6. Colt
CHAPTER SIX
Colt
The smell of burned coffee and grease hung heavy in the air, the unofficial cologne of every firehouse in America.
I leaned back in my chair, propping my boots up on the corner of the table as Nate rambled on about the annual ski trip.
Same story, different year. He’d booked the cabins, wrangled the usual suspects, and was already planning which slopes he was going to embarrass himself on.
“Colt,” Nate said, snapping his fingers in my direction, “you’re in, right? Don’t tell me you’re bailing this year.”
I smirked, tipping my chair back on two legs. “Please. Like I’d miss watching you try to snowboard again. It’s the highlight of my year.”
The guys around the table laughed, and Nate flipped me off, but there was no malice behind it. We’d been trading insults since day one, and neither of us ever let the other forget their most embarrassing moments.
“So, who’s coming this year?” I asked, keeping my tone casual. “Same crew as last time?”
Nate started listing names, but I was only half listening. My mind wandered, not to the trip itself, but to the possibility of spicing it up. And by “spicing it up,” I meant one specific person who hadn’t been on a trip with us before.
Lila.
The thought of her at a ski cabin—bundled up in sweaters, maybe laughing as she tried to stay upright on skis, her cheeks pink from the cold—was enough to make me grin. I didn’t even try to stop the mental image from forming.
Was it risky? Sure. But when had I ever been one to play it safe?
Especially not after that kiss.
Before I could overthink it, I threw it out there. “Hey, Nate, you should bring Lila this year.”
The table went quiet, save for the faint buzz of the radio in the corner. Nate blinked at me like I’d just suggested we start skiing in bikinis.
“Lila?” he repeated.
“Yeah,” I said, shrugging like it was no big deal. “Bet she could use a break. Fresh mountain air, hot cocoa, the works. What’s not to like?”
Nate leaned back in his chair, scratching his chin like he was actually considering it.
And that’s when I felt it… the weight of a glare.
I glanced over and found Jaxon staring daggers at me from across the room. His jaw was tight, and his knuckles were white where they gripped the edge of the table.
What the hell was his problem?
I raised an eyebrow at him, giving him my best “what’s your deal?” look, but he didn’t budge. If anything, his glare intensified, like I’d just kicked his dog or something.
Whatever.
Jaxon could brood all he wanted. This wasn’t about him.
“You know,” Nate said finally, “that’s not a bad idea.”
Wait, what?
I hadn’t actually expected him to agree. I’d mostly suggested it to see how he’d react, maybe plant the idea for later. But now he was nodding, and I had to fight to keep my expression neutral.
“I mean, she’s been cooped up at Dad’s house since she got back,” Nate continued. “It might be good for her to get out, have some fun.”
“Exactly,” I said, trying not to sound too eager. “And hey, the more the merrier, right?”
“Right.” Nate grinned, clearly already planning how to sell it to Lila. “I’ll talk to her tonight.”
Jaxon made a noise then, something between a scoff and a sigh. It was subtle, but enough to make me glance his way again.
“You got something to say, Jax?” I asked, keeping my tone light but pointed.
He shook his head, looking away as he muttered, “Nope.”
Liar .
I let it slide, though, mostly because I didn’t feel like getting into it here. Whatever was crawling up Jaxon’s ass could wait.
Nate clapped his hands together, clearly pleased with himself. “This is gonna be great. Lila’s gonna love it.”
Yeah , I thought, leaning back in my chair with a satisfied smirk. She’s gonna love it.
And so am I.
“Did you hear that?” Ryan jumped up and edged toward the window. “Ah, one of the Gradys’ are here.”
“About damn time,” Nate muttered. “We’ve been dealing with that rattling in the engine for a month now. I was starting to think we’d have to drive it like that forever.”
“Relax, Captain Impatient,” I said with a smirk. “The Grady brothers are the best mechanics in the county. Even if Ethan took his sweet time getting here.”
Ethan Grady stepped through the door like he owned the place, his greasy coveralls unzipped halfway down, revealing a T-shirt that probably used to be white. His dark hair was mussed, and there was a streak of engine oil on his cheek that he hadn’t bothered to wipe off.
“Did someone say my name?” he asked, his grin wide and easy, the kind only a small-town mechanic could pull off.
“Yeah,” Nate said, walking up to meet him. “I said you were late.”
Ethan laughed, clapping Nate on the shoulder. “Good to see you, too, buddy. Don’t worry, your baby’s in good hands.”
“She better be,” Ryan piped up, pushing off the wall. “If we have to listen to that engine rattle through another emergency call, I’m gonna lose my mind.”
“Rattle?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow. “You mean the rattle you ignored for weeks before finally calling me?”
I barked out a laugh. “He’s got you there, Ry.”
Ryan flipped me off without missing a beat, but he was grinning.
“All right, show me the patient,” Ethan said, motioning toward the truck.
As we all walked over, the banter didn’t stop.
“Think you can fix it this time, Grady?” Nate asked, his tone half joking.
