Epilogue
Taji Sloane
Two months later…
Trucker and Zoom didn’t know I was coming into town.
I didn’t know what it was about Mayson Calhoune but he had be in ways I never thought I would ever understand. At nights when I went to bed, especially nights when I didn’t get to speak with him, I missed him terribly.
The shirt he’d left for me to wear to bed didn’t smell like him anymore. I’d washed it too many times and was afraid to ask him for another.
I’d gone to different stores trying to find his cologne by smell alone but had failed.
I’m desperate.
When I showed up at the station, I tried introducing myself but one of the other firefighters merely grinned at me and waved me in.
“Leave her alone.” He called to the woman at the front desk. “That’s Trucker’s girl.”
Though I was calm on the outside, offering her a nod while she gave me a look of apology, inside I was doing backflips and summersaults because to them, I was Trucker’s girl.
He had me wait in Zoom’s office and it was three hours and a nap later that I felt someone caressing my back gently.
“Hello, Sprite.”
He smelled like smoke.
Some soot was on his cheeks and a little on his forehead. He was still in a half of his uniform from the blaze and was quite dirty.
But I didn’t care.
Saying nothing, I tossed myself into his arms.
“Oh-oh, sweetheart.” He laughed while hugging me back. “What’s wrong?”
“I missed you.”
I didn’t know where the tears came from but without warning, they tumbled down my cheeks. “Long distance is hard, and your shirt doesn’t smell like you anymore and I tried finding your cologne but couldn’t because I didn’t know what it’s called and—”
“Whoa!” He lifted me from his chest to stare into my eyes.
I pulled from his hands only to hug him again.
“I miss you too.” He told me, hugging me back. “Let me get cleaned up and I’ll take you to my place. What do you say?”
“Mm.”
“You are so cute.” He chuckled.
Blushing. I finally kissed him—but the most important part of all of this had been to be in his arms. It was to feel his strong arms around my body, my breasts crushing against his muscular chest, to feel his heated breath against the side of my head.
He was my sanity.
And so, time passed.
The coffee was strong.
I wasn’t sure what Zoom put in it—it could have been her foot.
I was also sure that by the time I went back home, this stuff would put hair on my chest.
But as I sat on her porch, listening to her chastise her husband for spoiling Lena, I couldn’t help smiling and wondering if Trucker and I would reach that level.
Since we started dating, he would be the one coming back to town in order to see me and to check on his newly minted firefighters.
During his time away, they would pop by my house to check on me—I knew that was his doing.
Another sip of coffee reminded me this was not for me as it felt like the dark liquid was in fact touching my soul.
This was my first time sitting down with his family to spend time with them, to see in them what he saw him them. I loved the way they loved him and loved on him.
The moment Lena entered the room two days prior she tossed herself into his arms while the blond boy with the grey eyes stood at the door smiling and shaking his head.
That was Bishop, Lena’s boyfriend.
“It feels like both those kids have been dating forever.” Zoom had confided.
Sighing, I leaned back in my chair and stretched my legs out in front of me and looked up at the sky. Dark clouds had rolled in, hiding the morning sun and I sighed.
“You’re up early.” Zoom’s voice caused me to turn around. “Everything okay?”
She held a mug in her hand that was oddly shaped blue mug with Psycho Aunt written on it in white, partially chipped paint.
I figured Lena had given it to her.
“Lena made it.” She beamed proudly. “Mind if I sit with you? The men are gone fishing.”
“Already?” I glanced around the front yard noticing Kaos’ motorcycle was there but his monster of a truck wasn’t.
“Mm. They usually go early. By the time the sun is thinking of rising, they’re on their way back.”
“Can they see anything when it’s so dark?” I wanted to know.
“I don’t know.” Zoom shrugged. “It’s a man thing, I guess.”
“Mm.”
I didn’t see Trucker as much of a fisherman. But over the last few months, we’d been doing what he’d promised. We were getting to know each other—what we liked, who we were—he even visited Amsterdam with me.
It wasn’t because he wanted to go—it was because I asked him to.
Since my client was paying for the trip, I figured we could have an international date—make love in a foreign place.
I giggled.
“Okay, share.” Zoom smiled.
“Just Trucker and I traveling.” I told her.
Zoom nodded like a woman figuring out the solution to world hunger.
“Foreign sex.”
I flushed. “Zoom!”
Zoom giggled.
“I get it. Trucker is a beautiful man. If I was into him we’d be doing it everywhere too.”
“It’s—you two were never together?”
Zoom shook her head, her natural hair shaking gently with the movement.
“We’d always been friends. And besides, I had my eyes on a little bit of Kaos—it was unrequited for a long time.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. We’re together now. But the curve balls in this friendship. These men of ours are different and it takes some kind of fortitude to love them.”
