3. Luke

3

Luke

W ater drips off the freshly washed fire truck, a low hum of idle chatter filling the cavernous space as my crew gathers their belongings to head home after a long shift.

“Well, hi there, Luke.” The familiar voice brings a smile to my face. Ms. Carol has been coming around the station for as long as I can remember, always flirting with the guys and stirring up trouble. I spy her leaning against her car door, gray hair up in her signature clip with her equally signature shit-eating grin spread across her face. I stifle a laugh. I swear she’s got an uncanny ability of being around the station at the perfect moment. Peeling my sweaty shirt over my head, I throw it into the pile of clothes to be washed later.

“Will I see ya later today?” Ms. Carol says. Her keys dangle from her hand and jingle loudly.

“C’mon, Ms. Carol, as if you need to ask. You know I’ll be there.”

“You’re a good man.” Her eyes are bright as she gives me a thumbs-up.

Not ten seconds later, Hunter is at my side, elbowing me in the ribs with an expression I really don’t have the time or energy for right now. “Um, should I be concerned about that?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I bend down to grab a new shirt. Ms. Carol’s eyes remain fixed on us, and a nervous laugh tumbles out of me. “C’mon, Hunter. You know how Ms. Carol can be.”

“That is very true, sir. She might be pushing seventy-eight, but that hasn’t stopped her from looking.” He shoves me again, and I stumble into my gear bag.

Sliding a soft green shirt over my head, I distract myself by shoving a few other items into my bag. Sweat drips into my eye as I peek over at Ms. Carol. With another devilish smile, she slams her car door and skitters down the block to the coffee shop that’s already got a line out the door.

“You know I help her around the house,” I say. “And it’s time to clean her gutters. There’s definitely nothing to worry about.” After gathering my empty coffee tumbler, I sidle up to where Hunter is leaning against his police cruiser, fidgeting with his laptop. He typically stops by the station to say hi before he starts his last shift of the week.

At six years old, Hunter and I joined the same T-ball team and have been best friends ever since. We decided early on to attend the same college, but when his father got sick sophomore year, he returned home, leaving me behind to finish my business management degree. We always knew we’d end up in careers helping others, but he ended up wearing a badge, and I ended up on a fire truck. Last year, I was promoted to captain.

Looking over the rim of his coffee cup, a smirk appears on his lips. “Cleaning out her gutters, are ya?” It’s a good thing I’m his best friend because not everyone can handle his goofy, sarcastic attitude.

I ignore him and head inside to refill my cup. Firehouse coffee notoriously tastes like shit, so on my way home, I’d normally stop by Ground Up, the local coffee shop, a few blocks down from the fire department. But today is one of those rare days when the idea of forced socialization makes my skin crawl. My shift felt like an eternity, and I’m more than ready to be home.

And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about what my new neighbor is up to. I’d been so annoyed the other day when she came screaming and hollering at me, but the moment those blue eyes met mine, I was speechless. I smile, recalling her rambling mess of thoughts—or “word vomit” as she called it. As far as neighbors go, she won’t be half bad.

A few guys coming on shift tilt their heads toward me in greeting as I snag my wallet and keys from the kitchen counter. The urge to play the part of energetic-and-personable Luke tugs at my gut, but exhaustion claws through the feeling.

Heat blasts my face when I open the bay door and head out to my truck. Hunter is still leaning against his car, sunglasses and cowboy hat doing little to hide his true intentions— to give me shit.

Growing up, our moms would tease that it was our life’s mission to cause trouble and break hearts. They were partially correct. I mostly tried keeping people happy so they wouldn’t call the cops on us. And where breaking hearts was concerned, that was Hunter’s expertise. I fell firmly into the category of getting mine broken, over and over.

“I like how you ignored my question.” He nudges my foot with his boot.

“Hunter, stop being ridiculous. I’m just helping her clean her gutters. You know she lives alone, and the last thing we need is that woman getting on a ladder.”

“Facts.” He snorts. “Although, I kind of wish it was more salacious than that. Ain’t it about time you got yourself back out there?”

