Page 64 of Only You and Me

I open the door and walk outside. “Hi, Mr. Alero. I’m told you wanted to speak with the shift captain in charge today. That’s me.”

“Trina, what a pleasant surprise that it’s you on duty today. And please, call me Joe.”

I force myself to give him a polite smile. “Okay, Joe. What can I do for you?”

He frowns, his brow furrowed, and he focuses his narrowed gaze on me. Joe holds the stare for several uncomfortable seconds before he smiles, reaches into his pocket, and pulls something out. “Oh, um, so I’m in town giving a quote on a huge residential project and thought I’d drop off more of my business cards. Maybe someone could share them with the other fire stations in town to post as well. The police station, too.”

He extends the stack of cards to me, and I accept them from him.

“Sure, I can do that. I’ll make sure they get spread around. Have a safe drive home.”

I turn to walk away but stop, slowly turning around when he continues talking.

“I heard there was a big fire today. Were you there?”

“Yes, there was, and yes, I was there. As you can see, I’m okay. Though I’m buried under a mound of paperwork from it that I really need to get back to.”

My phone dings, alerting me to a text message. Not meaning to be rude, I instinctively look down to read it.

Unknown: I’m tiring of waiting for you to appreciate my efforts. Perhaps you want a bolder approach? A take charge type of man. Maybe I need to stop being such a gentleman and show you what happens if you fuck around. How do you think it makes me feel to see you with other men? It’s disrespectful. I’m getting fucking sick of it and if it doesn’t change, you’ll soon find out what happens when I’m pissed. You’re mine and only mine. Don’t forget that.

I get lost for several long seconds staring at the words. This is by far the most aggressive text I’ve received from whoever this man is. I think I got so used to getting them I’ve become complacent about how serious this could be.

“Trina? Are you okay?” Joe’s gentle voice, filled with concern, pulls me out of my stupor. I glance up at him, then my eyes dart around the surrounding area, searching for anything or anyone out of place… watching.

Admittedly, I’m shaken by the text, but I pull it together long enough to answer. “Yeah, sorry. Just a text from someone. Nothing important. I’ll definitely share your cards, but I really have to get back to work.”

His eyes narrow on me for a moment and I sense he doesn’t believe that I’m all right. After a few seconds, he plasters on a smile and says goodbye. Before he’s too far away, I rush back into the security of the locked station and up to my office to distract myself with paperwork.

I send Gio a quick text, since he’s assigned dinner for tonight.

Me: Hey, I’m just gonna order us pizza for dinner if that’s okay. I think everyone could use the rest and avoiding dishes, etc.

Gio: Hell yeah. Any evening I don’t have to cook is good. Thanks, Cap.

Me: Okay. I’ll order in about a half hour. Text me if there are any special requests. Except tell Ian I don’t care how hard he worked today, we’re not trying anchovies again.

Gio: Hah. Will do.

Everything in me wants to call Ben. Yes, the fire was emotionally and physically draining, but it’s the fear in me the text from my stalker caused that has me barely holding off my anxiety. I need a dose of the calm I only ever feel in Ben’s presence anymore.

I remind myself that I’m safe. I’m in a locked building and my entire crew is here with me. It’s okay.I’mokay.

I won’t call him yet. He’ll find out about the text soon enough. I need to calm down before I talk to him. I set an alarm on my phone for thirty minutes and dive back into my mound of work. About twenty minutes later, my phone dings again, alerting me to another text, and I nearly jump out of my chair.

Jesus, now I’m skittish?God, I hate this bastard for making me feel like this.

When I glance down and see it’s Ben, I feel bad. In my stress over the stalker’s latest message, I forgot to text him I’m okay. I know he hears the calls that go out through dispatch. I’m not used to having to check in with someone after a day like today, so between that and the paperwork, I forgot.

Unless she finds out about fires like this one and asks, I don’t tell Emily about these types of days at work. She certainly doesn’t need to be worrying about me right now as she works through her grief over losing her husband and I wouldn’t bother updating my parents. Fitz is the only other person to consider, but he gets me. I don’t usually want to talk about these days and he’s the same. He’s my emergency contact anyway—and I’m his—so if something terrible happened, he’d know about it.

I look down at the phone.

Ben: Hey, just checking in to make sure you’re okay. I heard on the radio about the fire.

Trina: I’m okay, tired and a little sore. Just about to order pizza for dinner.Sorry I didn’t text to say I was fine. I meant to.

Ben: Just glad you’re okay. Let me take care of dinner for you all. I’ll get pizza and salads and bring some beverages. Plus, French dressing. ’Cause that’s another thing I know you like. ;)

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