Chapter Twenty-Three

 

 

 

 

 

Tori

 

 

 

 

I stared at the station house from my windshield for several long minutes after I parked. My heart was racing in my chest and it had nothing to do with the wildfire we were about to fight.

A sharp rap on my window made me jump and I twisted around to see Christos standing next to my SUV with a look of concern on his rarely-serious face. I sighed and turned off my engine before grabbing my backpack from the seat next to me.

Christos stepped back when I pushed open the door and he offered me a small smile. “Hey, Tori. Ready for some California sunshine?”

“Oh, yeah.” I locked my car and fell into step next to him as we walked towards the building. “I’m looking forward to working on my tan.”

His deep chuckle was familiar and comforting. “Kelly still gets nervous when we’re called out so I tried to crack a few jokes to ease the tension.” He shook his head and rubbed his shoulder with his free hand. “She didn’t appreciate them. She socked me so hard that she left a bruise on my shoulder and hurt her hand.”

“I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of one of Kelly’s punches.” I turned to offer him a grin. “She’s pretty badass.”

“Yeah. I never know whether to be scared or turned on.”

The two of us came to a stop in front of the open bay doors and I could hear voices filtering in from somewhere in the garage. Knowing my company was in there, along with members of 22 and 23 who had also received the call, made my stomach hurt.

“Remember about three months ago when you ran into a burning structure and single handedly saved a little girl?”

I turned and looked over at Christos, whose brown eyes were staring back at me. When I nodded, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“You’re still that same person. The firefighter who blew our minds with her strength and courage. There are going to be some assholes who try to cut you down, Tori. They’re going to do it because they’re insecure about themselves and jealous of who you are. That says far more about them than it does you.”

At some point during his pep talk, Owens, Simpson, and Barthe had all appeared. Each one nodded in agreement with Christos and Owens reached out to squeeze my shoulder.

“Besides, if anyone gives you shit, you have nine of us to back you up.”

With my company mates standing behind me, I found the strength to step inside the house.

The five of us found where the rest of our company was upstairs and other than the quick smiles they offered me, nothing was different. We listened to the captain describe what we’d be doing in Southern California and it wasn’t until we started to head out to the shuttle that I ran into people from the other companies.

All of our company was wildfire trained so that left our shifts in need of coverage while we were gone. Companies 22 and 23 would be working twenty-four on and twenty-four off in the meantime so each member was there for debriefing.

Conversations stopped when we passed by them and the whispers started. I held my head up and kept my eyes forward. I heard a couple of my teammates tell people to shut up or fuck off but I didn’t bother looking back.

I had just hit the bottom stair when someone called my name and I turned to find Laura Hoffman rushing down the staircase. Her black hair was pulled up in a ponytail like my own and our outfits were exactly the same.

Hoffman was in her mid-thirties and a badass in her own right. She and her husband both worked for NHFD under Company 23 and she had been a huge help when I first transitioned to the department.

“Hey, Hoffman,” I said quietly when she came to a stop next to me. “How are you?”

She raised her brows and offered me a small smile. “Probably better than you.”

“Yeah, having a sex tape you didn’t know you made spread to your co-workers kind of sucks. Especially the second time.”

“I bet.” She put her hands on her hips and sighed. “Don’t let them get to you, though. Who cares? You have tits. You’re hot. You have sex. You’re also strong and can take almost any one of these guys down with very little effort. Remember that when any of them tries to say anything. I can guarantee you that the 23^rd won’t treat you any different.”

“Thank you,” I replied quietly, feeling emotion hit me hard. Seven years before, very few people stood behind me. Now I felt like I had a whole army there.

Hoffman gave me a swift hug and ran back upstairs. I turned and followed my company outside to where the shuttle was waiting to take us to the airport. I took a seat next to Lennox and grinned when he squeezed my thigh.

“Did the boy blubber when you told him you were leaving?”

I rolled my eyes and shoved him away gently. “He’s worried but he handled it like a pro.”

“Good.” He didn’t say anything else but he didn’t have to. His silent presence was everything I needed.

We were just pulling up the airport when my phone vibrated with a text. I immediately grinned when I saw Evan’s name on the screen and then blushed when I read the text.

 

Coleman:      Multiple orgasms await you when you get home, Victoria.

Me:            Promise?

Coleman:      Cross my heart.

 

“That’s a good look on you, Tori,” Lennox said quietly next to me and I snapped my head up to meet his eyes.

