Chapter Four

 

 

 

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

 

I watched as my brother ran a quick hand through his hair and smiled at his reflection. I rolled my eyes and walked up, slapping him on the back hard.

“You’re not as beautiful as you think you are, Al,” I said with a laugh as I moved to the couch.

Alex turned away from the picture frame that he was using as a mirror and frowned at me. He was wearing a nice gray dress shirt with a blue tie, and I was fairly certain he’d ironed his pants for the night.

“I’m still better looking than you, asshole.”

“Keep telling yourself that, dude.” I picked up the remote and turned on the TV. “Where are you taking this one?” He’d done some sort of speed dating thing a month before and had a plethora of dates since.

“Franco’s,” he replied as he fell into the spot next to me. “It’s just the one. I’ve stopped seeing the others. Date number five, so I think you should make yourself scarce tonight.”

“Confident, huh?” I shot a glance to him before turning back to the TV. “I doubt you’ll make it past the goodnight kiss.”

“Don’t be jealous, big brother.” He grabbed the remote out of my hand. “When was the last time you got laid?”

I socked him in the shoulder, hard, and took the remote back. “None of your business.”

Too long was the correct answer but I wouldn’t admit that to Alex. I could have had sex with a number of badge bunnies who hung out where they knew the firefighters would be but the novelty of them had worn off.

“She has a sister, Si.”

“I’m good. I don’t need my little brother finding me dates.” I just wanted him to shut the fuck up and let me watch mindless TV. I didn’t need the reminder that my social life was less than desirable. I was spending way too much time at work and perpetually exhausted but I needed to if I was going to have a chance to lieutenant.

He tried engaging me in conversation a bit more before he finally got the hint and closed his mouth. We sat watching TV for about fifteen minutes when a knock sounded on the front door.

“That’s Megan,” Alex said as he jumped up.

“Are you fucking kidding me? You’re not picking her up?” I stared at him in disbelief and he shrugged like it was no big deal.

“She lives in Canyon City and the restaurant is five minutes from here. It made more sense this way.” He moved towards the door, plastering a smile on his face as he did, and I muted the TV as he opened the door slowly.

“Hi.”

“Hey, Megan. You look gorgeous. Come in.” Alex stepped back and I watched as the date named Megan stepped through the door.

She took my breath away. Her chocolate brown hair wasn’t straight like it had been the first time I’d seen it. Instead it fell in soft curls to her shoulders with part of it pinned up in the back. She tugged self-consciously at the light purple dress she was wearing that showed off her gorgeous legs. I let my eyes run down every curve she had, reminding my brain of how beautiful she was. When my eyes finally made it back to her face, her hazel ones were wide with surprise. She recognized me, too.

I had thought about her a lot since that day on the side of the road. I’d been kicking myself for letting her drive away without getting at least her name, let alone her number. And here she was, in my home, and apparently dating my brother. What a small, unfair world.

“Simon.” Alex’s voice pulled me out of my fog and I jerked my gaze to him. He looked annoyed, having caught my lazy perusal of Megan, and I just smiled.

“Well, hello again.”

Alex frowned at me, but the corners of Megan’s mouth tipped up in a smile.

“Hi.”

I stood from my spot and walked to her with my hand outstretched. “Megan. I’m Simon, Alex’s older and much wiser brother.”

Megan took my hand immediately. “It’s nice to meet you, Simon. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“How’s the tire?” I asked and my smile transformed into a grin when a slight blush hit her cheeks.

“May it rest in rubber pieces.” She glanced to Alex before looking back at me. “I replaced it but the people at the tire place just laughed and looked at me like I was an idiot.”

My brother’s face was a mask of confusion and I caught his eye as I gestured to his date. “A month or so ago, I found her on the highway with a blown tire and pulled over to help.”

“Yeah, it’s not embarrassing at all or anything,” Megan said quietly as she smiled at Alex before looking back at me. “Thanks again for stopping that day.”

“Of course. Don’t believe anything Alex tells you. I’m the good brother.” I shot her another grin before nudging my brother with my elbow.

