Page 7 of Ward
Dante throws him a scowl. “Helpful.”
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why we’re all still bachelors.
“Seriously man, what is this?” Emrys ticks his chin at my screen which I haven’t had the good sense to lower.
“His girlfriend,” Collin answers, “obviously.”
The alarm blares, mercifully cutting them off from further ribbing. For once I don’t hate that we’re getting a call. The announcement comes on next:Structure fire… Then in that same robo-voice, we’re given the address. “You’ve got to be kidding,” Dante gripes.
We know it too well.Goddamn Yvette’s house. The image of her alone with little Laney zips through my mind once more…this time with flames going up all around.The fuck was I thinking, leaving her with a baby?This fire isn’t a one-time, rando thing. She fuckingdoesthis.
We gear up and pile into the fire engine.
~ * ~
“How many times has this kitchen caught on fire, now, twelve?”
“Seven.”
“Seven? Yvette!”
“What, you thought it was twelve.”
“Once I can understand. Twice, we’d have words.”
“Wehavehad words.”
“Did you hear any of them?!”
“Ward…please. Not today,please.” She looks exhausted, borderline desperate, reminding me of the video shejustposted an hour ago. She’s so in her feelings today, she probably just got distracted while cooking. I can show mercy, today.
Reading the room, the rest of the crew takes their leave outside. “What were you making?” I ask Yvette.
“Soup.”
I toss a curious look over at the stove. “In a cauldron?”
Yvette shrugs. “I like the aesthetic. I wasn’t doing anything weird…this time.” She bites her lip. This has been a little more berating than I normally give her when we’re called out here. Alittlemore. I’m always pretty peeved. There’s a part of me that wants to keep laying into her, partly to make sure she really gets it this time, and partly to vent out my built-up frustrations.
A bigger part of me though, wants to just hold her.
Horny, and irritated. Horny, and irritated.
“Well, good thing you know our number. We got here quick. Your house will be fine.” Though it is still thick with smoke. I haven’t seen the layout of her whole house, but I remember the room Laney was napping in, that was separated only by a hippie bead curtain. “You have any rooms with doors in this house?”
“My bedroom. Of course.”
I imagine her bedroom and have to quickly swipe the mental image from my brain. “Open all the windows out here, and try to stay in your room the rest of the night—”
“Yes, I know the drill, Lieutenant.” Her face softens into something like flirtation, or that’s just my imagination, as shecalls me by my title instead of my name or some other nickname she likes to make up for me.
“Good.” I nod once. I’m lingering too long, I should go now. I start to turn on my bootheel, but she looks so defeated and pitiful, I stop.
She blinks up at me. “Still want that date?”
“Yeah,” I answer gruffly, turning around and taking my leave finally. I add over my shoulder, “You don’t scare me, Spark.” But maybe I should be a little afraid. Maybe it’s like the guys all accuse me of being: someone who goes looking for death.
Too late now.
