Chapter 11
Lissa “Alright team,” Captain Cole said. “I know that we’ve had a few subs in for Thorne’s position as he heals. I brought someone in for the next few weeks as Lissa’s partner for some stability.”
I frowned. Did the rest of the team feel unstable having other people work with me on shifts? A glance around the room told me they looked as confused as me.
“It should only be for four weeks, depending on how Thorne’s PT goes when the boot comes off. Here he comes. You all remember Trevor.”
My frown turned to a scowl, and my blood boiled. I glared at the captain. He mouthed ‘sorry’ at me, but no amount of saying sorry would redeem him in my eyes.
“You okay?” Thorne whispered. He’d grabbed my arm as soon as my face changed.
“No.” I turned to look at Trevor. My old partner.
He was six-foot with blond hair, blue eyes, and a sneer for a smile.
The man lived to show off his body and boss around everyone around him, even during his probation period.
I never found out what kind of connection he had to keep himself employed.
We’d worked together for a year with me asking for a new partner once a month.
Thorne was a godsend compared to Trevor.
“Glad to be back everyone,” Trevor said, smiling like his evil plan was coming together.
A round of lackluster “Heys” sounded around the room.
The man kept smiling. “Can’t wait to work together again, Lissa.”
I just stared at him and gave him a swift nod in greeting. I gritted my teeth, knowing that if I opened my mouth, I would be the one taking leave for harassment.
“Everyone play nice.” The captain nodded to the group and left.
Thorne looked between me and Trevor. He slowly reached his hand out. “Thorne.”
“Trevor.” They shook hands. “You manage to train her correctly after I changed stations? She always needed guidance on the job.”
Thorne’s grip on my arm tightened. “You…tried to guide her…to do the job correctly?”
“Of course,” Trevor said.
Thorne’s hand was the only thing reminding me to keep my job. The rest of the team glared at the back of Trevor’s head.
Thorne looked at me. “How is he still alive?”
“I don’t want to go to jail,” I said.
“Right.” He let go of my arm. Without another word, I walked out of the lounge and downstairs. I paced the bay for a few minutes before Thorne appeared. He had a clipboard with him, ready to take inventory in one of the storage rooms.
“How did you deal with him before?” he asked as I followed him into the storage room.
“For the first few months, I tried to talk things out. Got the captain involved. We didn’t have the personnel at the time to make a permanent switch.
Eventually I just spoke to him as little as possible and begged for a new partner.
” I leaned against the wall as Thorne started taking inventory.
“On a run I’d ignore him when he started barking orders like he was the lieutenant.
I got good at knowing when he needed my help and how to do most things without his help. ”
“You think you’ll survive these next few weeks?”
“Don’t know. I hope you’re prepared to sprint through physical therapy, Dr. House.”
“Ooh, Dr. House. I’ve been upgraded. I’ll do my best.” He shook his head with a smile and continued the count.
I watched him work, knowing I’d help with the items on the lower shelves. I thought about the weekend and how he came to my rescue. He basically stopped me from getting kicked out of that restaurant. No one would be able to save my relationship with my parents.
Then I thought about the good stuff. Of how we spent most of yesterday learning more about each other after entering a new relationship.
I couldn’t believe how much my opinion of him changed.
I wondered if I would still find him annoying once we worked as partners again.
But maybe some things should stay the same.
He looked over at me after writing his count on the clipboard, catching me staring. “What?”
“Nothing. Just waiting.”
He smiled. “Did you know that fire hydrants were invented in the early 1800s?”
I grinned. “Tell me more.”
Thorne Lissa survived her first shift with her old partner without bloodshed.
After their first run of the day, he spent thirty minutes telling her how she could improve.
In short, he followed her around and talked at her.
She went about her business without a word or look at him.
She walked him in circles around the firehouse as she reloaded the truck.
He eventually got bored and found something else to do.
I tried to focus on my own admin tasks. It wasn’t enough to fill the shift, even if others left work for me from other shifts. My mind drifted back to the last two days. Everything changed for the better. Now I needed to find a way to make things better for Lissa at work.
When we got off work the next morning, I went to her climbing training.
Today was a bouldering and weights day. The first time I watched her, she climbed as a lead with a belayer on the ground, connecting her rope to the holds on the wall.
Bouldering had her climbing without ropes and only up to about twelve feet in the air.
The soft mats would break her fall, but she never fell.
Since I could finally move about without crutches, I was able to help her in the gym, even if it was to grab towels to clean the equipment. She used some of the machines since I couldn’t spot her on free weights.
“You know, once you’re cleared to work with no restrictions, we should see who can lift the most.”
I smiled as she pulled down the bar behind her back. “What will you give me if I win?”
“Oh, you won’t win.” She grinned and finished her set.
“Oh, I’ll win.” I loved a good competition.
“You might win in one area, but not all.”
“But I’ll still win. So what do I get?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you want?”
I rubbed my chin with my fingers. “I’ll have to think about it.”
Lissa shook her head, then moved on to the next machine.
Lissa We walked back from my next game of basketball. Thorne stood on the side and coached me, demonstrating a better way to shoot the ball. Evan tried to do some fancy footwork to get around me until I checked him, and he landed on his ass.
Mateo immediately started planning the next game. He wanted to see me block more players.
Thorne came to all my climbing trainings. He helped when he could and was a source of encouragement I didn’t know I was missing.
And the sex? Phenomenal with a side of super cuddling. Apparently, I loved a man who liked to snuggle in bed.
At work, he managed to prevent me from quitting. Thorne used any opportunity to pit me against Trevor where he couldn’t win. From packing the truck, to playing pool, Thorne used his love of games and competition to shut down Trevor’s mouth as much as possible.
