by Jacie Lennon
“It will be fine for a week.” I give her a grin to show I don’t mind where I stay. I’m just glad to be here.
“Or two,” Hanna mutters under her breath.
I lean in, confused. “Excuse me?”
“Nothing. Onward.” Hanna indicates to the office with her chin while pointing ahead, as if she were the captain of a ship, and I have to laugh at her silliness.
I’m glad I chose to come and get away from everything. This will be a welcome distraction.
An hour later, Hanna is kissing the kids multiple times while Nora, Craig’s wife, is trying to get out the door with them. Craig is a fireman at the same station as Ezra. I watch as Ezra pulls Hanna back with a laugh, letting her know they will be okay for one night without her.
“Okay, but just one more kiss,” Hanna says, leaning over to smooch Livie, who quickly wipes her cheek, and Luke, who gives her a big grin. “I love you both soooo much!” she says as she watches them leave with Craig and Nora out the front door.
She quickly turns around, sniffling, and heads to the kitchen to grab some tissues off of the counter. “This is harder than I thought it would be,” she says, looking at Ezra, who folds her into a hug, stroking her hair.
It sends a pang through my heart, watching them. I remember Kyle comforting me in much the same way.
Douche bag. I shake my head to rid myself of the thought and turn away from the embracing couple.
I find myself unpacking in the office, but with nowhere to put my clothes and shoes, most of it ends up stacked in the office chair or sitting on the floor beside the couch.
“I’m sorry about that,” Hanna says as she appears in the office doorway, still sniffling.
“Oh, no worries. I understand.” I give her a sympathetic smile.
“Well, I’m the one who demanded to go out, and then I have a breakdown when my children leave,” she says with a small laugh as she sits beside me on the couch.
I reach over and wrap my arms around her, pulling her into me.
“You’re a great mother. Your children will be fine, and they will even like getting to see some new faces. They can’t enjoy looking at your ugly mug all day,” I tell her.
She giggles into my shoulder and then sits up and wipes under each eye. “Look at me. I’m supposed to be consoling you. Let’s get ready.” She hops up, rushing out the door before turning back to me. “You did bring some cute dresses, right?”
“Yes, I did.” I roll my eyes. She knows I pack up my entire closet when I go places.
“Great. Now, remember, you are twenty-six, single, and ready to mingle,” she says, darting down the hallway into her room.
Then, she pops her head back out and yells at me to get my ass in there, so she can do my makeup.
Hanna is brushing some metallic glitter over my eye shadow when Ezra appears. Crossing his legs and arms and leaning against the doorway, he watches Hanna deftly apply my makeup.
“Hey, babe,” she says with a smile tossed over her shoulder.
I’m facing Ezra, so it’s hard to miss the appreciative glance he gives her.
“Gross, Ezra. I saw that,” I say to him, trying to move my face as little as possible.
He laughs before saying, “You’re just jealous, Jules.” His face morphs from joking into one of horror as Hanna stops mid-application and turns to him.
“Ezra Fields! How dare you say that to her. Apologize right now,” she demands.
“Damn … sorry, Jules. I didn’t mean it how it sounded.” He rakes one hand through his dirty-blond curls, mussing it up a little.
“It’s not a big deal.” I shrug while Hanna continues to shoot daggers his way.
“No worries. I’ve got a plan for you.” Hanna turns back to me with a mischievous grin.
“So you’ve said,” I say drily, looking at Ezra and raising my eyebrows.
“My lips are sealed.” He mimes locking his mouth. “Hanna threatened my life if I said anything.”
“All right, Ezra, we’ve got to get changed.”
He turns to leave before Hanna stops him.
“Wait, did you decide what you are doing?” she asks him.
“Meeting you downtown,” he replies with a grin that I can’t decipher.
Hanna winks at him and makes a humming noise.
“See you ladies later,” he says as he saunters back down the hallway.