“Just because I don’t jump from woman to woman like you doesn’t mean I’m not out there.” I huff a frustrated breath.

“I’m just fucking with you. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Mm-hmm, because ‘fine’ definitely means you’re not fine. C’mon, man, what’s got you all mopey this early in the morning?” He crosses his feet at the ankles, tucks his black sunglasses into his shirt pocket, and turns his all-knowing gaze on me.

Nervous agitation prickles just beneath my skin. I grip my coffee, then run my other hand absentmindedly down my face. “I am not mopey. And it’s nothing, just saw Sadie last night on a call.” I grit my teeth at her name.

He chokes on his coffee. “Sadie?”

“Yeah.” I’m hoping he drops it because Sadie is the last person I want to think or talk about.

“Sadie? As in the woman who left you high and dry for some fuckboy in Montana? That Sadie?” Hatred emanates from him as he freezes in place.

One great thing about best friends: They’ve always got your back. Especially when you get your heart broken after catching your girlfriend having a secret relationship with some random cowboy in Montana.

“What other Sadie is there?”

“Shit, what is she doing back in town? Thought she was too good for Suncrest Valley.”

“Me too. Maybe she was just too good for me.” Because apparently that’s my thing—I’m the guy all the girls love for a time but never the long haul.

Sometimes I wonder if my radar is set to finding women in need. Even as a teenager, it was the same old story. I’d meet a girl, help her, fall for her, and then she’d be gone. Maybe someday, I’ll find the right woman, one who wants to be with me forever.

“Shut the fuck up, you know that’s not true. Sadie was not too good for you. You just fell for a girl you thought you knew. Hell, we were all shocked by what went down.”

I take an aggressive sip of scalding coffee. I suck in a breath, trying to play it off like it wasn’t that hot. “Maybe I missed the signs that she really wasn’t into me.”

“Yeah?” His fingers hover over the screen of his phone as he peers up at me. “What signs?”

“For starters, I always called her.”

“Okay, but we all know you’re a needy bastard.” Tossing his cowboy hat onto the passenger seat, he slides into his cruiser.

“What’s so wrong with wanting to keep up with another person? Hear about their day? Hear their voice?” I unlock my truck, and then I toss my gear into the back seat. My tackle box and fishing poles catch my eye. The urge to find a creek and get lost for a few hours tempts me.

Firemen catch so much shit about sitting in recliners all day, but people have no clue about the severe lack of sleep and rest that plague us. Yesterday alone we had fifteen calls in our twenty-four-hour shift. As captain, that also means fifteen calls of increased anxiety not knowing what we’re heading into and fifteen call’s worth of paperwork to double-check and submit. My brain rarely gets a moment of reprieve. Now, I’ll go home to rest and recover for the next two days before coming back to do it all again.

“Nothing is wrong with that.” Hunter buckles his seat belt. “You know that’s not my thing. Guess some women don’t work that way either. Okay, what else?” Hunter never seems willing to put in the work for a relationship, giving just enough before he’s off to the next thing.

“Okay, here’s one for you: the only time she invited me over was when she needed something done.” I push the ignition button on my key fob, and the engine rumbles to life.

“Ah, golden-boy Luke.” Sarcasm drips from each word. “You know that’s your biggest problem.”

“What are you even talking about?” I walk over and stand beside his door.

“You can’t say no to people.”

“Is it so wrong to be a nice guy?” I inhale deeply, removing my ball cap, smoothing my hair down, and brushing my fingers along my stubble.

“No, there’s nothing wrong with being a nice guy. But there’s everything wrong with letting people take advantage of your kindness.”

“I don’t.” I slam my ball cap onto my head, then raise my hands in the air. He’s got me there.

“Yes, you do. Look me in the face right fucking now and tell me you don’t let people take advantage of that heart of gold in your chest?” His eyebrow slants in a “you know I’m right.”

“I— shit.” Any explanation I have catches in my throat. I officially want to be anywhere but here.

