by Ashlyn Chase
“Shit,” the lieutenant muttered as he jogged around the corner to where the pole was. “Probies, follow me.”
Chloe and Ryan grabbed for the pole at the same time. He stepped back and gestured toward it. “After you.”
“Ah, no. You go first,” Chloe said. “I insist.”
The lieutenant’s voice boomed up toward them, “Is there a problem, Fierro?”
“No, sir,” he called down. He nodded to Chloe and she rolled her eyes, then grasped the pole and disappeared down below.
There was something going on between Fierro and Arish. John was sure of it. Some kind of not-so-friendly competition, and yet he seemed ready to jump in and defend her.
Haggarty hadn’t been at this station very long and hadn’t worked with the other female—or any female for that matter. He had transferred in when the woman was promoted.
And having women out of the way was the way he liked it.
* * *
The call turned out to be a false alarm. One of the area hotels had a smoke detector malfunction. Still, the fire department had to be sure, so they did a thorough check of the place. A lot of area businesses required regular inspections anyway, so it was good for Chloe to see what that entailed.
When they pulled back into the fire station, the lieutenant asked to see them both in the captain’s office.
“Are we in trouble, sir?” Chloe asked.
“Not at all. I just want to address something before it becomes an issue. The other guys have already heard it, so you two are the only ones I need to talk to.”
She relaxed and followed him into an office strewn with paperwork and fluttering bulletin boards.
The lieutenant took a seat by one of the desks facing the window. Then he pointed out a couple of chairs they could drag over.
“Get comfortable. This is about having a female firefighter on the crew,” the lieutenant said.
“Oh.” Chloe was surprised. She thought…well, she didn’t really know what to think. She’d hoped to be treated like any other firefighter.
“Relax, Arish. There’s nothing especially wrong with having a woman around.”
Nothing especially wrong?
“But there are factors that need to be acknowledged,” he continued. He nodded to Ryan. “In your father’s day, a female firefighter was rare. The few we have now still face some prejudice at times, and it’s best to just get it out there.”
The lieutenant stretched out with his hands clasped behind his head, as if settling in for a long discussion. “As far as we know, the first woman to be paid for fighting fires was Sandra Forcier, who was hired as a public safety officer—a combination police officer and firefighter—by the City of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1973.”
“’73, sir?” Ryan exclaimed. “Not until 1973?”
“That’s right. Forcier moved into a fire-only position four years later. Battalion Chief Forcier, now Waldron, retired from Winston-Salem in 2004.”
He paused and looked directly at Chloe. “A lot of women have bravely faced situations that people have previously considered a man’s responsibility. And that’s what I’m addressing now. It’s not your fellow firefighters, but the public at large who may view you with anything from awe to distrust.”
She nodded slowly. “I never gave much thought to the public not trustin’ me, sir.”
“I know. The first time it happens, don’t be shocked. Sometimes people in danger blurt out all kinds of stupid things. I don’t think you have to worry about the guys here. They know you can do the job. You wouldn’t be here if you couldn’t.”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know about that, sir. I’ve learned she can do the job, but the other guys haven’t had a chance to see her in action yet.”
“Throughout training each of you were watched and tested carefully. The guys all know this, because they’ve been through it. And if women wash out, quite often it’s because of their own fears and doubts.”
“I have no doubts, sir.”
“And from what I’ve seen,” Ryan interjected, “very little fear.”
She turned and smiled at him. It was the first time he’d ever acknowledged her bravery. He didn’t know about her natural advantage—namely being a fireproof dragon—but it was still good to hear.
“So, you trust me now?” she asked.
“With my life.”
The lieutenant smiled, apparently satisfied that any rivalry he’d been warned about between these two wouldn’t cause a problem.
“And I trust you, with mine,” Chloe said. But not with my heart.
* * *
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Ryan asked.
Chloe had her gym bag over her shoulder and laughed. “Why? Did that little hotel fire yesterday tucker you out?”
He grinned. “What fire?”
“Exactly. I thought a big city like this would be a lot busier.”
“I know from listening to family members that it can be crazy busy. Sitting around and waiting for something to happen was the hardest thing about yesterday.”
“I’m looking forward to the physical exercise,” Chloe said.
“Me too.” He held open the door for her.
She had almost given up on trying to change his “ladies first” mentality. It seemed as if that was ingrained in his makeup. Obviously he’d had no sisters who were willing to run up and over his back to be first.
“So, what do you think of this twenty-four hours on and four days off schedule?” he asked as they waited for the elevator.
She laughed. “Yeah, the schedule is feckin’ crazy. But I guess we hit it right. It could just as easily have been three or four days round the clock, and then a day off.”
“That would have been fine by me. I get bored easily.”
The elevator arrived and they stepped inside. Chloe didn’t address his comment. It was hard to tell if it was his competitive nature again, or if he just meant it as an innocent comment.
She would see if his competitive streak showed itself again soon enough. They changed in their respective locker rooms and met at the weightlifting equipment.
As she spotted him, he lifted more weight than she thought the average man could manage. But Ryan was proving he was anything but average.
