by Vonnie Davis
Not quite an hour later, EMT’s Ivy Jo and Jace took off in an ambulance for a potential heart attack at a residence. Before they made it back, reports that a knife fight had broken out at Clearwater Senior High School came in. Two students were injured—both girls. So the other ambulance with Emily and Barclay zoomed out of the station headed for the school.
Another typical day at Station Thirty-two.
Graci-Ella had a productive day at work after a night of deep slumber once Boyd put her to bed. He had a way of making her feel loved and sexually satisfied. They still had issues to work through. She hoped their base of combined love was enough to build on, because they both had low irritation levels. Not abusive, but extremely touchy in numerous spots.
She eased her SUV in front of Boyd’s townhouse and Flash exploded out of the door, wearing his shirt and ball cap backwards. He leapt into her arms and kissed both her cheeks. “I’m ready to go to work!”
She laughed and waved at Aunt Jinny who stood in the doorway. “I hope to have him home between eight-thirty and nine.” Aunt Jinny nodded and waved. Graci-Ella opened her back door and Matt slid into the booster seat. He clicked the seat belts and she made sure they were tight enough.
“Who are we taking pictures of today?”
She started the vehicle and backed out of the spot. “Well, we have Lil’ Wolf, his older brother, Wolf and the German shepherd, the marine rescue unit…”
“Dad’s in that. Right?”
She glanced both ways before pulling out on Sunray Street. “Yes. Then there are two senior citizens the squad has kind of adopted. Their names are Gas Ass and Hell’s Bells.”
“Can I use those bad words? Dad doesn’t usually let me say ass and hell and stuff like that.”
“I’ll ask him just to make sure you don’t get in trouble.”
“Okay. Dad’s been really sad the last couple days. I’m worried about him.”
Their breakup was something she did not want to get into with Matt, even though she and Boyd were slowly working things out. So, she took the chicken way out and asked him about school. When she pulled onto the fire station’s parking lot, the garage doors were open and everyone was waiting. The captain motioned her into a closer parking space.
Boyd jogged over, opened her door, leaned in and kissed her as he unbuckled her seat belt. “Don’t you look pretty in your navy and purple plaid dress and purple heels? If you’ve dressed to impress, it’s worked on me.” He kissed her again.
“Dad, people are watching.”
“Then I better kiss her again, only longer.” He winked at Graci-Ella.
“I think you’ve kissed me enough. Step back so I can get out.” He groaned and she laughed. Matt unbuckled himself and jumped to the ground. He tugged her skirt and glanced at her, jerking his head toward his dad. “Oh, we have a little dilemma. I told Matt who all we were going to photograph today. When I mentioned the two older gentlemen’s nicknames, he got concerned because you don’t allow him to use the ass and hell words. So I told him I’d ask you what he was to do.”
Boyd stooped in front of Matt. “Son, I’m proud of you for asking instead of saying what you know I don’t approve of. Out of respect for their age, when you talk to them, call them Mr. Milt and Mr. Sam. Mr. Milt farts a lot, so you’ll always know which one he is. Mr. Sam has a disease that’s taking away his memory. He has good days and bad days. Sometimes, you have to repeat things twice.”
“But he can’t help it just like I can’t help it on days I can’t get enough air?”
“That’s right, son. Now, when you call them up to get their pictures taken, I’ll allow you to call them Gas Ass and Hell’s Bells.” He held up his index finger. “But only then. Got it?” Matt nodded.
“I was thinking while I took their pictures, you could walk Matt out to the Cutlass and stay with him while he takes some pictures of it.”
Matt’s face beamed and he did a fist pump.
She placed her hand on his little shoulder. “What I want is for you to take pictures that show the whole car—front, back and sides. Like twelve or more shots. You did an awesome job with Black Thumb’s dead plant. I know you’ll do great with Mr. Milt’s car. He’s very proud of it.”
Graci-Ella handed Matt his hyper-focal distance tape measure, which he slipped in his pocket and her older camera that he hung around his neck. She dangled her good camera from hers and carried her accessory kit.
“I see you braided your hair again today.” Boyd leaned in and kissed her sensitive spot.
“Dad! We’re working here!”
