Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

JAKE

Slamming my truck door shut, I turned toward the red-bricked station and walked inside. I headed for the old spiral staircase and jogged up, hauling my gym bag onto my shoulder as I reached the upper floor, where my team had already started to assemble for our shift.

“Yo, Jake,” Tommy called. “You’re looking chipper after last night.”

“Thought Chardonay would’ve ridden the soul outta him,” Zack joked.

“Happy fucking birthday to you,” Tommy said with a wink.

My eyes narrowed at the guys. “We back in middle school?”

Tommy grinned. “Nah, man. We know Chardonay. It’s like a ritual. She’ll give you a warm welcome if you’re new to town.”

My gut dropped.

I’d never been the type to sleep around. One-nighters tended to leave a bad taste in my mouth. Chardonay came onto me in the bar when I’d had too much to drink. A drunken make-out session turned into a blowie inside a cubicle in the men’s room, and I regretted it as soon as it was over. Then, the boys grabbed Chardonay and her friends from the bar, and we went to my place. A green-eyed beauty came to my door, and all thoughts of Chardonay fell by the wayside.

“Chardonay’s got a mouth like a vacuum, right?” Zack asked, nudging Adam, who smirked beside him.

My forehead furrowed. “How do you know?”

“We all know.” A slow smile spread over his face. “She’s a hose hoe.”

My head pulled back. “You have those here?”

“Where there’s firefighters, there’s groupies,” Tommy retorted. “None of the single women in town can resist.”

I walked to the coffee machine and poured a cup, muttering, “Jesus.”

“He won’t save you.” Tommy laughed. “Especially now that Chardonay got you in her crosshairs.”

I sighed.

My cell had been blowing up all morning with calls and messages from Chardonay. I hadn’t answered because the second I saw my neighbor, Chardonay paled in comparison.

The two women were talking about a dude called Theo. Chardonay had accused Katie of trapping him. I found that hard to believe, seeing as she was fucking beautiful.

“You wound the night down suddenly,” Tommy continued. “Chardonay wasn’t happy when you threw her out.”

I took a swig of my coffee. “Don’t give a fuck what Chardonay thinks.”

Zack’s lips twitched. “Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you let her swallow your cock in the men’s room. She’ll stalk you now.”

My shoulders stiffened. “Why didn’t you tell me this shit earlier?”

Tommy shrugged. “You needed to settle in, and I thought Chardonay would give you a warm welcome.”

“Are you for fucking real?” I demanded, shaking my head.

“Chardonay’s not that bad, asshole, just don’t buy any bunnies,” Tommy muttered. “Anyway, why did you clear us all out last night? One minute we were enjoying a beer; the next, we were out on our asses.”

“We disturbed the neighbors,” I explained. “I’ve only lived there a couple of days. I don’t want to alienate the entire street.”

“Mrs. Braverman, on one side, is deaf,” Tommy stated. “So that leaves the lovely Katherine. Is that who banged on the door?”

I was desperate to learn more about my beautiful neighbor, except I didn’t want to show any interest. I wouldn’t hear the end of it, especially after the whole Chardonay bathroom blowie-blip. “Yeah, that was her name. I’m surprised her husband let her come and knock on a stranger’s door that late.”

“Her husband passed away,” Tommy told me quietly. “Me, Adam, and Theo were best buds at school, except Theo had a girlfriend.”

My chest tightened. “Katherine?”

“Yeah. They got married three weeks after graduation, just before Theo enlisted. He wanted to train as a mechanic in the Army, then come out and open an auto shop.”

A sense of impending doom settled around the table, the stark pain on the men’s faces only adding to the dark vibe.

“Theo was killed two weeks before he was due to come home,” Zack said solemnly. “Freak accident. A gun that wasn’t even supposed to be loaded went off accidentally and killed him outright.”

I closed my eyes, heaving out a slow breath.

“Katie was four months pregnant,” Tommy murmured soberly.

As that sunk in, my thoughts returned to the night before.

The first time I looked into Katie’s eyes, she knocked me for six. She was a stunning woman, and the more I learned about her, the more I admired her. Although I’d only met her once, I felt like I understood her because we’d both suffered similar losses.

“The whole town loves Katie,” Tommy added. “And we’re pretty protective of her. She’s been through a lot, more than someone her age should have to face. She needs to be handled with care, not to mention there’s a little girl involved.”

I nodded understandingly.

Adam cocked a knowing eyebrow at me. “The man who wins over Katie also has to impress the entire town. Almost feel sorry for the stupid fucker.”

I grinned. “I’m sure whoever he is, he’ll be up for the job.”

“Let’s fucking hope so,” he replied, giving me a clap on the back.

The beeping of the alarm began to sound through the station.

“Got a call out,” Captain yelled from his office. “Pileup on the road just outside town.”

I followed Tommy into the truck, the rest of the team piling inside after us. I fastened my helmet and pulled the chin strap tight, watching Adam jump in the driver’s seat, do his checks, and start the engine. Doors slammed as the last of the men got in.

Time to get to work.