I agreed with a groan.
“Kaos was military. And even though he’s not in anymore, each time his boys call, off he goes.” Zoom signed dramatically. “Trucker—him too.”
“And Moose?”
Zoom laughed. “American military but how they met is a long story.”
“Zulu.”
Zoom said nothing which forced me to turn and faced her.
“You’re not jealous, are you?”
I’m not sure.
“Zulu is their girl.” Zoom explained. “When shit goes wrong they call her and she will burn the world down to make sure her boys are safe and they’re the ones who go home. She’s always been like that.”
“And you’re not worried about their closeness?”
Laughing, Zoom sipped from her mug.
“No.” she replied. “For one, I trust my man. And two, Zulu is just a friend. We inherited her when I started dating Kaos. Along with a whole slew of American military men and a couple in Thailand.”
“Thailand?”
“Storm and Taz.” Zoom nodded, love on her pretty face. “Storm is a cop we met during a visit there. His wife is Taz—ex military from Australia. Lovely people. They’re coming to visit for the summer. You’ll meet them then.”
“If Trucker keeps me around.” I finished my coffee and sighed.
“What does he call you?”
I blinked.
“Um—what?”
“Trucker.” Zoom asked. “What nickname did he give you?”
“Sprite. Why? Does that mean anything?”
Nodding, Zoom stood as Kaos’ truck entered the yard.
“You’ll meet Storm and Taz this summer.” She smirked, then pushed to her tiptoes to wave excitedly at Kaos.
I blushed.
The three men alighted from the truck before Trucker grabbed a cooler from the backseat.
“Hey baby!” Zoom called. “Did you catch anything?”
“Yep.” He hurried over to kiss her. “Caught and cleaned there.”
“Eww. You’re smelly. Go wash up.”
Kaos smirked, kissed her again then gave me a nod.
“Hey Sprite.” He had a knowing grin on his lips.
Blushing, I turned to look at Moose then Trucker.
“You told him?” I poked Trucker in the ribs.
“Hey, he was going to find out.” Trucker kissed me. “I’m going to shower then come back for a real kiss.”
“Ew.” Moose interjected. “You kiss him?”
“She does freakier things to me.” Trucker guffawed.
I smacked him. “Mayson!”
He chortled and wondered off. The others shook their heads and left Zoom and I on the porch. Though my cheeks were still burning.
“Can you believe he said that?” I asked, pressing my palms to them. “Out loud.”
Zoom giggled. “Yes. He’s friends with my husband.”
“Bad influence!”
Zoom patted my shoulder while leaving me on the porch, her laughter following her into the house.
Wandering back inside, my mood was good, and even though I was missing work, I didn’t mind. I’d let all my clients know I’d be away for a while.
I pushed that worry to the back of my mind and though Zoom told me not to worry about it, I set up the fancy coffee machine with the help of YouTube, then found ingredients to make everyone in the house breakfast.
Slowly, the house came a live. From somewhere upstairs, the showers were going, someone had started the washing machine, and the air conditioner came on to cool down the house.
Strong arms snaked around my waist from behind and Trucker’s smell swirled around me. Weak, I moaned and leaned back in his arms.
“Hungry?’ I asked.
“Mm.” Trucker replied. “How did you sleep?”
“Better than I had in a while.” I replied before turning in his arms. “I find it hard to fall asleep when you’re not with me. Sit, I’ll get you some food.”
“Give me another hug.” Trucker whispered around a kiss.
This time, he held me with my arms around his shoulders until Moose entered the space, fresh from his shower. He winked at me and headed straight for coffee.
“I tell you” Moose sipped. “I really don’t know. I don’t know what they put in this coffee from Jamaica, but it’s good.”
“Yes, but strong.” I murmured.
Moose merely laughed, allowed himself another drink then refilled his mug.
Soon, the open space was filled with souls.
Aside from the regular people, there was someone who looked like Kaos but wasn’t really Kaos. Not sure who he was, I shifted my body in front of Truckers and eyed the new man warily.
“It’s okay, Sprite.” Trucker dropped his chin to my shoulder from behind me. “He’s not a threat.”
“Do you know him?” I whispered back.
“That’s Kaos’ brother, Jack.” Trucker rested his chin on my shoulder. “He’s Lena’s father.”
“Why is Kaos’ Lena’s guardian then?”
“Jack is an addict.” Trucker replied. “He’s been clean for a few years now—lost his wife and couldn’t deal. Owed some very nasty people money—they went after Lena one too many times.”
I nodded, understanding.
Kaos introduced Jack and long after breakfast and they all went out, I walked beside Trucker, hand in hand down the street.