And ultimately, Jamal was safe. He’d be sore tomorrow, and would likely need a few days off, but he was fine.
Satisfied he’d done his best on the call, he climbed in his car and drove home. When he parked in front of his house, he saw Evelyn sitting on his steps.
With his bag in hand, he got out and asked, “What are you doing here?” Then realized he sounded like a dick. “I mean—”
She stood and waved at him. “I know what you mean. I wanted to check on you.”
Still pushing thoughts away, he said nothing.
“I know you said you’re fine. And physically, you might be.”
She knew he would want to be alone. But Evelyn pushed past anything he said he wanted.
“I’m tired.”
“And probably hungry because you didn’t eat.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. She knew him too well.
She stepped closer. “I already walked Probie. Dinner is on the table. Beer is in the fridge.” Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she whispered in his ear. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
He dropped his bag and folded both arms around her waist. The scent of her comforted him and brought out all the crap he’d shoved down since leaving the accident. Instead of letting go, he buried his face in her hair and held her tighter until the flood of emotion passed.
Evelyn ran her hand over his head, soothing him without saying a word. God, how he’d missed having someone to come home to after a shift like this. To be able to lose himself in another person. For a few minutes, they stood like that. When he finally had himself together, he pulled back.
“The neighbors are gonna talk,” he said gruffly.
She smiled. “It’s about time you gave them something to talk about.” She patted his chest. “Don’t forget to eat.”
When she backed away, he caught her wrist. “Come inside.”
“I thought you were tired.”
“I am. You can keep me company while I eat the dinner you brought. Hope it’s something good.”
“Nothing but the best for you, of course.” She pushed the front door open, and Probie danced around to greet him. He tossed his bag in the corner and bent to pet his dog.
“You want to eat in the kitchen or in here?” Evelyn asked.
“In here. I just want to collapse.”
She nodded toward the couch. “Have a seat. I’ll grab the food.”
He plopped on the couch and kicked off his shoes. Probie moved in a circle and settled at his feet. Evelyn came back in the room with a giant salad and a bottle of beer.
“I figured you’d want something light before bed.”
“Anything would be great. Thanks.” He took the salad, balanced it on his lap, and took a long swig of ice-cold beer.
“Are you going to tell me what happened?” she asked as she joined him on the couch.
“No.”
“I won’t freak out. I know your job is dangerous, but I trust you to do everything you can to make it back to me.” She reached over and held his hand. The gesture was the same as always, yet different.
When she was so understanding, eager for him to unburden, it was difficult to keep the distance he so desperately needed. Stacy had never been able to handle hearing about his job. She definitely couldn’t handle him after a call like today. He wanted to forget, but he’d learned it was too much to expect from someone else.
Except Evelyn made him feel safe enough to talk. She could handle it. He set his food on the table.
“We had a bunch of calls today. A small kitchen fire and three car accidents. On the last call, we were pulling victims from a smashed car. The vehicle had flipped and was stuck against the guardrail.” He stared at his hands in his lap. Evelyn still held one, but his other was clenched in a white-knuckled fist. He slowly opened his fingers and forced them to relax. “Jamal almost slid off the side of the car and over the rail. He could’ve fallen into traffic below. I grabbed him, and the rest of the guys pulled us all to safety.”
“Jamal’s okay?”
“Yeah.” Telling her hadn’t been as hard as he’d thought. Tension eased from his shoulders as she stroked the back of his hand.
“I’m glad.”
She showed no signs of wariness or concern over his job. No hint of needing to get away. For the first time in hours, he breathed freely.
This was what it meant to have someone in your corner. Emotion clogged his throat and pricked the back of his eyes, so he took a swig of beer.
To her credit, Evelyn pretended not to notice, turning on the TV. She talked over the top of everything, recalling what craziness had happened on set the last few days. She did everything she could to distract him and keep him from feeling like crap. It was weird not having to comfort someone else. Evelyn just took care of him.
He finished his beer and his salad, stretched his legs out, and pulled her close. They spent a lot of time like this. It was something he didn’t want to lose.
She flipped through channels again—it drove him crazy that she had a hard time settling on something.
The conversation from Sunny’s came back to him. Between that and his own slight brush with mortality, he wanted reassurance. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Huh?” She looked up at him over her shoulder.
“Dating? Are you?”
“You know I’m not.”
“I know you don’t have a boyfriend. But are you looking?”
“I don’t know. I told you I’m not actively on the hunt.” She twisted her body to face him. “Why?”
“Just wondering. We talk about pretty much everything, but you haven’t mentioned any dates in a while.”
“Haven’t had much success.”
“Oh.”
“Is there a reason you’re asking?”
“Just curious.” It wasn’t totally the truth, but he didn’t have a better answer. What was he supposed to say? He was a selfish bastard who didn’t want to lose her to someone else, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to change their relationship. What if he made a move and it wasn’t what she wanted? Things would get awkward.
