Page 42 of The Fire Captain's Unexpected Baby
“Noah’s teacher seemed nice enough,” I say. “But she also had no qualms about sending him home with a stranger, so…”
“Small town.” Levi shrugs. “I don’t think anyone has ever been in danger of being kidnapped here.”
“Different where I come from,” I volunteer. “Crime is high, and you just don’t take chances like that with a kid.”
“Must be an adjustment, moving to Crown Hill.”
“You have no idea.” I take a big swig from my cup to save me from having to explain immediately. “But I’m not complaining. Actually, I like it here. The city never suited me.”
“Well, small-town living looks good on you,” Levi laughs. He claps me on the shoulder, stands up, and heads toward the kitchen. “Gonna look for some breakfast before I fill out end-of-shift paperwork.”
I take his cue and head to my office. The captain position means that there’s always something to catch up on: requests for equipment, policy updates, procedural questions, and staff complaints. Levi has it worse as a superintendent, but I field everything before it gets to him.
The men change shifts, and I stay in the office, head down for a couple of hours.
“I’m going to head over to the café for coffee,” I tell the guys when I emerge with bleary eyes. “Anyone want some?”
They jot down their orders with reminders that I should know how everyone takes their coffee by now. The walk to the café is pleasant, the breeze blowing against my face. A waitress takes the scribbled list while I sit on a barstool and wait.
“I know you,” a gruff voice says from behind me.
Before I can turn around to see who it is, the old man sidles up to the barstool and takes a seat.
“Mr. Oakley.” I recognize him from the hospital room after Zachary’s wedding, the first night I ever got to kiss Paige. “Good to see you up and moving.”
He mumbles something unintelligible, but it sounds an awful lot like “Not an old man.”
Louder, he says, “Thanks to your lady friend.”
I raise my eyebrows, not sure what Paige might have told him. The two of them are obviously close. But close enough for him to know that we’re sleeping together?
“She’s different these days,” he adds, friendlier now. “Seems lighter than she did before. I have a soft spot for her and her boy.”
“Me too.” I turn to look him in the eye. Something tells me I have to pass this test if I want to get to the next level with Paige. He means something to her. “Noah is something special.”
“Paige takes good care of me,” Mr. Oakley says thoughtfully. “I would like to think that there’s someone out there taking care ofher. You know what I mean?”
“I think she has a lot of people watching out for her.” I keep my cards close to my chest. Paige wants casual, which means she probably did not want me to tell Mr. Oakley how much I want to take care of her.
“One more couldn’t hurt,” he points out. The waitress hands me a cardboard tray of carryout coffees. “Looks like you have somewhere to be.”
“Duty calls.” I smile at him. “It was good to see you. I hope we’ll cross paths again soon.”
Mr. Oakley doesn’t acknowledge the last part, turning all of his attention to the coffee and bacon the waitress brings him.
“Take care of yourself, Aaron,” he says when I’m halfway out the door.
So, hedoesknow my name. Paige must talk about me when she’s with him.
I carry that lightness with me back to the station, biding my time until I can see her again.
* * *
Paige
As much fun as it has been taking care of puppies, I’m more than ready to return them to Megan. Before Noah gets attached to them even more than he already is. Puppies equal commitment, and I have been crystal clear with everyone that I’m not ready.
The puppies yip and whine in the back of the car, tumbling over each other while Noah giggles at them.
