Page 22 of Big Daddy Firemen

“Well, the good news is Krebs isn’t exactly a big city,” Cane reminded him. “If she needs us, we can be there in seconds.”

“Yeah, responding fast is our specialty,” Austin said after washing a bite down with cold beer. “All she has to do is text or call.”

Walker nodded but his fears didn’t look pacified.

“I hope she has fun. But not too much fun. I don’t want anyone else getting that little girl,” he admitted. “Maybe it’s time we make our move.”

“Ha,” Austin snorted. “You think she’d really go for all three of us?”

Walker’s worried expression morphed to a suggestive grin. “I think she would. We just need to let her know it’s okay. Give her permission, so to speak.”

Cane nodded. “That’s what I’m talking about. I love you guys. I’d be damn happy for either one of you if you landed that cutie. But I can’t stand the thought of never getting to hold her. I want to be the one to protect and cherish her, take care of her the way she deserves. You boys feel the same way. So the only thing that makes sense is if we all do it.”

The other men nodded. They picked up their beers and met in the middle of the table for a toast.

“Maybe it’s time we reel that cutie in and bring her on home to the firehouse for good,” Cane said.

“Amen,” Walker and Austin said.

They clinked their bottles together and smiled. Cane couldn’t stop thinking about his sweet girl. Based on the grins Austin and Walker wore, they couldn’t stop, either.

That sweetie was in for it.

Less than a mile away,at another, smaller Italian eatery, Daisy sat across the table from Clinton Grimes.

Clinton wasn’t bad looking. He seemed aware of that fact, too. Which, in turn, made him less attractive.

He sat in his chair with an arrogant ease, the look in his eyes making him seem as if he was in a state of perpetual amusement by a joke that only he was in on. He’d been talking for about fifteen minutes straight and it had all been about himself.

“So I had an epiphany: I’m too good for middle management. I’m destined for other things. That’s when I went to school and got my law degree.”

“That’s great,” Daisy said. “Did you?—”

He continued speaking as if he hadn’t even heard her. “My track record in court is freaking amazing. Seriously, all I do is win.”

“Wow,” she said, not knowing what else to add.

She was thankful when the server dropped by with their dinners.

“You know, I’ve been to New York City. Lots. So I know good Italian food,” Clinton said with a snort. “This is passable. But it’s notNew York Citygood.”

The server looked slightly offended. Daisy shot the young woman an apologetic smile and mouthed, “Sorry.”

Clinton continued to drone on incessantly.

And on and on.

After a while, Daisy didn’t know what he was even saying. Or care.

Once the server left, she picked at her food for a moment, looking at the lasagna. It looked and smelled really good, but she didn’t have much of an appetite.

“Are you going to eat all that?” Clinton asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow as he looked at her plate.

She’d been tuning him out, so it took a moment for the question to even register. “Excuse me?”

“Sometimes a girl can really pack it away and I’m just curious if you’re one of those types.”

She suddenly felt very self-conscious as his appraisal shifted from the portion size of her plate to her body. He looked her up and down from across the table.

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