Elias
ELIAS
Despite having nearly three days to adjust to the news, could see Davis and Keith were still being stubborn jackasses about the entire thing. Considering how they’d acted toward Matt in the past, wasn’t surprised. Yet, in the past three days, he’d spent two with Matt, who had also been noticeably quiet and distant.
It wasn’t like sought out people for conversation unless they were Cade, but he liked Matt. He was smart and probably one of the gentlest people knew. He never had a bad word to say about anyone, even Davis and Keith. He was also incredibly friendly, and if he was alone with Cade or , he had no problem talking their ears off.
frowned as he checked the hose in one of the trucks. Everyone else at the station had been a little weird, but no one had been standoffish. suspected they needed another couple of days before the jokes started again, though this time with a ‘we knew it all along’ flair.
He glanced at Matt, who was bent over, checking the other hoses with pursed lips. They’d been doing their checks for almost half an hour, and Matt had said little.
didn’t consider himself confrontational in either a gentle or aggressive way. If someone said something stupid, he had no problem speaking up. It was trying to approach a problem that didn’t require an angry voice and a not-so-gentle ‘fuck off’ that he had a harder time with.
“Hey,” he called, knowing they were alone in the garage.
Matt looked up, blinking away the thinking haze from his eyes. “What’s up?”
“Can we...talk for a second?” asked.
Matt’s expression slipped into a faint grimace, but he nodded. “Of course.”
slipped the lock back over the compartment and faced him. “Like, can we talk about how weird things have been with you the past few days?”
“With me?” Matt asked.
motioned at him. “I mean, c’mon, you’ve barely spoken a word to me since...since word got out.”
Since the chief apparently decided everyone had to know. still wasn’t sure what the reasoning behind that decision had been. Either the man had been so dumbfounded by what he’d heard that he hadn’t thought, or he wanted to ensure and Cade knew the stakes by ensuring everyone would be watching them. Not that it made a difference. It’s not like they would have been allowed to be a couple on the job anyway. Telling everyone at the station just made things too damn awkward.
Matt sighed. “I’m...I’m sorry. It’s just been hard to wrap my head around everything.”
“I don’t understand. I mean, if anyone here would be okay with it, it would be you,” admitted.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what Trevor told me when I told him about it. But I guess I’m just as bad as the others,” Matt said with a sad shrug.
snorted. “Davis and Keith are like that because they’re assholes, especially Keith. You’re not an asshole.”
“I just...feel bad. I’m not trying to be an ass. It’s just...weird.”
“Yeah, it is a little weird, I’ll give you that.”
couldn’t help but wonder if he knew the reason. “Like, is this like...shit, I don’t know, because of me?”
Matt cocked his head. “Wait, like...me being jealous?”
winced. “Maybe?”
That earned a smile from Matt. “Guess it’s kind of hard not to think that when everyone kept joking that you were right up my alley.”
“A little, yeah.”
Matt shook his head. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. When I first saw you, my first thought was, ‘Oh, hello.’ But it never went further than that. You’re a good-looking guy, for sure, but more importantly, you’re a good guy. I’m not jealous that Cade is dating you, though that’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.”
“Yeah, tell me about it,” muttered.
“I just...you guys have been doing this thing for a while, right?”
“Right,” said.
God, it was one thing to lie to Christine or the chief, but he felt like shit lying to Matt’s face.
“So I guess, for me, I just...wonder why you didn’t tell me. I mean, I would have been the guy to tell, right?”
“It was just?—”
Okay, it was day three, and he’d finally found the person he couldn’t tell the lie to. He would lie his ass off to just about everybody else, especially Keith and Davis because the bastards deserved to be uncomfortable, but not Matt.
drew closer, motioning for Matt to get closer as well.
“We’re not,” muttered quietly.
Matt’s eyes widened. “What?”
explained about Christine and the party the other night. Then he had to explain what Cade had said and how had backed him up, which had then snowballed into the chief finding out, deciding to tell everyone, and holding them to the unintended game Christine was playing.
Matt’s eyes were wide by the end, but he kept his voice low. “You’re telling me this whole thing is a lie?”
glanced around, checking the doorway leading to the back. “Yes. One we shouldn’t have told from the start, but now we’re kind of trapped.”
Matt whistled. “So now you guys have to...deal with all this shit because of it?”