An hour and several outfit changes later, we look in the mirror and deem ourselves ready for a night on the town. My outfit is simple but sexy. The light-blue top complements the dark brown of my hair, which I left down and curled. I pair a sexy wedge with dark skinny jeans and minimal makeup. My lips are painted a bold red. Ezra left thirty minutes ago to meet up with his crew, so we call an Uber and double-check our purses to make sure we have identification and cash.
“Where are we going?” I ask, leaning against the kitchen island, watching Hanna mix up some margaritas to sip on while we wait.
“Broadway, baby.” She loops her thumbs through imaginary belt loops while kicking her legs across the kitchen, miming a line dance while we both laugh.
“You aren’t very good at that,” I say, snorting and holding my stomach. I’ve laughed more since arriving at Hanna’s house than I have in the last month.
“Ugh, I know. Ezra has tried to teach me a few moves, but it’s hopeless. I have no rhythm. Oh, Uber is here. Let’s go,” she says after glancing at her phone.
She takes a long gulp of her margarita while I do the same, and we head out the front door to our waiting car. Climbing in the back, we greet our driver before fastening our seat belts.
“Okay, I have a few rules for tonight,” Hanna says, turning and grabbing my hands. Her blonde hair is pulled up in a high ponytail, the ends dyed a vibrant pink that match the hot-pink dress she has on. Large, square earrings bob as her head moves.
“Shoot,” I tell her.
“Rule number one: we are doing a tequila shot at every bar we go to.”
“What if we only go to one bar?”
“Then, we take one tequila shot. Do you not understand rule one?”
“Got it. Continue.”
“Rule two: if a guy approaches you and you aren’t liking him, we use the safe word, and I’ll get rid of him.”
“What’s the safe word? And how do you plan to get rid of him?”
“Just say guacamole, and I’ll do what has to be done.” She puts a serious look on her face.
“Guacamole?”
“Yes, it’s perfect. And it might even throw the guy off enough that he leaves on his own, and I won’t have to beat him up.”
“I would like to see you try to beat some guy up.”
“I would prefer not to ruin my dress, but I will do what needs to be done,” she says gravely.
We fall on each other, laughing.
“I’m so glad we are back together. I’ve missed you, Hanna Banana.”
“Rule three: you cannot, under any circumstance, call me Hanna Banana. And I’ve missed you too.”
“Did you just make up rule three?”
“No. It’s always been a rule, Jules. You know this.”
“Touché. Any other rules?”
“Yep. Rule four: have fun and no falling in love. We are now part of the She-Woman Man-Haters Club. Like The Little Rascals.”
“Won’t be a problem. I don’t see myself falling in love for the rest of my life. Fool me once, shame on me,” I say with a sigh.
A feeling of sadness threatens to creep up inside my throat, choking me. It brings tears to my eyes that linger and swim around, looking for a purchase to throw themselves over my eyelids and completely wreck my night. I open my eyes wide and sniff before blinking rapidly.
“Oh, Jules, come here.” Hanna pulls me in for a hug as much as the seat belts allow. “Don’t you think about that asshole. He’s not worth your time.”
“I just thought he loved me, Han,” I say, sniffing again.
“Obviously, if he felt
the need to cheat, he was keeping his options open. Make sense why he wouldn’t plan anything to do with your wedding after proposing.”
“I know. But it still makes me feel pretty shitty to know that even though I thought we had created a life together, he still didn’t really want me. I want to know what happened. When did he fall out of love with me? How much time did I waste being with him? Was he ever really in love with me?” I put my hand on the door next to me as we take a corner quickly.
“You didn’t waste time. You used it to figure things out and grow, and now, you know exactly what you want … and don’t want. Example A: a filthy, cheating bastard is in the Don’t Want column.” Hanna holds up a finger, waving it around in the darkness illuminated by passing streetlights.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” My chest aches, and I ball my fist, having the sudden urge to hit something. My emotions are all over the place. I’m bursting out in tears one moment and fully ready to become an MMA fighter the next.
