Page 11 of Rescuing Alix

“Wow this guy is uptightandimpatient” Alix whispered to Kody with her hand cupped over the receiver. “Will you talk to him for me?” She gave her saddest puppy dog face in order to convince him.

“Oh, good god, give me the phone.” He smiled and he grabbed it out of her hand.

“Mr. Howard this is Kody Russell from the Brystal Bay 109, right across the street from The Sand Bucket. I’ll be bringing Alix over today so just let us know what time is best for you.”

Kody talked to the man for another minute about some things Alix needed to bring with her just for proof of ownership but then they’d meet before lunch.

“I’ll walk you home so you can get your things.”

“Thanks Kody. It means a lot that you’re doing this with me. I know Chloe wanted to be there, but she’s always been more of a silent partner when it comes to the legalities anyway. I’d like to take a quick shower once I’m home if you don’t mind waiting a bit.”

“Not at all, as long as I can raid your frig. I’m starving.”

***

Kody locked his apartment, and they made the two-block walk to Alix’s lower-level duplex.

“Great place!”

“Thanks, kitchen’s over there” Alix motioned as she passed a doorway headed for the bathroom.

“I’ll be back out in ten or fifteen minutes. Help yourself to whatever you find.”

Alix’s refrigerator was a smorgasbord of food. He could die a happy man if he could eat in her house every meal but that’s a thought he’d save for another day. He found some cold cuts, grabbed the mayo and a bag of onion buns. He’d make two just in case Alix was hungry. She hadn’t eaten either and there wouldn’t be any time til after their meeting and who knew how long that would last.

Alix emerged from her room looking refreshed and he was sure she got more beautiful each time he saw her. He’d wrapped both sandwiches in napkins so they could eat while they walked and he stuffed a water bottle in the pocket of his shorts.

“Gosh, you’ve thought of everything. This sandwich is good, you found all this in my frig?”

“Well the buns were on top of the microwave but yeah the meat was in the bottom drawer.”

“Two meals in less than twenty-four hours, how do I rate? I’m gonna have to keep you around awhile I think.” She made light of the comment but that’s exactly how he liked her to think.

“Pretty sure we could arrange that if you wanted. I enjoy spending time with you, even if we have weirdos hitting on you and picking fights with me or fires while we’re walking on the beach. Definitely nothing I can’t handle.”

She had a smile across her face that just about made him go through himself. She looked good happy.

“My firefighter to the rescue huh?”

“I’m all yours baby.” Kody reached for her hand as they rounded the corner on Main Street, the home stretch to The Sand Bucket where they could see Mr. Howard waiting ever-so-impatiently outside. Alix’s hand tightened, unconsciously he was sure, but he gave her hand a squeeze to reassure her he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Relax, I’m right here.” He placed a soft peck on her cheek.

As they came close, Kody released her hand to shake with Mr. Howard.

“Hello sir. I’m Kody and this is Alix,” gesturing beside him.

“Tom said good things about you Kody, nice to put a name with a face. Alix.” He only nodded in her direction.

“Let’s get started. If you could just stay behind me and don’t touch anything, you’ll make my life a lot easier.” He could tell the man was uncomfortable around women and it made him that much happier he’d accompanied Alix.

Three and a half hours and a very boring synopsis of the entire fire later, they were finally done and said goodbye to the inspector.

“Wow was that really all necessary? I lost interest more than once; his monotone voice was about to kill me. I don’t think I could ever be a fire inspector. I’m real glad Chloe couldn’t meet us today; she would have hated it.”

“Yeah, I was right there with ya…his sense of humor is nil. If I hadn’t already known what all his jargon meant, I might have bailed.”

“So can I ask you a question Kody?” He noticed that she had seemed a little more uneasy as the inspection came to a close.

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