9. Travis

travis

. . .

A s I pivot the ladder, my iron, Alfonso, shoots straight into the flames. It has to be hot as balls up there as the blaze continues to fight us for several hours, until two engines from Linton pull alongside me. It’s a smaller fire, but it’s refusing to budge. After what feels like eternity, we’re finally at ten percent containment. We let out a collective sigh of relief as a few water scoopers fly overhead toward the lake. Once they dump a few rounds, the wind changes and the two Linton engines leave to assist on the other side.

It takes us three fucking days to put this damn thing out. While our job is done for now, the dozers and masticators should be here in the next day or so. My buddy is in charge of the containment lines. He’s understaffed, so a few of us will be back here to help the construction crew.

Back at the station, I’m greeted by Cay and Inferno. My pup rushes to me the moment I’m in view and I drop to my knees to wrap my arms around him. “Were you a good boy while I was gone?”

Caleb chuckles, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “He was a pain in the ass. ”

“You were not,” I tell Inferno. “You were a good boy, weren’t you?”

“How bad was it up there?”

I groan as I stand. “It took forever to put out. I haven’t had a stubborn one like that in a while.”

“Travis,” Alfonso calls to me, “want to grab a beer before heading home?”

“Sounds good.” I selfishly hope Cass is working, even though I’m fucking exhausted.

I turn to Caleb. “Want to join us?”

“Sure.” He shrugs. “I’ll drop Inferno at your place and meet you there.”

I get cleaned up and Alfonso and I meet Cay at the bar. As we pull up, I notice Cassidy’s truck is parked out front. My heart thumps loudly in my chest. I shouldn’t be nervous seeing her, but the moment I step into the bar and my eyes land on her, the thumping stops and I can hardly breathe. She’s fucking stunning, as always. Pop and my dad are seated at the bar, and the three of them are laughing at something Pop said.

Pop spots us first. “Hey, Travis.” He pats the seat next to him. “Lunch is on me. You too, Alfonso. Cay can fend for himself.”

We all chuckle; Pop would never let Caleb pay for a meal. We’ve seen him try no less than a hundred times. My dad winces as he stands to hug me, clapping my back twice before releasing me. Years of working in construction as a heavy equipment mechanic have taken a toll on him physically. He praises, “You boys did good out there.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I take off my SLFD ballcap and set it on the bar as I sit next to Pop. Glancing up, I find Cassidy’s eyes on me. Every time I see her, she’s even more beautiful. Neither of us look away, in what has to be the longest eye-fuck in the history of time. Cay clears his throat, and I break the standoff first. “So, what did I miss?”

“Not much,” Dad replies, sipping his diet cola with a lemon wedge squeezed and floating at the top. “David and I”—he gestures to Pop with his glass—“we promised Cass we’d come by and help in her garden later.”

“Isn’t it a little late in the year to be gardening?” I ask as she sets a beer in front of me.

Pop explains, “There’s a leak under the soil. We have to tear it up and fix it before the weather gets too cold.”

“Need an extra hand?” I offer a little too hopefully.

Cass chews on her lip for a moment, then shakes her head. “No, thank you. Between Zack, Cay, and our dads, there will be enough testosterone. I wish I had a she-shed to hide out and read while they dig everything up.”

“A she-shed?” Caleb laughs. “What would you store in it?”

Alfonso elbows Cay. “You don’t store anything in it. It’s like a man-cave but for chicks. My wife made me build one for her a few years back.” He pulls out his phone and shows us a shed he converted with a comfortable chair, wine fridge, bookcase, and a coffee maker.

“You can come by my place while they work?” Her eyes widen at my suggestion, and I bite back my smile. “I’m probably going to crash as soon as I get home, so you won’t be bothered if you want to read.”

Her voice is squeakier than usual as she insists, “Oh, I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“No imposition at all.” Taking a long pull of my beer, I keep my eyes fixed on her. “I’ll leave the door unlocked; you can come by any time.” If she wasn’t engaged, I’d invite her for another night of naked cuddling. Until she breaks up with him, I won’t touch her.

Pop orders another round, but I stick with one beer. While I wouldn’t be drunk or even buzzed after two, if she’s coming by later, I don’t want the smallest temptation when it comes to Cass.

We have burgers for lunch, and the rest of the time is spent discussing football, the fire, and the project at Cassidy’s house. As I’m walking out to my truck, Caleb leans in and quietly growls, “Don’t touch her.”

“What the fuck, Cay?” I keep my voice low, in case our dads or Alfonso are within earshot. “I don’t touch taken women.”

“Keep it that way.”

On the drive home, my thumb nervously taps the steering wheel. It’s only a matter of months, maybe only weeks, before they set a wedding date and I’ll lose her forever. I’m running out of time.