“I am right, Jules. So, put your strongest-woman face on, and let’s have a good time tonight. Let’s let go of the pain the assface caused.”
“Let’s do it,” I say in solidarity, trying to let go of the past for the night and just have fun.
“Jules,” Hanna says, looking very somber, “who would have ever believed that I would be giving relationship advice?”
I look at her for a second before we both start laughing.
“I’m sure glad you can though. Ezra is the best thing to happen to you, by a long shot.”
A pang of jealousy shoots through me, and I have to glance away before Hanna sees the look on my face. It’s hard to be around two people so in love when my happily ever after was just flushed down the toilet.
“I know,” she says. “He’s so dreamy.”
“Really, Hanna? Who says that?” I attempt to make a joke out of it to lighten the darker feelings taking hold in me.
“Me. Now. I just said it.” She points to herself. “And now, I’m the proud mother of two of the best children ever, and I couldn’t be happier. I want that for you, Jules. Not that you have to get married and have children to be happy. But I want you to be the happiest you can be.”
“Me too,” I say, leaning in to wrap my arms around Hanna, who hugs me back.
The car jostles over uneven ground a bit. I scrunch my eyes together and mentally berate myself for my selfish thoughts toward Hanna. I know she loves me and only wants the best for me.
“That was a truly touching speech.”
Our heads whip around, and we see the Uber driver staring back at us from the driver’s seat.
“Oh, sorry. We forgot we had an audience.” Hanna gives a small laugh.
“No worries, but we are at Broadway,” he says, motioning to the street ahead, lit up with blinking lights while music pours out from the front of buildings.
Honky Tonk Row is busy tonight, and it’s the perfect distraction from my tired and broken heart.
3
Mason
“It should be done by the time you get home,” the bored voice drones across the line, sounding as if he couldn’t care less that my hot water heater went out.
“Great, thanks.” I hang up the phone, quickly shirking the towel and heading to get dressed, cursing my luck this morning.
It started out with spilling hot coffee on myself, and it burned like a bitch. My electric shaver died halfway into my morning shave. The only backup I could find was an old blade, which I used, and now, I already have a rash forming on my jawline.
Ten minutes later, I’m on the road, slowing down as the vehicles in front of me brake in rapid succession.
“Damn it,” I hiss through my teeth as I strike the steering wheel.
A semitruck is lying across three lanes of traffic. I’m thirty minutes late with a rash all over my face when I finally get to work, and it turns out to be my day for checking inventory. I hate doing inventory. It’s something that has to be done, but I find it so boring when I like action.
My grams always says, “The bread always falls on its buttered side.”
And I never really understood the saying until today. My entire morning was the butter side that ended up face-down on the dusty floor.
“Porter, about time you showed up,” Craig says, walking past.
I stick my middle finger up to let him know exactly what I think about his attitude.
“It’s been a morning, man,” I say, rubbing my jaw as I cross the room to the coffeepot. If there’s any day to overdo it on the caffeine, it is today.
“I can see that. Your pants aren’t zipped,” he says, pointing at my crotch.
“Why are you looking at my crotch?”
“I was just concerned that whatever disease you have might escape from your unsealed pants.”
“Fuck you, man,” I say with a laugh, clapping him on the back. “You are just jealous that I get lots of action while you are stuck with one person for the rest of your life.”
“More like relieved that I don’t have to go looking.”
“That’s ninety percent of the fun, Craig—the chase.” I wiggle my eyebrows up and down.
“Well, you might want to clear up the rash on your face before you go chasing any women in the near future,” Craig says, and I hear a snicker behind him.
“Ah, come on. It’s razor burn.” I scowl at him and Ezra, who is laughing behind Craig.
“Whatever you say. We’ve got things to do. The station doesn’t run itself.” Craig passes out lists for us to check, and we start our jobs for the day.
