Brotherhood of District 23 Complete Series

by Amy Briggs

  I shuffled some papers around for awhile, just avoiding home, when she texted me to ask if I’d be home for dinner.

  Hey babe, you gonna be home for dinner? I was gonna make steaks if you are?

  What would you eat if I wasn’t coming home?

  Cereal

  Well we can’t have that darlin’, I’ll be home in fifteen. I’ll man the grill, it’s my job.

  I was hoping you would say that, see you soon

  I love that coming home means to you (I couldn’t help it, she had me hooked)

  Me too. Love you. Xoxox

  (I loved the extra “x” she always put in there)

  As I headed home, I got caught in the daydream of our lives. When I met Viv, I was not the same guy I am now. I was trying to be, but it was her that brought out the man I had become. Since we had met, I’d studied for and taken the Deputy Chief’s test, and was promoted to the position Brian left vacant when he became Chief. I had become a leader. I was sleeping through the night, not waking up with headaches. It was her that changed it all.

  When I got home, she was in these little black insanely short shorts and a tank top that said “COFFEE” across the chest. It was from a Veteran owned coffee company, and she’d taken to wearing their sexy little tanks around the house; they had a machine gun as part of their logo, frankly, it was sexy as fuck. When she turned around and spotted me staring at her, she pointed some kitchen tongs at me.

  “Whatcha staring at babe?” She flashed me that million-dollar smile, and I knew I couldn’t wait. I pulled out the ring and dropped on one knee.

  “Darlin’, I have a question for you.”

  All the studying, juggling twenty-four hour shifts and forgoing a social life for the last four years had all come down to that moment. It was go time. I’d been with the fire department for almost eight years, going to school online and on weekends where I could to finish my degree. It was finally time to graduate. It took me more than the average guy to finish my fire science degree, which wasn’t at all necessary to be a firefighter, but for my next career move it certainly was, along with several additional certifications.

  I had the night off, and since I had forgone anything that resembled a social life for my studies and for work, I didn’t have much to do, so I decided to head to the gym down at the station to work out. While I worked out every day, it was mostly to clear my head; I didn’t really have a hard time staying in shape. The station was kind of my home, I spent most of my time there for as long as I could remember, and my friends were there. I figured I might find Jax there, he was supposed to propose to his girlfriend over the weekend, and I hadn’t heard yet how it went.

  Jax had finally become the Deputy Chief, a role we all knew he should be in. It just took him a long time to figure it out for himself. Over the last year or so, Jax had become one of my best friends, we had late night chats at the station over all kinds of things. He was quiet a lot of the time, often only talked when he felt there was something important to say. We had an unspoken friendship previously over the years until he met his girl Viv. Something about that relationship softened him in a way, and he opened up more. That was also when he realized he wanted to move up at the fire department. I’ve always been an observer, and maybe that’s why it was so great to watch that change in him.

  He was the only person who knew that I was planning to resign. I’d always wanted to be a firefighter but I also always knew it wasn’t my final stop in the service. My degree was in Fire Science, but my area of concentration was arson investigation. Part of me always wanted to be a detective too, and so for me, this was the best of both worlds. Those jobs don’t really pop up often though, and the stars aligned in my favor when the position opened up in our district.

  I asked the commissioners not to announce that I’d accepted their offer until I was able to resign appropriately myself, which wasn’t exactly customary. Our chief, Brian Cavanaugh, was a friend though, and I wanted to tell him myself. I didn’t want him to hear it at a meeting or something. Since I was a firefighter in the same municipality, the commissioners obliged my request, and tomorrow was the day I would hand in my resignation.

  “Hey man, how goes?” he asked as I walked into the gym.

  “I was just wondering where you were. I saw your truck outside. I’m good. What about you? Are you betrothed now?” I teased.

  “Why yes, yes I am,” he grinned. You could tell how happy he was.

  “So, did it all work out? The big weekend away? Romance and all?” He had planned to take her away for the weekend and propose on the beach.

  “Yea, uh, no.” He hung his head but still laughed.

  “What? All that planning? What happened?”

  “Bro, I couldn’t wait. I told you that ring was burning a hole in my pocket. When I got home that night after talking to you, I just dropped to my knee in the kitchen. I had to,” he explained. “But she said yesss!” He sang.

  Laughing, I replied, “I don’t think that was ever a concern man. You two were meant for each other.”

  “Thanks man. Now, you need to get yourself out there for real. You’ve had your nose in a book for four years. It’s time to spend some time with the ladies,” he said.

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. You sound like my mother, thank you very much.” He was right though. I hadn’t dated in forever. There wasn’t even anyone I considered dating when I was working on my degree. I probably wouldn’t have noticed them anyway.

  “Well your mother is right. Plus, if we find you a girl, then our girls can go do girl things, and we can go do man things. It works out fantastic. I love Viv. Can’t imagine my life without her, but seriously, I’m not going shopping with her ever again after that one time I went to the shoe store with her.”

