Epilogue
TWO YEARS LATER
JAX
“I don’t know if it will fit.”
“Trust me, it’ll fit.”
“How do you know?”
Side-eyeing Big Ridge Fire Department’s newest rookie, remembering how little I knew, I decide not to laugh at the guy.
“The fire house was built to house the engines. True, the new ones are a little bigger, but you have four feet of clearance on either side of the truck. All you have to do is get it mostly centered.”
The red of the engine gleams in the sunlight, freshly washed and dried. It’s been a slow summer and I’m not complaining. The best part of all, I’m not the new guy anymore. Josh is, and Josh needs to buck up.
I clap my hand on his back. “Don’t over think it. Trust your instincts. That’s what this is all about.”
He nods. “Yeah, you’re right, it’s just so big.”
“The number of sex jokes I’m not making is admirable,” I say with a shake of my head.
Grinning, Josh strides toward the engine and hauls himself into the driver’s seat. I back away from the truck so he can focus. As he shifts into drive, Captain appears beside me.
“Look at that, he’s all grown up.”
“He’s getting there, but as much as I don’t want one, he needs fire practice.”
Captain nods. “It’ll come, in the meantime, you’ve done a good job teaching him the ropes.”
“I had good teachers.”
We exchange smiles and Captain’s eyebrows lift. “That kid’s perception needs some work.”
Six feet on one side, two on the other. Not even close to centered. “But hey, at least he didn’t run into the building.”
“True enough. Hey, when is Callie’s grand opening? Anna Beth wanted to go.”
“Saturday at one.” She’s probably at her gallery now working to get everything ready, which is why as soon as she’s off, the guys and I are taking her out for dinner. She doesn’t know when to stop and take care of herself, but we’re happy to remind her.
“We’ll be there,” Captain says. “And hopefully my wife doesn’t spend more than we agreed on.”
I hide a smirk. Anna Beth loves shopping, and I hate to say it, but Captain is fucked. Callie has so many gorgeous paintings and prints, and I bet money Anna Beth will want at least three.
Josh’s feet hit the cement. “I did it!” he shouts.
“Kind of,” I shout back. “Pull it around and let’s do it again.”
“Do you regret taking the job?” Captain asks as we watch Josh start the fire truck once more.
“Not for a second. Why, do you regret giving it to me?”
He shakes his head. “I knew you were a lifer.”
My eyebrow lifts. “How? I didn’t even know.”
With a shrug, he says, “It’s a feeling. I can’t explain it, but when you know, you know. Anyway, I’m proud of you. Your dad would be proud too.”
His words catch me in the gut, and I force myself to keep my breathing even, to count to ten, to let myself feel the grief but not let it overwhelm me. “I think he’d be proud too,” I rasp.
Captain nods. “He sure would.” His eyes widen. “Aw fuck.”
Josh is somehow even more off center than last time, and the side-mirror is about to get clipped. “STOP THE ENGINE!” I yell, running toward the building with Captain hot on my heels.
The truck jerks to a halt, and I practically scale the side of it, clinging to the driver side mirror and shaking my head at the rookie. “Who taught you how to drive?”
“My grandpa?”
“That explains it.” His grandpa has taken out a few light poles. “Scoot over. Let me show you how it’s done before Captain here skins your ass.”
Josh blanches and scrambles to the passenger seat. Chuckling, I climb into the driver’s seat and nod at Captain. “I’ll get him squared away.”
“I know you will.” His trust in me fills my chest with pride.
It feels almost as good as when Callie tells me she loves me. Almost. But nothing can quite compare to having her in my arms, gazing up at me like I’m some kind of super hero. Not even the hard to impress balding captain saying he’s proud of me.
“Okay, from the beginning,” I tell Josh, settling into the role of mentor with ease. Turns out, Captain was right, I was made for this job.
brAX
“Mr. Williams, can I go to the bathroom?”
Sighing, I look at the student who’s already made three trips. “Depends, do you need to go or are you trying to get out of reading.”
Riley ducks his head. “I have to go.”
Uh-huh. “Tell you what, forget this book. I have an even better one about video games.”
“You do?” he asks, brightening right up.
“Yup, and I have a secret to share.”
His eyes sparkle. “What?”
“You’re the only one I’ve let read them.” Really, that’s only because I bought them this week, but he doesn’t need to know that. All he needs are books that’ll interest him and practice reading aloud, something he can’t do with the summer school’s typical workbooks.