The weight he kept adding to the barbells was bordering on ridiculous. His skin glistened with a fine sheen of sweat, and she couldn’t help noticing his muscles. Damn it all, her mouth watered. Don’t drool, Chloe. He has enough of an ego without you feeding it.
At last it was her turn. He started removing the weights, and she said, “Leave ’em.”
He cocked a brow. “Seriously? You think you can lift this?”
“I can.”
He smirked. “All right, princess. I’ll let you try…but just so you know, I’m going to hover. You don’t need an injury before your next shift.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Hover all you want. I’m tellin’ you, I can do this.”
As he stood behind her and she lay on the bench below the barbell, he chewed his lower lip. Ah, a tell. Now she knew when he was nervous.
Her toned arms looked even leaner as she reached for the barbell.
“Don’t,” he said and clamped his hand over the middle of the bar.
“Excuse me? It’s my turn.”
“I know, but I can’t let you do this. Even if you did manage to lift it, the strain isn’t worth it. You need your arm strength for the job.”
At that moment a woman appeared, dressed as if she were auditioning for a remake of the ’80s movie Flashdance—complete with leg warmers and a poofy perm.
“I need to speak with you, miss,” she said.
“I’m in the middle of—”
“Now!” The woman grabbed her hand and all but yanked her off the bench, then mar
ched her to the ladies’ locker room. When they saw a couple of women chatting, the staff member barked, “Leave!” They immediately scurried out.
“Jaysus, there’s no need to be—”
Suddenly the woman transformed into none other than Mother Nature herself. Her hair turned white, long, and loose, and she wore her signature ivory robe, belted with a vine.
Chloe gasped. She had only met the deity once, but it was a meeting she’d never forget. One isn’t often lectured by the Goddess of all. And here she was, almost breaking the rule she’d been lectured about.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
When she recovered her decorum, Chloe answered, “Defending the right of women to be as strong as a man.”
Mother Nature paced, staring at her with narrowed eyes. “Are you an ‘idjit,’ as your people would say?”
Chloe folded her arms. “Not a’tall.”
“I beg to differ. What if I had been a real staff member? Without the muscle to back up your ability, you’d reveal that you’re supernatural. You know that’s not allowed.”
“I—I…”
“Yeah. I-yi-I! Not. Good. Downright stupid.”
“I get it! You don’t have to insult me intelligence.”
“Oh, I think I do. If I were sweet about it, would you listen?” She mockingly said in a meek voice, “If it’s not too much trouble…that is, if you wouldn’t mind…would you kindly refrain from trying to show your strength?”
Chloe had to agree. She’d steamroll a request like that and do whatever she wanted. And she wanted to show Ryan she was his equal.
“I understand your competitive nature. Hell, I gave it to you! I thought women might need it, being the smaller, gentler sex.”
“So you knew we’d have to prove we’re equal?”
Mother Nature rolled her eyes. “Again. Just who do you think you’re talking to?”
“Oh.”
“Now, go out there and take at least half the weight off that barbell. If you can’t do that, make up an excuse to leave.”
Chloe sighed. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll make up an excuse and go home.”
Mother Nature’s eyes widened and she rose about a foot off the floor. “I hate being called ma’am! It’s Goddess, or Gaia, or Mother Nature. Understand?”
“I do. My apologies, Goddess.”
She nodded and floated to the floor again. “That’s better.” She patted Chloe on the head. “Now be a good little dragon and pretend to be normal.”
Oh, that rankled. But when dealing with the Goddess of All, the least of her problems was a little patronizing behavior—or would it be matronizing? Whatever. The woman could reduce her to ash if she wanted to. Her fireproof gift could be removed in the blink of an eye, and then where would she be? Reduced to competing with the others on a human basis. Ugh.
Chloe changed into her street clothes and found Ryan. She waved her cell phone. “Sorry. I got a call from my brother. Apparently he needs me right away.”
“Oh. Sure,” Ryan said as he put the free weights back in the rack. “Just give me a minute to change and I’ll drive you home.”
“Not necessary. I can find my way.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind leaving early. Maybe I can help.”
“Ah, no. It’s a family matter. I’ll see you at work in a few days.”
When she saw the disappointed look on his face, she impulsively invited him to their session at the Boston Uncommon Tea Room the following night. During training she had told him that her family formed a small Irish folk band and he’d said he liked that kind of music.
Now she had to think up a plausible family emergency and ask Rory and Shannon to play along.
* * *
Ryan walked up to Chloe at the tearoom before finding a seat—if he could. The place was packed. “You know, I was surprised you invited me here. I thought you were hiding your family. Maybe you have a crazy uncle in the attic or something…”
She laughed. “No. The crazy one is me.” She gestured to her brother and sister. “Rory, Shannon, this is one of my fellow firefighters, Ryan Fierro.”
“Ah, Ryan,” Rory said as he shook his hand. “A good Irish name.”
Ryan chuckled. “I don’t think I have a drop of Irish blood running through my veins. I was named for a firefighter who saved my father’s life when he was on the job.”