“Something like that.”
“Damn. If there was ever a reason to tell the truth, this would be it.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. But we’re stuck.”
“If Cade and the chief are right about Christine, then yeah, you are. What are you going to do, though? It’s not like you guys are, like, actually into guys, so what? Pretend for months, years?”
“We’re hoping it’ll cool off in a few more weeks.”
Matt snorted, shaking his head. “If she’s as devious as Cade says, I think she’s going to turn up the heat a little more before she’s done.”
“Yeah, so do I,” admitted.
Matt frowned at him. “Why are you telling me the truth?”
shrugged. “Because I hated lying to you. And honestly, if anyone deserves to know, it’s you. Felt weird lying to you about it.”
“Because I’m gay?”
“That and I like you. You didn’t deserve to feel left out of the loop.”
Matt beamed. “Well, that’s something, at least.”
“And, uh, sorry for invading your sexuality to help my best friend avoid having to date a harpy.”
Matt gave an ugly snort, clamping his hand over his mouth to contain his laughter. Matt shook his head violently, waving at as though to tell him that was okay.
“You good?” asked once Matt had calmed down.
Matt took a gulp of air and nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Whew, was not expecting that one.”
“Well, I mean, it’s true.”
Matt shrugged, tucking his checklist under his arm. “It’s okay, I don’t take offense. You get out of a bad situation the best you can sometimes, just sucks that it’s, uh, backfired this time.”
“Tell me about it.”
Cade appeared in the doorway, frowning at a packet of papers in his hand. “Hey Matt, someone’s gotta do the school thing again.”
“School thing?”
“Yeah, you know the place where all the screaming gremlins like to go?”
snorted. “I believe people call them children.”
“Noisy, disease-carrying gremlins.”
rolled his eyes. Despite Cade’s attempts to pretend he hated kids, he was really good with them. had a deep suspicion that Cade’s attitude had more to do with the fact that Pamela was constantly annoying him to give her grandkids, within the bounds of an acceptable marriage, that was.
Matt raised a brow. “And why should I be the one to do it? The kids love it when firefighter Cade shows up to tell them about fire safety.”
“Because you enjoy it,” Cade shot back.
Matt smirked. “Yeah, and so do you.”
“Do not.”
“Do too.”
rolled his eyes. “Children, behave.”
Matt reached out and took the packet. “Fine, I’ll take it this time, but you’re doing the next one.”
Cade’s eyes widened. “But after you would be .”
Matt winced at . “No offense, big guy, but you scare the kids more than help them.”
“Not one piece of offense taken,” told him.
Matt smiled warmly at him. “Good.”
“Why is it that you can get attention from men and women for your looks, but somehow, you scare kids? This is crap,” Cade pouted.
“Because full-grown men and women get turned on by guys who are big and scary looking, it’s a thing. Kids aren’t exactly into scary,” Matt explained with a smirk.
“Always knew you were a freak,” Cade accused.
“Only in the sheets. You can ask Trevor all about it if you want,” Matt offered, turning his attention to the papers.
“I’m not asking your boyfriend how freaky you are.”
“Shame, he might be able to give you some pointers.”
“For what?”
Matt looked up with a raised brow. “With all the gay sex you’re apparently having, despite never having had it before.”
“Oh.”
shook his head. “Seriously, Cade.”
Matt chuckled. “I’m going to look over this, see what they want me to talk about this time. You two get out of here before the chief finds something else for you to do. Or Cade says something really transparent again.”
“Trans…” Cade began, watching Matt walk off.
waited until Matt was gone, and sure enough, Cade wheeled around.
“You told him,” Cade accused.
shrugged. “Maybe I did. Maybe he deserved to know.”
“Seriously?”
“He looked like a kicked puppy earlier because he thought we were keeping the relationship a secret from him. C’mon, Cade, do you really think he’s going to tell anyone?” asked.
“No, probably not.”
slung an arm around his friend’s shoulders. “Then stop worrying about it.”
“Just admit you’re a sucker for puppy eyes, and I will.”
bent down, smirking at Cade. “Is that why I became friends with you?”
Cade swatted at him. “And started dating me. Don’t forget to include that when people ask what you saw in me.”
“I think people expect me to say your smile or your ass.”
