Chapter 5

5

Rhett

I jump up into the back of the ambulance and strap the medical bag in the back. We just responded to a pileup on I-24. People in a goddamned hurry caused this. Traffic is finally starting to flow again after we got the vehicles cleared, the people needing it, got medical attention, and the ones worse off were loaded onto ambulances and taken to the hospital.

Climbing behind the wheel, we follow our engine back to the station and once we're parked, I hop out and grab my gear, putting it away.

"Hollywood? Any luck with the redhead?" Atta yells, causing everyone to look at me and start snickering.

Let me back up. The cookout last weekend was great. I spent a lot of time with Sofia, and I'm fucking smitten. In all my twenty-eight years I've never been smitten, but fuck me, this girl has done it, making me that way. I don't think she's totally realized it.

She went to leave the barbecue before me, but I had stopped her before she could. "Hey, it was nice hanging out with you and getting to know you today."

Sofia's cheeks had turned an adorable shade of pink. "It was nice hanging out with you too."

"Can I get your number and call you sometime?" I pulled out my cell phone and she told me her number. After I plugged it into my phone, I quickly sent her a text. Her phone pinged. "Now you have mine too."

I liked that she went around saying goodbye to everyone. Making a last-minute decision, I walked her to her car. "If I call you, are you going to answer?" I said as we stopped beside her car.

Sofia stared up at me and I wished she hadn't been parked in the shadows of a tree because I wanted to see her eyes, or at least better than I could now. "Y-Yes I-I'll answer. Bye, Rhett," she said softly.

"Bye, Sofia." I stepped back and watched as she pulled away.

All I could think while I watched her drive off was that I was in fucking trouble. I made my way back to the house and the minute I was in the backyard. Marchy started to slow clap and then everyone else did too. Giving them all the finger, I grabbed myself a beer. Roman walked over to me and I scooped him up in my arms.

"What's up, little dude?" I bounced him on my hip, smiling as his little boy giggles filled the night air. The sun was starting to set, casting a shadow across the backyard. "Are you my buddy?"

Roman babbled in his baby language at me. Whatever he said, he meant business and pointed at Marchy.

He caught that and came walking over. His boy, not biologically his , but his boy, wiggled until I put him down and he ran toward him calling, "Daddy."

Marchy smiled huge as he squatted down, opening his arms. Roman hit him hard and my best friend scooped him up and tossed him in the air, over and over. When he stopped, he hugged his son to his chest.

"I'm really happy for you, man." I said quietly, looking at his kid in his arms.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I have everything I ever wanted." He paused. "Everyone seemed to like Sofia."

I knew he was baiting me, fishing for dirt but I wasn't going to fall for it. "Yep, they did."

"That's it? You guys hung out a lot and you walked her out." We walked toward the French doors.

Luckily his fiancée interrupted us and I quickly dipped out.

At home I had been lying in bed and decided to text Sofia. We'd texted back and forth for over an hour and when I'd asked her out for a drink, I didn't get the answer I was hoping for.

Sofia: I would love to, but no, I'm sorry.

I quickly tapped out my response.

Rhett: What is making you say no?

Sofia: I don't see how you'd want to date me. I have an early morning so I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Rhett.

I gave her that play…for now.

I focus back on Atta. "I'm taking it slow. She seems shy and I'll scare her off if I go too hard."

He immediately starts laughing. "Holy shit, you're into her, like really into her." He holds up his hands. "Sorry, man. She seems nice and is pretty. I'm just surprised, that's all. You always say you like being single."

Atta's right, I have, but there is just something about her and I want to figure out what it is. Maybe it's because I saved her, and things were so close to going bad that day all three of us could have perished.

"It's fine." I shrug. "I don't know, man. There's something there."

"I get it, brother. If it's any consolation, at Marchy's barbecue it seemed like she liked you." With that he walks away, and I finish putting my gear away.

An hour later, I'm climbing into my Jeep and heading toward my parents' home. They live in the White Bridge area of West Nashville. It's where my sister and I grew up, and I loved living there.

It takes me over an hour to make it to their house. I pull up in front of their house and climb out. Mom greets me at the front door.

"Well, there's my handsome boy." She smiles her beauty queen smile at me and opens her arms for me to step into.

I hug her tight. "Hey, Mom. You look beautiful."

"Thank you, sweetheart." She's sixty, but she looks more like our older sister. Annie, who is my older sister, and her could almost pass for twins. We're all tall and lean, we all have dark hair, but they both have hazel eyes, and Dad's and mine are brown. We also all have varying degrees of naturally tan skin. We're a good-looking family, if I do say so myself.

She leads me inside to the kitchen and pours me a cup of coffee. "How was your shift?"

"It was good, not too busy." I take the offered cup and take a sip. "Where's Dad?"

Mom sets a plate of pancakes down in front of me. "He's golfing. He was only supposed to golf nine holes, but he'll end up drinking coffee with the guys."

They both still work, neither of them ready to retire yet. Mom works as a nurse practitioner at an OB/GYN's office. Dad is the Director of Physical Therapy at Vanderbilt. Mom is ready to drop down to part time though. Dad's not quite ready to let go of his position yet.

"Of course he is," I say.

"How is Roman?" Mom is obsessed with that little boy. She's even babysat him on occasion.

I shake my head. "He's good, and definitely keeping Marchy and Haley on their toes."

Once I finish eating, we head out to the patio and shoot the shit until I take my leave and head to the grocery store.

Rhett: Hey! How are you?

I hit send and wait to see if Sofia answers me back. It's been a few days since our last exchange. I've kept the texts to a minimum, not wanting to freak her out. Just a quick "hey" and just telling her to have a good day.

Sofia: Hi. Is your shift over?

I quickly type out a response.

Rhett: Yeah, I was wondering if you wanted to grab a coffee with me. No pressure, I just know I am out of coffee at home, and I need some, stat.

I watch my phone and wait for those bouncing dots. They appear and then they disappear. That happens multiple times and I am beginning to think she's just trying to figure out how to tell me no nicely.

Fuck, why am I freaking out about this? I can walk into Ruby's and have the pick of the bunker bunnies that hang out there. Sofia isn't like those women. Sure, I don't know her well yet, but I can just tell.

My phone pings and I pick it up.

Sofia: Sure, where do you want to meet?

"Yes," I cheer to myself.

I quickly send her a text and we plan on where to meet. Shutting my door, I start my Jeep. I already showered at the firehouse before I left. Luckily, Sofia isn't staying far from the coffee shop. I climb out, and as I walk toward the door, I notice a familiar blue BMW pull into the parking lot.

Walking toward the car, I smile as she climbs out. She's wearing cutoff jean shorts and a Tennessee State University T-shirt. Her strawberry-blond hair is in a bun on top of her head.

"Hey, you. Did you have a good shift?" Sofia asks as we walk side by side toward the doors.

"We were busy, but it went by fast." I never know how to answer that question because our jobs aren't easy, even on the slowest day.

Opening the door for her, I'm hit by her light floral scent as she walks by. My dick twitches in my shorts and I tell it to shut the fuck up.