“We prefer the word ‘delusional’, to be honest.” He elbowed me back before looking to Megan. “You ready to go, beautiful?” Alex grabbed his wallet and held out his hand to her, which she slowly took with a nod.

“Yeah, I’m starving.”

Megan offered me a slight wave and a tiny smile as Alex pulled her out the door. I shut it behind them and didn’t move for several long minutes. My brother had just walked out the door with the woman I’d been thinking about for over a month. She’d been right under my nose for weeks as Alex dated her, wooed her. I was surprised at the jealousy that flared in my chest but I quickly tamped it down. I was happy that Alex was happy.

I spent my evening at the kitchen table as I tried to finish up some of the reports I needed to complete for work and I hadn’t even realized how late it was when I overheard voices outside the front door. I glanced at the clock and saw it was already after eleven but I made no attempt to move when I heard the key in the lock. The dining area was visible from the front door so Alex immediately met my eyes as he walked inside and I could see the irritation on his face.

“Simon. I thought you’d be in bed by now.”

I offered my brother an apologetic look before moving my eyes back to where Megan was standing behind him, a faint smile of her own on her lips. Alex closed the door behind her and looked back at me impatiently.

“I had some reports I needed to drop off tomorrow morning and it turned out to be more work than I expected. How was dinner?”

Alex narrowed his eyes and I knew that he thought I was purposefully trying to be a pest. I could also tell that he’d had quite a few drinks at dinner which caused irritation to spread through my chest. Why would you insist on drinking so much when you had company with you?

I nodded my head towards the kitchen. “I made some coffee about thirty minutes ago if you want some. Megan, are you a coffee drinker?”

Megan was watching the interaction between the two of us and she gave me a nod when I spoke to her.

“Yeah, coffee and I are good friends.”

Alex shot me one last dirty look before heading into the kitchen, not bothering to ask Megan how she took it. She stood awkwardly in the entry way where Alex had left her and I wanted to slap my brother.

“Make yourself comfortable.” I gestured towards the where the couch was and the kitchen chairs in front of me. “Wherever you want.”

She gave me a smile but didn’t move and I could tell she felt incredibly out of place. Alex returned a minute later and handed her a mug of coffee. He gestured towards the couch and they both walked out of my line of sight when they sat down. I could hear them speaking in low tones for about fifteen minutes and I thought about heading downstairs when their talking stopped and the recognizable sounds of kissing began.

After a few minutes of that, Megan’s quiet voice could be heard. “I should get home.”

I couldn’t make out Alex’s reply but it was obvious he’d asked her to stay when Megan said, “Maybe another night.”

She appeared a minute later with her coffee mug in her hand and she offered me a small smile as she walked to the sink to rinse it out. When she turned to head back into the living room, she purposely avoided my gaze. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her pick up her purse as my brother walked her to the door.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Alex said quietly, not for me to hear, and she nodded with a smile as she opened the door. Before she could move through it, my brother pulled her back to him and pressed his lips to hers. The irrational jealousy was back and I forced myself to focus on the report in front of me to try and get rid of it.

I looked back after a moment as Megan pushed back on his chest slightly and smiled at my brother.

“Goodnight, Alex.” After he’d returned the sentiment and let her go, her eyes found me. “Simon.”

I watched her disappear through the front door and Alex turned to frown at me as he walked into the kitchen. “Come on, dude. That was a total cock block.”

“You cock blocked yourself by drinking so much, Al,” I remarked as I looked back at the report I was working on. “Why would you want a foggy mind when you’re on a date?”

“Fuck off, dude. I didn’t drink that much.” He didn’t meet my eye when he said it and he mumbled under his breath as he disappeared around the corner to the staircase. Between the late hour and the alcohol, he’d be passed out within minutes.

I was irritated with my brother. Irritated that he was dating the woman I couldn’t get out of my head. Irritated that he had drank so much while with her. Irritated that he didn’t appreciate what he had in front of him.

