Chapter Twenty-Nine
Xavier
It was a busy weekend at work, but I didn’t mind. I was feeling so much better after seeing Holly the other night that nothing could really get me down. It was Sunday now, and I was finally chilling with Kenny. We’d worked twenty hours the day before and all day that day, and the two of us were exhausted. Thankfully the boss said we could have a break, so the two of us were outside in the smoking area. I didn’t smoke, but Kenny did, so I just grabbed myself a cup of coffee to join him.
“When you are going to give that up?” I said to him as I pointed at the lit cigarette in his mouth.
He frowned. “Since when am I supposed to give it up?”
“We work with fire and smoke all day. I don’t understand how you can even consider putting something like that in your body. It makes no sense.”
“Oh come on, since when are you Mister High-and-Mighty? Anyway, you used to smoke too.”
“Used to being the key words to that sentence. I gave it up when I grew up.”
Kenny chuckled. “That’s incredibly boring. Who wants to grow up?”
“Actually, you have a point there. I can’t wait for today to be over. How exhausting has this weekend been? I don’t know why we have to cram so much into a weekend like this. We need a new boss.”
“Tell me about it. I became a firefighter to get the girls, not to spend my entire weekend working.”
I laughed. “Is that really why you became a fireman?”
“Nah. But it’s an added bonus,” he said and chuckled.
“It’s certainly working in your favor.”
“Tonight I’ll just have to play the ‘oh I’m so tired’ card with the girls at the pub. That one always works.”
I shook my head. “You’re doing single life well my friend.”
“I try.”
“Did you ever see Andrea again, by the way? Or was that just a one-time affair?”
“Uh, I’ve seen her a few times, actually.”
I turned to look at him in surprise. “You have? Since when? I thought you were very strict on your one-time policy?”
“Yeah, so did I. She’s pretty good in bed, though. It’s always hard to turn down someone like that.”
“You guys going out?”
“You mean, is she my girlfriend? Hell no. I’m not ready to settle down and even if I was, it probably wouldn’t be with her. No offense or anything. She’s a cool girl, but she’s not my type.”
“What exactly is your type then?”
“I have absolutely no idea. Maybe I’ll be single forever.”
“I doubt that.”
“Hey, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing, to be honest. I like the life I have now, and I don’t see why I should change it. I’m more than happy to live my life this way.”
I couldn’t ever imagine Kenny settling down with someone, but I hoped he one day would. He was a good guy, and it would be nice to see him with someone. I actually thought that Andrea suited him, but I could tell that he wouldn’t listen to me even if I told him, so I decided not to say anything. It was his life, not mine.
“You should do what makes you happy.”
“Which is exactly what I’m doing. So, what’s happening in the life of Xavier then? You didn’t join us at the club the other night, so I’m assuming you either went home or you went after Holly.”
I laughed. “Was I that transparent?”
“You were to me. Don’t worry, none of the other guys noticed.”
I sighed. “Well, I hadn’t planned on going after Holly. But then I saw her standing at the car with Ryan. He was trying to force himself on her like the idiot that he is.”
“What? Are you kidding me? That’s crazy. What an asshole. Did you say something?”
“I punched him in the face. Twice.”
Kenny burst out laughing. “That’s what I like to hear. Good. I would’ve done the same thing. So what happened after that?”
“I took Holly back to my place.”
“Naturally,” Kenny said with a smirk.
“Naturally. I really like her man. I mean, really, really, really.”
“That’s a lot of really.”
“She’s the one. I just know it.”
Kenny looked at me. “Seriously? You know it?”
I nodded. I had no doubt in my mind that Holly was the girl for me. I’d known it for a while. But the more time we spent together, the surer I was of it.
“Yep. She’s the one. Now I just need to convince her that I’m the one for her.”
“Doesn’t she think so?”
I shrugged. I was pretty sure that Holly was just as in love with me as I was with her, but she hadn’t actually said it to me yet. I knew I was just afraid of taking it too far and not being able to come back from it.
“I guess she’s nervous about what her dad is going to say as well as what the rest of the community will say. You know what that church is like. They’re good people, but a lot of them just love nothing more than a good old gossip.”
“So what, dude? They have nothing to do with your happiness. Anyway, Rick is not your father. Holly is not your sister. And the two of you are adults now who should be able to do whatever the hell they want to. You shouldn’t let it hold you back.”
I nodded. I was glad that I had Kenny to talk to. It was nice to know that somebody was on my side.
“You’re right. Maybe I should go and speak to Rick about it. Maybe I just need to explain to him how I feel about the whole thing.”
“You should. There is even a chance that Rick wouldn’t mind. I mean, maybe the two of you are stressing for nothing. Maybe Rick will be happy. He’s always had a soft spot for you. Now you can be a part of his family for good. You never now, you mind end up making him the happiest man alive with that news.”
I laughed. “That’s one way of looking at it. A very positive way even though I don’t think that’s how it’s going to go down. But I think it’s time I finally talked to him and got this whole thing out in the open. We don’t want to sneak around anymore.”
“Good for you. Now, tell me what she’s like in bed,” Kenny said.
Just then the boss walked by and told us that our break was now over. I looked at Kenny and laughed. “Oh well, we’ll have to have that conversation another time.”
“Just give me something man, anything,” Kenny said as he stubbed his cigarette and we followed the boss back inside.
“I have nothing to say,” I yelled back.
“Good. Great. Amazing. Mind blowing,” he suggested as we walked.
I was just about to say something when the boss turned around and told us to stop yacking. I looked at Kenny and mouthed, “Mind blowing,” and he gave me a big thumbs up.
“I knew it,” he whispered back.
We immediately got back to work, but I didn’t mind. I was a better worker when I was in a good mood. I worked hard but thought about Holly at every opportunity that I could. Kenny was right. We were adults, and we had the right do anything that we wanted to do. I wanted to be with her, and she wanted to be with me, and there was no reason why we shouldn’t be. Rick and I had always gotten one well. I’d been good to him over the past few years, and we’d always had a good and honest relationship with one another. He’d understand. I just needed the chance to go and talk to him. I would go that evening after the drills. The longer I left it, the harder it was going to get. I felt nervous and excited all at once. I knew it was important for this to happen.