by Pandora Pine
“Do you remember what your first day on the job was like?” Deacon was tapping his pen against the notepad. He’d been jotting down notes as I spoke. I assumed they had to do with my facial expressions since the tape recorder was running.
I couldn’t help smiling at the memories. “Fire Chief Higgins was my captain at the time. I remember him showing me around the fire station, which for me felt like home, rather than work, the instant I stepped through the doors. My first assignment was to give the ladder truck a good scrub. I washed one side of it and brought my bucket around to the other, where it turned out the rest of the crew was waiting for me with the hose. The water hit me square in the chest, knocking me back on my ass. I knew full well this was just my initiation into the department, but at the same time, I wanted them to know I was the kind of man who would always stand up for myself. Instead of getting off the floor and throwing a fit, I stayed where I was, flat on the concrete floor.”
“You were playing dead?” Deacon had started to laugh at my antics.
“That’s right. Everyone started calling my name and inching closer to me. After a few minutes, both paramedics rushed to my side checking for my pulse and coming at me with one of those neck braces. I opened my eyes, and yelled, ‘Gotcha!’
“What happened after that? Were they all angry at you?” Deacon appeared to be hanging on my every word.
“I was one of the guys after that. I think half the point of these initiations is to make sure you fit in with everybody. You have the shared experience of going through something together. I don’t know how it works from a psychological standpoint, but it binds you more closely together.”
“What was your first fire call like?” Deacon set his chin in the cup of his hand and leaned as close to me as the table would allow.
“It came about a month or so after I’d started with Firehouse Three. It was one of those middle of the night alarms. It was a chilly December morning about ten days before Christmas. The temperatures were hovering in the twenties. We knew it wouldn’t be an easy fire to fight.”
“With that kind of temperature things must freeze quickly, right?” Deacon looked worried.
“It really is an amazing situation where you have a fire burning at around two thousand degrees, hot enough to melt siding off of houses, but on the other hand the weapon that you’re using to fight the fire with is freezing almost on contact. I’ve seen several firefighters twist ankles and break legs falling down icy stairs.” I was not a fan of fighting fires in the extreme cold, but summer blazes could be worse. The hot temperatures outside plus the temperature of the fire was the perfect storm for heat stroke.
“What were you doing to fight the fire? Were you manning a hose? Or were you in the building looking for victims?”
“Captain Higgins had me on a hose. I remember feeling scared to death for the family. Fires are such chaotic situations. It’s hard to keep track of who’s who, and more importantly, who is where. I was trying to keep my head in the game and do my job, but I was also keeping an eye out for members of my crew. Captain Higgins told me later that was the first sign he saw in me that I had the ability to be an effective leader.”
Deacon wore a thoughtful look on his face. “You know it’s funny, my first job for the newspaper was covering a political rally on Boston Common. The people marching were white supremacists who hated everyone, with the exception of people who looked and acted just like they did. Even though it was broad daylight and there were police officers everywhere, I was still terrified. I might not have been running into a burning building, but I was still afraid of doing my job.”
Somehow, we transitioned from talking about my career as a member of the Gloucester Fire Department into talking about something a little bit deeper. I knew exactly what rally Deacon was talking about. I remember seeing it covered on the local news. I shuddered to think what marchers like that would have done to Deacon, had they known he was gay. “How did you get through it?”
“I kept telling myself this is what I had gone to school to do. It was my job to tell the story professionally, and without bias. Trust me, I had plenty of bias, but it wasn’t my job to fight that fight, at that moment. It was my job to cover the event and keep myself safe. There was a group of television reporters also on the scene. What’s interesting about them is they have a cameraman with them, so someone’s always watching their back. Me, I was by myself floating in a wave of humanity. I did interviews as I walked with the marchers, which in a way made me sick to my stomach. I knew I was covering the event for the newspaper, but anyone else watching, would have thought I was one of them.”
“Would you ever want to cover that kind of protest rally again?” The mere thought of Deacon marching shoulder to shoulder with the kinds of people who wanted to see a man like me eradicated was beyond terrifying.
“I would. In a heartbeat. Every story we tell is important. Whether it’s covering the President of the United States, or interviewing a fire captain, whose job it is to keep a section of the city safe. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are two of the greatest gifts we have as Americans. I might not like the story I’m covering, present company excluded, but that story still needs to be told.”
“What’s the best story you’ve ever covered?” I don’t know how this turned from Deacon interviewing me, to me interviewing him, but I was enjoying getting to know the professional side of him.
“Until the newspaper sends me to do a travel story in Bora-Bora, I would have to say this story is my favorite.” Deacon’s smile was genuine. He wasn’t kissing my ass.
“You just think I’m handsome.” I couldn’t help flirting with him.
Deacon blushed. Twins spots of color appeared high on his cheeks and started to spread. He looked like he had a sunburn. “That might be true, but I’m comfortable sitting here speaking to you. You’re not trying to intimidate me or trying to direct the narrative. You’ve answered every question I’ve asked you honestly and enthusiastically. What interviewer could ask for more than that?”
“Not to mention the fact that you got to kiss the interviewee.” I waggled my eyebrows at Deacon from across the table.