He had been upstairs for about ten minutes when I decided to refill my coffee one more time to make a last run at the reports. I’d just made it back to the table when a soft knock sounded on the door. I put my mug down and didn’t bother looking out the peephole as I pulled it open. Megan stood there, her cheeks red with embarrassment and she wrung her hands nervously.

“I’m so sorry, but I think my battery is dead. I can call roadside assistance, but I didn’t know if you or Alex might be willing to give me a jump?” She said it all so quickly and breathlessly that I had to resist the urge to smile.

After a second, I realized I was just staring at her awkwardly so I made my head nod rapidly.

“Yeah, of course. Let me get my keys.” I turned to grab them off the sofa table as I shoved my feet into my shoes and gestured for her to lead the way. I followed her into the dark night, and she opened the door to a familiar, white Toyota SUV.

“I’m such an idiot. I must have left a dome light on or something.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “It happens to the best of us.”

Megan stared at me for a moment and I realized that was the same thing I’d said to her when she’d told me about her tire that day. After a moment of us staring at each other, I forced myself out of the fog by reminding my brain that she was Alex’s girlfriend.

I pointed to where my Ford F-150 was parked on the street. “We’re going to need to roll you down the driveway so I can get my truck to you.”

She nodded and climbed in the driver’s seat. “Okay.”

Once the SUV was in neutral, we managed to get the car rolled down and turned so it was parked along the curb. I hurried to my truck and turned it on, flipping it around so our cars were hood to hood. I worked quietly as I connected our batteries to each other and moved to the driver’s seat of mine to start it. Once it was going, I climbed out and walked back to where Megan was standing near her own door.

“We should let it charge for a minute before starting it.”

She folded her arms across her chest and nodded. “Thank you, Simon. I am so sorry about this.”

“It’s not a big deal,” I replied with a shake of my head as I shoved my hands into my pockets.

Neither one of us said anything else and a very awkward silence grew between us. I just watched her for a moment. She really was beautiful and I suddenly had the urge to pull her to me. Instead, I swallowed and gestured towards her car.

“Well, let’s try to start yours.”

Megan nodded and slid behind her steering wheel, turning the key a second later and smiling widely when the engine turned over.

“Ah, that’s much better.”

I grinned at her happiness and disconnected our vehicles from each other before closing both hoods. Megan hopped back out and walked to where I was standing. She reached her arms out and gave me a light hug. I returned it with an awkward one of my own and let her go quickly so I wouldn’t be tempted.

“So, thank you for saving me from my car. Again,” she said quietly as she took a step back, that beautiful blush back on her face. “I really appreciate it.”

“It’s really nothing to thank me for. I’m happy to help.” My body burned to touch her again and I had to stuff my hands back into my pockets to keep them from moving on their own.

She gave me a small wave and walked back to her door. As she moved to get in, her headlights went dim as they flickered for a second, and then her whole car died.

We didn’t speak for a moment and suddenly Megan started laughing hysterically. I just watched as she held her stomach and doubled over in amusement. I joined in, unsure of why we were laughing, but finding it funny all the same. After a moment, she straightened back up and wiped tears from her face.

“I don’t know why that’s so funny, but it just is. I have some of the strangest luck.”

I chuckled again before shaking my head. “Must be the alternator, not the battery. Come on. I’ll take you home.”

She shook her head and let out a deep breath. “I can call my sister. I don’t want to inconvenience you anymore. I hope you don’t mind if I leave my car here for the night. I’ll call my dad in the morning and he’ll know what to do.”

“Megan,” I said softly. “Get your stuff and get into my truck, okay?”

“Simon,” she said with a scoff. “It’s a twenty minute drive.”

I grinned and shrugged my shoulders. “Sounds perfect. Let’s go.”

I moved to the passenger side of my truck and pulled the door open. Megan stood where I’d left her, indecision on her face, and she ultimately grabbed her purse off her front seat before walking over to my truck. She climbed in quickly and I shut the door before doing the same on my side.