  “Was it that bad?”

  “Was it that bad? Yes! Besides the fact that she paraded eighteen thousand pairs of fuck me heels in front of me for two hours and I could do nothing about it, I spent two hours in a fucking shoe store. Nope. Never again. No way. I told her I would buy all of her shoes for the rest of my life if she never asked me to go again,” he said seriously.

  “Did she take you up on it?”

  “She’s not stupid. Of course she did,” he laughed.

  “You two crack me the fuck up,” I replied.

  We worked out, and continued to shoot the breeze for awhile, thankfully changing the subject from my nonexistent dating life. Once I was settled into my new job I’d consider getting back out there. I was ready. I wanted someone special in my life, but it needed to be on my terms, my timing, and the timing hadn’t been right when I couldn’t give anything the attention it deserved besides work and school.

  After I went home that night, I finished writing my resignation letter, which I’d worked on every night that week. I’d rewritten it so many times I practically ran out of printer ink. When I was finally satisfied that I’d expressed my gratitude for my time as a firefighter, and stated that I was moving on to another position in the district, I carefully signed it, then slid it into a large envelope to give to Brian. It was what I wanted, what I’d been working for, but it was still hard to make the move. Not seeing the guys every day would be the hardest.

  The next morning, up and out of the house early to catch Brian at his desk before the hustle of the day got underway, I pulled into the station. My heart raced realizing that everything had come down to this moment. As I approached Brian’s office, a newfound confidence washed over me.

  “Hey Chief, you got a second?” I asked, knocking on the open door.

  “Of course Scotty, come on in!” He said cheerfully, before noticing my expression. “You look like this is important.”

  “Yea, it is important Chief,” I handed him the envelope, and as he opened it, reading the letter, a smile spread across his face.

  “Congratulations man, we’re going to miss you here,” he came around his desk, and gave me a solid hug, surprising me completely. “This is the next chapter for you. I’m sad
to see you go, but it’s time for you move ahead. I’m so fucking proud of you.”

  As I let out a sigh of relief, I realized he was right. The next chapter was starting.

  Read Scott Walker’s story in Hot & Cold: an Ignited Romance by Amy Briggs and Mikey Lee, releasing January 2017.

  Interviews with

  Brian Cavanaugh, Matt Cavanaugh and Seth Jackson

  on life and how it’s going with the women in their lives

  Brian Cavanaugh

  Did you always know you wanted to be a firefighter?

  Oh hell yea, for as long as I can remember I wanted to be a firefighter. Growing up with Jo and her dad as the fire chief, he was always my role model. I can honestly not think of anything I’d rather be doing with my life.

  Who hogs the sheets?

  Haha! That would definitely be Jo. No question. She also manages to steal most of the bed, and comes over to my side in the middle of the night, every single night.

  What’s your favorite thing about your partner?

  My favorite thing about Jo? There’s so many, but I’d have to say it’s how much she loves me. I know that sounds totally lame, but she is the most giving, kind and caring woman I’ve ever known besides my own mother. She looks after me even when I don’t need it, and she keeps an eye on everyone. She’s without a doubt the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

  What’s your biggest pet peeve about your partner?

  That’s a hard one. I think in general, my biggest pet peeve about Jo would be that she is so stubborn. But I have to admit, I kind of like it too. I love everything about her, can’t help it.

  Your favorite place to go out to eat?

  We eat out so much with the fire department, I really prefer eating at home when we can, but if I had to pick a place it would be this little place across town called Shea’s. They have the absolute best burgers in the world there.

  If you could live anywhere, where would you go?

  I’m a Florida guy, I love it here. I guess California would be nice too, but I love it here. I think Jo and I will eventually move closer to the beach someday though.

  Who does the dishes?

  We definitely take turns or do them together. We both work 24-hour shifts, and often the same shift, so we just do all of our housework together in between.

  How do you keep your relationship…hot?

  Oh, now we’re getting personal… Well, I’m always hot for Jo. As far as keeping our relationship hot, I try to make sure she is happy by remembering things that are important to her, shit like that. When I pay attention to her needs, mine are automatically met. She drives me wild with just a smile, and I can’t see us ever needing to try to keep things hot.

  Coffee? Tea? Liquor?

  Coffee and Liquor. Those are definitely my jam. I’ll admit, I like having tea with my Irish mother, but I like it better when she puts some whiskey in it.

  What’s the best advice you can give someone looking for love?

  Oh God, I’m no expert on love, but what I can tell you is that when you find someone, the person that makes your heart race, the person you know you need to see every single day, chase them. Catch them, and never let them go. Do whatever you have to do to keep them in your life. You won’t be sorry; I know I’m not.

  Matt Cavanaugh

  Did you always know you wanted to be a firefighter?