I thought back to all the times I refused to let Thorne turn work into a game.
I never played and always turned him down, not wanting to create any animosity between the two of us.
I might change my mind later. But for now, these games with Trevor might be the only time I approved of competing on the job.
During my third shift with Trevor, Thorne and I worked on sit-ups with ball passes. We figured out a way for him to complete the sit-ups without putting pressure on his leg.
Trevor came down and putzed around the room, silently watching us work. I frowned at Thorne. He mouthed, ‘Ignore him,’ and kept moving. Finally, Trevor started doing some exercise. Pull-ups.
“You know,” he said while he worked. “Pull-ups are my favorite. Nothing shows your strength like a pull-up.”
Thorne’s eyes lit up and a mischievous grin appeared on his face. “You’re right. Lissa was telling me that just the other day.”
I scowled at him. What was he thinking? I never said that. I sat up and passed him the ball a little too hard and narrowed eyes at him.
“Oh yeah?” Trevor asked.
“Yeah. She’s a monster at pull-ups.” Trevor continued to grin at me, and I caught on.
Trevor dropped to the ground. “Is that right? I’ve never seen you do pull-ups, Lissa.”
I took a deep breath. “It’s a favorite pastime of mine. Saint and I like to compete when we work the same shift.”
Trevor rubbed his chin. “How many can you do?”
Thorne stared at me with wide eyes and mouthed ‘One-hundred.’
“Oh you know, seventy-five. But if I push it, I can get to over a hundred.”
Thorne didn’t pass the ball off the next time he sat up. He held it in his arms and said, “You two should see who can reach a hundred first.”
“No,” I said. “I don’t want Trevor to feel bad if he loses.”
Thorne practically vibrated with excitement. I played right into Thorne’s setup, and Trevor would no doubt take the bait.
“Lose? No way I’ll lose,” Trevor straightened his back. “You’re on. First to a hundred wins.”
“Sounds good,” Thorne said. “Meet here in the morning when the shift’s over. You both will have ten minutes to reach one-hundred pull-ups. Deal?”
Trevor looked me in the eye. “Deal.”
I raised my hand for him to shake. “Deal.”
Trevor shook my hand and walked out of the room.
Thorne lay down and laughed. “He walks into it every time.”
When the shift ended, Thorne pulled us down to the weight room.
“Pull-up time. First to 100 wins. You have ten minutes.” Thorne looked between the two of us. A few of the others that just got off duty milled about. Thorne spent all day spreading the news of the competition and pumping Trevor up. So now at 8:15 a.m., we were below the pull-up bars ready to race.
Saint and I liked to compete after work on the off chances we worked together. It didn’t happen often, but I appreciated the challenge. Thorne convinced me to go up against him once. We tied. By the end we moved at the same speed.
“Ready?” Thorne looked down at the timer on his phone. “On go. Three, two, one, go!”
We both jumped up and started. I chose a steady pace.
Practiced and even movements, relying on strength and endurance.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Trevor speed through the first fifteen or so, then slowed down.
By count sixty, my shoulders began to feel it.
I hit eighty and realized that Trevor was behind.
His fast start hurt him in the long run.
My arms, abs, and shoulders burned as I hit ninety.
Trevor grunted with each rep, but I could still hear Thorne counting my reps over Trevor’s groans.
“95. 96. You got it,” Thorne said.
Phoenix, who worked nights, counted for Trevor. “90. 91. 92. 92 and a half.”
“One more Lissa.” Thorne looked like he was buzzing. This was the only time I let myself look at anyone during the challenge.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Trevor let out.
“And 100!” Thorne yelled.
I landed on the ground with a big smile, shaking out my arms. Thorne hugged me, then lifted up one of my arms.
“And the winner is Melissa Graves of Firehouse 99.”
The small crowd cheered while Trevor’s eyes were as big as saucers. “You counted wrong. There’s no way she won. I had such a big head start.”
I smirked. “I am the tortoise to your hare.”
“This is some bullshit,” Trevor yelled and walked out of the gym.
Phoenix gave me a fist bump. “You know he’ll take that out on you next shift.”
“Yeah, but it feels so good right now.”
Thorne We returned to the apartment building after the doctor cleared me to walk without the air cast. My foot was free. I still walked a little funny, but I was walking. Lissa laughed as I spun in a circle on my good leg.
“You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Will you take care of me again if I do?” I kissed her cheek and opened the door for her.
Inside we noticed a small crowd. Pete, the maintenance man, pushed his way through the crowd.
“Hey Pete,” I waved him over. “What’s with all the people?”
“Finally got the elevator working. I think everyone just wants a go on it.”
“Oh. Thanks man.” I waved as Pete walked off.
“Don’t thank me,” he said over his shoulder. “Just took that long to get the experts to come fix the damn thing.”
Lissa and I stood in the lobby, both looking over at the small crowd. The elevator was working. I could easily move home. My stomach dropped. I liked living with Lissa. Her home held a type of warmth that mine missed. Or maybe Lissa herself was the warmth.
I looked over at her, and she smiled. “What do you want to do?”
“What?”
“You don’t look happy that the elevator is fixed.”
“I think I’m just used to…you. It’ll be different.”
She leaned over and kissed my cheek this time. “You might as well stay during your physical therapy. You have time to slowly move your stuff back, and we can start adding stairs on our daily walks.”
I studied her face. I knew her lying face, because she was terrible at lying. “Really?”
“Yes, really.”
My shoulders relaxed and I felt myself smile. “Okay. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.” She put her hand through my elbow. “You still owe me a house with a balcony.”