Page 7 of Spring Break with a Fire Chief

“Oh no,” I warn, “I have to be at the station tomorrow.”

“You say that every day and guess what? You don't have to be there. Life can carry on if you’re home for a day.”

I eye them, then the shots. That whiskeyiscalling my name tonight. I grab the glass and down the shot not waiting for them to catch up. The burn slides down my throat and before I can even swallow it, Wells is already refilling.

I’m in for a long night.

“Start talking.” Maddox points at me.

I scoff. “Please, like you don’t know the story already?”

Jace takes his shot and taps the bar for a refill. “The trouble is Chief, we know a thousand stories. This town has told a lot of them, at least one for every day you've been here. But we’d like to hear it directly from you.”

Jace is right so I down half my beer to build momentum. I don’t really need the liquid courage to tell my story, it's more about not wanting to look like a loser. She left after I asked her to stay. How do I explain that without looking like a fool?

“Short story? I met her four years ago, we dated for six months. I thought it was more than it was and she didn’t.”

“And?” Isaac prompts.

“And she left.”

“And you let her?” Maddox asks in outrage. He knows a thing or two about being stubborn.

I push away from the bar top a bit and cross my arms. “What was I supposed to do? I asked her to stay and she said no.”

“There had to be a reason.”

“There was. She wanted to work, see the world. As a traveling nurse she's very much in demand. She said she loved me, but I guess she loved her job more.”

They fall silent and I realize the impact of my statement. Yeah, I wasinlove. But sometimes shit doesn’t work out.

Maddox nudges me. “And now she’s back.”

“And she came to see you.” Jace signals for another round of beers and Wells comes over.

“She looked good, too.” I break into a smile and the guys tease me.

“There he is! I knew you were a stud, Donnelly. You turn heads every time the fire department shows up.”

“There’s only one head I want to turn.”

“So then do something about it,” Maddox says with ease, like it’s just that simple.

I shake my head. “If she’s just passing through I won’t allow myself to get attached again. I can’t.”

“But you can’t live your life alone either. I mean, you're past forty already. You don’t have many good years left.”

I give Maddox a shove. “Fuck you,” I say half-heartedly and he snickers. “I don't know, fellas. I don’t know what to think.”

“Maybe don’t try to think of anything yet. Let it be. She’s here in town. You’re going to see her. Hell, she’ll probably come looking for you again.”

“I don't know. I was kind of a jerk to her today. She caught me off guard and I immediately threw words back at her about leaving.”

Jace shakes his head. “I get that, but now that you’ve had a minute to breathe, and let it sink in that she’s here in town, find out what her plan is and then you can make an informed decision of how to move forward.”

Maddox teases. “Probie, you’re so smart.”

“I’m also not a probie anymore. Can you pick another name?”

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