The books are behind my desk, and I check in on some other readers and their helpers. The school started taking high school volunteers, and surprisingly, a lot of kids showed up to help. Lucky for me, I got a great batch to help with reading hour.
Riley needs targeted attention though. He’s not where he should be to continue to the third grade, and the literacy program helped him during the school year, but he needs to make some strides this summer.
I grab the first book about a bunny working through a video game and fighting some bad guy with bushy eyebrows.
“All right,” I say, sitting beside him again. “How’s this look?”
Riley takes it and flips through the pages, and while we should be reading, I give him a few minutes to check out the pictures, trying not to rush the process.
He needs to fall in love with reading, not be prodded through it.
“This is cool,” he finally declares, flipping back to page one.
He struggles through it, but he’s more engaged than he was, and I have confidence that we can get him caught up if I can keep him interested.
Good thing there are sixteen more of these books.
The rest of the day flies by, and when it’s quitting time, I make sure the room is mostly picked up and head out to my truck, spotting Jax waiting in his. I lift my hand and wave, saying bye to the other teachers and heading his way.
“What’s up?”
“Figured we’d go get Knox, help him wrap up whatever he’s doing, and then go get Callie.”
I nod, toss my satchel in my passenger seat, and get into Jax’s truck. “You look well rested.”
“Apparently everyone is being safe this summer.”
“Thank fuck for that.”
He grunts in agreement. “Josh almost took out the side-mirror.”
“No shit?”
Smirking, he fills me in on training the rookie while we head to the shop.
I’ve never seen him so animated or happy.
Or even so responsible. Firefighting really took hold, and I’m proud of the man he’s become.
That he took initiative all on his own to start the training and that Callie encouraged him to chase his dreams. Jax has always been capable, he simply needed a little support.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
I bristle. “Like what?”
“That dopey smile is freaking me out.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “I’m happy for you, is that a crime?”
“It is with a face like that.”
I lightly punch his arm. “Fuck you, it’s your face too.”
“Nah, I’ve always been prettier.” Jax winks at himself in the rear view.
“You’re such an asshole.”
“You’re an asshole,” he volleys.
“I’m not bickering with you.”
“Already are,” he says.
“Do you live to annoy me?”
“As much as you live to bug the shit out of me.” He parks the truck and we both hop out, taking shots all the way into the open garage door.
A tool clatters to the ground under an old Buick and Knox pops out from under the car, shooting a warning look at both of us. “No bickering.”
“That’s what I told him.” I cross my arms and send Jax a haughty look.
“Fuck you, you said I don’t want to bicker with you, not no bickering.”
“Sem-fucking-mantics.”
“Dear god, make it stop,” Roger complains.
“Amen.” Knox picks up some tools and pushes them into our hands. “If you’re here, the least you can do is finish this oil change and air filter replacement.”
Both of us jump in to help because this shop is ours too.
KNOX
Watching the twins work, I lean against the toolbox and sip the sweet tea Callie put in my Thermos. After a few minutes, Roger joins me with a shake of his head. “Those two are like a comedy show.”
“Try living with them.”
“Business is good,” Roger hedges.
I wait for the but because usually he always has a follow up. It never comes. I shoot him a look. “And?”
He holds up his hands. “Listen, I know I was tough on you in the beginning, but I knew how much it meant to you, and I, shit. I guess I fucked up some. Your dad always helped people. I guess I didn’t see it working out given how badly it went for him.”
I can’t really blame Roger for being worried. This is one of two locally owned auto shops in town and he’s spent his entire career here. This place means as much to him as it does to me. “Well, your suggestion to do the free filter replacement with the oil change helped.”
The margin on the oil change was enough and turns out Roger was right, once we got people in, they kept coming back. Now it’s hard to keep up, but with my brothers helping out on Saturdays we’re managing just fine.
Except this Saturday we’re closed for Callie’s grand opening.
Roger and I watch them work a bit more, then he exhales and pushes off the toolbox. “Guess I’ll get back to it. I’m almost done with this tire change, then I’ll start on the Toyota’s belt?”
I nod. We have a few more quick fixes to get through. Leaving my brothers to wrap up what they’re working on, I pull around an old Honda that needs new brakes and park it next to the bay.
“All done?” I ask Jax who tosses a rag over the side of the sink. “Yup. Filter is done. Brax is wrapping up the oil.”
“Actually, I’m finished.” The creeper rolls out from under the vehicle, revealing Brax who’s button up shirt is smudged with oil.
I make a note to buy him a new one. “Can one of you go check out Mr. Robinson and the other pull the car to the front? We have brakes next.”