Page 1 of Burning Up

1

Bryce paused in packing up the equipment he’d used to conduct a fire safety demonstration at a local elementary school. Toby, a young guy in his unit who’d only been out of the Academy for a year, attracted his attention when he squatted down to talk to a little girl from one of the first grade classes. The look on her face said she could burst into tears any moment.

“What’s wrong?” Toby asked, his voice neutral, not the condescending tone so many adults used with kids.

“We had a fire at our house,” the little girl said, her voice shaky.

“I’m sorry,” Toby said. “Did anyone get hurt?”

The little girl shook her head. “B-but we… we panicked. You said not to, but we all did. I was s-scared.”

Toby shook his head. “Don’t you worry about that. I’ll tell you a secret. I’m scared every time I go to a fire.”

The little girl wiped at tears that were about to fall from her eyes. “You are?” Her eyes went wide like she couldn’t fathom it.

“I am. Being scared is okay. In fact, it’s natural. Why don’t you tell me what happened.”

“Um… I saw flames coming up from the stove. I screamed for my mama and daddy.”

Toby nodded. “Calling them was the right thing to do. What happened next?”

“Mama came running in and Daddy too and they were yelling and opening cabinets and doors and stuff, and then Mama got the fire extinguisher, and she put it out.”

“She did the right thing. Sometimes it’s hard to remember where things like fire extinguishers are when you’re scared. Do you know where the fire extinguisher is now?”

The little girl nodded. “It’s under the sink.”

“Good. Why don’t you talk to your parents tonight? Tell them about what you learned today and make a plan so you know exactly what to do and where to go if you ever have another fire.”

The little girl smiled. “I can do that. So you think we did good?”

“Yes, you did. I’m proud of you.”

The little girl beamed. Toby gave her a sticker, which she immediately stuck onto her dress.

“Thank you, Mr. Firefighter,” she called as she raced off to rejoin her class.

Bryce couldn’t help but smile after watching the exchange. Toby gave off the vibe of a hotshot kid, full of himself because he was hot as sin and a kickass firefighter, but in just a few months, Bryce had learned he was one of the most caring men at the station. Bryce doubted there was anyone Toby couldn’t charm. He’d sure reeled Bryce in. All it had taken was a gorgeous smile and a plate of homemade cookies on Bryce’s first day. He’d admitted his sister had made them, but Bryce didn’t care, he’d been hooked on Toby and his roommate Matt from that day on.

In his fantasies, they weren’t just roommates, though he’d not heard a single rumor about them being gay. Still… nah, it was just wishful thinking and pointless anyway since he wasn’t going to pursue someone he worked with, let alone two someones. He’d worked with plenty of good-looking guys over the years, and he’d never had a problem keeping his appreciation to himself. But Toby wasn’t just blond, muscular all-American goodness. He was always making sure the guys at the station were well-cared for. If anyone was upset like the little girl he’d just soothed, Toby took the time to do what he could to make them feel better. Matt had that dark, brooding vibe. He was much quieter than Toby, but he was the kind of guy you could always count on to jump in and do the work no one else wanted to do. He gave his best no matter how small the task.

“You’ve done an awesome job today, you know?” Bryce said when Toby joined him in repacking the last of the kids’ fire hats, stickers, and handouts.

“You think?” Toby toyed with his hair, a gesture that, based on Bryce’s observations, meant he was nervous. But why would he be nervous now?

“Yeah, you’re a natural with these rug rats.”

Toby shrugged. “I’m the oldest of five, so I guess I’ve had a lot of experience.”

Bryce could just see Toby using his charm to calm younger siblings.

“I’m going to carry some of this to the truck,” Toby said when they were done.

Bryce picked up a box of equipment they’d shown the kids, intending to follow Toby, but he caught sight of Matt throwing a baseball with some of the boys who must be in fourth or fifth grade. Their classes had gone straight to recess after the fire demo, and Matt had been playing with them for a while. Anyone who spent more than a few hours at Station Six knew Matt was obsessed with baseball. If the Durham Bulls or the Braves were playing, he was glued to the TV, and once the season ended, he continued to talk stats and prospects for the next year to anyone who would listen.

Matt raised his arm, ready to throw, and the boys backed up. Bryce couldn’t help but watch the muscles in Matt’s back flex under his dark blue t-shirt. Damn, he was a fine specimen, tall and lean, and probably ten years younger than Bryce.

The ball sailed over the heads of the boys, and one of them ran to chase it down.

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