Page 35 of Found

“Borgess.” Pauly groans the lieutenant’s name as if it were a cuss word.

Cam returns with another round of drinks and passes them out.

“We really do need to beat them this year just to shove it in his face,” I agree.

Tiny places his palms on the table and leans in. “That’s why we’re going to practice, boys. On our days off.”

“Wait, what?”

“Whoa.”

“No one said anything about practicing on our days off. I don’t even like baseball that much,” I admit.

Abrams laughs. “Suckers!”

The pending mutiny is interrupted when a trio of beautiful women with fake, albeit ample, chests slither their way into the group. The one with the heaviest makeup and long straight dark hair places her palms against the table and leans in.

“Hey, boys. Are you all from Station Twelve?” She bites on her bottom lip with a smirk.

“Why, yes, we are,” Snow answers, a wide grin forming on his face.

“Knew it,” one of the other women coos.

“Yeah, taken.” Deacon nods politely and steps back. He pulls out a chair and sits at the empty table beside ours.

“Same,” Pauly says, joining Deacon.

Tiny stands, towering over the women. “Baseball manager stuff. You know?”

Without an explanation, I join Pauly, Montgomery, and Tiny at the women-free table. I’m not in the mood to flirt, talk to, or take some random chick home for the night.

The guys left at the table eagerly introduce themselves to the women.

Fly Guy says, “Hey, ladies. I’m Bennett Abrams, and I hate baseball.”

“You hate the Cubs?” one woman gasps.

Her friend speaks up, “So you’re a White Sox fan?”

“Um, well…” Abrams hesitates.

“He hates it all. He’d rather eat chicken. Hi, I’m Jamison Stokes, and I love the Cubs.”

I look at Pauly, Deacon, and Tiny—the four of us smiling.

“What an idiot,” Pauly adds.

“For real,” Tiny agrees. “But seriously, we should nail down the practice times now. Don’t you think?”

I pull out my phone and pull up the calendar app. “When were you thinking?” I ask with a sigh.

CHAPTER12

BOSS

Hopping off the truck, I slap the side and the emblem of beautiful Benny. Another save in the books, this time a baby. It’s a good day.

I squeeze Snow’s shoulder. “Good work out there. I think you just may be an incredible firefighter after all.”

---