“Exactly. You’re a good man, but that doesn’t mean you have to bend over backward for everyone all the time.”

“Okay.” I swing my arms out and let a loud exhale whoosh from my lungs. “And what does that have to do with Sadie?”

“It’s not just Sadie, man. It’s all your past girlfriends.” He looks over to check the time on his dash. “You want to fix ’em, do everything for ’em, make ’em happy. Which is all good and grand to some extent, except I don’t think you worry about yourself being fucking happy. It’s like you forget you’re a worthwhile person who doesn’t have to be everyone’s go-to guy to have them like you.”

Built-up tension trickles down to my hands. “I don’t do it so people will like me.”

“Oh, you don’t? What do you get out of it then?”

Backing up toward my truck, I play it off with a smirk. “The simple joy of helping someone else.”

“I call bullshit.” Hunter turns the ignition to his cruiser, then the engine hums to life.

“I don’t know, man. It’s just who I am, I guess.”

“Whatever you say, Luke. Maybe someday you’ll meet a great woman and realize it’s you they want, not shit you do for them.”

“I can only hope.”

“So, what’s on tap before your date with Ms. Carol?”

“It’s not a date, asshole. I’m just cleaning out her gutters.” I throw him the middle finger.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll bet you are.” He smirks, grabbing the handle.

“Is your mind ever not filthy?” I holler over the noise of the engine. “You know what? Don’t answer that. If you must know, Dad, I’m going home to shower, sleep for a few hours because we were up most of the night, and then, who knows, maybe I’ll see what my new neighbor is up to.”

“Say what now? New neighbor?” He clutches his chest. “I’m hurt, Luke; you’re holding out on me. How gorgeous is she?”

“She’s beautiful.” Greer’s face flashes in my mind—hair piled in a messy bun, nervous sweat glistening on her forehead.

“You ask her out yet?”

“What? Of course not. She seems like a very nice woman, but it’s complicated.” That’s one word for it.

“ How long’s it been again?”

“Long enough.” It’s not like I haven’t been tempted, but I’ve not met a woman I truly connected with to want to take things to that level.

“You have to get laid. Maybe it’ll make you less mopey.”

“Fuck off. I’m not mopey. I just—”

“Whatever man,” he says, shaking his head, then starts to close his door. “I gotta go. Catch you at the lake Sunday, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” I reply, my words fading as he drives away toward the police station.

Jumping into my truck, I sigh in relief as I finally drive across town toward home. Suncrest Valley isn’t a big town by any means. It gives one the ability to choose a more urban or rural lifestyle. Before being promoted, I lived in an apartment near the library, but now I prefer living on the outskirts of town.

Working in real estate is in my family’s blood. Growing up, it was clear Dad wanted my sister, Sutton, to join the family business. Sutton being Sutton, she quickly transformed it into the town’s number-one real estate company only a few months after he passed away. About two years ago, she helped me land my current house. It’s not the ten acres of land near the Onyx Mountains I hope to someday call my own, but it’s a happy medium.

Wind rushes inside the cab of my truck as I roll down the window. I make the turn on my street, and my eye catches on an old Ford truck parked on the street in front of Greer’s house. Curiosity begs at me to go next door and say hello, but I head inside my home instead. Hunter’s probably right, and I doubt Greer wants to deal with my piss-poor attitude. Nothing a little sleep won’t fix.

Today is our friend group’s summer kickoff party, and one of my favorite days of the year. Being on the department makes it hard to get the group together more than once a month, but once our summer kickoff happens, most of us focus less on working overtime and more on making up for lost time with our family.

As kids, our core group usually consisted of me, Sutton, and Hunter. After joining the fire department, I met Vinnie and Adam. We’re an eclectic group, but we share a deep love for nature. When Hunter bought his boat, we began frequenting the lake regularly. Years back, Sutton and Grace initiated a grand summer kickoff party, which has become one of my favorite traditions.

I open the door to my navy-blue truck, and then I toss in a handful of beach towels and slide a small cooler across the seat. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out quickly thinking it’s one of my friends needing some last-minute item from the house.