Cade wrinkled his nose, twisting to look behind him. “I don’t know. Do you think you could say it was a good ass with a straight face?”
smirked. “Straight face, huh?”
“Oh, god, no puns.”
laughed. “I think I can.”
It wasn’t like was blind or unwilling to ‘risk’ his sexuality by noticing whether or not another guy was good-looking. had absolutely no problem understanding why women were so drawn to Cade. Auburn hair and twinkling hazel eyes were a good start, but Cade took care of himself and always looked his best when he went out in public. Though, as pointed out once, women seemed to like him more when he was sweaty, grizzled from a long night, and smeared with soot.
So yeah, he could say Cade had a nice ass, because he did.
“I would love to see that in action,” Cade said.
Another sound brought his head up, and spotted Keith standing in the doorway, having come from somewhere in the back. The man’s dark eyes were locked on them, and as watched, the man’s upper lip twitched.
smirked. “Yeah, Cade, I do think you have a great ass. It’s one of your best features.”
Keith’s twitching lip lost the battle and finally curled. Without a word, the man turned on his heel and stomped back down the hallway. had no idea why he’d come out to the garage and honestly didn’t care.
Cade burst out laughing. “Oh shit!”
“Hey, you asked.”
“God, that was amazing. He hasn’t looked that pissed since that day you asked him why he was so worried about where Matt sticks his dick.”
“Well! It’s a good question.”
“Yeah, but the way you put it made it sound like he was a little too interested.”
“You ask me, he was a little too interested.”
Chief Irons was next through the door, and groaned as the man headed straight for them. He knew they should have left, just like Matt had advised.
“Good, you two are still here,” Irons began.
Cade winced. “Oh c’mon, chief, what’d we do this time?”
Irons glowered at him. “Shut up. Christine was in contact again.”
“Oh, Lord. And here comes the left hook,” muttered.
Irons turned his glare on him. “You shut up too.”
“Okay, and what did she want?” Cade asked.
Irons’ expression turned pained. “It seems, in a continued effort to...applaud us for our inclusive environment, she is throwing a little party.”
“A party,” Cade repeated dully.
“A party in your honor. You’re the guests of honor.”
stared at him. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“A party.”
“The kind where people have fun, listen to music, have drinks. A party.”
Cade interrupted with a groan. “Of course, and we’re the focus. Which means even if we wanted to, we can’t bail out.”
Irons snorted. “Nope, not a chance. I’ve switched your shifts, so you have the weekend off. And I even made sure to keep Davis and Keith here for the night of the party so they have a reason not to go. See, everyone in the station is invited.”
“And we can’t have them turning it down and ruining the image she’s trying to push about this station,” Cade said with a sneer.
“Yeah, and you’re goin’ too,” Irons added.
Cade snorted. “Like I didn’t know that. God, just like her not to tell us first.”
Irons raised a thick brow. “Accordin’ to her, she did. Should check your phone more often.”
“You’re always telling us to leave them out of sight!”
“Like that’s ever stopped any of you.”
Grumbling, Cade pulled his phone out of his pocket and unlocked the screen. peered over his shoulder and watched him open the message. Not only had Christine sent the invitation, but she’d taken the time to pretty it up. The picture message was a black background, popping with little stars and fireworks. To ’ faint annoyance, the text on the picture invitation was swooping and colorful.
“Is that glitter font?” asked.
“Yes,” Cade said through gritted teeth.
read it over. “Saturday.”
“At...Pulse?” Cade said with a cock of his head.
“Gay club,” told him.
“And how do you know that?”
“If you paid attention when Matt talked, you’d know that too.”
“I pay attention!”
Irons grunted. “Right, so you boys will be there. Make yourselves nice and pretty and put on a good show, will ya?”
“Chief,” Cade whined in protest.
Irons turned and walked off. “Nice and pretty boys, smile for the nice lady who keeps us around.”
“Goddammit,” Cade muttered.
“When she’s got us by the balls, she sure does like to twist and pull,” said.
“She’s evil .”
“But we have to deal with her.”
Cade tucked his phone away. “Christ, two days. Two days, and we’re going to have to?—”
Cade didn’t need to finish. He sounded just as worried and confused as felt. Who the hell knew what would be expected of them? Well, at least it was Cade and not someone else. could live with...whatever, so long as it was Cade.