She couldn’t help herself; she laughed the whole way into the apparatus garage where everyone was waiting. Laying her hand on Flash’s shoulder, she instructed, “I’d like a few shots of the marine rescue team in just their swimming trunks.”
Flash reared back like a rooster and crowed, “Marine rescue team in swimming trunks, front and center.”
A car roared into the parking lot, zipped into a spot and backfired twice. Poor Flash jumped and peered around the corner at the duct-tape-mobile, then narrowed his eyes at Graci-Ella. “Is that the car I’m supposed to take pictures of? First a dead plant and, now, a taped together car? Don’t I get any respect as a photographer?”
Captain Steele bent over at the waist laughing. The two elderly men pumped their way to the open doors. Gas Ass, who carried a plastic bag, tooted all the way. Flash, his eyes wide, spun to the captain. “If he was a balloon, he’d be over Tampa by now!” The captain slid down the wall in hysterics.
“Are we late? Oh, I hope we aren’t too late.” Milt passed more gas. “Sam had to stop to take a crap on the way.”
Graci-Ella placed her hand on Flash’s shoulder to keep him quiet, but the kid shot a look at the captain and muttered something about Milt needing a crap break too. The captain gulped a breath of air only to erupt into another fit of laughter. “You’re my assistant. Go greet them politely.”
She had no idea he could groan like his dad, but he stepped forward. “No, Mr. Milt and Mr. Sam, you ain’t late. We’re just getting started. I’m the photographer’s assistant and my nickname is Flash. You probably know my dad, Boyd or Tiny.”
Milt elbowed Sam. “Look, it’s Tiny’s boy. Isn’t he the most polite kid? Now what would you like us to do?”
“Well, you can stand with the others. We’re going to take pictures of the marine rescue team first. They’re changing clothes now. Here they come.” Flash turned to Graci-Ella. “Raccoon boss lady, how do you want them positioned?”
“Let’s try side-by-side with Wolf and Tiny in the middle, Lil’ Wolf beside Tiny and Comic beside Wolf. Do your measurement from Tiny’s foot. Oh, and tell them to take their shoes off.” Gosh, they all looked fabulous in their grey swimming trunks. Pure muscular sex, especially her man.
She did a couple shots that way and then had them stand less formally. “Guys, can we move to the inflatable boat or whatever it’s called? I want a back shot of the four of you holding it up on its end.” Once several photos were shot that way, she asked if it were possible to take their boat out far enough to turn it around so she could get photos of them coming back to the dock.
Once the team got back, she leaned down to her assistant and asked him to have Lil’ Wolf get ready for his shot. “Tell him to wear his firefighting pants and put up the suspenders. Oh, and have him put on his hat at a rakish angle.”
Flash reared back and the chuckles started. “Up on deck, Lil’ Wolf. Wear your firefighting pants with the suspenders up and your fire hat as if you’re going to rake the yard.”
Everyone broke out laughing and Lil’ Wolf stopped in front of Graci-Ella. “What did he just say?”
“Wear your hat at a rakish angle. He didn’t quite catch my drift.” After Lil’ Wolf walked away, she explained to Flash what the word rakish meant.
The child’s eyes got big. “I’m not wearing my hat like that. I don’t want the girls looking at me.” He glanced at the Cutlass. “What I’m w
orried about is taking pictures of that car.”
What had Graci-Ella a little more than concerned was taking pictures of the two old men. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but how was she going to make them look sexy?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
A baby blue Beetle convertible zoomed into a parking spot. A middle-aged woman in grey sweat capris and a pink t-shirt jumped out of the car, her angry gaze zeroed in on the captain. “Hold on folks,” the captain warned, “you’re about to witness a happy explosion.”
She marched to her potential target, waving a pregnancy test stick in front of his face. Sensing a special moment, Graci-Ella started snapping pictures. The woman she presumed to be his wife started to cry. “See this, Noah Steele?” She waved the stick at him. “I’m pregnant! I’m forty-two and pregnant!”
He enveloped his arms around her, kissed her neck and then her lips. “Why are you crying? I’m thrilled.” He picked her up and swung her around. “You’re beautiful all the time, but twice as pretty when you’re pregnant.” He rubbed his cheek against hers. “Maybe we’ll get that little girl we always wanted. I wasn’t looking forward to an empty nest. Were you?”
