Page 4 of Falling for the Single Dad Firefighter

"Normal," Jax repeats, exchanging a glance with Caleb. "He says 'normal' but his ears are turning red."

I set my mug down with more force than necessary. "Don't you have something to maintain? Equipment to check? A cliff to jump off of?"

"After you tell me about Ms. Brown." Jax swings his boots off the chair. "Blonde? Brunette? Tall? Short? Glasses? Face tattoo?"

"Brown hair. Curly." The words come out despite my best efforts. "About this tall." I hold my hand at shoulder level. "No tattoos that I could see."

"Nice body?" Jax pushes.

"Jesus, Jax. She's Mia's teacher."

"That's not a no."

From the doorway, Dom's gravelly laugh interrupts us. "Let me guess. Lewis finally noticed a woman exists, and Walker's on him like a dog with a bone."

Dom limps into the kitchen, his left leg stiff from an injury two years back that nearly ended his career. He's older than the rest of us, pushing fifty now, with salt-and-pepper hair and a perpetually unimpressed expression.

"Lewis met Mia's new teacher," Jax informs him. "And he won't admit she got under his skin."

"She didn't get under my skin," I say, but even I can hear the defensiveness in my voice. "She helped Mia. I'm grateful."

"Grateful," Dom repeats, exchanging a look with Jax. "Sure. That's why you're standing there strangling that coffee mug."

I realize I'm gripping my mug so hard my knuckles have gone white. I set it down and cross my arms.

"Let the man breathe," Caleb says mildly, though there's a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Not everyone lives for drama like you two."

"Not drama—entertainment," Jax corrects. "This place is dead on weekday mornings."

Chief Grey's voice cuts through the conversation as he emerges from his office. "If you're bored, Walker, I've got a stack of incident reports that need reviewing."

"Suddenly I'm very entertained by this coffee," Jax says, raising his mug in a mock toast.

Chief Grey—Mason to most of us, after hours—is in his early fifties with the kind of weathered face that's seen everything twice. He runs a tight ship but treats us like family, which means he knows exactly when to step in and when to let us sort ourselves out.

"Lewis," he nods at me. "Mia get off to school alright? First day can be tough."

"Yes, sir. Rough start but she settled in."

"Good, good." He refills his own mug. "Sarah's got pictures of Josh's first day if you need some consolation. Kid was so nervous he threw up on the principal's shoes."

I wince. "I'll take the tears over that."

"Don't we all," Chief says. "Anyway, light schedule today unless something comes up. Engine 3 needs maintenance, and those safety presentations for the elementary school need finalizing."

"I can handle the presentation prep," I offer, needing the distraction.

"Perfect." Chief heads back toward his office. "Oh, and Lewis? Ms. Jenkins mentioned the new kindergarten teacher's a keeper. Thought you'd want to know."

He disappears before I can respond, leaving me standing there while Jax practically vibrates with suppressed laughter.

"Not a word," I warn him.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he says, the picture of innocence.

Wyatt chooses that moment to walk in from his workout, towel around his neck. At thirty-five, he's closest to my age, transferred here three years ago from Seattle. No-nonsense, practical, ex-military with the discipline to match.

"What'd I miss?" he asks, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

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