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After enough time had passed, he let out a sigh of relief. They’d dodged the Dominic bullet. When word spread that Gretchen was pregnant, the path forward looked even more hopeful. No one was lurking out there ready to torpedo their relationship. Was it actually possible that they had a future together, him and Kendra?
He’d never felt so solid, so sure about himself. He was the damn fire chief, and he knew how to make Kendra happy. Those two things transformed him from the inside out. He loved being with Kendra, loved the way they laughed together, made love together, the way they could talk about anything and everything. Good God, it might be even more than that. Could it be…love?
Whatever it was, he didn’t want it to end.
He wanted this summer to last forever, too, but it was drawing to a close. Labor Day came, and Holly went back to school. The town began to empty out as the tourists went back to their regular lives. The days were still hot, but they didn’t last as long, and the nights were chilling down. At least, they were outside. Inside, with him and Kendra, they kept getting hotter.
One day in mid-September, Colleen poked her head into Jason’s office at the firehouse. “Got a minute?”
Damn it. He’d been in the middle of a hot text to Kendra. He raised a finger, telling her to wait a minute, then quickly finished his thought.
Want to make out in the fire truck later? I’ll show you how my fire hose works.
Kendra always cracked up over his ridiculous firefighting double-entendres.
As long as it gets me wet, I don’t need the details, she answered.
Okay then. Game on. He clicked his phone off and beckoned for Colleen to come in. She plopped down onto the chair facing the desk and crossed one ankle over her knee. Her silver-sprinkled dark hair hung in a braid down her back. She was in her late thirties, and one of the best volunteers on the crew. “I have a problem.”
“Okay.” All of his crew members seemed to have problems, and they all wanted to dump them on his shoulders. He couldn’t remember ever going to Thomas Cooper about his problems, so either he was doing something wrong or they had very different leadership styles. “How can I help?”
“I’m getting married.”
He squinted at her, puzzled. “Congratulations? That’s great news. Why is that a problem?”
“That’s not the problem. The crew is the problem. I’m getting married to a woman. I’m bisexual, as you probably know.”
“Didn’t know, don’t need to know.”
She shot him a skeptical look, then continued. “I’ve dated men and women, but then I fell in love and now I’m getting married.” Her chin was raised, as if she expected him to argue with her.
“Still not seeing the problem, or at least a problem I can solve. I’m happy for you.”
“Right, because some people won’t accept me and Lisa, and you can’t do anything about that.” She lifted her eyebrows at him. When he stared back blankly, she said, “You’re the fire chief now. You set the tone. You lead the way.”
“Right. Of course. I’ll make sure no one pulls any crap. If you have trouble with anyone, you tell me.”
“No, Jason. I need more than that.” She shifted her position and propped her elbows on her knees. “I wouldn’t ask this of any other boss, but I trust you. Lisa agrees. We want you to perform the ceremony.”
“Me?” He goggled at her. “I’m a fire chief, not a—”
“Can’t fire chiefs marry people? Just like ship captains and anyone who gets a license on the internet. If you marry us, the rest of the crew will fall in line.”
“Have you met our crew?” The volunteer firefighters were a motley and diverse bunch who loved nothing more than to tease each other mercilessly. As one of the few women, Colleen had dealt with everything from secret love letters to a midnight ukulele serenade. Some of the single guys were going to be crushed to learn she was off the market.
“A little teasing is one thing. I can handle that. You know I can. I can’t handle…” She paused, twisting her mouth to one side. “Outright rejection would hurt, that’s all. The crew is like another family, and my own family…”
She broke off again, swallowing hard. He wondered if he should go around his desk and give her a hug. But Colleen was a tough, capable firefighter who probably wouldn’t want to be babied.
“We’re not going to reject you, Colleen. You’re one of us. I’ll make sure everyone in this firehouse behaves professionally. And yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Whaaaat?” A shocked voice sounded from the direction of his office door. Brent was hovering just outside. “Jason’s getting married to Colleen!” he yelled toward the common room where the firefighters gathered.
Within seconds, his office was filled with what felt like half the department.
“Congratulations, man!” Erwin Brown crowed. “But damn, I owe Gavin some cash.”
“Right?” said Donnie O’Neill. “I had it all wrong. Fuck me. Happy for you both, but I’m gonna need a second job to pay up.”