Shannon shook his hand. “Sounds like an interesting story. We Irish love stories. You’ll have to tell us all about it sometime.”
He smiled. “I’d be glad to. I just have to get Chloe to invite me to your home sometime.”
“Oh, well that may be—”
To his surprise, Chloe clapped a hand over her sister’s mouth. “Impossible. Me sister lives out of state. And she doesn’t have a big enough place to host everyone.”
Shannon peeled Chloe’s hand off. “I can speak for meself, if you don’t mind.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow at her sister. “Maybe I do mind.”
Rory sighed. “Jaysus, girls. Leave it.” He turned to Ryan and said, “I have a place that’s plenty large enough to host a family dinner. We’ll have Chloe tell you when. I assume she knows your schedule.”
Under her breath Chloe muttered, “Now you’ve gone an’ done it.”
Ryan raised his brows. “I’m being invited to dinner?” He stared at Chloe. She nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Sure. I’d love to come. My schedule is the same as your sister’s.”
“Grand. I’ll tell Amber when she gets here later. She’s on a short errand.”
Chloe pointed to an empty seat. “Ah. Someone just left. You’d better grab his chair before someone else comes in.”
Ryan excused himself and took the chair across the room. He noticed Chloe whispering furiously to her brother, but with the background noise competing, he couldn’t hear what was being said. At last, Rory held up his hand and the place quieted.
“Good evenin’ to you, one and all,” he said. “Tonight we’re goin’ to play a selection of our favorite songs. Some you may know, so feel free to sing along. First up is ‘My Wild Irish Rose.’”
Ryan thought Chloe certainly fit the song’s title. He didn’t know the words, but many in the room did. They sang along with Rory’s melodious low voice.
It was a love song. He was sure of that much. Chloe peeked up from her flute once, then glanced off in another direction. When the lyrics spoke of the singer hoping someday to take her flower, Chloe’s face reddened.
Could she be a virgin? That thought startled him. Yet the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. She was prickly around any man who hit on her. And even though she was beautiful, not many tried. She gave off a “leave me alone” vibe that was unmistakable.
Crap. Did he want to be the one to “take her flower”?
After an hour of watching her handle the flute, violin, and tin whistles with such reverence and love, he realized he did. As soon as she settled in at the job and relaxed, he was sure she’d lose that brittle edge.
After their set, Rory brought Amber over to him and introduced them. “Amber’s me luv, and she decides how many she’ll cook for.”
Amber’s hazel-green eyes twinkled. They weren’t the same green as Chloe’s light jade. “Chloe is coming over tomorrow night, anyway, and we’d love to have you.”
“Well, thank you for the offer…but does Chloe want me to come?” Yikes. I just heard myself.
Amber smiled. “Chloe doesn’t know what she wants when it comes to guys. I think you’d be good for her—even if you’re just her friend.”
He took a deep breath. “I can be that to her.” With benefits.
“Good,” Rory said. “We’ll see you at seven. Do you know where we live?”
“Ah, no. I’ve offered to drive Chloe home, but she prefers to walk.”
“That she does,” Rory said. “I worry about her, even knowin’ she can take care of herself.”
“That seems to be a theme with her.”
Rory laughed. “You’ve got the right of it.”
Amber put her hand on Ryan’s arm. “You may be just what she needs. Perhaps you can take her home tonight.”
“I took the subway, but I can certainly walk her home and catch it at Copley.”
“That would be grand,” Rory said. “I’d feel better if she had an escort.” He winked at Amber. “My lass will see me home as she usually does.”
* * *
Chloe couldn’t believe Rory and Amber were playing matchmaker. They knew full well there would be no long-term lover in her future. She avoided heartbreak by avoiding short-term relationships in the present.
But Ryan said he needed to know where she lived, so she’d take him to her brother’s stoop and never mention she lived next door. At least he wouldn’t show up at paranormal central. It was bad enough that her brother and his intended were supernatural beings, but at least they knew enough to keep that to themselves. Chloe had seen her neighbors assume everyone entering the paranormal club on the second floor had to be supernatural whether they knew it was true or not.
So far, they hadn’t been wrong, but if they saw Ryan and assumed… Well, a mistake like that would be awkward to say the least.
When they arrived at Rory and Amber’s Beacon Street brownstone she turned and said, “Well, here it is…”
He looked up and whistled. “What a beautiful building. I understand why you enjoyed your time renovating it.”
“How do you know I enjoyed it?”
He smiled at her. “By the nostalgic look in your eyes when you talk about the work you did, and the sadness in your voice when you say it’s finished.”
She stared at the sidewalk and nodded. “To be sure.”
He tipped her chin up. “Your brother and Amber must have been grateful for your help and proud of the work you did.”
“They are, but heck, I’m proud of meself.”
He was quiet. Too quiet. “Is something wrong?” she asked.
“No. I just…” He took a deep breath. “I know we don’t know each other very well—yet.” He smiled. “But I really, really want to kiss you right now.”