Page 15 of Spring Break with a Fire Chief

“What's embarrassing?”

“I'm forty years old and I’m acting like I have my first crush.”

“Oh girl, it’s not a crush. This is love and you know it. And this is why you wanted to move back here, to get what you were missing. Relationships and not just with a man. You need girlfriends. I told you, I want to be able to call you and show up in ten minutes, not book a flight.”

“Mmhm. What she said.” Vienna throws her shot back and twists in her seat, raising her hand. “Drinks on aisle five!” I giggle at her antics but I see Wells acknowledge her with a look that makes me blush.

“You’re a tease and he fucking loves it.” Candee is swiping through the text messages.

“Read it for the class!” I cover my eyes again as Poppy calls out and Candee reads our text thread from earlier. The girls are giddy and jump around in their seats.

“I fucking love this!” Poppy claps her hands after each word. “We're a part of history here girls.”

“I agree. I’ve heard the tale of a long lost love since I moved here and to be sitting here with you right now? You’re famous!”

I bark a laugh. “I wouldn't go that far.”

“So the real question is… how good is he in bed?”

“Whoa, whoa!” Wells makes quick work of placing more drinks in front of us and clearing away the empties. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence until I am well on the other side of that bar.”

“Don’t worry baby, I'll reenact everything she says tonight.” Wells pauses for a moment while Vienna whispers something to him before he hurriedly leaves our table.

“You guys are too cute.”

“You’re changing the subject. Answer the question.” Candee places my phone down. “And we won't say that you gave detailsunlessyou want to be disciplined.”

“Yeah, because that sounds hot as fuck,” Reece chimes in.

“Like mother, like daughter,” I laugh and then sigh, making a show of sitting back in my chair and almost sliding out of it. “He’s fucking amazing.” They squeal and I sit up straight, shushing them. “He’s demanding and in charge.”

“As expected from a chief of a department.”

I nod. “But he’s sweet and unselfish too.”

Poppy interjects, “By making sure you get yours first, yes, yes, carry on.”

“And best of all? I don’t feel any kind of reservations when I’m with him. I’m not thinking, ‘does he like me? Am I too heavy? Is my ass too big?’ I’m just me and he’s just him and there’s nothing I can do wrong.”

They look back at me, with heart eyes and full smiles and every doubt I had about coming back here is instantly erased.

I reach for Candee’s hand. “Thank you for knowing better than me. You’re a true friend and I couldn't ask for anyone better.”

“That’s the wine talking!”

I laugh. “It’s not! It’s true and it’s time I let him know.” I pause. “Sarah told me she’d take me on full time.”

“Well no shit she did! Who do you think told her to do it?”

I shake my head. “That's one item checked off the list. I’m going back down to the Love Beach Realty tomorrow to speak with Saige. I signed a ninety day contract to carry me through the Spring Break crowd but I want to sign a year lease on my place. So a job and place to live are secured. Now I just need him to fall in love with me again.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Candee asks.

“Just go suck his dick. They all love you after that.”

“Poppy!” We all double over in laughter.

“Or you can make dick hats for him like Marigold does.”

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