Stupid Cupid (Holiday Heartthrobs Novella Series Book 2)
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Chapter Eighteen
Cory
I had to walk away or I’d have said something I didn’t want to say, not yet anyway. While I knew where my head and heart were, Katie’s I wasn’t so sure about, and this secret we had hanging between us was killing me.
Why she still hadn’t told me about the baby, I had no clue. I should have handled it better than just walking away. I should have broken my silence on the subject, but at the same time, I wanted this to be on her own terms.
I was able to let it go since first finding out, figuring she would get to it the more time I spent with her, but I’d been at her place every day the last two weeks. We made love countless times and in countless ways, and still she was holding onto the baby secret.
I was beginning to think she wouldn’t say anything at all, either that or the kid wasn’t mine and she was scared to tell me. My jaw clenched at the thought of another man’s child growing in her, but I shook off the thought. It had to be mine because she was mine.
Over the next two days, I picked up some extra shifts. I needed to keep busy to keep away from her, and the best way to accomplish that was to work. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, my hope was that it was true in Katie’s case.
“You’re in a foul mood.” Boyd came into the weight room. I had weights on the bench press, sweat on my head as I rested between reps.
“Woman troubles.”
He smirked. “This have anything to do with the chick that broke her hand on your jaw?”
“Yeah.” I took a drink from my water bottle. “It has everything to do with her.”
“You’re lucky my friend. A woman like that doesn’t come around often. The fire and backbone – it’s a hot and rare quality. I’ve given up on finding it for myself.”
“Katie and I have been doomed from the get-go, Boyd. Not sure we will ever figure this shit out. Especially not now.”
“Why what’s changed?”
“She’s pregnant,” I said through gritted teeth, and with that bombshell, I laid back on the bench and started lifting again.
Boyd stood behind me, spotting even though I didn’t ask. He didn’t say a word or try to get me to talk – knowing it would be fruitless. He just let me finish my set – working out my body as I tried working things out in my mind.
When I set the bar back in its cradle, he asked the question I couldn’t one hundred percent give him an answer to. “Is it yours?”
“Logic tells me, yes, but there is a possibility it’s not if she was with another guy between our hookups.”
“What has she told you?”
“Not a damn thing. That’s part of the problem.” I threw the rag I’d been wiping my face with, my anger close to boiling over.
“How do you know she’s pregnant then?”
“I saw the damn test in the trash. That on top of the ‘stomach bug’,” I rolled my eyes, “that just won’t go away. I know the woman is pregnant, but she hasn’t said a word.”
“Have you tried confronting her?”
I gave my captain a deadpan look. “Yeah, I’ve thought about it many fucking times, but I want her to tell me.” I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. “I told myself I would give her to Valentine’s Day, and I’ve been going over there every damn day. Nothing, not a peep about the baby. Only lies about a stomach bug, and she hides the fact that she feels nauseous as best she can, but I see it.”
The alarm went off before Boyd could respond. We both jumped up, he headed for the truck, I grabbed my pants and shirt, throwing them on over my workout gear. My boots were unlaced and ready to slide into, and my tennis shoes were left forgotten on the weight room floor.
Chapter Nineteen
Katie
The first thing that registered in my foggy brain was the sirens, they were so loud like they were right on top of me. Cocoa’s barks were almost drowned out by the wail of them.
Not sleeping the last two days since Cory walked out of my house and seemingly out of our lives, I’d done nothing but cry and eat. Any time I tried to sleep, I’d see his face, hear his voice, or feel his touch, and I’d wake back up for another long cry session.
It got to the point where I stopped even trying to sleep. I just sat and mindlessly watched the TV. Tonight I’d tried to get some rest, I wanted to make myself stay asleep, so I asked the pharmacist what I could safely take.
A quick trip to the pharmacy, I came home with some melatonin tablets. He suggested I just take one since I was pregnant, and I agreed.
Within thirty minutes, I was out – too tired to even dream. I didn’t smell the smoke, I didn’t hear the alarms or the people in the streets. It wasn’t until the firetrucks arrived that I heard sirens – wailing through my dreams.
The strobe of the lights made me dizzy. I coughed at the smell of all the smoke. It made me want to gag. When the pieces of the puzzle started to come together, and I registered what was really happening, I got out of bed. My own fire alarm wasn’t going off. I just smelled smoke.
The door to my bedroom was open, so I peeked out into the living room – nothing. There was nothing. I grabbed Cocoa’s leash, my wallet, and my phone, and we went out the front door. It wasn’t my building on fire, thank God, but the building across the street was engulfed in flames.
Heat radiated from the building as flames tore through it. I saw families on the street, children crying and wrapped in their parents’ arms, devastation written across all of their faces. There were a few people being treated with oxygen in the back of an ambulance. Firefighters moving quickly working to clear buildings and battle the blaze.
I saw police officers going from home to home on my side of the street, evacuating everybody and getting them away from danger.
My hand went to my belly, knowing by instinct that he was over there. Cory was fighting those bright deadly flames that caused an eerie glow to the night sky. The hiss and sizzle of the fire eating at the structure was louder than I thought it would be. It roared, deadly and fierce.
