Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 72856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
I had to breathe shallowly because the pants I had on were ones I hadn’t worn since before nursing school two years before.
I’d gotten curious when I was unpacking some of my boxes that morning and had found them at the very bottom of one of the boxes.
After debating whether I should or not, I’d tried them on to see if they fit.
And, much to my surprise, they did.
Only, I was scared to bend over in them, and I couldn’t really take any deep breaths.
“How was work yesterday?” I asked, hoping to take my mind off the discomforting state of my pants.
I’d asked him last night, but he’d said he’d talk to me about it today.
I’d asked him to elaborate, but a call came through right then, and he hung up before I could press him on it further.
I was curious and wanted answers.
Not to mention that I’d forgotten to ask him this morning in my rush to help my mother.
Tai sighed.
“So we found out who the leak was in the department,” he said.
“Oh?” I asked curiously, turning in my seat so I could see him better.
He nodded. “Turns out it wasn’t anyone that worked there, it was the wife of one of the guys.”
My brows rose.
“Elaborate,” I ordered, snapping my fingers in his direction.
He snorted but continued.
“It was Fatbaby’s wife.”
My mouth dropped open.
“What?” I crowed in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
He nodded. “Fatbaby’s wife asks him to go into detail about his day, and he’s learned over time that it’s easier just to give her the information she wants so she doesn’t make his life a living hell.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“What I mean is that, his wife is a bitch. Their relationship is the weirdest one that I’ve ever seen,” he said. “His wife gives my ex-wife a run for her money in the race for the title of the most nasty, bitchy wife.”
“Oh,” I said. “How did you figure out what was going on?”
Tai turned left and headed to the diner where we were meeting Bowe and Masen.
“Fatbaby did,” he answered. “He was talking to his wife on the phone about a fire last night, when he got this suspicious look on his face. He said goodbye to her and immediately went and signed into her email on a hunch. Low and behold, he found emails back and forth between not just the reporter she’s been giving information to but also the lovely secretary at Jenner’s Heating and Air.”
I blinked.
“You’re shitting me.”
He shook his head. “Afraid not.”
Shit.
“Shit,” I repeated what I’d been thinking.
“That about sums it up,” he agreed. “I’ve never seen Fatbaby so mad before.”
“What’s his real name?” I asked curiously.
The name ‘Fatbaby’ was a huge mouthful, and honestly, he didn’t look like he liked the name all that much.
“Aaron Sims,” he answered. “Why?”
I rolled my eyes.
Why wouldn’t someone want to know the man’s real name?
“Do y’all think he likes the name?” I asked.
Tai shrugged like he could care less whether he liked it or not.
“I don’t know. If he doesn’t like it, he needs to say something. I didn’t like when they called me Chief, as in an Indian chief, so I told them to stop, and they did. If it really bothered him, he’d say something,” Tai said, making it sound like it wasn’t a big deal at all. “Plus, firefighters as a whole have to have a release somewhere, and we get that by joking around with the men and women on our teams.”
“You have women on your shifts?” I asked.
He shrugged as he pulled into the diner’s parking lot.
“Every once in a while Baylee and Winter get put on our shift if someone’s out, but as a whole, no we don’t,” he answered as he backed the truck into a space and put it into park.
“Why not?” I asked.
He lifted one shoulder in a shrug and got out, walking around the truck and opening my door before I even got my seatbelt undone.
He offered me his hand and I took it, dropping down the twelve feet to the asphalt below.
Okay, it probably wasn’t twelve feet, but it was damn close.
Okay, it wasn’t close at all…still.
Once I had my balance, he smacked my ass and guided me in front of him.
I glared at him over my shoulder.
“To answer your earlier question,” he said. “I don’t know why there aren’t more. There are plenty in Longview. I’m guessing that it’s because we’re a smaller town, and they just don’t apply for the job.”
“Mmm,” I said. “Interesting.”
“Why?” He asked.
I shook my head.
“No reason. I’m just really curious is all.”
Tai held the door open for me and I stepped inside, looking around the diner for Masen and Bowe.
When I didn’t see them, I smiled at the hostess…who glowered at me.
Mother fucker.
Would this ever stop?
“Four please,” Tai said, his body tense at my side.