Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The Diner
“You’re late,” Hadley said as she lifted a mug to her lips.
I slid into the red vinyl booth across from her and Wyn. “I’m sorry.”
She surveyed me. “Hmm. Yeah, I bet you are.”
“What’s that mean?” I asked as I reached for the menu.
Wyn grinned. “We know why you’re late.”
My cheeks heated of their own volition. “I know not of what you speak.”
“Uh huh. Sure.” Salem laughed and elbowed me.
I sighed. “How long have you guys been here?”
“Twenty minutes.”
“I’m rotten,” I muttered. “Completely rotten. But it’s not my fault.”
“No? Whose fault was it, then?” Wyn demanded.
“Brooks,” I said. “It’s all his fault.”
“Hmm. Fine. If you weren’t my best friend, I might hate you a little more, but alas, I cannot,” Wyn quipped.
“You’re not hungover,” I said to her.
Wyn shook her head. “I tried desperately to be, I swear. But when your ride home leaves the bar at eight-thirty, it’s kind of hard to have a wild night out.”
“It was perfect,” Hadley said. “Fun night out, home by nine. In pajamas by nine oh five. And a foot rub by nine-ten.”
“Foot rub?” Salem asked. “That’s what we’re calling it? Okay.”
“I officially hate you all,” Wyn said without any heat.
“Are we ordering or what?” I asked.
“We already took care of it,” Salem said.
“Did you?” I asked. “What did we get?”
“French toast, pancakes, eggs, sausage, biscuits, bacon,” Salem said. “For the table.”
I shut the menu. “Perfect. But I desperately need coffee.” I stole Wyn’s mug while I waited for the busy server to come to the table.
“So,” I began, looking at Wyn. “You were talking to Garrett Calhoun.”
She raised her brows. “How did you know his name?”
I pointed to Hadley.
“Right,” Wyn muttered.
“What did he say that made you laugh?” I asked.
“Wow, you were really watching me, huh?” Wyn asked.
“You were turning heads, Wyn,” I said. “I couldn’t look away. Besides . . .”
“What?” she pressed.
“I’m curious if the celibacy vow is holding true,” I said.
“Your what?” Salem asked, her jaw dropping open.
Wyn glared at me.
“Oh, so you didn’t tell them what we talked about?” I asked.
“Clearly not,” Hadley said. “So, spill. What’s this celibacy vow business?”
“I’m not having any luck finding quality men to date,” Wyn said. “So Poet suggested that I not let a man into my bed before I let him into my heart.”
The two of them were silent and then finally Hadley nodded. “I think that’s a great idea, actually.”
“Same,” Salem added.
Wyn glanced at me. “And you thought I’d break my pledge at the first sign of a cute cowboy?”
“You had whiskey,” I said. “And he was really cute.”
She grinned. “Yeah, fair. But no. I stuck to my guns. I probably should take a vow of sobriety, just to make it easier on myself. No drinking equals no lowering of inhibitions. No lowering of inhibitions, no regret in the morning.”
“Cheers,” Salem said, lifting her cup of tea. “It’s a good thing you didn’t fall for Garrett’s charm and good looks.”
“Why’s that?” Wyn asked.
The fire alarm blared through the diner.
“It’s probably a false alarm,” Salem said. “So no one panic. Let’s just move quickly.”
I covered my ears to stifle the loudness of the incessant noise while at the same time scooting out of the booth.
“Fuck,” Salem yelled as she attempted to slide across the leather seat.
I lowered my hands and held them out to her. She grasped them and I pulled.
Wyn did the same thing for Hadley.
Our table was in the back of The Diner, so there were several other guests ahead of us. They shuffled without any sort of haste—not until the sprinkler system built into the ceiling popped loudly and then turned on, showering everyone in the room with rancid brown water.
That got everyone moving, like livestock herded through bad weather.
I looked over my shoulder.
Hadley’s expression was one of concern, as was Salem’s.
