Chapter Six
Blaze
“Thank you.” I took my drink from the server at the counter to find a table.
One where I could sit with my back to a wall and watch those coming in and out of the coffee shop.
It was an instinct I couldn’t fight. Plus, I wanted to be able to see Ladon when he walked in. If he walked in and didn’t stand me up.
I’d arrived at Rondack’s a few minutes early to scope out the place, hoping my date hadn’t arrived before me.
As soon as I’d opened the door, I was hit with the scent of coffee and soup.
Multiple kinds of both, with the smells complementing each other rather than battling for supremacy while leaving stomachs turning in disgust instead of hunger.
There were maybe three dozen two or four-person tables spread around a long display counter filled with racks of delicious-looking pastries.
Once I found the spot I wanted, I took a seat and sipped at the black coffee I’d ordered.
As a firefighter, I drank so much coffee, I didn’t think it affected me anymore, yet, I didn’t want to take space at a table without having ordered something.
I figured when Ladon arrived, we’d order more or leave to spend our date elsewhere.
Being out on a date for the first time since moving to Saramto seemed long overdue.
At least according to those I worked with.
Yet, my last date back in Hawthorne had ended with me finding out my soon-to-be mate was having sex with our waiter, the accountant at the next table over, and who knew how many others around town.
It was not a moment I wanted to ever repeat in my life.
My dragon kept reminding me that Ladon wasn’t Dennis, because he liked the omega from Saramto with the kid.
That had never been the case with Dennis, the omega son of the mayor of Hawthorne.
A huge reason why I’d left the town after our very public breakup.
That and the mayor’s threat to cut funding to the local fire department if I didn’t expunge his son’s reputation.
I longed to move past all that and find an omega who wanted to be with me. Not one who “had never been with a dragon before.” I’d had plenty of offers like that since moving to the city. I didn’t want to be an experiment for anyone, or a box to check off.
“Blaze? Hi.”
I shook myself out of my thoughts to see Ladon on the other side of the table from me. I hadn’t even seen him approach. Immediately, I stood to greet him but paused for a moment as my heart raced in my chest. I didn’t know whether to give him a hug or a kiss or just a simple hello.
My dragon pushed me from within. Reaching for Ladon’s fingers to steady myself, I brushed my lips over his cheek. “It’s good to see you again. I’m glad you’re here.”
His cheeks flushed as he smiled and glanced down at the table. “Sorry I made you wait.”
“Not at all.” I pulled out his chair for him, taking in his sweet omega scent. Every time I saw him, it seemed to be more alluring. “I was here early and decided to get a coffee.”
He nodded as he sat. “I used to be always early until I had Kirin. Now, that is a challenge. Some days more than others.”
I smiled and returned to my seat, having no idea what getting a kid ready for anything was like. I’d never been responsible for anyone but myself. “Have you eaten yet?”
He shook his head. “I made Kirin lunch before leaving him with Monica, but I haven’t had anything myself. I figured since we’re here, we would eat here.” He suddenly covered his mouth. “Sorry. I’m babbling. I’m just nervous. This is my first date.”
I looked at him, confused. “Ever?” How could anyone with a child never have gone on a date before?
Chewing on the corner of his lip, he nodded. “Yeah. Kirin’s dad and I just kind of hung out. But I’m sure you don’t want to hear any of that.”
I leaned back in my seat. “You can tell me anything about yourself. I want to know more about you.”
His cheeks flushed again as he played with his hands on the table. “I am hungry. Would it be okay to order now?”
“Sure.” I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see if there was a lineup at the counter, only spotting one person. “Do you know what you want? Or do you want to come up to the counter with me to order?”
“I know what I want.” He stood and pulled out his wallet. “But I can pay for my own.”
I touched my hand to his arm. “I’m paying. I asked you out first and I don’t have a sitter to pay.”
Chewing on his bottom lip, he tucked his wallet away before meeting my gaze. “Thank you. You don’t have to but thank you.”
Already enraptured by the adorable omega, I cupped his elbow and leaned closer. “It’s my pleasure.”
He drew in a quick breath of air before he swallowed. “Um, they, um, have a really good turkey club sandwich here. That’s what I would like. Please.”
“You got it.” I smiled as I caught another slight flush of his cheeks. “Anything to drink?”
