Page 40 of Trouble
“I’ll talk to him,” Cade murmurs. That simple sentence alone, the knowledge of what he wants to say, has chills running across my skin.
“No need. I’m going to convince him to join us for dinner.”
Cade’s laughter is low. “Okay, trouble. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”
“You too,babe.”
His laughter rings out as I tap the End button, a grin splitting my face.
When the phone rings only seconds later, I assume it’s him again and answer quickly. “Miss me already?”
The smile is wiped clear off my face when I hear the voice on the other end of the line.
CHAPTER 19
Declan
Cade: Mel says you have to work all weekend?
Cade: You don’t have to disappear because of me. It’s your house.
Cade: It’s fucking annoying how you never reply.
Cade: Mel is coming to the station. She’s going to ask you to go to dinner with her, and you’re going to say yes. Be a dick to me, I don’t care, but if you’re a dick to her, we’re going to have a problem.
With a groan,I pocket my phone and pop open the compartments on this side of the rig. We spent the afternoon dealing with a fire in another abandoned warehouse. We couldn’t get close enough to put it out, so though it was controlled, it took all fucking day.The rig is a mess, and we’re all worn the fuck out.
Every fire wears on a department, but here in Bristol, most of us suffer from some degree of PTSD after losing Chief Reilly, which makes it more of a challenge, naturally. Out of all of us, I’m probably the onewho was hit the hardest by his death. Not only was he one of my best friends, but he was also my mentor. And to a lot of these guys, he was family.
All I want to do is sit next to Melina and listen to her chatter on about her day or tell me made-up stories about strangers. I want the soft cadence of her voice in my ear, her warm body pressed against mine, her smiles and laughter. Fuck, I just wanther.
But I can’t have her, and Cade needs to stop pushing her in my direction.
“Chief, we got this. Go home and rest,” Shawn says.
I shake my head. “Dane should go home to the twins. I can help.”
“The twins are with their mom this week,” Dane says from the open roll-up door of the bay. “Besides, looks like you’ve got company.” He thumbs over his shoulder.
Chest tightening, I step closer and peer up at the second floor. Sure enough, Melina is pacing along the floor-to-ceiling windows outside my office.
“Fuck,” I mutter, scrubbing a hand over my face.
Shawn gives me a concerned frown. “What’s going on?”
I keep my shit to myself, and even if I didn’t, I wouldn’t open up to the guys who work for me. I’m the one they come to whentheyneed help. Though I normally tell them to get out of my office and take their girl talk elsewhere. But fuck, they’re all good with the feelings and shit. Between their book club and all their talk about relationships while we eat dinner, they’re practically experts. And I listen. It’s virtually impossible to tune them out when Colby is as loud as he is. At least Mason is usually around to tell him to shut the hell up when my head starts pounding.
“Cade is coming for the weekend.”
Shawn presses his lips together and nods, like he gets the issue.
With a long breath out, I lean against the building.
The whole crew is standing around, watching me.
Crossing my arms, I give them the glare they’ve probably come to expect. “Don’t you have a job to do?”
Dane laughs and pulls on Colby’s shoulder. “Help me grab the hose.”