Deacon laughed. “I can honestly say that’s the first time in my career that a person I’ve interviewed kissed me. I’m lucky if people shake my hand at the end of the interview, never mind slipping me the tongue.”
My entire body tightened at the idea of someone else laying a hand or their lips on Deacon. I really needed to get myself under control before this went too far for both of us. I liked Deacon a lot. I could even see myself with him going forward, but I couldn’t give him anything more than I was giving him now, until he knew the real reason I’d started spending time with him in the first place.
I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, once Deacon found out what the chiefs had asked me to do, the kind, compassionate, sweet man sitting across from me was never going to speak to me again.
18
Deacon
My second date with Ozzy came nine days after the first one. We’d had plans earlier in the week that had been canceled by an afternoon apartment fire, and then by the paper sending me to Boston to interview the governor about the anti-texting and driving bill he was about to sign into law.
Since I’d been the one who picked the spot of our first date, I let Ozzy choose where he wanted to take me on our second. Honestly, it didn’t matter where he took me. The simple fact that he wanted to see me again took my breath away.
The only information Ozzy had given me about the date was that I should dress casual, but bring a jacket just in case. Cape Ann stuck out into the Atlantic Ocean. It was always several degrees cooler here than it was further inland, thanks to the sea breeze. It could be eighty-five degrees in Danvers but drive ten miles east into Gloucester and the temperature was always much cooler.
When Ozzy arrived, he was dressed in faded jeans and a collared shirt. He was sex on legs, pure and simple. I hoped to hell he was taking me somewhe
re private where I would have a chance to nibble on his delectable neck.
“You look amazing.” Ozzy hugged me, holding on much longer than he needed to.
I supposed I looked okay. I had on a pair of dark wash jeans and a navy-blue golf shirt. “You do too. Where are we going?” I was anxious to get the night underway.
“Patience. All will be explained very soon.” Taking my hand, Ozzy led me to the passenger side of his Dodge Charger. He pressed a kiss to my cheek before opening the door and ushering me inside. Half of me still couldn’t believe this was my life. I was about to head out for a night on the town with the handsomest man I’ve ever met in my life, and he was my date. Was it possible for life to get any better than this?
“How was work today?” Ozzy started up the car, pulled slowly out of my driveway, and onto Old Salem Road.
“I worked on your interview with my editor. We made some last-minute changes and it will be in tomorrow morning’s edition of the paper. I think you’re going to like it.”
“I know I’ll like it. You wrote it. The bigger question is, will my mother like it or will she be ready to take my hide?” Ozzy snickered.
“I guarantee Mandy will love it too.” My fingers were crossed so hard my bones ached.
“Knowing my mother, she’ll probably buy all the copies she can find. When we were all kids, she used to keep scrapbooks for each of us. She’d paste in special pictures and newspaper articles we’d been featured in for academics or sports. I have a feeling this article will be the next addition to my edition.”
It felt good knowing something I’d written would be part of Ozzy’s life story. “It’s been almost two weeks since the last arson. I’m worried there will be another soon.”
Ozzy’s head swiveled to face me. “Why do you say that?” He seemed shocked by my statement.
“One of the beat writers came up with an algorithm and there are usually thirteen to fifteen days between fires. Today is day thirteen.” I studied Ozzy’s profile as he drove. He seemed upset by something. “I’m sorry I brought it up. We don’t have to talk about work if you don’t want to.”
“No, it’s okay. It just stunned me, is all. My heart pounds in my chest every time the alarm call goes up at the firehouse. It’s obvious this whacko has a plan, but so far it hasn’t made sense to anyone.”
I had so much more to say on the subject, but kept my mouth shut when I saw we were approaching the harbor. There were so many amazing restaurants and bars in this part of town along with San Pietro Square, Gloucester’s Italian neighborhood. My stomach growled. I could go for a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
Ozzy bypassed the restaurant district all together, heading for the marina parking lot. I was really confused now. I had no idea where we were going or what he thought we’d do in the parking lot. My mind was spinning when he parked the car next to a hulking, black pickup truck. Ozzy waved to the man sitting in the cab. That’s when I noticed it was Hennessey. Christ, I hoped Ozzy’s plan didn’t involve a threesome with his brother.
“Is everything all set?” Ozzy asked Hennessey when he got out of the car.
I saw Hennessey’s lips moving but couldn’t hear what he said. A minute later, Ozzy came around to the passenger side to open the door for me.
“Are you ready?” Ozzy asked. He raised a hand to wave goodbye to Hennessey as he pulled out of the parking lot.
I’d been completely off the mark thinking Hennessey would be joining us this evening, but it was obvious Ozzy’s brother had been in on the planning. “I’m ready for anything.”
Taking my hand, Ozzy led me through the parking lot and toward the ramp leading down to where the boats were moored. I had no idea Ozzy had a boat. He’d never mentioned it before. As he led me past the pleasure crafts, I couldn’t help noticing the names of the boats: The Codfather. She Got the House. In a Meeting. Unsinkable II. I burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Ozzy asked, grinning down at me.
I pointed at the white fishing boat. “Unsinkable II? Makes you wonder what happened to Unsinkable I.”