“No. You know I wasn’t. We talked about having a child and maybe I did forget a couple pills, but I never thought that would be enough. But then you’ve been dragging me to the bed every chance you got.”
The captain glanced around at his crew. “This is Susan, my doll baby since our senior year in high school. And we’re pregnant. Happily so, right?” He looked at her with such tenderness and she nodded before laying her head on his shoulder.
Everyone cheered just as Lil’ Wolf came out, dressed as ordered. The captain held her in front of him, his arms around her abdomen and whispered in her ear, no doubt telling her what was going on. She nodded.
Graci-Ella told her assistant to have Lil’ Wolf stand in front of the hook and ladder apparatus with one foot braced against the bumper.
Firecracker reared back and crowed, “Lil’ Wolf report to the hook ’em ladder and brace one foot against the front bumper. Boss lady, is his hat rakish enough for you?”
“No, tilt it more to the right, Lil’ Wolf. The first few shots I want your arms crossed below your pecs.” Her camera clicked and whirled. “Now hands in your pockets and turn to your right a couple inches for me.” After she was through with that pose, she asked if he could jump up on the hood to sit with his hands on his thighs.
“Okay, Flash, tell him he’s done and call Gas Ass and Hell’s Bells up on deck.”
He leaned against her. “I know dad said it was okay, but he can be strict about using bad words. I got soap in my mouth once.”
She told Lil’ Wolf he was done. “Flash, your dad gave you permission to use Gas Ass and Hell’s Bells this once. It’ll be okay. I promise.”
Flash wiped his hands on his pants, reared back and crowed, “Next on deck is Gas Bell’s and Hell’s Ass.” Everyone in the place roared with laughter which evidently unsettled the little boy. Flash ran to his dad. “I did what you said. Am I in trouble?”
Boyd stopped laughing long enough to shake his head and hug him. “No one else could have done any better.” He glanced at Graci-Ella who smiled and nodded her approval. “Let’s go get pictures of Gas Ass’s car. It even has a nickname. The duct-tape-mobile since it has so much duct tape all over it.”
Graci-Ella told the two old men there were swimming trunks like the marine rescue team wore and tank tops lying on the washer outside the changing room. They should wear them only. No shoes. Off they bustled, leaving a trail of blue gas behind them.
Several of the firefighters came over to ask practically the same question. She’d been taking pictures to make them all look buffed and ripped and sexy. How was she going to do the same with a hollow chested, skinny bald man with a grey fringe of hair and a pot-bellied, bald codger?
She told them she wasn’t sure herself and that they should wish her luck. “Believe me, any ideas would be appreciated. But I think it’s important they’re included.”
The two men swaggered out wearing their yellow tank tops and grey swim trunks, amid a chorus of Jesus. They both had cucumbers stuffed in their swim trunks. Hell’s Bells had his positioned along the inside of his leg while Gas Ass had his sticking straight out, as if he had a hard-on. He was snapping his fingers as he danced a few steps toward her.
Her mouth opened and closed twice. She didn’t know what to say without insulting them. Well, what the hell. “Gentlemen, stand beside the largest fire truck and both of you place one foot on the step.” She turned to Quinn. “Could you bring them each a fireman’s hat?” When Quinn returned, she stopped him. “Think you could get Milt to lay his cucumber down like Sam’s?”
“Sure, I know how to handle him.”
Once Gas Ass adjusted his cucumber, she walked over and praised how they looked. Both men’s chests puffed out. “Now, I want you to wear your hats low over your faces like a cowboy hat from those old movies. I think that’ll give you a sexy air of mystery.” Milt elbowed Sam and nodded. “I might have you hold your arms a variety of ways to showcase your muscles. It’s what I’ve done with everyone.”
“You’ve got it doll face. Are you and Boyd making up yet? He was in pitiful shape when we saw him the other day. He was sure sorry for all the things he’d done wrong.”
“We’re working on it, day by day.”
Cucumber men both hugged her. Sam was nearly sobbing. “He loves you so much.”
“Let’s get our pictures taken shall we? I’m using everyone’s nickname. Would you mind if I used The Cucumber Coots instead of both of yours? You know, to save space?” Both men looked at each other and nodded. “Next I have Wolf and his German shepherd.”
