Page 20 of Where There's Smoke
“I’m already imposing enough with the constant bottles,” I said softly.
“You’re a guest here, take anything you need. We have plenty of food, considering we all eat constantly. We were going to order pizza today but got dragged out on a call. Next time, I’ll grab one for you. Just let me know what kind you like.”
“Oh, you don’t have to!”
He leveled me with a serious look. “I want to.”
That declaration shouldn't have made me feel all warm and mushy inside, but by God, it did.
Chapter 10
Melody
“Morning!” Fitz greeted me as I entered the kitchen. He was at the counter, chopping something. Jeff and Tommy, firefighters I’d been introduced to briefly the previous day, were also sitting at the table and greeted me warmly, hardly looking up from their food, which they were devouring like they were going for a world record.
The firefighters had been nothing but welcoming. I was starting to feel comfortable simply being around them. They didn't ask any overly intrusive questions. They gave me my space and respected me. What more could I ask for?
“Hey,” I offered quietly. Jeff was the first to look up and give a smile as he swallowed down a mouthful of eggs.
“Hey there, Melody. You still settling in okay? How’s the puppy?” He was an easygoing guy, from what I could tell, and his presence was a welcome, calm energy amid all the hustle and bustle.
“She’s good. Eating like a champ.”
“I should say,” Tommy replied. He winked at me, those light blue eyes sparkling. “You’ve been up at the ass crack of dawn to feed her the last day or two.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, it’s like that when they’re little. Same with babies, you know?”
The guys just nodded and got back to their food. Fitz came closer, his usual smile downright dazzling as he leaned against the counter. “You want some breakfast?”
“I wouldn’t say no,” I replied as I padded into the room, the puppy in my arms.
The alpha continued to smile over at me. “I guess Little Miss Dotty girl needs her breakfast as well,” he observed. “She looks like she’s growing by the day!”
“She's a puppy. They do that.” I laughed again as I approached the counter, looking for the electric kettle so I could heat the water for her bottle. “And we’re calling her Dotty, huh? Sunny kept calling herDotty baby. Makes sense, considering she’s a Dalmatian. Hmm…you’re lucky I like it.”
The kettle from the night before wasn’t on the stove, though, and I looked around, confused, checking the dishwasher.
“Oh, don’t use the kettle,” Fitz said. “There’s a bottle warmer over here,” he explained, pointing to a new device on the counter. “And yeah, sorry ’bout that. But come on, she needed a name, and Dotty is perfect. I came up with it myself.”
I shook my head, then registered what Fitz had said.There’s a bottle warmer?
That was…new. Technically, it was a warmer for baby bottles, but I’d used the same one at the shelter before it got ruined in the fire. It was also most certainly not there the night before.
“Where did you guys find a bottle warmer? I'm grateful. I'm just confused how you found one.”
Fitz smirked. “Samson went out and got it. He knew it would make your life easier with a puppy who’s chowing down at all hours of night and day.”
“We all chipped in,” Tommy said in his youthful, exuberant voice. “We all love Dotty girl. She's pretty much our mascot now, so anything we can do to help her…”
My chest warmed with appreciation, and a mild level of embarrassment, for having a crew of firefighters buying things for my dog. “Thank you.” I smiled at Tommy, who preened at my praise between bites of scrambled eggs.
It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to me, and I needed to be okay accepting the kindness. I’d give it to anyone else, and I was just as deserving, though I constantly had to remind myself of that. Smiling, I busied myself with making a bottle for the puppy.
“After eleven a.m., we’re off shift,” Fitz said.
“So… will you guys leave?” I asked, my voice somewhat subdued. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
“We may pop back to the house to get a bite, but we’re camping out here more because Elliot has a bunch of arson investigations we need to sort out. I'm doing some business nearby, and we thought it best to stick around as a pack.”