“Fix it?” Ethan scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I’m not a miracle worker, but I’ll do my best. You guys treat this truck like it’s a demolition derby car.”
“That’s mostly Colt,” Ryan said, nudging me with his elbow.
“Hey!” I held up my hands in mock offense. “I’ll have you know I drive that thing like it’s made of glass.”
“Yeah, broken glass,” Nate shot back, earning a round of laughter from everyone.
Even Ethan was chuckling as he climbed into the cab of the truck, tools in hand. “Man, you guys are worse than the old men who hang out at the diner every morning. Do you ever stop giving each other crap?”
“Nope,” Jaxon said, finally joining the conversation from where he’d been leaning against the wall, arms crossed. His expression was relaxed, but there was an edge of humor in his voice. “It’s how we show affection.”
“Yeah,” I added, grinning. “If we’re not insulting you, we probably don’t like you.”
Ethan shook his head, muttering something about “firemen and their egos” before getting to work.
* * *
By the time Ethan had finished, I couldn’t ignore Jaxon’s mood anymore.
There was a tension radiating off him that I could feel from across the room. Every time I so much as walked past him, I could feel his eyes on me, sharp and unrelenting.
At first, I chalked it up to him just being in a mood—everybody had off days—but by mid-afternoon, it was clear this wasn’t just a random funk.
He was irritated.
Specifically with me.
When the call came in, it was almost a relief. A small kitchen fire on the other side of town—nothing too serious, but enough to get us out of the station and back into action.
The drive to the scene was mostly quiet, the only sounds coming from the rumble of the now-quiet engine and Nate barking out updates over the radio.
Jaxon was sitting across from me in the cab, his arms crossed and his jaw tight. I caught him glancing at me more than once, each time with that same irritated look.
“What’s your problem?” I finally asked, keeping my voice low so Nate wouldn’t hear.
Jaxon shot me a look that could’ve melted steel. “What’s my problem? You’re really asking me that?”
“Yeah, I am.” I leaned back in my seat, keeping my tone casual even though his reaction was starting to get under my skin. “You’ve been acting like I ate your breakfast all day.”
He didn’t answer right away, his gaze flicking to the window. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
“Clearly not,” I said, spreading my hands. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”
Before he could respond, the truck came to a halt, and Nate’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “All right, let’s move. Colt, you’re on ventilation. Jaxon, Ryan, back him up.”
I gave Jaxon a pointed look before jumping out of the truck, letting the conversation drop… for now.
The fire was already under control by the time we got there, thanks to the homeowner’s quick thinking and a handy fire extinguisher.
It was more of a clean-up job than anything else, clearing the smoke and making sure there weren’t any lingering hot spots. Still, it gave us something to do, which was better than stewing in whatever weird tension had been brewing all day.
We worked seamlessly as a team, the way we always did. Whatever was bothering Jaxon didn’t affect his professionalism—he was as sharp and efficient as ever, keeping an eye on me and Ryan while we handled the ventilation.
It wasn’t until we were packing up to leave that the tension boiled over again.
“You really couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Jaxon muttered under his breath as he walked past me, his voice just loud enough for me to hear.
I froze, turning to face him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
He didn’t stop, just kept walking toward the truck, his shoulders stiff. “Forget it.”
“Oh, no,” I said, following him. “You don’t get to throw out some cryptic jab and walk away. If you’ve got something to say, say it.”
Jaxon stopped then, turning to face me with a glare that could’ve stopped traffic. “You think I don’t know what you’re doing? Suggesting Lila come on the ski trip? Real subtle, Colt.”
Ah.
So that’s what this was about.
“Subtlety’s not really my thing,” I said with a shrug, keeping my tone light. “But yeah, I suggested it. What’s your point?”
“My point,” he said, stepping closer, “is that you’re playing with fire. She’s Nate’s sister, for God’s sake. You think he’s gonna be okay with?—”
“With what?” I interrupted, my voice dropping to match his intensity. “Me taking an interest in her? She’s a grown woman, Jax. She can make her own decisions.”
This wasn’t about just that. I could tell.
Jaxon clenched his jaw, clearly fighting to keep his temper in check. “This isn’t about her making decisions. It’s about you not thinking things through. You know how messy this could get.”
“Messy?” I echoed, narrowing my eyes. “Or are you just pissed because you wanted to be the one to ask her on the trip?”
His silence was answer enough.
I smirked, even though his glare could’ve peeled paint. “That’s what I thought.”
“All right, knock it off, you two,” Nate’s voice called from behind us, sharp and commanding. “We’re heading out. Get your asses in the truck.”
The tension between me and Jaxon didn’t fade, but we both turned and headed for the truck without another word.
As I climbed into my seat, I couldn’t help but glance over at Jaxon. He was staring straight ahead, his expression unreadable.
Whatever his problem was, it wasn’t going to stop me from seeing where things with Lila could go.
If anything, it just made me more determined.