“Shit.” I groan seeing Sadie’s name stretch across the screen. I contemplate not answering, but I’m sure she wouldn’t be calling if it weren’t an emergency. I press accept and hold the phone to my ear. “Hey, Sadie.”

“Luke, I’m so glad you answered.” There’s some sort of clanking noise in the background.

“You just caught me. I’m headed to the lake. What’s up?” I slide into the driver’s seat and buckle up.

“Oh man, I could really use your help.”

I lift my hat and wipe sweat from my forehead. “Like I said, I was just headed to the lake. Can it wait?”

“Not really. My car broke down, and I didn’t know who else to call.”

Dammit. “Where are you at?” I swear, someday she’ll get a vehicle that isn’t a total junker.

“I’m outside the grocery store.”

I know it’s going to make me late. I know my friends will give me endless amounts of shit, but . . . “I’m on my way. It’s too warm to wait outside, so go inside the store.” I end the call and head in the direction of the market.

The parking lot is swarming with people, but I see Sadie’s rusty green car in a spot at the back of a row. I text her I’m there, and soon, she’s strutting across the lot. And I do mean strutting. She is clad in tiny pink shorts and a tight white tank top; it’s as if she’s trying to put on a show for me. There’s too much baggage between us, and I’m pleasantly surprised at the lack of reaction she causes.

I tap on the hood of the car. “Pop it open.”

“I can’t thank you enough for coming. I know how much today means to you.” She would; she’s attended the summer kickoff party a few times.

“Yeah, it does, so the faster I can figure out what’s wrong with your car, the faster I get there.” I’m annoyed, but I’m not sure if it’s at my uncharacteristically gruff tone or the fact that I answered the call in the first place. It doesn’t take long to find the bad connection between the spark plugs and battery. I use a socket to tighten them down and give her car a jump-start. After sputtering several times, it finally revs to life.

“You’re a lifesaver, Luke!” Sadie jumps out of her car and rushes to give me a hug. Peeling myself out of her arms, I twirl up the jumper cables and hand them back to her.

“Okay, well, I’m going to head out now.” I slam the hood of her car closed.

“Oh, okay. I just thought . . .” Her voice fades off.

I shake my head. “I gotta go. Bye, Sadie.” I wave as I pull out of the parking lot.

It’s late by the time I arrive at the lake, and, of course, the entire parking lot is full. After several laps, I find a spot big enough to squeeze my truck into. Jumping from the cab, the scent of summer wildflowers assaults me. I grab a small ice chest and duffle bag, and then I beeline it to the marina.

“Well, well, well,” Adam says, “look who finally decided to grace us with his presence.” He maneuvers the boat up to the dock.

“Hey, Luke.” Grace, Adam’s wife, reaches for the cooler of beer I’m holding, and I step onto the deck. “Glad you could make it out.”

“Kickstarting summer wouldn’t be the same without you!” Hunter grabs a beer from the ice chest.

“Only because of my grilling expertise.” I take a beer from his outstretched hand.

“That too.” Vinnie leans against the front rails. “What took ya so long?”

“Got caught up.” I deflect. We’ve all been friends for so damn long, I know exactly how they’ll react.

“Wouldn’t have anything to do with Sadie being back in town, would it?” Sutton takes the beer offered to her from Hunter, her eyebrows raised in a judgmental question toward me.

“What the fuck, man?” Hunter jerks back in disgust, his voice bordering on a yell. “Tell me you did not.”

“No, nothing like that.”

Our conversation halts as Adam guides the boat across the lake toward a hidden cove we found a while back. Ignoring his insinuation, I settle back, allowing my body to unwind as we coast over the waves, the summer sun warming my shoulders. This is exactly where I need to be today. As a boy my dad taught me to fish and hunt, even took me camping any chance he got. It’s because of him I’m usually outdoors.

Hunter, unrelenting in his teasing, fixates on me with a smirk. “I mean, I know it’s been a long-ass time.”