“Quickest way to my place is if you follow I-90 down to the Dunlap exit.” She buckled her seatbelt and gave me a quick smile.

I nodded and put the truck into drive, heading towards the interstate. That same awkward silence spread over us and I couldn’t handle it. When we hit it the freeway entrance, I cleared my throat.

“Let’s play twenty questions.”

She glanced over at me with her eyebrows raised. “Are you serious?”

“As serious as a heart attack.” I turned my head and smiled at her briefly before looking back to the road. “You can even go first.”

Megan was quiet for so long that I didn’t think she was going to play, but finally her soft voice filled the cab. “How old are you?”

“Start with an easy one. I just turned twenty-eight, but I’m wise beyond my years.” I flashed her a grin and she smiled in acknowledgement. “Okay, same question.”

“Twenty-six. What do you do for a living?”

“I’m a firefighter for New Hope,” I replied as I drove down the dark freeway going almost ten under the speed limit. I wasn’t in any real hurry to end the moment I had with her. “What do you do?”

“I’m a nurse for a family practice, also in New Hope. Do you like being a firefighter?”

I nodded as I glanced over at her. “I love it. There’s something about changing lives and making a difference that keeps me going. I’m sure you understand what I mean.”

“That’s why I decided to be a nurse. I did my first few years in a hospital, but I really enjoy the environment I’m in now. It’s so much more personable. Are you an EMT, too, then?”

“I have my paramedic certification. Everyone in my company does. Are you a vocational nurse? Registered?”

“I’m an RN. People love to comment on the amount of money I could be making in the hospital with my license but it’s not about the money for me. Besides, I really love my job.” She let out a content sigh and paused for a moment. When I glanced over, she seemed to be thinking.

“This one is going to be a bit more personal,” she said slowly, waiting for me to object. When I didn’t, she continued. “Why do you live with your little brother and his two kids?”

I shook my head. “That’s actually really easy. He needed help. Having the kids home every other week is difficult to mesh with his work and school schedules sometimes. It’s hard on all of them. I moved in to help.”

“You gave up your life to help your brother take care of his kids?” Her voice sounded skeptical and I shrugged.

“I didn’t see a reason why not. My long-time girlfriend and I had decided to split right around the time the divorce was going on. I let Holly have our place and Alex asked if I’d consider staying with him for a bit. I’ve been there for over a year now.”

“That’s really… sweet.” She sounded surprised and I gave her a smile.

“I’m a sweet guy, Megan.”

She nodded but didn’t say anything in return. I knew it was my turn to ask something else but I my mind was suddenly blank. The rest of the drive was spent in silence with the exception of any directions she gave me.

I pulled off the exit and she directed me along the streets until I was pulling up into the parking lot of a nice apartment complex. “Which one is you?”

Megan pointed to a building and I stopped in front of it. “We’re here on the bottom.”

“We?” I asked as I put the truck into park.

“You and I aren’t that different. My little sister is my roommate. And luckily she’s home because I left my keys in my car.” Megan groaned and let her head fall back against the seat. “This hasn’t been my night.”

“Don’t stress about it,” I said with a shake of my head. “I’ll get them and lock it up for you.”

Megan turned her head and just looked at me without saying anything. For several long moments, we held eye contact and the air between us became charged. I realized right then that I wanted to kiss her more than I wanted my next breath. Her gaze dropped to my lips and I knew she was thinking the same thing. I moved minutely, my body on autopilot and ready to pull her to me, but that seemed to snap her out of it. She blinked several times and ran a hand down her face as she let out a long breath.

“Thank you so much, Simon.” Megan leaned forward quickly and placed her lips against my cheek, causing my whole body to ignite as she pulled away. “Have a good night.” She pushed open the door and climbed out hurriedly, as if she needed to get away from me as fast as she could.

“Goodnight, Megan,” I replied as she closed the door. I watched her as she walked up to a bottom floor apartment and knocked on the door. Once it was open, she gave me a small wave and disappeared. I gazed at the space where she’d been moments before and finally unfroze to turn around towards home.