“What is?”

He raised his brows and his deep brown eyes were serious as they stared at me. “Love. Being in love with Coleman suits you.”

My first instinct was to deny it, to tell my friend he was crazy, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Evan and I had only really been friends for a couple of months and actually together even less, but it was true.

At twenty-eight-years-old, it was almost shameful that I had never been in love. I never even had that high school love that everyone seemed to experience. Tristan Dunsworth jaded me before I had the chance to give my heart away to anyone.

But then Evan Coleman came bursting into my life like a flashover. It was unexpected, sudden, and unavoidable. In the months that I’d known him, he’d gone from being my enemy, to a pest, to an acquaintance, to my friend, and now? He was the guy I was in love with.

I was in love with Evan Coleman.

What a trip.

Ty gave me a knowing nod and leaned in to kiss my forehead. “I doubted him at first but he’s been good for you. I’m not ashamed to admit that he seems like a standup guy, too.”

I just smiled at him and nodded in agreement without replying. We didn’t say anything else as the shuttle came to a stop next to a small terminal that was adjacent to the McCarran International Airport.

Other shuttles were there, telling me that members of the LVFR were going to be joining us in Southern California. I’d run into them from time to time over the years, mainly during moments like these, but those that knew me never acknowledged me and I didn’t them.

I followed my company to where we were being checked in and sent off a quick text to my brother. He was wildfire trained but rarely went out on the calls since the local Hazmat crew wasn’t very big.

“There she is,” someone said quietly and I looked up from my phone to see three LVFR guys slow down as they walked by us. One of them looked familiar but the other two didn’t. When they noticed me looking, one offered me a lecherous smile.

“Hey, darlin’. I hear you’re a slut for good dick. Want to come and give mine a ride?” He grabbed his crotch suggestively and I felt all the blood drain from my face.

Seconds later, the guy was on the ground, courtesy of a fist thrown from none other than Chad Hughes. Judging by the scene around us, he had just made it first. The rest of my company, sans the captain, was right behind Hughes and looking murderous.

If that wasn’t crazy enough, I watched as a small group that included Dumbo and Reyes joined and the shouting began.

Owens and Dumbo were both trying to exert their authority and tamp down their rage but it wasn’t until several men stepped forward that things settled down. Captain Stevenson was with them so I assumed the others ran their own companies, too.

“Everyone back the fuck up,” Cap yelled, tugging Hughes back by the collar of his shirt. “Does someone want to tell me what the hell happened?”

It was Owens who restated the chain of events and by the time he was done, my captain’s face was almost purple with anger. He turned to look at one of the guys next to him and shook his head.

“I want that prick out of here, Turner.”

Captain Turner nodded his head and glared at the crotch-grabber. “Go home, Forges. You’re suspended.”

I didn’t wait to see what happened. I grabbed my backpack, spit my name to the person holding the clipboard, and went right for the jet that was waiting for us.

Luckily we were taking one that belonged to the city of New Hope so I wouldn’t have to worry about seeing any of the LVFR guys onboard. I was embarrassed and just wanted to be alone.

I took a seat near the back and buckled myself in. Without thinking, I grabbed my phone and pressed Evan’s name. He answered after two rings and his voice was instantly soothing.

“Miss me already?”

Even though he was obviously teasing, I nodded and swallowed around the lump in my throat. “I really do.”

“Victoria?” His tone was instantly softer. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m better now. What are you doing?”

He told me about some report he was writing and I just listened to him talk while others filed onto the plane.

No one tried to talk to me, not even Lennox from my immediate right, as Evan spoke. It was like he knew I just needed to hear him because he continued on about something mundane. When the seats were full and they were getting ready to close the doors, I sighed.

“Thanks, Ev.”

“Of course. Be careful out there, okay?”

“I always am. I’ll text you when I can.” I ended the call and powered down my phone just as the doors slammed shut. I closed my eyes and let out a long breath.

“Fuck ‘em, Tor.”

I lifted my brows and cracked open an eye so I could see my friend. “I think that’s what he wanted, Ty.”

The shocked looked on his face at my joke was comical all in itself. It took about fifteen seconds before Lennox burst into loud laughter, causing my own to bubble up. I laughed until tears were streaming down my cheeks and when it finally tapered off, my friend shook his head and squeezed my hand.

“Yeah. You’re probably right.”

–––

“I’m beat,” Owens groaned as took a seat in the dirt.