And if she was open to changing their relationship? What else would change? Would they lose the ease they had with each other?
Early on, he and Stacy had been easy together. Then the stress of his job had taken its toll. She wanted more of everything, and he hadn’t been enough. How could he be enough for Evelyn?
She gave him an odd look and then turned back to the TV. He leaned against the back of the couch, closed his eyes, and listened to her running commentary.
Right now, they each played a role in each other’s life. If they changed that, he might lose everything. He could be a difficult partner. What if she couldn’t handle this side of him 24-7? He’d prefer to play it safe and keep the Evelyn he had right now.
…
Evelyn knew as soon as Owen slipped off to sleep. She should have left, but something told her to stay. He needed her, even if he wouldn’t say it. It was more than having someone to make sure he ate dinner. He hated to lean on anyone, so sometimes she needed to just push up against him until he had no choice. This evening had been the first time she truly considered the dangers of his job. She obviously understood the danger, and he’d shared enough stories over the years for her to know how it affected him.
She just wanted to be here for him. Instead of waking him to go to bed, she continued to snuggle against him on the couch.
Which was exactly where she found herself the following morning. She slowly stretched. At some point, they’d shifted, and Owen was fully beneath her. His morning hard-on greeted her and she slid away. Normal biological function or not, she didn’t need to think about Owen’s dick being hard.
She shuffled to the kitchen to make coffee. Then she went to the bathroom to shower. She’d spent the night at Owen’s before, and he’d slept at her place, too. But something about last night had felt dif
ferent. Her brain was foggy, and she couldn’t quite decipher what had changed. Water sluiced over her, and she sighed. Owen had a great shower.
He’d offered to redo her bathroom and put in the same fixtures, but it wouldn’t be the same.
A thump sounded at the door. “Hey.” His voice was sleep-rough. “I’m coming in. I gotta piss.”
“Such a charming guy. Do you treat all your overnight guests like this?”
“Nope. You’re special.”
She washed her hair and pretended that the rough sound of his voice had no effect on her. He took care of business and left without another word.
Why had she thought something was different about last night? What kind of fantasy was she trying to spin in her head? She smiled at her silliness and rinsed off. Maybe Owen was making a point last night by asking her if she was dating. Maybe he was subtly hinting.
She turned off the water and wrapped a towel around herself. Maybe it was time to create online profiles again…but that took so much effort. Last summer when Nina had challenged them all to get out and try to find relationships, Evelyn had. She’d rejoined at least three dating sites.
It was so tedious, though. Guys wanted to text and chat forever, but never got around to asking her out. When she did the asking, it never went further than a drink. She had better things to do than waste time on guys when it wouldn’t go anywhere.
As she dried off, she realized she hadn’t thought about what to wear. Owen knocked again. Then the door cracked open and one arm snaked through holding a T-shirt and shorts.
“Thanks.”
“I want them back.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She took the pile and pulled the clothes on.
“I’m serious,” he continued through the crack in the door. “I bet if I rummage through your closet, I’ll find a third of my clothes.”
She opened the door. “A third is an exaggeration.”
“Not by much.” He eyed her up and down. “But you might look better in them than I do.”
She smiled. “Good to know.”
In the kitchen, Owen poured them both a cup of coffee. “What do you have going on today?”
“The usual Sunday stuff—laundry, grocery shopping. Then I might go in to the studio to work on the show for a bit.”
“Isn’t that what your regular workweek is for?”
“When I’m there during the week, my time is filled with phone calls and meetings, and then we’re filming. I think I have an angle for the school shooting follow-up.”
“Does that angle involve not doing it?”
She sighed. “I told you I can’t just not do it. But I have ideas I think I can live with.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m not ready to talk about it yet. I have to make sure it’ll work. What’re you doing?”
“I have a basketball game at the center. The middle school girls’ team is on fire. They keep playing the way they are, and they’ll have scouts looking at them before they even graduate from high school.”
She watched his face bloom with happiness. The kids at the center brought so much joy to his life. He’d make such a great dad. “Why don’t you have kids?”
He choked on his coffee.
Her question was a little abrupt, but given his questioning last night, she figured it was open game.
“I kind of need a woman for that to happen.”
“But do you want them?”
He slowly licked his lips. “I did at one point. I was sure Stacy and I would have at least a couple. But it didn’t happen. In the meantime, life kept going. Now I wouldn’t be upset if I met someone and she had kids or wanted to, but I’m not searching for it anymore. Not like I did when I was younger.”
“You’d be an excellent dad. I see it in your face every time you talk about the kids at the center.”
“I get my fill there. I get to be friend and mentor to a lot of kids, but I don’t have to do it twenty-four-seven. I still get my life the way I want it. It’s the best of both worlds.”
She sipped her coffee. “You don’t think you’re missing out not having your own?”
“Do you?”
“Hell no. I’m not made to be a mom. A cool aunt, sure. But making my life revolve around someone needy and dependent wouldn’t work for me.” Yet another reason she wouldn’t date someone younger. She wanted someone on the same page. Someone who would respect her career. Someone who wouldn’t pressure her for kids.