“Hunter,” I say, “I told you it’s not like that. I’m over her.” And I am over her. Sure, I used to fall into the trap of getting physical with Sadie, even after we broke up. But having sex with someone you know doesn’t actually love you anymore and who only asks to see you for sex made me get tired of that quickly.

“Why were you late then?” Hunter asks. “You’re never late.” He sits down across from me, close enough to Sutton that she glares at him and scoots down.

Shaking my head, I inwardly groan, frustrated that he can never just let things go. “Her car wouldn’t start.”

“Jesus, Luke.” Sutton takes a long pull from her beer.

“Bro, why?” Adam says. “She’s not your girlfriend anymore.”

“I know.” I slip my shirt off and smear sunscreen over my chest and shoulders. “It wasn’t like that at all. I was packing my truck when she called. Her car is a piece of shit, and it was on the way to the lake.”

“Yeah, okay,” Hunter says. “But what’re you gonna do when she calls again?” He rests his arm across the seat behind Sutton, his perceptive gaze drills through me, challenging me.

“Listen,” Sutton says. “What Hunter is doing a terrible job of saying is”—she glares at him, but he just blows her a kiss—“we worry about you. You can’t drop everything every time someone calls or texts or stops you at the corner to ask you to build them a barn.”

“You guys will never let me live that down, will you?”

“Nope,” they all say in unison.

I am so sick of this conversation. As if any of them would decline their boss’s request to help build a barn when actively trying to get promoted. It’s not as if this is a new habit I’ve developed. Growing up, I was always at Mom’s and Dad’s heels. When I got older, I enjoyed lending a hand to our neighbors, especially when they started paying me a few bucks. It didn’t take long for me to become the guy who could do anything, fix anything, build anything. I liked it, feeling needed, which is part of the reason why I chose the career I did.

“ No is a full sentence.” Grace elbows me.

I roll my eyes. “Are we riding or beaching first?” A chorus of grunts and headshakes follow, clearly annoyed by my quick subject change.

“Let’s ride first.” Sutton grabs the wakeboard and slips her feet into the boots. She winks, and I know I’m being let off the hook.

“Oh hell yeah, babe!” Hunter yells. With a few quick steps, he lets down the dive platform.

“When will you realize I am not your babe?” Sutton slides into the water. Adam carefully pulls the boat forward, giving her enough slack to get situated.

“When will you realize you are?” Hunter smiles brightly. He might act like a playboy, but I know his heart has always belonged to Sutton.

“Let’s go, Adam!” Sutton slaps the rope on the water.

“She hates you.” Vinnie laughs.

“Nah.” Hunter stares longingly at her as she stands up. “She loves me.”

“If y’all could figure it out, that’d be great.” I smile, lay my head back, and close my eyes. “Hey, did I tell you guys I have a new neighbor?”

“New neighbor?” Grace leans in close. “What are they like? How old are they? Please tell me it’s a woman. We need more estrogen in this group.”

Water splashes along the side of the boat as we speed up. Sutton treads from side to side. It didn’t take her long to become an excellent wakeboarder after Hunter taught her last summer. It’s natural for her to excel at anything she sets her mind to.

“Not sure, Grace. I only met her briefly the other day.” I don’t bother mentioning I haven’t stopped thinking about her. She was so nervous and agitated, but it all made perfect sense when she blurted out her husband was dead. I’m no stranger to death, and I’ve seen firsthand how much it can change someone.

“Just don’t become the friendly neighborhood handyman,” Adam ribs me.

“Shut the fuck up. I am not that bad.”

“Yeah, you are!” They all scream at the same time my phone buzzes in my pocket. Sadie, again. Shaking my head, I silence my phone and zip it into my duffle bag.

With no threat of further interruptions, I settle onto the bench seat, allowing the sun to sink into my skin. They might constantly bust my ass, but they’re family, and I know they’re just looking out for me. Who knows, maybe they’re right. Maybe I don’t have to do things for people to get them to like me. Maybe I’ll meet someone who will like me for me.

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