Up In Flames (Flirting with Fire Book 2)
Page 27
“I won’t have to put up with you much longer since I’m retiring in a couple of months, so, yes. You’re here. Let the next chief deal with you.”
Wow. The chief’s change of heart completely floored him. “Thank you, sir.”
“Don’t look at me like you want to hug me. Now get out of my office before I change my mind.”
Reece didn’t like the man, but at the moment, he actually would consider hugging him. Maybe he’d been touched by the holiday spirit.
Instead, he pushed out of the chair with a newfound lightness. He wasn’t completely screwed over. Well, besides the whole thing with Sloane, but he’d push that to the corners of his mind for now.
Jake and Hollywood were in the kitchen when Reece came out of the chief’s office. Hollywood was spreading Miracle Whip across a toasted hoagie roll while Jake diced up the cooked chicken.
“Chief bend you over his desk and give you twenty lashings with a ruler?” Jake asked.
Hollywood licked the remnants of Miracle Whip off the knife and tossed it into the sink. “From the look on his face, I think he went with an open palm.”
“Yeah, he does have that afterglow to him,” Jake said.
Reece leaned against the fridge, still floored by the turn of events. From what the chief had told him. “You assholes really put in for a lateral transfer?”
Jake nodded. “No use splitting up a good team.”
Reece’s throat tightened. What had he done to deserve friends like this? And Sloane . . . she’d gone to bat for him even when he’d turned her away and ignored her calls.
“Thanks,” he said, his voice strained.
“Don’t leave us hanging here. What did he say?” Hollywood asked.
“I have my job back. He’s canceled the transfer.”
Hollywood clapped him on the back. “Good to have your grumpy ass back.”
“I think this calls for some celebratory beers after Christmas,” Jake said.
Reece nodded. He’d need more than one.
“Did he say what changed his mind?” Jake asked.
“Your threats, and I guess Sloane scared him into submission.”
Hollywood took a bite of his sandwich. “She does do that good crazy eye. I bet she pulled that on him.”
The workings of a smile twitched at his lips. Anyone who knew her would know it was all a front. But the thought of her here, fighting for his job, made something in his chest shift. He shouldn’t have yelled at her.
Everything in him screamed to take the easy way out and shoot her a quick text that said thank you. But that was cheap. She at least deserved to talk face-to-face.
He pulled out his phone.
Reece: Do you have time to talk tomorrow?
Sloane: Yeah. Let me know when you get off shift, and I’ll head over.
He closed his phone. This was a disaster in the making, but a disaster worth fighting for.
Chapter Thirty
Erin: OMG, GUYS. I HAVE NEWS.
Sloane’s heart went into overdrive. She’d been staring at her phone all morning, waiting for Reece to text that he was ready to talk. Once she pushed past the initial disappointment of the message not being from him, she opened up the group chat with Erin and Madison.
Madison: Okay . . . care to share?
Erin: LOOK.
A picture came through of a sparkly solitaire diamond ring surrounded by dozens of tiny diamonds. Happiness welled in her chest to think that her best friend was going to spend the rest of her life with the man she loved.
Sloane: OMGGGGGGGGGGG!
Madison: Ah! Congrats <3
Madison: Also, we told you so.
Sloane: Totally did. So happy for you, sweetie.
Sloane’s heart swelled. Just as she suspected, an engagement before the New Year. She couldn’t wait to see the ring in person. To give her best friend a hug, to share that bit of happiness. She needed it after the crappy past couple of days.
Erin: Get on over here so we can all celebrate together.
Madison: Will be over soon.
Sloane: Same.
As soon as she heard from Reece.
Sloane wrung her fingers as she waited for Reece to text her back, that he was ready to talk. She’d never been one to lament, or stare at her phone, wondering when a boy would call. Then again, she’d never felt this way about a man before. Or shamelessly begged a boyfriend’s boss to reconsider their transfer request. She didn’t even know if it had done any good.
For the first time in her life, it didn’t feel like Christmas. Besides Erin’s epically good news. Even so, she didn’t feel like spreading her holiday Scroogeness.
Her phone buzzed on her table, and she jumped, grabbing it and opening the text.
Reece: I’m ready.
In warp speed, Sloane grabbed her keys from the counter and went to open her door. And immediately came face-to-face with Reece. Or, more accurately, face-to-chest. Her first instinct was to crumple into him, for his strong arms to wrap her in a hug. To press her nose into his shirt and inhale his scent. A lump formed in her throat at the thought that this might never happen again. And she wouldn’t blame him.
“I think I still see the dust you kicked up from sprinting to the door.”
She planted her hands on her hips. “Did you come here to mock me?” Because that would be so Reece. Find a way to rub salt in the wound. This time it was one that he’d left. All because of her stupid actions.
His gaze softened. “No. I came to talk to you.”
“I’m so sorry, Reece.” She didn’t know if it’d worked or not, talking to his boss, but she figured she couldn’t have made it any worse. She’d do anything to get his job back. Jump through flaming hoops, hike the Pacific Crest Trail in nothing but Birkenstocks and her birthday suit, sit through fifty million horrible dinners with all the Aarons of the world. Tears threatened to spill over, but she blinked them back.
“I know you are. And I shouldn’t have freaked out on you.”
