Page 74 of Perfect Enough
“Something like that,” I said as I continued toward the living quarters. The bunk room was one open space, but there wereprivate rooms for the fire investigator, the battalion chief, and the captain.
“Shaw, I need to talk to you,” Eric Hurst, our captain, said as I finished getting my stuff settled.
“Sure thing,” I replied, following him to his office. Once inside, he motioned for me to sit down as he shut the office door.
“Do you remember me telling you about the city council voting on hiring a few full-time firefighters into paid positions?”
I shuffled nervously in my seat. “I do remember.”
He smiled. “They passed it last night, and your name was first on the list. I wanted to be the one to tell you and congratulate you.”
I was sure my mouth hung open in shock for a full minute. I finally snapped out of it and jumped up. “Are you serious, sir?”
“Yes, I am. Keep up the good work, Shaw, and you’ll be lieutenant in no time.”
Before I could reply, the alarm went off and the code for a multifamily structure.
The rest of my shift was spent on call after call, until I was about ready to fall on my face and sleep for days.
I wasn’t two steps into my house the next morning before my phone rang.
“What do you want, Nate?” I asked, dropping my bag to the foyer floor before I went to the kitchen.
“Want to grab a beer tonight?”
Glancing at the clock, I said, “Sure, as long as I get some sleep in before. Who else is going?”
“Just us. Thought we could catch up.”
I smiled. “You want the gossip about Sophia, don’t you?”
“Hell yeah, I do. I saw her leaving your place. That was two nights in a row she stayed with you.”
“I have to say, I never pictured you as the gossiping type. Or the stalker type.”
He laughed. “I’ll pick you up at six; we can grab dinner first.”
“Six, it is,” I said, as I grabbed some water and started for my bedroom. “I’m taking a shower and crashing; don’t bug me until it’s time to leave.”
“Sleep good, cuz.”
After stripping off my clothes and quickly showering, I grabbed my phone and texted Sophia.
Me: Hey, you. I’m home from my shift and exhausted. I’m going to grab some sleep before I head out with Nate for dinner and a beer tonight. I hope your day is going well. When can I see you?
Sophia: Morning! I’m glad you’re home and your crazy shift is over. So far, my day is going pretty good. I can head to Hamilton Thursday after my classes? Maybe sooner?
Me: Sounds like a plan.
I plugged my phone in, made sure it was on silent, and was out the moment my head hit the pillow.
Chapter Seventeen
SOPHIA
Smiling, I set my phone down on my desk and glanced up when I heard a knock on the door. When I saw Chloe’s smiling face, I nearly groaned. It waswaytoo early in the morning.
“It’s too early for you, Chloe.”