I’m stuck with the hose truck, making sure all the supplies are up-to-date and that everything is in working order. I don’t normally enjoy small, menial tasks, but today, the boring monotony of work is helping my mind to relax, and before I know it, my stomach is growling. It reminds me that I didn’t grab any breakfast on the way in.
We break around noon, and I head out with Ezra to pick up lunch at the closest barbeque place. I can’t wait to get my hands on some loaded barbeque nachos.
“You got plans for tonight?” Ezra asks casually, but I can tell he’s up to something.
The guy never wants to know what I’m doing. He’s been bitten hard by the love-bug. Any invitation we used to extend for him to go out with us was met with a swift, “No, I’m headed home,” and we eventually just gave up asking.
“No plans … yet.” I wink.
“Yeah. Don’t wink at me, man. I’m not asking you on a date.”
“You and Craig are entirely too uptight. I’m not winking at you, you fuck,” I growl at him.
“Hanna’s finally agreed to go out tonight. Granted, it’s not with me; it’s with her best friend, but I’d like to have some time with her—without kids. So, I’m recruiting you as a wingman. I need some entertainment for Jules—that’s her friend.”
I’m nodding the entire time he’s talking. I can get behind this plan.
“One question.” I hold my hand up. “Is she hot?”
“Uh, yeah, she is. I guess.” His face turns red.
“Great. I’ll be sure to tell her you gave her such a glowing endorsement.”
“Don’t you dare,” he hisses at me. “She doesn’t need to know about this conversation.”
“Does Hanna know we’re coming?”
“She knows I’m coming and bringing friends. Probably going to invite Ben too.”
I nod at his answer and bring my hand up to stroke my scruff before remembering that I shaved it all off.
“Look, you just leave—what did you say her name was again? Julie?”
“Jules.”
“You just leave Jules in the hands of your main man Mase, and you go woo your lady.”
Shit. Woo your lady? I snort a little as I think about what just came out of my mouth.
I’m thrilled to have a goal for the night. I enjoy the fun banter that comes with flirting. With a new woman every time, it never gets old. It’s true, what I told Craig. I enjoy t
he thrill of the chase, and I don’t plan to settle down. Maybe it was my childhood that made me uncomfortable with the idea of relying on someone else. I trust myself, but the thought of placing my heart in someone else’s hands makes me want to run for cover. My mom really did a number when she left me without looking back. I don’t want to give anyone else the chance to do that to me.
Ezra doesn’t mention anything else about Jules as we pick up food and head back to the station. My stomach growls as soon as I sit down to unpack the food, but we get a call, and everyone rushes to action, food forgotten on the table.
I grab my necklace, sending up a quick prayer that this call will go smoothly. Not all of them do. St. Christopher digs into my palm as I utter the words under my breath. He became mine once my grandmother decided that he would benefit me more than her. I view him as my good-luck charm now, something I hold on to during each new call.
We are briefed on the way over. A house is on fire, and my adrenaline starts to pump, preparing me for running headfirst into flames. As soon as we arrive, everyone disembarks vehicles, running like a well-oiled machine. The hose is connected to the water, and as I run past, out of the corner of my eye, I see Craig manning the station. Ben is by my side as we enter the house.
Thankfully, the flames aren’t too tall yet, but smoke is overtaking each room. The neighbor called the emergency in, and he wasn’t sure if the woman who lives here is home, so we go room to room, yelling and trying our hardest to listen for any answers.
My throat catches as I push open a door to a nursery. A woman is lying on the ground in front of a crib where a small child is cradled in her arms. Even though it’s against protocol, I take my oxygen off and place it over the toddler’s face, praying that it’s not too late.
Ben and I quickly get them out, administering CPR until one of the other EMTs on the scene takes over. I jump to help Craig man the hose, and finally, after what seems like forever, the fire is out. The woman is awake when I check on her again, her child cradled in her arms, eyes wide, and I don’t regret giving him the oxygen.
