Page 6 of Embers in Our Souls
“Earth to Indy,” Kalli singsongs.
“Hmm?” I say.
“You can’t pick someone because of security. You have to take a leap, butterflies and all,” Kalli says, her expression full of remorse.
I’ve never told Kalli anything about my past with Tyler. She has no clue how much of my heart I’ve given to the boy back in Vegas. I leave that part of my life behind me. She thinks I’m closed-off because I’ve just been through too much with my adoption and losing my brother. Plus, she knows how terrible my parents have been, especially my mother. It’s easier that way and I’ve never let her believe otherwise.
“I know, but I also have to make sure Noah and I have a stable future ahead. He needs that. And I want him to have amale figure in his life. He’s been through enough,” I tell her, taking a sip of my coffee.
“It’s not only about what Noah has been through, Indy. You’ve been through it too. And I’m not just talking about losing your brother. Everything you went through with your parents, finding out about your adoption, that’s traumatic. Not to mention your health. That alone is a lot. Stop shoving everything under the rug.” She grabs my hand and squeezes.
Kalli has never let me forget it’s okay for me to have feelings about the trauma I’ve suffered. She encourages me to talk through my emotions, emphasizing how important it is that even if something happened years ago, it impacts us for years. Unfortunately, she has no idea how much of my past is still seeping itself into my present and it has nothing to do with my adoption, my health, or my brother’s passing. It has everything to do with a boy I gave my heart to eleven years ago.
CHAPTER 2
Tyler
“Isthat a maybe on the smutty books?” Malloy looks at me while I finish my last few minutes on the treadmill.
It’s an unusually muggy day in Boston for spring. We had originally planned on meeting up at my house. I had a whole day of filming laid out for my social media page, but scrapped those plans and we’re now at the gym.
“Dude, you know I don’t care to read that stuff.” I stop the machine and towel off.
“You’re missing out. Baylee and I try the kinkiest shit. Especially when it’s Kennedy’s book choice for the month.” He smirks and I respond with a look of disapproval.
“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, man.” He shrugs as we walk to the weights.
“Why are you trying to get me to join your book club? I thought this was sort of your thing with the girls.”
Malloy is one of my closest friends. On top of that, we work together at the firehouse. I’m the newest to join the crew—the probie, short for probationary, as they say in the firehouse—but he’s taken me in. We formed a solid friendship early on.
This book club he’s trying to get me to join was started with his close friend Abby and their mutual friend Kennedy. Both of whom are engaged to identical twin brothers, River and Clay, who happen to be firefighters at our station as well.
River, Kennedy’s fiancé, is probably the most energetic and ridiculous character I’ve ever met. Clay is more reserved than his twin, but when they’re both together, the two can get into some pretty heated arguments. Who am I kidding? They exhaust me when I have to be around them. Recently, their disagreements center around Clay’s infant daughter, Gabriella, who we call Ella. River lives for three passions in this world—Ella, Kennedy, and Lola; the last of which is his dog. I’m still not sure in what order.
“I think it would be fun for you to hang out with us,” Malloy continues, grabbing a set of weights.
I stare at his reflection in the mirror, not buying it.
After a few seconds, he gives up whatever internal struggle he’s having and confesses, “Fine. They’re ganging up on me, okay? Since Baylee joined book club, the three of them are fucking coming after me. I’m outnumbered and I can’t take it.” He starts his reps, but I don’t miss the look of desperation he gives me in the mirror.
Baylee is Malloy’s wife; they just got hitched a few months back and the guy is smitten. His complaints don’t fool me. He is one hundred percent infatuated with his wife, despite the hard road they had getting to this point.
“What do you mean they’re teaming up against you?” I ask him, grabbing weights of my own.
“It’s exactly how it sounds. The three of them have started some sisterhood of their own; and now, I’m some outsider. When we discuss the book, and the guy in the story does something dumb, I get these looks from them like I’m part of it. They call me out and start acting like I represent all of the male population. They’ll be all like, ‘Malloy, why are you guyslike this?’ Or they’ll simply state, ‘Why can’t all of you be more like Frankie from the book? He buys flowers every week.’ It’s exhausting, Hunter. I can’t take it.”
“So, you want to torture me in the process? No thanks,” I tell him.
“Well, the books are great. I wasn’t lying about that.” He’s whining now.
“Malloy, you’re borderline pathetic,” I say as I look around, hoping people can’t hear him. It’s embarrassing.
“I’m seriously at my wit’s end with it. This week, we talked about a book Baylee chose and after the discussion, all of them were so heated over it, Baylee gave me the silent treatment. She wouldn’t even have sex with me.”
“Okay, I don’t think I need to know about your antics in the bedroom. Honestly, I don’t care,” I tell him, wiping the sweat off my forehead.
“Oh, so I have to hear about River’s shit, but you can’t hear about mine?” he continues.
