couldn’t live with myself if I let her go through all of this alone.”

“So, I’m not going to miss a wedding while I’m over here then?”

“Not anytime soon. We’re just engaged right now. Kind of. I haven’t given her the ring I bought for her yet.”

“When the hell did you buy a ring?”

“About nine months ago.”

“Jesus. You sure do commit to things,” he mumbles, and I grin.

“Nah, just to Lilou. She’s perfect. You’re going to love her.”

“Well, I might be meeting her soon.”

“What?” I ask, sitting up straight. “You’re coming home?”

“Yeah. For good.”

“Are you getting out?”

“I think so. I hurt my back a few days ago. Doctors think I might have to be medically discharged.”

“Hurt your back, how?” I ask him.

“I got shot.”

“What!? Shot?”

“Yeah,” he says casually, and I check on Lilou to make sure that my outburst didn’t wake her up.

“Why would you phrase it like that?”

“I didn’t want to freak you out,” he says, and I roll my eyes.

“You’re terrible at delivering news.”

“You started this phone call by announcing that you might be getting married soon,” he reminds me.

“Alright, maybe it’s a family trait.”

He laughs, and I hear him suck in a sharp breath like he’s in pain.

“How bad is it?” I ask him seriously.

“Pretty bad. Fragments from the bullet hit a nerve. I’m going to be in rehab for a bit, but they don’t seem confident that I’ll ever be back to one hundred percent. They’re getting the discharge paperwork ready for me.”

“Shit, Luca. I’m sorry. I know how much you love the Rangers.”

“Yeah, it sucks, but at least I’m still alive. I’ll be around to see you get married. Whenever that ends up happening.”

“Do you need me to come there? I can take time off work,” I offer.

“No, I’m fine. I’ll be back stateside soon.”

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