“You had every right to. I ruined your job. Now you’re going to be split up from Jake and Cole, and it’s all my fault.”
That was what she regretted most. Losing him was devastating, but to think of him unhappy going to work with people he didn’t know, the man who loved routine, made her heart clench.
“I’m not going to be transferred. It seemed a very determined blue-haired woman had a talk with my chief and convinced him to let me stay. Do you know anyone who fits that description?”
“They obviously have a great choice in hair color.”
He shook his head, his brows pinching together. “Why did you do that for me?”
She swallowed past the dryness in her mouth. How could he even ask that? After she’d screwed things up for him so badly. “Reece.” Her voice cracked. “I’d do anything for you.” It was in that moment she realized how true that statement rang.
“I know. And I should have let it go earlier. I’m sorry for being a complete asshole.” He let out a long, drawn-out sigh. “I just can’t seem to do anything right when it comes to you.”
“You do. I’ve been too hard on you. You wouldn’t have even been in this predicament if I hadn’t bid on you at the auction.”
He shook his head. “It’s the best thing you could have done.” He smoothed a finger down her cheek. “It brought us together.”
“I promise to never send drunk emails to your boss again.”
He chuckled. “I’d like that. And now I think it’s time to celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?”
“Christmas.” He motioned to the decorations on her door as if to say, Duh. “My whole family is waiting for you.”
She nodded. “I’d love that.”
He grabbed her hips and pulled her to him, his mouth a soft caress over her jaw, planting light kisses along her skin. “Sloane?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
She smiled against his chest. “I love you too.”
O
ne year later . . .
“Open the present!” Reece said.
Sloane snuggled against Reece in the Jenkinses’ living room. Peaches was curled up at Sloane’s feet, gnawing on a piece of wrapping paper. Jake and Erin were cuddled up on the couch, talking with Reece’s mom about their upcoming nuptials in May. Madison sat on the floor with Bailey and Andie, talking tech stuff and Andie’s first few months at PSU. Later that day, Sloane and Reece would be boarding a plane to visit her parents in Florida and staying there until the New Year.
Reece handed her the last present under the tree, a large package that squished under her touch.
“What is it?” she asked.
He shook his head and smiled. “Just open it.”
She tore at the package and unfolded a soft blanket with a picture of Sloane, Reece, and Peaches on the front. The top read BEST FOSTER DOG FAMILY.
Family. She liked the sound of that.
Over the past year, she and Reece had grown closer, and she’d moved into his apartment. They were moving next month into the house on Mississippi. The one with the purple door and the heart-engraved shutters.
She turned the blanket over and found a huge picture of Blake Shelton.
Peaches scurried away, hiding behind Madison.
“You pick a side, depending on if we want her up on the couch or not,” he said.
“This is perfect for the new house.” They’d bought the Craftsman last month, and the sale had gone off without a hitch.
She turned the blanket over and called Peaches back.
“You know what would be even more perfect?” he asked, whispering in her ear. She shivered, thinking of all that his deep voice promised.
She scooted around to face him. “What?”
“If you’d be my wife.” He pulled a box out of his back pocket and opened it up, revealing a princess-cut diamond ring with deep sapphires lining the band. It was perfect. “You are the absolute best thing to ever happen to me. You’re my best friend.”
“Hey, I thought I was your best friend,” Jake said.
Erin smacked Jake on the chest. “Let the man propose.”
Reece shook his head and smiled. “Please make me the luckiest man in the world. I want to live the rest of my life with you.”
She nodded, tears streaming down her face. “Yes.”
He slid the ring on her finger, and it fit perfectly. “I love you.”
His lips met hers in a warm, languid kiss. “I love you too,” she said.
Erin, Andie, Bailey, Madison, and Mrs. Jenkins all swarmed around her, looking at the ring and pulling her into a hug.
Life may have a few curveballs in store, but she’d be ready for them. Especially since she’d have Reece by her side.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, I’d like to thank my fantastic editor, Maria Gomez. I will forever be grateful for you and your support. A huge thank-you to Andrea Hurst, who always manages to push my writing to the next level. Eternal gratitude to Colleen, Devan, Elise, Brittany, Gabby, and the rest of the team for making the whole publishing process so smooth.
Thank you to my readers. You are the reason I sit down at my computer each day.
A huge thank-you to firefighters Brian Mintie and Andrew Burg for answering my questions. Any mistakes are completely my own.
Chanel, Lia, and AJ—I may not get half the pop culture references you throw around, but thanks for putting up with my Rose ways. I’d be lost without you three.
Danielle—thank you for being a great PA and friend.
And to my family—I love you. Thank you for always supporting me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2012 Leahana Byrd
Jennifer Blackwood is the USA Today bestselling author of the contemporary romance series The Rule Breakers, Snowpocalypse, and Flirting with Fire. Jennifer writes funny and warm novels, as well as sizzlingly sexy romances. When she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out at coffee shops and in the planner aisle of Michaels.
Jennifer lives in Oregon with her son, a husband who reminds her that happily ever afters do happen in real life, and an adorable (but poorly behaved) black Lab. For more information on Jennifer and her books, visit her website at www.JenniferBlackwood.com, or follow her on Twitter (@Jen_Blackwood) and Facebook (@AuthorJenniferBlackwood).