It was in that moment I regretted not telling him about the baby when I’d had the chance, but even more – I regretted not telling him I loved him. “You better come back to me,” I said, sending up my words like a prayer.
I walked down the steps away from my apartment, shutting the door behind me. I went toward the officer who was guiding all my neighbors away to safety.
Some people were rubbernecking to see who was hurt or to see what was happening. I forced myself not to look. I didn’t want to catch a glimpse of Cory or see what it was he was dealing with right now. If I saw him, it’d confirm his being there, and the fear would really take hold. If I didn’t see him, I’d worry he was already searching the different apartments, putting his life on the line.
Chapter Twenty
Cory
It was bad. This dragon wasn’t going to be slayed quickly, and without manpower. They set off two more alarms, bringing in other trucks to help fight this beast. It was the biggest fire we’d had in months, and with it being an apartment building, we needed to put it out quickly before someone got hurt or worse.
The fact that it was so close to Katie’s apartment had me concerned, but I had to push her to the back of my mind as we prepared to enter the gates of hell. We had to start searching for anybody trapped. Teams of four would go building by building, two into each apartment. Boyd followed behind me as we headed through the first door.
The smoke was so black and thick that seeing was near impossible. Flames were licking up the sides of the walls, eating away at the building as we went through the first apartment. It was clear; everybody had made it out safe.
We marked the door and moved to the next. Systematically, we went through the buildings, one by one. It was the third building where we found a dog trapped inside. Boyd took to the front door and handed him off. The apartment was otherwise clear. “Building six is all clear,” I heard through the radio.
“That’s the last of it, boys. Get out.”
“Come on, Captain, help me get this son of a bitch off you,” I told him. Together we lifted the beam off him enough so he could slide his leg out. I pulled him up – wrapping his arm around my shoulder – supporting him as he limped his way to the door.
We were met by more guys, someone else got under his other arm, and we carried him away from the building to where medics were waiting.
They took him to the hospital and we went back to work, the team working as a cohesive unit. We had a job to do. Since the apartments were all clear, we battled the dragon from outside.
We had it under control and contained within an hour, and fully extinguished within a few hours. The sun was peeking through the skyline, and I looked toward Katie’s building as I drank from a bottle of water. I knew she wasn’t there – they evacuated everyone. She was probably at Robyn and Jim’s house by now.
“Boyd’s fine. Hairline fracture in his leg – he got lucky.” Jim had been at the scene but was on another truck. This was the first we’d been able to speak since I saw him out here with me.
“Yeah. Has his mom been notified?”
“Not yet. You want the honors?”
“Yeah. I was his wingman, so I’ll tell her. Katie at your place?”
“I’m sure. Haven’t gotten to check in with Robyn yet.”
“You know she will be pissed as hell if she’s watching the news.”
“She won’t watch the news.”
“Why?”
“Because first reports are typically misinformation. She could end up worrying about nothing, so she never watches the news. She waits to hear it from dispatch.”
I laughed. “Your wife is friends with the dispatch.”
“Yep. Every damn one of them. They don’t give her specifics, but they’ll tell her if I’m there or not.”
“And Robyn is good with that?”
“Hell no.” He laughed. “When I get back to the station, even before I shower, I call her. She worries until she hears my voice. I tried texting once, while I was in the shower my phone blew up with both phone calls and messages. She chewed my ass out for not calling.”
“But she deals with your job ok?”
“Yeah, for the most part. You worried about Katie dealing with this?”
I didn’t think Jim knew she was pregnant. He hadn’t said anything, which meant Robyn hadn’t told him, so I doubt Robyn even knew. No, Katie was holding onto this secret..
“Yeah,” I answered. The thought had crossed my mind that my job was an issue in why she hadn’t told me about the baby, but I decided against it. If my job was really an issue for her, she never would have let me touch her in the first place.
Chapter Twenty-One
Katie
They guided us all to the school a few blocks over. I checked in as I was told, giving them my address and telling them my house was clear.
Everybody was packed into the gym and cafeteria – anxiously awaiting news. A few kids came over to pet Cocoa. Her tail wagged happily at the attention. Other people had their pets on leashes too, it seemed they were at least a draw to distract the kids. There was no distracting the adults from what was going on, and now all we could do was wait.
Someone set up a TV and turned on the news. I heard that a firefighter had been injured, his condition and identity were as yet unknown. When the report ended, I ran to the bathroom. Cocoa followed right behind me.
I expelled the contents of my stomach tears ran down my face. When there was nothing left for me to throw up, I sat back against the wall, hugged my dog’s neck and cried into her shoulder.
There was nothing I wanted more than to go back a few weeks and tell Cory about our baby. Tell him I loved him – that I’d loved him a long time and never even realized it.
I enjoyed his picking on me because it meant I had his attention. He pursued me because I was the one to not fall at his feet – I challenged him. It was a dance, a game of give and take, only I’d been blind to it until I placed that bid.