  I think I did. My brother was a firefighter before me, and it was just something that we did together growing up. Jo’s dad was the chief, and he was sort of our dad for a long time, and it was our rite of passage so to speak. I don’t think I’ll be a firefighter forever though; I have other things I want to try. I will always love the brotherhood, but eventually I’ll do something different.

  Who hogs the sheets?

  Definitely Isabel. I don’t understand how it happens either. I wake up every morning with no covers, and she’s basically wrapped up in a cocoon.

  What’s your favorite thing about your partner?

  That she can totally kick my ass.

  What’s your biggest pet peeve about your partner?

  That she can totally kick my ass.

  Your favorite place to go out to eat?

  We love going to Houston’s, a local steak joint. They have an awesome happy hour, and Isabel and I really like to eat. We work out a lot, so we have to!

  If you could live anywhere, where would you go?

  Ah, I’m a Florida guy; I have no use for seasons. Being outdoors all year round makes me happy, so Florida works for me, but I could see us living on some island that has perfect weather all year round too.

  Who does the dishes?

  Ugh, usually me. Isabel cooks most of the time, so that’s her rule. If she cooks, I clean. I briefly considered trying to cook so that I could make her do the dishes, but her food is so good, it’s just not worth it.

  How do you keep your relationship…hot?

  Well, Isabel and I don’t have much trouble in that area, it’s always pretty hot. That being said, we’re no strangers to bringing some toys into the mix now and again, and we like to try new things together.

  Coffee? Tea? Liquor?

  My mom is a big tea drinker, and it’s really not my thing unless she’s tipping the whiskey into it. I have coffee every morning; my girlfriend is a coffee nut, so we always have some fancy brew around. As for liquor, who doesn’t like that?

  What’s the best advice you can give someone looking for love?

  Don’t look for it. Do your thing. Your person will show up when you least expect it, and they will click right into your life like a puzzle piece. I never looked for it and now I’d never look back.

  Seth (Jax) Jackson

  Did you always know you wanted to be a firefighter?

  My dad was a firefighter, so yea, I think I did always want to be a firefighter. When I left to join the Marines, I missed it. When I got out of the military, going back to the fire department was at the top of my list of things to do. They’re my brothers, and I can’t really imagine doing anything else.

  Who hogs the sheets?

  Definitely Vivian. I don’t understand how such a tiny little thing needs so much blanket.

  What’s your favorite thing about your partner?

  Oh, it’s definitely her sass. She gives me these looks, and scrunches up her little nose at me and gets lippy about the funniest things, and I find it completely irresistible.

  What’s your biggest pet peeve about your partner?

  That she works so much. I wish that she’d cut back a little bit and relax more. I’m working on that though.

  Your favorite place to go out to eat?

  We don’t go out to eat a lot, but we order takeout a lot these days, and my favorite place for that is Anthony’s pizza. It’s the closest thing to northeast boardwalk pizza that you can get down here in Florida, and Viv and I love it.

  If you could live anywhere, where would you go?

  I think we’d like to live closer to the beach, but we wouldn’t leave our little section of heaven here in central Florida. Viv used to live in New Jersey, but she says she doesn’t miss the seasons, so I think we’re lifers here in the south.

  Who does the dishes?

  Definitely me. That girl hates cooking and cleaning. I don’t mind it. It makes me feel like I’m taking care of her a little bit.

  How do you keep your relationship…hot?

  Hmmm, wow, what a question. Well, honestly, I can’t keep my hands off of her since the moment I met her, I’ve got to be touching her. Keeping it hot hasn’t been an issue because I quite simply can’t get enough of her.

  Coffee? Tea? Liquor?

  Coffee. Coffee. More Coffee. And Liquor on occasion. I cannot survive my day without copious amounts of coffee in my day, and I’ve gotten really picky about it since Matt’s girlfriend Isabel introduced me to fancy brews.

  What’s the best advice you can give someone looking for love?

  Oh, I don’t know. I’ll tell you
what it was for me. Once I learned how to open up and give of myself – like truly give without expecting something in return, I found real love. So, be real, and be honest, and give. It all comes back to you in love, in friendship, whatever. It’s all about giving.

  Fired Up – Book 1 in the Brotherhood of District 23

  Fully Involved – Book 2 in the Brotherhood of District 23

  Controlled Burn - Book 3 in the Brotherhood of District 23

  A Brotherhood of District 23 Coloring Book

  Amy Briggs is an Orlando-based writer, consultant, and entrepreneur. Amy runs several small businesses from the comfort of her home while spinning realistic, thrilling, and romantic stories. Formerly a firefighter and EMT in New Jersey while living next to a military base, Amy was drawn to creating stories around emergency services and the military, and draws on her experiences to show the depth and emotional side of those lifestyles.

  Amy loves to hear from readers and is extremely active on social media.

  You find her here:

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  Email: amybriggs.author@gmail.com

  www.amybriggsauthor.com