This was not a false alarm.
My heart kicked up in fear.
Salem grasped my hand. “There’s another emergency exit this way.”
Salem led the way with me behind her, Hadley trailing me, and Wyn bringing up the rear.
There was yelling from the direction of the kitchen, but I couldn’t make out words because people were shouting over each other and the alarm continued to wail. A firetruck siren blared in the distance but crescendoed as it drew closer.
The emergency exit spit us out into the back alley and gave us a clear view of The Diner. Flames licked the roof from a window high in the kitchen that had broken from the heat. Smoke billowed into the sky, illuminated by flames.
“Oh my God,” Wyn murmured. “It’s worse than I thought.”
The four of us trekked through the back alley, heading away from The Diner toward General Merc and then around to Silver Street which was currently being blocked off by policemen as they waited for the firetruck to arrive.
The firetruck parked in the middle of the street and volunteer firefighters spilled out of the vehicle. They pulled out a long hose and dragged it toward The Diner.
Customers and patrons from other establishments stood by as the firefighters attempted to contain the flames.
I heard my name being called and I turned, trying to locate the source.
Brooks was running toward me; his face etched with fear. He elbowed his way through the crowd that was frozen to the sight unfolding in front of them.
When he reached me, his hands cradled my face as he looked me over. “You’re okay.”
“I’m okay,” I said.
His lips crashed into mine, as if he needed physical proof that I was safe. When he pulled back, I saw Cas and Declan inspecting their wives with the same level of concern that Brooks was showing me.
Wyn stood idly by, her face stricken with sadness.
When I met her gaze, she sent me a wobbly smile and turned away.
My heart ached for her.
She didn’t have a Brooks to check to see if she was all right. If she was safe.
The firefighters finally had the flames under control and soon they snuffed it out. Thankfully it hadn’t spread to the neighboring buildings.
“That could’ve been really bad,” Salem said.
“It looks pretty bad already,” I said. “What do you think caused the fire?”
“Don’t know,” Salem said.
“My guess is a grease fire,” Brooks said. “Once they ignite, they spread fast.”
“Let’s get you home,” Declan said to Hadley.
“I’m fine,” she said to him.
“I know,” Declan stated. “But I’ll feel better when your feet are up and Muddy can look after you.”
She placed her hand to his cheek and then let him lead her out of the crowd.
“We drove the SUV,” Declan said. “There’s enough room for everyone.”
“We’ll take Poet’s car,” Brooks said. “We’ll meet you at the ranch.”
Wyn looked at me and then at Hadley and Salem. “Who am I riding with?”
“Us,” Hadley said.
I squeezed Wyn’s hand and then let go.
We parted from them, and I let Brooks take the lead. My head was spinning, and my heart rate hadn’t completely settled yet.
“Brooks?” I asked when he hadn’t said anything for a few minutes.
He remained quiet as he took me to the apartment. The moment the door closed, his lips were on mine, and his hands were at the button of my jeans.
“What are you—”
“I’ve been shot at, had a knife pulled on me, and done years of hard time. And nothing, I mean nothing, scared the shit out of me more than when I heard about the fire in The Diner and couldn’t find you. So please, for the love of God, let me touch you. Kiss you. Hold you.”
I swallowed and nodded.
He wasn’t soft. He wasn’t gentle.
He fucked me like a man who didn’t know if dawn would come the morrow.
And then he held me, pressed to his chest, our hearts beating together in a heartbreaking pace.
He tangled his fingers in my hair as we intertwined our legs.
“We should probably get dressed,” I said even though I made no move to get up.
“Probably.” He tightened his arms around me.
I swallowed. “I don’t need to rub it in her face.”
“Rub what in whose face?”
“Wyn’s. You didn’t see—Salem has Cas. Hadley has Declan. I have you. Wyn has no one. No one was there this morning wondering if she was safe.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “You’ve got a good heart. And even though it’s about to kill me to let you go, I’ll survive.”