“Thanks for everything,” I say, the sleepiness starting to creep back in, tugging at my eyelids. I slip down into the warm blankets, feeling as though I’m already asleep. “I love you, Gray. I always have.” I think to myself.

“Sleep, we’ll talk soon.”

“Soon.”

His warm breath slides across my cheek. “I always will.”

Chapter 7

Grayson

“Parkerson, get the hose on the first floor just for good measure,” Chief yells as my crew redirects the water to where he indicated. It’s been a crazy night. We had two false alarms back to back and now a structure fire.

“Jack, get it higher,” I direct.

He nods, lifting the nozzle a bit more. When we got here, the fire was out of control, but after the work of my truck and two others, we’ve finally got it contained. Luckily, the fire alarms woke the family and everyone got out safely.

There’re just a few small hot spots remaining, and I’m beat.

We work to get those out and shut the water down. Jack groans, his head falling back as he stares up. “This was a tough one.”

I nod, grabbing two water bottles and tossing one to him. “No shit.”

“Remind me again why I let you convince me to do this . . .”

“I think it was you who convinced me.”

“Well, damn, we’re fucking stupid.”

“Fact.”

Jack and I chug the water and then toss the empty bottles into the truck. One of the newbies gets to clean out the rig as part of their initiation.

“I’m glad we got this one under control quickly,” Jack says, surveying what was left of the home.

“Yeah, no casualties is always a win.”

There are two fires that I will never forget. One where we arrived and were told everyone was out, but the witnesses hadn’t seen the father go back in to get their dog. It was my first call as a lieutenant three years ago, and one that has haunted me. We should’ve geared up to go in faster. We could’ve saved him, but everyone was sure the whole family was accounted for.

The other is one that I wasn’t a responder for, but Jack was. It was the fire that took his mother from them.

Which is why we always answer the call.

Jack clears his throat. “Always a win.” He leans back, stretching his arms over his head. “So, tell me about you and Jess.”

I jerk my head back. “What about me and Jess?”

“I hear that you rescued her like some hero from a fairy tale, pulling her out of a perilous situation and saving her like the knight in shining armor you are.”

I roll my eyes. “I didn’t know you knew the word perilous.”

“I know all kinds of shit.”

“Well, you know nothing about this.”

“Sure I don’t.”