Ozzy snorted. “It sank. If it weren’t for Hennessey and Sea Legs, Pat might not have made it back to shore alive."
Come to think of it, I didn’t know Hennessey had a boat. Usually boat owners talked excessively about fishing and old adventures they’d had at sea. Hennessey hadn’t made a peep. But here we were, standing in front of a boat named Sea Legs. The Grady-White was ecru with a navy racing stripe. There were two seats at the front, while the rest of the boat was banked with cushions. It looked to me as if you could take ten men out on this thing for a day of fishing and fun. What most definitely did not come standard was the table for two. It was dressed with a crisp white cloth and several electric candles. Two plates were covered with metal lids and next to them was a champagne bucket.
“What do you think?” Ozzy’s eyes gleamed.
“This is for me?” I was completely blown away. I’d never been out with a man who’d gone to these lengths before. It was a perfect setting for a romantic evening. There were no other customers or waitresses to interrupt us. It would just be me and Ozzy. So far as I could tell, there weren’t even any other boaters in the area.
“I’ll take it by the stunned look on your face, that you’re pleased. How about we get you on board?” Ozzy helped me onto the ship and guided me to my seat at the table.
“This is absolutely amazing. Clever. Thoughtful. Amazing!” I couldn’t believe my eyes. Ozzy had done all of this for me.
“You said amazing twice.” Ozzy grinned at me.
“I write words for a living. Every word I use is chosen for a specific reason. I meant to say amazing twice. I could have said it a thousand times and it wouldn’t fully express my feelings about what you’ve done for me tonight.”
“I’m just happy to see you’re enjoying your surprise. I remember Hennessey went out with this guy once who got seasick just from sitting like this on the boat. Needless to say, that relationship didn’t last very long.”
Sweet baby cheeses! I hadn’t given one thought to getting seasick. I could feel the boat moving under me, but I seemed to be okay.
“You’re going to be fine, Deacon. I promise.” Ozzy pressed a kiss to my temple before taking his seat across the table from me. “Are you ready to see what’s for dinner?”
At that very moment, my stomach rumbled.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Ozzy grabbed the metal lid covering his dinner plate. “Ready? Set? Go!”
Ozzy and I lifted the lids off our plates at the same moment. I was shocked again at what waited for me. It was a beautifully done piece of salmon with wild rice and asparagus tips. I looked up at Ozzy, who wore this goofy lovestruck look on his face. “How did you know salmon was my favorite?”
Ozzy’s grin deepened. “Let’s just say you’re not the only person at this table capable of conducting an interview.”
Who on earth could Ozzy have spoken to? Our group of friends didn’t really overlap. With the exception of his brother, Hennessey, and his mother Mandy, we didn’t know any of the same people at all. “Who did you interview?”
“Kent McNamara, of course. What better person to speak to about planning a romantic dinner date than The Gloucester Times food critic?” Ozzy looked extremely proud of himself.
This was truly unbelievable. Not only had Ozzy taken the time to plan a romantic date for just the two of us, he’d also gone to the trouble of finding out what my favorite meal was and having it served aboard the boat. I don’t know what I had done to deserve this, but I was going to enjoy every last second of it.
While I’d been taking stock of Ozzy, and the evening he planned for us, my date had popped the cork on the champagne and was pouring two glasses. “To you, Deacon, my shining light in the darkness.” He raised his glass to toast me, but I had frozen.
Shining light in the darkness… No one had ever called me anything close to that before. I might have gotten the occasional hon
ey or babe, but no one had ever complimented me like that in my life. “To you, my magnificent hero.” I lifted my glass to toast him right back, not knowing where my own words had come from.
“Let’s eat. I’ve got so much I want to talk to you about tonight.” Setting his napkin on his lap, Ozzy picked up his fork.
I didn’t know how I was going to eat with the enormity of this night pressing in on me. I followed Ozzy’s lead and once the first bite of salmon hit my taste buds, I was lost. Ozzy could have been doing a seductive naked striptease and I wouldn’t have noticed he was there until I’d eaten the last bite of this delectable fish.
The old saying about the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach was absolutely true. I could attest to that. The moment Ozzy had taken the lid off this meal, he’d taken my heart right along with it.
19
Ozzy
Dinner had been absolutely spectacular. The idea of talking to the food guy from the newspaper had come to me in the middle of the night. I had no idea what kind of meal would turn Deacon’s head, but Kent knew. When I’d asked him how he knew so much about Deacon’s favorite foods, he told me everyone at the paper confesses their favorite foods. It’s the one deep dark secret no one minds revealing to a newspaperman.
I’d never even heard of the restaurant Kent suggested, but Hennessey had. He hadn’t minded one bit running out to grab the food for us and getting the boat set up. Since I’d spoken to him about my situation with Deacon and the two chiefs, he’d been eager to help any way he could. I also knew that when Deacon found out the truth, and this whole thing went belly up, Hennessey would be the one to help me pick up the pieces.
After we finished eating, I poured each of us another glass of champagne. We took a seat at the back of the boat, facing west so we could watch the peachy sunset. “Well, what did you think of the food?”
