Chapter Five

MADDOX

It's been a busy few days with numerous fire calls mixed with a lot of nonsense. I like the feeling that the town knows they can call on the fire department for anything they need. However, half the time I get the feeling they're calling just to have us show up to help them move something or because they need someone to talk to.

Dare I say it's finally been quiet today? For the last few hours, I've been lying in my cot here in the break room. The fire house is silent and the guys have settled in for the night. All I need is a few hours of sleep to make me feel human again.

And maybe just a few hours to put the new baker out of my mind.

She annoyed me instantly with her standoffish attitude. Then it got worse when she questioned me and my guys. That building has sat idle for quite some time, no one knows what it needs now that it's functioning twenty four hours a day. She mentioned she bought it, so it had to pass inspection with the realtor, but I'm still hoping it's nothing more than the electrical short we think it is. Maybe she can replace the panel and move on.

Rolling to my side, trying to get comfortable, I think about the other woman driving me insane. My own damn sister. I'm happy to have her home. I never wanted her to leave to begin with, but something feels strange between us. I don't know if it's because she's planning to leave again and doesn't want to talk to me about it or if the issue is Isaac.

I placed a pretty big ultimatum on the two of them years ago.

The alarm sounds and I groan out loud. The fire house comes alive. Guys jump from their bed and begin to throw on their gear. I listen for the address of the call and once I hear it, I instantly get mad.

"It's her," I grind out. "Guys! Don't go crazy for this. Where is the probie? I want him with me. The rest of you can stay back. It's just the bakery again." They grumble, half asleep and settle back into their respective beds. The new kid, who has no name besides ‘probie' or ‘new kid' for the first year of training, and I make our way out to the truck and this time, I don't turn on the sirens heading to the bakery. I've only been doing it during the day because I see it annoys her. Any little bit I can get under her skin makes me laugh. But at half past one in the morning, and with the town asleep? I do have some compassion for those trying to rest, even when I'm not.

We pull up to the front of the bakery and notice the lights are on. I can see movement inside the place and I wonder if it's her or Logan.

"Is there someone in there?" Probie asks.

"Come on, let's go check it out."

We jump from the truck and walk to the front of the shop. Peeking through the window, I see Marigold dressed in short shorts and a tank top.

And suddenly I'm not so tired.

"Does she sleep here?" I ask myself. We come up to the front door and I try to open it but it's locked. "Fucking locks," I grumble out and glance through the window again, banging on it. She jumps at the sound and when she turns, her eyes are wide and concerned. Until she realizes it's me.

Then I see the fire return to her.

She rights her shoulders, sticking that ample chest of hers out, and I can't help but drop my eyes to those full tits as she walks to the door. The sound of the locks turning pull me from my trance, as she pulls open the door.

"I didn't call you," she says with a matter of fact tone.

"Oh, Goldie. Don't you know when the alarm sounds it's an automatic call right to the firehouse? It's gone off more times than I'd like. You have to know it happens every time."

She crosses her arms when she sees my eyes drop again and I grin to myself. "You can go now, I've got it under control."

"I really don't think you do because I can still hear the alarm going off."

"Well if you had done your job the first time, it wouldn't keep happening."

Her backtalk is actually turning me on right now. Apparently I like to spar with her. "If you had followed directions from the inspector, I wouldn't be here right now."

"I called the inspector and he can't get here until next Tuesday. There's nothing I can do about his schedule. In the meantime, I'm about to disconnect the wire so that this does not chase my customers away."

I push past her and into the wide open space. I move quickly around the counter to the side wall that has makeshift repairs on it, along with the ceiling that we cut down the other day. I see she's done a shitty repair of it. ‘Let her keep busy. I'll just cut through this again,' I think to myself.

"Don't you dare cut that wall!" she yells out as if reading my mind.

"I need to find the source, Miss James." I glance back at her again, drifting my eyes down her legs. "You're certainly not dressed to stop me."

"I was here working late. It's hot in the kitchen and I was baking, getting things ready and prepared for tomorrow."

"I don't know if you should open tomorrow," I sing-song trying to goad her. "You might have a serious problem back here. In fact, I think I might smell smoke. Do you smell that Probie?" The poor kid is just standing there watching our interaction. I need to break him in right or he's never gonna cut it with this shy stance about him.

"I think my ears are bleeding. Can you please just turn this off? I'm exhausted, and I still have pastries to complete before having to be back here at six in the morning."

She does look tired and I know she's been here working every day since she opened the shop. But that's not my problem. She chose this.

"I was sleeping too, Goldie, after not having slept for forty-eight hours so I'm not too appreciative of this alarm right now either." Letting out a breath, I decide, against my better judgment, to just pull the wire for the night. The alarm turns off and the peace that falls over the shop is instant. I see her sag against the counter, leaning on it with her hip that I would love to squeeze. I clench my fists and turn back to the wall, tucking the wire inside. Sure, she's hot but her attitude sucks.

"Thank you. What's your name again?"

I turn from the wall unit and begin to snarl but I stop myself mid-sentence when I see she's speaking to the new kid.

"Sully," he says his name quietly and she lays her hand on his forearm.

"I know your momma didn't give you the name Sully. What's your real name?"

He clears his throat. "Jace Sullivan. Sully for short." His soft demeanor makes my eyes roll.

"I'm sorry to pull you out of bed, Jace. I know it's late." He blushes and looks down. I see he's doing his best to avoid looking directly at her body so I'll give him credit for that at least.

"Probie! Let's go," I bark out, annoyed that she's thanking him when I'm the one who is here every time this damn alarm rings. I walk out without another word.