Chapter 5
MILES
Shift is all but done when the front entrance door opens and my best friend, and apparently, my dog, waltz inside.
“Long shift, bud,” Lawson says, Petal’s leash in one hand and a coffee he’s now extending to me in the other.
“You could say that.” I take the coffee as Petal sniffs the floor and wanders wherever her leash with allow her to. “How did she go?”
“No trouble, but now Carlie wants a damn dog.”
I chuckle.
“Well, Petal is looking for a new ho—”
“Petal, baby!” a voice coos from behind me, and the dog is tugging on the leash, slipping from Rawlins’s grip a second later.
I spin around to find London on her knees, snuggling the pup to her chest. The dog’s tail is whipping back and forth so fast it’s a blur.
“You two know each other?” I ask.
London laughs as she says, “Of course we do, don’t we girl? Fast friends for weeks.” Happiness glints through those dark brown eyes of hers, following her laugh now winding through my veins.
And my gut flips, like it had fucking permission.
Laws’s gaze alternates between London with Petal and me.
No, bud. Don’t even think it, Rawlins.
“Okay, you’re going to have to fill me in,” Laws says.
“Me too.” I cross my arms, tilting my head. “How do you know Petal, Tennison? When I tried to take her back to the shelter, they said she’d only had one owner, if you don’t count the woman who abandoned her.”
London is on her feet and moving toward me before I have a chance to step back.
“You! It was you who tried to return her?” The look on her face is an equal mix of shock and horror.
“I—”
“How could you?”
“How the—”
“After all she’s been through, you thought returning her to a system that would have her put down without another foster opportunity was a good plan, yeah?”
“Lon—”
She shakes her head. “Yeah, nah.” She walks back to Petal and picks her up. “Come on, girl. We have better places to be.”
The second Tennison is out of sight, Lawson cackles. His blue eyes are lit with mirth as he runs a hand through his dark hair.
“Bud, you’re screwed.”
“Fuck off, Rawlins. It’s nothing of the sort. She’s our new probie. I’m her captain, at least . . . I should be.” The last few words fade out.
Laws’s grip slaps to my shoulder. “May the best man win.”
He fucking winks at me.
Damn hillbilly. He’s lucky he is, in fact, the best man I know. I would do anything for him, and the feeling’s mutual.
“So, Tennison was told by Cap to let me set her up with Carlie. Think she’d have time?”
The humor drains from his face.
“She’s okay, as far as we know. But Cap thought her history could help others.”
“Geez, bud. Yeah, I’ll let Carlie know.”
“Thanks. I think Cap thought he was doing a good thing, but I don’t know if this is a great time. Our probies go through big adjustments, mentally, learning the ropes in real life. If you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I bet. How’s she doing?”
“They. We have two newbs, and they are doing okay. Time will tell, I guess. They’ve made it through their first shift. Ask me again in six months’ time.”
“Hell, Milo, in six months’ time, I’ll just ask her myself.”
My brows fall. He’s got this idea in his head, and I can tell he’s going to run with it.
“Better go find your girl,” Laws says with a shit-eating grin. “Your shift just ended, Hammond. I’ll see you Saturday?”
“Sure.”
He walks out the door, heading to work. Goldman and Sachs is his new job, but we all know it’s not his vocation. I don’t think HR ever has been, but don’t tell Rawlins that. He’s the most family-oriented guy I’ve ever met, and it makes him an incredible friend.
I take the stairs two at a time and turn left to the common room. Schmidt is sprawled out on the sofa, out like a light. Heids and Sandy are washing up, bantering back and forth like an old married couple with grudges old as time.
I spin on my heel and make for the quarters.
Davey walks out from the bathroom, towel around his waist, rubbing another over his head. I pass him and come to a stop at Tennison’s door. It’s open a little way. She sits on the floor, legs spread, as Petal laps up all of her attention upside down, getting belly rubs and soft words.
I clear my throat and knock.
Without looking up, Tennison sighs. “Your mean old master is back, baby.”
It’s a whisper, but I hear every word.
The dog licks her face.
“Oh, I know, girl. I love you, too.”
Something tightens between my ribs.
“Petal,” I bark, the dog’s name coming out much harsher than I intended.
Tennison pushes to her feet. “You know, a little kindness would go a long way. Maybe think of her and what she’s been through before you go snapping at her. Frankly, I wish we’d had room at the shelter to take her back. If I’d known she was with you—”
I’m stepping into her quarters before my brain catches up with my body. I know it’s not my place to be in her space.
Even invited in, we’re not—
“Are you always this insufferable, or is it just with female staff? Or Petal?” Her eyebrow raises. Petal hides behind her legs.
Traitor.
Tennison folds her arms over her chest.
“The dog, Tennison.”
She scoffs. “No.”
“So, you’re taking her home?”
Her stone expression falters. “I—”
“Rent-controlled usually means no pets.” I hold out a hand. “Guessing you don’t want to get evicted. Come on, shift’s over.”
Her brows drop, her mouth a thin line.
“Why did you try to return her?” Her words are breathy, pained.
“For the same reason Lawson was taking care of her while we were on shift, I can’t leave her alone in my apartment. I can’t have her here. I can’t have he—”
She scoffs again, and I’m feeling like the lousiest human in existence.
Tennison plucks up her backpack, shoving her belongings from the small dresser into it. “See you next shift, Captain.”
Christ.
She shoves past me. When Petal goes to follow her, I grab up the leash. The pup whines before lying down.
“Yeah, she has the same effect on me, too, girl.”
Big brown eyes flick up to me.
I sigh, running a hand through my hair.
Fucking hell.
It’s going to be a long year.