He drank his coffee and didn’t say anything else on the topic. She couldn’t read his expression. They’d been friends for so long, she couldn’t remember if they’d ever had this conversation before. Maybe early on when they were both thinking about dating again and looking for a partner. His answer now surprised her. She wasn’t sure she totally believed him. Part of her wondered if he just gave up on the idea of having his own kids so he was selling himself on being satisfied with what he had.
She finished her coffee and put her cup in the sink. “What time is the game?”
“Three.”
“Maybe I’ll stop by.”
“You don’t like basketball.”
“But I like watching you coach.” She’d come to watch many sporting events simply because it was important to him. “If you win, I might even buy you dinner.”
“I think I owe you dinner for last night.” He stood next to her and took her hand. “Thanks for everything.”
“I didn’t do much.”
“You gave me what I didn’t even know I needed. It was good to have company after a day like that.”
“You would’ve done the same for me.” And had many times.
“Thank you anyway.” He kissed her temple.
The gesture was so sweet, she couldn’t form words. She simply nodded. Stepping away, she scooped her hair up into a ponytail. “Don’t forget the awards ceremony is Saturday. You’re still coming, right?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because I’m doing the follow-up show.”
“I might not like parts of your job or how you choose to approach things, but I wouldn’t miss that. It’s important to you.”
“Thanks. Black tie,” she added.
“That was shady. Getting a confirmation before reminding me that I have to wear a penguin suit.”
She stepped closer again and patted his chest. “You make a good penguin, though.”
“Whatever.”
“See you later.” She gave Probie a quick belly rub and left. Unease settled in. Things felt different with Owen, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. They’d always been comfortable around each other, regardless of what was going on in their lives. It wasn’t so much discomfort as a kind of shift. She just didn’t know if she should do anything about it.
…
Owen arrived at the center early because he liked to have time to hang out with the kids before warm-ups. He strode through the door and hadn’t gotten more than five steps into the hallway before Sandra called to him from her office.
The woman who was normally bright and bubbly looked beat.
“Hi, Sandra. What’s up?”
“I know you have a game to get ready for, but I wanted to give you a heads-up. The budget isn’t looking good. If we don’t get a sizable influx of donations by the end of the year, we’re going to have to cut hours and programs.”
He sank to the seat in front of her desk. They’d had this conversation many times over the years, but he couldn’t remember a time when Sandra looked so defeated. “Where do you even start? How do you decide what to cut?”
“I don’t know.” She shook her head sadly. “Unstructured things like open gym hours will probably go first. Paying to keep the doors open and lights on when we don’t know how many kids will utilize it doesn’t make sense.”
“But it’s a safe haven for them. They know we’re here and they have options. It keeps them out of trouble.”
“I know, but I certainly don’t want to cut classes or teams. They offe
r the best ROI.”
He was sickened by the thought of having to think of return on investment in relation to his kids.
“Let’s host some more benefits or fund-raisers. If people knew what we do, they’d give more.”
“We’re going to try. Thank you for all your help. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I wish I could offer you a salary.”
“I don’t need money. I love being here.” Unlike being a firefighter, working here allowed him to see the long-term positive effects of what he did. Sure, he saved lives, but once a fire was out, he rarely found out what happened to the survivors. At the center, he watched kids grow into adults.
“And we all appreciate it.”
He stood. “I’m headed to the gym to set up for the game. Will you be there?”
“No way would I miss our girls winning. They’ve become quite the team.”
“They have a lot of talent.”
“Talent only gets you so far. You’ve taught them discipline and self-confidence. That will take them far in life.”
He certainly hoped so. He grabbed his bag and went to the gym. Unsurprisingly, a group of girls were already there, suited up in their worn and tired uniforms, scrolling through their phones, and laughing at whatever silliness they saw on the screens.
On the other side of the gym, parents were setting up a table to sell concessions, one of their smaller fund-raisers. He waved at them as he walked to the sidelines and set down his bag. Looking at the girls, he asked, “Keisha, is Malik going to be here today?”
Keisha’s older brother had been coming to most practices, acting as an unofficial equipment manager.
“Here, Coach,” he heard from behind him before Keisha could even answer.
Tall and lanky, Malik ran up to him. The boy wore basketball shorts the same color as the girls’ uniforms. Owen tossed him the keys to the equipment room. “Roll out the balls and then fill the water bottles.”
“Gotcha.”
Owen hadn’t been looking for an assistant, but Malik had been a godsend. He ran around doing the things Owen often postponed or neglected. A few minutes later, the girls were standing around him, phones put away. They were ready for warm-ups, but first they wanted to know the scoop on the opposing team. It was something he’d been trying to do this season. He visited other teams and watched them play. It gave him valuable insight about how to strategize. A side benefit was that sharing the information with the girls sometimes eased their minds and nerves.
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