Milt farted. “You’ll love Einstein. He’s a well-behaved dog. I’ve got a Chihuahua named Killer. He’s a pip.”
By the time she had their photos taken, Wolf’s wife had arrived with Einstein, who made instant friends with Flash. Wolf kissed his wife and wrapped his arm around her waist before escorting her to Graci-Ella. He motioned the captain and Susan over, too, as he did the introductions and shared the news of Susan’s pregnancy. Both women squealed and hugged each other.
For the first time in Graci-Ella’s life, she felt deprived of the feminine experience of bearing a child. Granted, she’d thought about becoming a mother—years from now. She also knew whose child she wanted to have. Her gaze deliberately collided with Boyd’s. He sauntered toward her, determination on his face. She was too fragile right now, too needy, too confused. She pivoted her back toward him and walked between the ambulances.
“Sweetness.” The voice was low and sexy. Of course her body responded. Didn’t it always? “I saw an expression of pain cross your face when the two pregnant women shared their joy. It upsets me to see you sad. I want to take you in my arms and hold you, but deep feelings between us are so fragile right now.”
“Unbraid my hair. I want to feel your fingers in it.”
Very few things could relax her as much as his hands in her hair. He spun her to face him while one hand fingered her hair and his other cupped her cheek. His lips covered hers in short nips and then more demanding kisses.
“I love you, Sweetness. I have from the first moment I saw you.”
“Yes, but is it lust or love?”
“Oh, baby, this is far better than lust.” He kissed her once more.
“Again? I turn my back to play with a dog and you two sneak off to kiss again? I’m telling you right now, I better get a new mom out of this.”
Boyd chased Flash off amid giggles and squeals, and Graci-Ella went out to talk to Becca about Einstein. “I understand your dog used to steal your thongs and carry them over to Wolf.”
“Einstein figured how to open my underwear drawer with his teeth. Wore the finish right off the wood.” She gave a wave of her open hand. “He’s snatch a pair and, first chance he’d get, he was out the door on the run to find Wolf. It was comical, yet emb
arrassing as hell.”
“What do you want me to wear for the pictures Raccoon boss lady?” Wolf’s eyes twinkled with humor.
“There’s no need to imitate Flash. One six-year old like him is enough. God, I love him to pieces. Ah…jeans and boots will be fine. No shirt. I’d like to have Einstein sitting or standing next to Wolf with a pair of your thongs in his jaws. Do you think Einstein will cooperate?”
“It might take a couple of tries.”
Graci-Ella lowered her voice. “Look, I just had two old men prance out of the dressing room with cucumbers jammed down their swimming trunks.”
Becca gasped before she started giggling. “Wolf is always telling me the most comical stories about those two.”
“Well, believe everyone he tells you. I’m positive it’s a sight I’ll never forget. Sam had his lying down the side of his leg and Milt had his sticking straight out like the mother of all hard-ons.” She smacked her hand over her eyes. “I wanted to run for the eye rinse. So, doing a dozen reshoots with Einstein is no big deal. We won’t worry about it.”
She motioned Flash over. “My camera makes a whirring noise between shots, not loud, but enough Einstein should hear it. I’m concerned it’ll draw his attention and make him come to me to see what the noise it. How about you also take some pictures from the front of that palm? Between the two of us, we ought to get what we want. Okay?”
He smiled and nodded. “I told Einstein a secret. I told him who I wanted for my new mom. He licked my face so I’m thinking he thought it was a good idea too.”
Graci-Ella bent down. “I’m afraid to ask. Minnie Mouse? Miley Cyrus? Selena Gomez?”
Flash grabbed her around the neck and kissed her cheek. “You’ve got some weird taste.” She couldn’t tell him she wanted the same thing and get his hopes up. What if she and Boyd couldn’t work out all their issues?
Getting Einstein to pose next to Wolf was no problem and both got some good shots. But as soon as Becca gave the canine her thongs, he thought it was play time and ran and jumped with them in his mouth. “Maybe if you have Wolf hand them to him. Men are the boss of the family. Right?” Flash glanced from Graci-Ella to Becca. “How come you women are groaning?”
