Chapter 21
21
Cooper
“I’m telling you, dude. Locking down Haley might be the best thing you have ever done,” Rhett groans, as he stuffs another apple pie cookie into his mouth.
“Gonna have to agree with that,” Hayes says, inhaling his own cookie before grabbing another and sitting down next to me on the couch.
Laughing, I finish my own treat before brushing the crumbs from my lap. “Not going to argue with you guys on that.”
“How’s she enjoying being home full time?” Grayson asks, and I smile.
“She loves it. She starts classes in January, so she’s working to get the wedding planned. That way she’ll have time between that and the semester starting.”
“Tori is excited to go hang out with her on Friday,” Hawk says, and I just pretend to shudder.
“They terrify me together,” I crack, and the guys just start laughing. We all love Tori like she’s our own sister, but damn, that girl is a firecracker. We’re always afraid to get our asses burned when she’s around.
“Yeah, well. I share a house with her. I’m waiting for the day she pops out of a corner and gives me a heart attack, just for something to do.”
“Don’t worry, man. Skye will protect you,” Rhett laughs, and Hawk flips him off.
“The hell she will.”
We all laugh at him, before a giant grin pulls at his lips, and we know we’ve all got him. Because despite our razzing and teasing, we love that girl and her sister.
At Station 47 we aren’t just a group of firefighters.
We’re a family, we’re brothers.
We share everything together; the highs and the lows of the job, the pain and the happiness. It’s what makes this place what is it. It wouldn’t be the same if any of us weren’t here. Every shift that I step into the station, I know they’ll have my back so that I can get home same to my family, and I would do the same for them.
Side by side, arm in arm, we protect together.
Being a firefighter isn’t just our jobs; it’s who we are. We’ve faced some of the hardest battles together, both personal and work, and I can’t imagine having to do this without any of them.
Looking around at them all, I take the second to just appreciate them all. Brax rubbing his hand over Atta’s shaven head. Rhett trying to give Myles a wet willy, who slaps him in the chest. Fed watching them, laughter all over his face. Hawk and Hayes looking at something on Hayes’ phone. This group of loyal fuckers are my best friends.
“Hey guys?” I start, looking around at them all, making sure I have their attention. “I just wanted to say thank you.”
“For what?” Atta asks, and I swallow the lump in my throat, ignoring the burning behind my eyes.
For having my family’s back for all these months. From when she lost her apartment, to helping out when they were in the wreck. Seriously, I can’t tell you all how much it’s meant to us, but especially to Hales. She’s never had a family, a support system like this before, and knowing that I’m able to give her that. Just, means everything to me.”
They all just sit and look at me, their silent support pushing me to keep talking.
“As you all know, she doesn’t have much in the way of her own family, just her older brother, Jensen. And well, with his constant begging and pleading, I made the decision to make Hollywood my best man, thus leaving me to not choose between Ax and Joey.”
“Damn right,” Rhett cheers, and we all laugh at him.
“Ax and Joey are going to stand with Jensen on Haley’s side, and I wanted to ask you all officially,” I start, and Hawk’s eyes go wide.
“Oh my God, he’s asking us to marry him, too. Guys, it’s finally happening,” he preens, and I just shake my head. These assholes.
“I want you all to stand up there with me,” I ask, and they all go quiet. “You’ve all been my brothers for ten years, some of you even longer,” I say, looking over at Rhett. “And I can’t imagine starting this new chapter of my life without you all by my side.”
Loud cheers and whoops come out from them all, and then they jump up to give me hugs and smacks on the back. The smile won’t leave my face until Fed lets out a loud groan.
“Damn it, does this mean I have to buy a tuxedo?”
Shaking my head, I just flip him off.
“Dibs on the pink tux!” Rhett yells, and he just jumps up onto the couch to do some horrible attempt at twerking, and I know that no amount of bleach will ever scrub that from my brain. Wanting to grab more coffee, I start to make my way into the kitchen when the bells go off, and I let out a pout.
“All companies report. Structure fire on Main and Hunter.”
Rushing out to our rigs, we get suited up and climb inside, our first real call of the day getting underway. When we arrive on scene, we see it’s an apartment building, and by my quick analysis, I’d say it’s at least twelve apartments on four floors. We’re the first company on scene, and Chief climbs out of his buggy and meets us all in front of the building.
“It’s cooking, boys. Make sure you check your tanks. Don’t push yourselves too hard, and bail if it gets too close. We’ll clear one floor at a time, and stay on each other’s hips.”
Looking to my left, I find Hollywood waiting for me, and we fist bump before pulling our masks on. Settling my helmet back on my head, I grab an ax and we head into the roaring inferno. “Fire department, call out!” I shout, moving down the hallway with Rhett right behind me, both of us check around corners and banging on apartment doors. We move into our first one, and despite the thick smoke, no fire has made it yet so we’re easily able to clear the bottom floor apartments and I radio it in.
“First floor is clear. Hayes. How you guys doing on two?”
His response crackles through my radio. “We got vics in B and D. Atta and Fed are on three, move up to four and we’ll meet you up there.”
“10-4.”
Rhett and I quickly move down the hallway to the stairwell, and hustle our asses up the four floors, which isn’t easy when you’re carrying over sixty pounds of gear. My legs burn by the time we reach the top floor, but my adrenaline keeps me going without hesitation.
“Fire department, call out!” he shouts, and over the sound of the roaring flames, I hear a sound, someone yelling.
“Call out!” I scream, and we hear it again coming from the apartment at the end of the hall. We keep tight and move together, but the fire is already licking the walls in this area, and we’re working on limited time. When we reach the door, Rhett turns around and kicks the wood door, the cheap thing splintering as it swings inside.
A young woman is on her knees only a few feet away, her shirt over her face as she coughs roughly. “Let’s get you out of here, ma’am,” I say, but before I can move to help her, a loud creaking sounds and I look up above to see the flames spreading over us, the smoke suddenly turning pitch back, and I know we’re fucked.
“Hollywood, down!” I scream, and I yank him backwards as the roof caves in, a massive beam coming down in front of the open doorway, blocking the young girl in.
“Help, please!” she yells, and I watch as flames and debris keep falling around us.
“Mayday, mayday,” Hawk crackles through my radio. “We got propane tanks in an open apartment on the third floor. Evacuate the building, they’re cooking off.”
“Help, please! I can’t breathe,” comes weakly from the young woman, and I look up to lock eyes with Rhett.
“Fuck.”
Grab a copy of “Rhett” by Evan Grace to see what happens next with this call.