Laws flies past me. “Keep up, Superman!” He rounds a turn on the Central Park track and disappears.
I pick up the pace, my stride lengthening to catch up to him. But my head’s not in it today. I’ve never had a crew situation at work I haven’t been able to sort out and have a great outcome.
Tennison, she’s stubborn and feisty all rolled into one.
She’s good at her job—surprisingly so, for a probie. She did have longer than most in the fire academy. Not through any fault of her own. Which is why I can’t get a handle on her personality.
Sure, she’s from New Zealand, but aren’t they supposed to be laid back or something?
Footsteps thunder up behind me.
A hand slaps the back of my head as Griff matches my pace. “What’s eating you, Hammond?”
“He’s got probie problems,” Dex says, filing in on the other side. The twins run alongside me in sync. It always surprises me, since they are complete opposites in almost everything else.
Dex checks his watch. “Going have to speed it up, Cap. You’re getting old and slow.”
Griff shoots him a glare. “It’s not a done deal yet.”
Always Mr. Serious, Griffin is the straitlaced brother. Dex, well, he’s more like the class clown in a legislator’s clothes. Both lawyers working at the family business. Both incredibly wealthy. Both single and happy to keep it that way. For various reasons, I’m sure.
We move along the path, weaving our way through other runners, walkers, and tourists. We reach the end, the twins’ favorite part of our Saturday runs, and I slow to a halt and walk in a circle.
Laws is already grabbing bottles of water from the drinks stand waiting there every weekend. He tosses one my way as the twins track their own circles, closer to the group of women warming up.
If anything, Griff and Dex are predictable.
“Run’s over, boys.” I toss a bottle at Dexter’s head. He snatches it from the air before it falls to the ground.
“How’s your girl?” Laws says before chugging half his bottle.
“Chewing up my socks.” I twist the cap and sip the water.
Lawson raises an eyebrow. “What, you don’t feed your probies on shift?”
“Haha, bud. Remember that one time you had a thing for your coworker? Did I give you shit?”
“Of course you did. Besides, you don’t have a thing for yours, do you?”
“She fucking hates me, and the feeling is almost mutual.”
“Only almost. There’s hope yet, Milo.”
He slaps me on the back, and I all but choke on the mouthful I just took.
You’ll keep, bud. You’ll keep.
“You have to be joking, yeah?” Tennison is inches from me, all heavy breathing, sweat-laden skin, and heaving chest.
“Nope. Go again.”
She hauls the hose off the ground, shoulders it, and takes off up the stairs. Behind the station is the old watchtower with six flights of stairs. Six turns. Six sets of treads that feel more impossible the higher you climb.
For good measure, I take off up them after her, a hose on each shoulder.
On the fourth flight, I catch up to her. “Faster, Tennison.”
A little moan leaves her lips, but she pushes faster, her expression twisted with something akin to discomfort, annoyance, and determination.
This is part of her fitness assessment. Which is, according to Schmidt, my job for the next twelve months. But this is the one task I’ll gladly take on, regardless of who assigned it to me. Fitness is the foundation of what we are capable of as firefighters.
It’s right up there with technical training and instinct.
Davies waits at the bottom. He’s next. Then I’ll put Sandy and Heids through their paces. Schmidt can go die in a hole, as far as I’m concerned. I’m not worried about his fitness or abilities. The guy is a disaster in turnouts. And the more reason for him to get made redundant, the better.
“Urgh, shit.” Tennison stumbles on the fifth flight, righting herself before her shin meets the edge of a step.
Her footwork is getting sloppy, her steps starting to drag.
“Come on! Push harder.”
The glare that snaps my way is full of damn fire.
Good, Tennison. Use it.
We make the top landing a moment later and the hose falls from her shoulder. A look of disgust wraps her face when she notices the two hoses still mounted on my shoulders.
“Must be nice to be Superman,” she rasps.
“Another go will burn that attitude right out of you, Tennison.”
Her brows knit as she leans over, hands clasping her knees. The day is warm, the breeze almost non-existent. I squat to pick up her hose. She could use a break.
Her hand snaps out. “No fucking way.”
She shoulders it and takes off down the stairs.
I’m impressed and taken aback all at once.
Fiery thing. How the hell am I going to train someone so hell-bent on proving us all wrong?
I jog my way back to the bottom of the watchtower and find Tennison handing over the hose to Davies.
“Who said you’re done, Tennison?” I snap.
She takes the water bottle from the ground by the tower and downs a few mouthfuls before meeting my gaze. “I did.”
Without a word, she walks away. Leaving me with Davies, Sandy, and Heids.
“How many runs did she make?” Sandy asks, glancing back as Tennison disappears into the back door of the firehouse.
“Seven.”
Heids’s eyebrows shoot up. “Milo—I mean, Cap—that’s more than Sandy, and he’s a machine.”
“But she’s not fast enough. She’ll have to halve her speed per run to pass the fitness test at the end of her probation. Endurance is great, but time is a resource she will never have,” I utter. Speed and capabilities matter.
“Beginner’s luck,” Sandy scoffs, rolling his eyes. “Give me the damn hose. Hell, give me two.”
He takes off up the stairs like the devil is hot on his heels.
“You sure you and the probie haven’t crossed paths before?” Heids says softly, worry lining her voice.
Only that one time I tried to return a, unbeknownst to me beloved, puppy to a shelter where apparently they are put down after so many weeks . . .
“Nope. I have no idea what’s gotten into her. She was amicable the first half of her first shift.”
“Must have been your stellar personality then, Hammer. Not everyone loves the golden-boy hero type.”
I shake my head and roll my eyes at her.
What the fuck has gotten into everyone today? They’re either giving me hell or talking shit.