I don’t know how long I sat there holding onto Cocoa like a lifeline. It was someone knocking on the stall asking if I was ok or if I was hurt that had me finally moving.
“I’m fine. Sorry.” I sniffed – pushing myself off the floor – I grabbed my stuff and unlocked the stall. The look on my boss’s face when I opened the door was of pure shock.
“Katie. Are you ok?”
Judy Daniels was one of the sweetest ladies you could ever meet. She was a kick ass boss to work for, and she loved and cared about our students, going above and beyond for every one of them.
“No, not really. Still a little in shock.”
“Were you just part of the evacuation or was your apartment destroyed?”
“The evacuation. The fire was across the street.”
“Did you know someone in the buildings across the street?”
“No, not really.” Confusion was written on her face. “My boyfriend,” I tried out the word describing Cory – I liked it, but it just felt off, like it didn’t totally fit him – he was so much more than that to me. “He’s a firefighter. I just worry.” I shrugged it off like it was nothing, but it wasn’t. I had things I needed to say to him, and I feared I wouldn’t get the chance.
Judy hugged me, telling me not to worry, but my pregnancy hormonal self, wouldn’t stop thinking of all the worst case scenarios. My phone rang in my purse, Robyn’s name flashed across the screen.
“Robyn.”
“Where are you?”
“They evacuated us to the school. Cocoa and I are here.”
“I’m coming to get you. Cory and Jim will meet us up at the hospital.”
“Cory,” I croaked out around a lump that rose up into my throat. “Is he ok?”
“Yeah, both Cory and Jim are fine. Captain Boyd broke his leg. They are going up there after they go pick up Boyd’s mom.”
“Thank God he’s ok. Was anybody else hurt?”
“No. He was the worst. A few residents are being treated for mild smoke inhalation, but nobody was seriously hurt or killed.”
“Ok. Thank you. I’ll meet you at the end of the block. We will have to take Cocoa to your house.”
“Alright, I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”
“Sounds good. See you soon.”
I leaned back against the tiled wall as relief flooded through me. He was safe. “See, everything is going to work out.”
“Yes, Judy. I think you’re right.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Cory
“He’s fine,” I said to Debbie the second she opened the door. Her face was already draining of color seeing me on her doorstep. “It’s just a broken leg.”
“Thank God.” She sagged against the door, her eyes squeezed tightly, a tear slipped from the corner of her eye and down her cheek.
“We’re here to take you to the hospital.”
“Yes. I’ll get my purse.” Boyd’s mother went quickly back in the house.
“She doesn’t age does she?”
“No. Robyn is convinced she’s a leprechaun.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but your wife is a little crazy.”
“A little? The woman is half mad but half mad isn’t a bad thing. She definitely keeps me on my toes.”
Debbie came back to the porch, her heavy jacket made her look twice her normal size, and the plum purple color made her long red hair pop in contrast.
She really was gorgeous. I know more than one of the boys at the station referred to her as the ultimate MILF, of course, they said it outside of Boyd’s earshot, but it was said.
One of the rookies made the mistake of commenting about her in front of Boyd, and he ended up with a black eye and cleaning the bathroom for
a month.
“Ready.”
I drove us to the hospital – Debbie’s hands were white-knuckled all the way there. We knew it would be fruitless to tell her that he was fine. She wouldn’t believe it until she saw him.
If anybody knew the pain of this life, it was Debbie and Rowan Boyd. His old man was killed in a fire when he was twelve. They had seen firsthand the devastation a life of service could rain upon a family. It makes you stronger or it destroys you. For them, they are two of the strongest people I’ve ever met.
I dropped Jim and Debbie off at the front doors before going to park my truck. When I went back to the ER, I found Jim, Robyn, and Katie in the waiting room.
“Hello, Kitten.” I wanted to take her in my arms, but I knew if I did now, we would probably be arrested for public indecency.
“Cory.” Our eyes held, so many emotions passing through hers and tears made them appear glassy.
She looked tired like she hadn’t slept well since I left her place a few days before. Maybe I shouldn’t have left that way, but at the same time, I couldn’t stand her lying to me anymore. The moment she came clean about the baby, I’d paddle her ass for taking so long to tell me, then fuck her through the night.
The tears in her eyes kept me from losing all control. I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t – not without telling her I knew what she was hiding. Instead, I sat beside her and pulled her into my lap and wrapped her in my arms.
“Shhhh. We’ll talk later,” I said, kissing her hair.
She sniffed against my neck and said the two words that send me from zero to sixty in two seconds flat. “Yes, Sir.”
I squeezed her and pulled her closer as we waited. I ignored the throbbing pressure in my dick. Now wasn’t the time, and this most certainly wasn’t the place. It wasn’t long before she fell into an exhausted sleep in my arms.
The waiting room filled with the guys from the station as we waited for Boyd to get finished up and released. One of the best things about our station is the brotherhood that comes with it. If one of us gets hurt, we all feel the loss and the pain. If one of us falls, we are there to help pick the family back up. It’s very much like having a second family.