Chapter 2 #3
Brad waved his hand toward the carafe on the counter. “Just made a fresh pot.” He didn’t even look up from his computer. He was never going to get all these damn forms done.
“I saw that,” Cal replied. “I was asking if you wanted a refill.”
He finally tore his gaze off the gibberish in front of him to frown into his mug. When had he finished his coffee? Hadn’t he just poured it?
“You’ve been in here for over two hours,” Cal said. He brought the carafe over and refilled Brad’s mug then sat down in front of him. “What are you working on?”
“The damn certification paperwork,” Brad said. Leaning back in his chair, he stretched the muscles that he hadn’t even felt tense up.
“That doesn’t have to be done in one night,” Cal said.
Brad grunted. “I know. It’s not like I have anything else to do unless we get a call.”
“You should rest,” Cal advised. “It’s going to be a rough couple of days.”
Why did everyone keep telling him that? “Is it really that bad?”
Cal nodded. “Some years, yes.”
“It’s just one weekend,” Brad pointed out. Sure for most people Memorial weekend signaled the start of summer. The entire city was built off tourist season in the summer. Fall and spring was all about the university but the summer…yeah they were known for the surfing and beach.
“While that’s true, it is a big weekend.
One of the biggest surf competitions that begins the season, plus with pretty much perfect weather, the beaches are packed.
That doesn’t include the car accidents from all the traffic in and out of the city.
There’re also the fires caused by illegal fireworks being brought in. ”
Brad groaned. People really didn’t use common sense when it came to fireworks. He’d seen it so many times.
“That’s why we need you in the ambulance and water rescue,” Cal told him. “We’ll be stretched thin.”
Sipping his coffee, Brad glanced around them.
“The quiet before the storm. It’ll be all hands on deck starting tomorrow,” Cal said.
“I wondered why we were working with half the shift,” Brad commented. He knew both Josh and James were off for the night. What they might be doing, Brad refused to think about. The pain in his heart wasn’t new. It was getting easier to push down.
“As the newest hire, you drew the short straw,” Cal responded with a grin.
“And what about you? What did you do to catch this shift?” Brad questioned. Cal had been with the department longer than anyone, including the chief. If anyone had earned rest before the big weekend, it was Cal.
“I’m on nights,” Cal informed him. “I don’t work the whole weekend. I get the days off and only come in for the late shift.”
Brad raised a brow. That was a nice setup.
“Seniority does have its privilege,” Cal joked.
“Sounds like it,” Brad agreed.
Cal nodded toward the laptop still sitting in front of Brad. “So other than hating the paperwork, how’s everything else going?”
“Fine,” Brad answered automatically.
“Fine,” Cal repeated. “Are you sure about that?”
Brad sighed. Thinking over how to expand on his answer without revealing too much.
Of course Cal waited him out. Cal had the patience of a saint.
Brad had noticed that with some of the other guys.
James in particular. Cal seemed to be the person that everyone went to for a good talk.
Maybe Brad should take advantage of this opportunity to have Cal focused on him.
Setting his mug down, Brad nodded. “I’m starting to find my footing here. ”
“It’s different than LA,” Cal pointed out.
“So much different.” It really was. Not only smaller and more intimate but the people were so much better.
“Josh and James both seem friendly with you,” Cal said.
“Sure. They had friends before I got here though.” It was hard not to think about Luca. How everyone loved Luca. He pretty much ran the city and everyone knew who he was.
“Are you talking about Luca?” Cal’s question was blunt and to the point.
Brad winced. “You heard about that?”
“There isn’t much that happens around here that I don’t hear about.”
“We…had a miscommunication before I even knew who he was,” Brad said.
Cal opened his mouth to no doubt offer his advice but Brad cut him off.
“I know I need to make things right with Luca,” Brad said. “I’m working on it.”
“Is that what you want to do?” Cal asked.
Brad wasn’t expecting that question. “What do you mean?”
“I just mean that you shouldn’t do anything that you don’t want to do. Don’t let the pressure of having mutual friends influence you.”
“I like Josh and James,” Brad said. He wanted, needed to be friends with his crew. Brad had pushed away his old crew when everything went to shit. His old friends had tried to warn him and Brad hadn’t listened. It had been hard to face them after that.
“They can be friends with both of you,” Cal said. “You’re new here but that doesn’t mean you’re not important. What are your feelings?”
No one else had asked him that. “I was a dick to him.”
“Did he deserve it?” Cal asked.
“No.” And that ate at Brad. Luca had shocked him but Brad hadn’t meant to hurt the other man.
“Then why didn’t you apologize already?”
“I was shocked the first time I ran into him at the coffee shop,” Brad confessed. “I never thought I’d see him again. We met…” Was it okay to tell him about the club? It had been a kink club.
Cal held up his hands. “You don’t have to tell me details.”
“Thanks. I don’t mind but I don’t want to tell Luca’s business without his permission.”
“Which makes you a decent guy, Brad. What happened when you saw Luca at the coffee shop?”
“I was still trying to recover from just seeing him there and he…yeah…he just was obviously not interested in anything that I had to say. I’ve tried a few times since and he makes a smart comment and walks away.
I’m surprised he even allows me to get my coffee there.
” Brad was glad. That would have been humiliating.
Not the way that Brad wanted to restart his life or career.
Cal smirked. A lift to his lips that Brad could honestly say that he hadn’t seen before.
“What?” Brad asked.
“Do you want to know what I think?”
“Sure.” Why not. Cal seemed to care enough to sit down and talk to him.
“I’ve probably known Luca the longest. I was already here when he moved to town. Josh and James came later,” Cal explained.
Brad nodded as he leaned forward. That was good information to have.
“I’ve seen Luca when he doesn’t give two shits about a person. He’s not outright rude but he doesn’t go out of his way to give them a hard time,” Cal told him.