I nodded and dropped my helmet to the ground next to me, along with my gloves, before ripping open the meal tray I’d been given. It wasn’t fancy, just two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, two yogurt tubes, mixed vegetables, and mixed fruits, but I was so hungry that I couldn’t care. We were eating about six meals a day in order to keep our caloric intake up but even then I was starving.

I scarfed down a sandwich in three bites and watched as Owens, Christos, and Trujillo did the same. The four of us were assigned to a mop-up crew and had been running hoses all night in an attempt to stop the fire from spreading. It was sometime in the mid-afternoon but I wasn’t sure how many days we’d been in California.

The second we arrived Monday, we’d been briefed and assigned units before being sent to work. Since then we worked sixteen hours shifts while eating and sleeping the other eight. I hadn’t had a shower in days unless I counted the few times I poured a jug of water over my clothed body.

I was paired up with Owens, Christos, and Trujillo for the most part, which was fine with me. I saw the rest of our company throughout the day but we didn’t do more than grunt at each other.

“What day is it?” Trujillo asked after he sucked down half of the sports drink he’d been given. I shrugged my shoulders as Owens said, “Friday.”

I’d managed to send a text off to Evan before we started our shifts earlier that morning. It was just a quick one letting him know I was okay but there wasn’t time for anything more. I’d been going out on the wildfires for years with no one to really check in with. Neither Vincent nor my father worried too much and even if they did, Vincent could get a status update right from dispatch. Keeping Evan in the loop was something completely new to me.

Christos ate his yogurt and used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. “How’s your head, Jones?”

Earlier that morning, I’d dodged a dead tree that a crew was taking down with chainsaws. The dead tree, which we called a snag, had been weaker at the trunk than they estimated and it fell my way rather that where they wanted it to go. I managed to jump out of the way but my face met the butt of my hose on the way down.

“Hurts like a motherfucker,” I admitted while swallowing more of the ibuprofen the medics had given me. My head was throbbing and I was told I had a black eye, although I hadn’t seen it. I was cleared for duty, though, and that was all that mattered.

“Did they hold the line at that residential area?” I asked Owens and he nodded before crumpling up his garbage.

“Sounds like the threat there is almost completely gone. They’re estimating we’ll have containment to thirty by tonight if the winds don’t pick back up.”

“Good.” Trujillo stood up and started throwing all of our trash away. “The crew we were working with last night was a bunch of slugs. If we have any hope of getting out of here in the next ten days, we need people to actually carry their weight.”

Two helicopters flew over us at that moment, buckets suspended below them that were probably holding water from the nearby reservoir. Helicopters and air tankers had been doing flybys all week to try and drop flame suppressants down for us.

“Let’s get back to it,” Owens ordered as he moved to his feet. I finished the rest of my drink and tossed it in the garbage before grabbing my helmet and gloves. I resituated my gear, including my bottle and my mask, and followed my teammates back to our stations.

We worked for hours, stopping only to refuel, and the sun eventually started to go down. The adrenaline in my body was waning and the aches were starting to kick in slowly but surely. Anytime now, someone would call for us to stop for the day and we would be allowed to head back to our tents. The cots we had in there weren’t anything special but after a long day on the mountain, they might as well have been clouds.

I was sharing my small space with three other females that had come from various parts of California. Two of them were city fighters like I was but one of them was a dedicated wildland fighter. Unfortunately we were all so tired that none of us had had a chance to get to know one another but they seemed cool for the most part.

“I can’t get this candlestick out,” Trujillo said over the com in my ear. A candlestick was a tree that was still standing and engulfed in flames. They weren’t quite as unstable as snags were but you didn’t want to be too close if one fell over.

“I’m coming.” I pulled away from where I was hosing down some smoldering brush with Christos and dragged my hose towards Trujillo. We focused on the twenty-foot tall tree until the flames were out. He turned off his hose, pulled off his helmet, and game a smile.

“Thanks. Fucking stubborn tree.”

I dropped my own helmet and nodded as I grabbed for the water bottle that was strapped to my belt. We both stood there for a moment, rehydrating, before we put our gear back on to go back to the line. We’d just taken two steps when a loud noise could be heard.

“Shit! The snag’s tipping!” Owens screamed in my ear and both Trujillo and I turned to look at the tree. Sure enough, it was falling right where we were standing. The two of us glanced at each other and began to run.

I’d only taken three steps when pain exploded all over my body.