Page 15 of Fire and Icing

I raise my brows and sigh. I’ll fill Cody in later about Mom’s misguided attempt to relive her teen years in her fifties.

“So, Dustin, how'd the apartment search go?” Mom asks.

I tell Mom about the handwritten note on the bulletin board and the few no-go rentals I visited this morning.

“The note said the space I’d rent is cozy and quiet.”

“Huh. Well, cozy and quiet aren’t your usual vibe. But maybe having someone around isn’t such a bad idea,” Mom says hopefully.

“That’s what I’m thinking. Besides, I’m kind of out of options.”

“Well, I think you should at least check it out.”

Cody nods his agreement. “You’d like Mrs. Holt, Mrs. Reed,” he tells my mom.

“Oh, that’s so sweet of you to say. I’ve long since given up trying to weigh in on my sons’ decisions. I appreciate you considering my opinion, Cody.”

Since when did she give up trying to weigh in?I chuckle.

We pull up to the station, so I tell my mom I have to go.

“Why don’t you give that woman a call, hunny?”

“Yeah. I might as well. Thanks, Mom. Love you.”

“Love you, too, sweet boy.”

I hang up and glance over at Cody.

He’s grinning at me. “Go ahead, sweet boy, call Mrs. Holt. I’ll take the sandwiches into the kitchen.”

I ignore the jab and dial the number from the photo I took. Cody walks into the station while I stay seated in the officer’s seat, my phone in hand.

“Hello?” A warm, elderly voice answers.

“Hello. Mrs. Holt?”

“Yes, this is Mrs. Holt.”

“Hi, ma’am. I’m Dustin. I’m the new fireman in town.”

“Oh, I know who you are,” she says, surprising me. “I’ve been waiting for you to call.”

“You have?”

“Well, you’re lookin’ for a place to stay, aren’t ya?”

“I am.”

“I’ve been figuring you’d need a place. That’s why I put my basement apartment up on the deli board.”

“For me?”

“Mm hmm.”

She acts as if this is the most natural thing in the world.

“I heard from Susan when we were volunteering at the food pantry that you had come in and you were still staying with David and Lyndsay. I figured it was only a matter of time before that got old for all of you. Fish and houseguests—both start to stink after four days. You know?”

---