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“Well, first, answer mine,” Beck teased.
“I’m not married. Dating doesn’t work out that well as a hotshot firefighter.”
Beck shook his head vigorously. “Now, see that’s where you’re wrong. Graham’s happily married, I’m happily married, so is Cade.”
Cade rolled his eyes as he patted Beck on the shoulder and kept walking.
“Good to know.” I finished off my sandwich and took a swallow of coffee. “That’s some damn good coffee.” I lowered the cup to the table, studying the distinctive red cup with Firehouse Café emblazoned on the side.
Beck was still on the topic of marriage. “You just need to find the right person.”
“Are you giving me dating advice now?” I asked.
Graham laughed at my side. “He most certainly is.”
My thoughts spun back to Tish and our startlingly intimate encounter last night. I didn’t need to find the right woman, but I could definitely use some advice. Not yet though.
“I guess I know who to go to when I need that,” I finally said.
Beck grinned widely. “I’m your guy.”
I let out a wondering laugh. “He always like this?” I addressed Graham.
“Usually. All joking aside, Beck’s as good as they come, and his advice is usually spot on. I don’t like admitting it, but I will.”
Beck was beaming when I looked over at him again. After that, Graham took me around and introduced me to a few others in the station, lastly taking me out front to introduce me again to Maisie. She promptly handed me a sheaf of paperwork. “I know you already worked for the state up in Fairbanks, and in Fireweed Harbor, but —”
I cut in, “New location, new documentation. No need to apologize.”
Maisie’s dimples appeared with her smile. “I like you,” she announced. “You don’t have to do it all right now. You can take it home. Just get it to me by next week.”
I texted Tish to check in during the day. I could practically feel her blush through her text when I told her the night before had been incredible. Despite my impatience, I knew I needed to put the ball firmly in her court. The depth of my feelings for her wasn’t logical by any stretch. They never had been, all the way back to when we first met on the side of the highway.
I forced myself to focus on work. Although we weren’t out fighting fires, there was plenty to focus on with meeting various people at the station and getting the lay of the land. I told myself I would go ahead and deal with the pesky HR paperwork. I knew it would take me longer than most.
I was just sitting down at the break table in the kitchen area when Graham plunked down in a chair across from me, resting his elbows on the table. “So, we have a few positions to fill. I’m assuming you want to be part of the interviews.”
I glanced up. As one of the leads on the crew, this was part of the deal. “I’d love to, if I’m not stepping on anyone’s toes.”
“Nope. It’s you and me leading the crew. I want your take. I asked Maisie to shuffle through the applications. As I’m sure you know, there’s a shortage of wildland firefighters. Although, lots of people like coming to Alaska. Should I tell her to set up a few interviews for us?”
“Go for it. My schedule is open until we head out into the field, which you know.”
Graham flashed a grin before tipping his head to the side. “I like you.”
“That’s a good thing, seeing as we’re going to spend a lot of time together.”
Graham clapped me on the shoulder as he stood from the table. Beck was approaching from the hallway. “Before you know it, Beck’ll be trying to set you up with somebody.”
“Aside from being nosy, he’s a matchmaker?” I teased.
Jonah came out of the hallway, pausing by the table. I’d met him about an hour prior after he finished working out. “Oh, he is,” he replied with a snort.
“He can focus on somebody other than me. What about you?”
Jonah rolled his eyes. “Already married. Love her.”
Beck’s cell phone rang. “Oh, shit.” He glanced at the screen. “I gotta roll. Picking up one of the kids from daycare, and I almost spaced it.”