“Water, please. Just water.”
“Done. I’ll be right back.” I ran my fingers down his forearm before breaking contact with him to order our food. The entire time I’d touched him, my dragon had been thrilled, whispering something over and over, but I hadn’t caught what he’d said, too focused on the man in front of me.
It didn’t take me long to order and once the server handed me Ladon’s water, he told me he would bring the rest out to us.
Returning to sit with my date, I found I couldn’t resist staring at him with the sparkle of his blue eyes and his nervous smile. Absolutely irresistible. I wanted to know everything about him. “So, do you come here often, or did you check out the menu beforehand?”
He pointed over his shoulder. “I live a few blocks away, so it’s not too far for me to walk with Kirin. Not his favorite spot but definitely healthier than fries or pizza.”
I chuckled. “Pizza is our station’s go-to when we’ve been out on a call, and no one feels like cooking after. Not exactly what we want to eat if we have fitness training the next day, but no one cares at the time.”
With his forearms on the table, Ladon leaned forward. “How often do you train for stuff?”
“Everyday.” I longed to reach out and touch him, have some kind of connection with him, but didn’t want to move things faster than what he was ready for.
Especially if this was his first date ever.
“Our shifts are forty-eight hours, so two days. On one of those, we will do some kind of fitness training. Often cardio. And on the other, we train for whatever the theme of the week is. It could be confined spaces, water rescues, or a reminder of basic first aid. There are so many possibilities for us. That is, when we don’t have a call or a community event like last Saturday in Vista Park. ”
Ladon sipped his water. “I didn’t know you would be there, but I’m glad you were. Kirin has been obsessed with fire trucks and becoming a firefighter since meeting you last week.”
I liked to think Ladon enjoyed seeing me there again, too.
Since he was on the date with me without his son, I assumed that to be true.
“Well, we always like to inspire young children to become one of us in the future. I just hope he feels the same way about the job when he’s old enough to start training. ”
Ladon’s face paled. “But isn’t your job dangerous?”
“It can be.” I reached my hand out to touch him, running my fingers across his.
“That’s why we are constantly training, and why we do building inspections.
If there is any type of emergency, we want everyone to be as safe as possible.
But with any job, there are always circumstances we can’t predict for. ”
He grimaced. “I would be worried all the time.”
At first, I thought he meant if we were in a serious relationship, but then I remembered we were talking about his son becoming a firefighter. “As his dad, I’m sure you would worry about him in almost any job.”
“Yeah.” The corner of his mouth turned up in a slight smile. “I guess that’s true.”
“So, tell me how you came to work at the day care. To me, that seems dangerous, handling all those kids at once.” I needed to get his mind off what I did for a living. I wanted him to see me as more than a firefighter.
He chuckled. “Some days, it feels like it is, but you seemed to handle them well.”
I held my hands out in front of me. “I panicked and did the first thing that came to mind. But there is no way I could handle all of them for more than an hour. Near the end, my arms started to hurt, and I had no idea what I would have done after if we hadn’t left then.”
“I can tell you, they didn’t get their naps that day.” He crossed his arms with a playful smile tugging on his lips. “Because they couldn’t stop talking about the fire inspector and his sexy sidekick.”
“They thought I was sexy?” I couldn’t let that word go. I didn’t know if Ladon realized he said it, but I couldn’t help but mention it.
“Um, no.” He gulped, playing with his hands. “I guess not, but some of us who work there thought that.”
“You?” Maybe I was only trying to feed my ego, but I wanted to know what the omega thought of me.
His cheeks flushed, spreading to his ears this time. “Yeah. Yes. I did.”
“Well, I think you’re very attractive and have a bit of a fiery personality. That’s why I asked you out.” On top of that, my dragon had insisted upon it, was obsessed with him, but I wasn’t ready to tell him that yet. Not on our first date.
“Here are your sandwiches.”
Ladon sucked in a quick breath, as if startled.
I’d completely forgotten we were still waiting for our food, as I was simply enjoying being in the company of my date. “Thank you.” I took the sandwiches from the server, suddenly as anxious to try mine as I was to learn more about Ladon.
We talked in between bites and shared basic information about ourselves. I learned Ladon loved to be around open water and enjoyed the autumn season but had a dislike for perfumes as they all seemed to make him sneeze.