Page 135 of Bodybuilders for the BBW

“Alright, I’ll email the paperwork over and see what I can do and Rhett.”

I strode out of the office feeling like I’d just dumped the weight of the world off my shoulders.

“So you’re doing it?” Charlie appeared from nowhere, and that brought the rest of my colleagues. Ex-colleagues. No one likes a good gossip than a bunch of firies. “You’re going after Katie.”

“Oh my god…” Millie, Charlie’s partner, had stumbled out into the hallway, her eyes going misty as soon as she heard the news. “You’re quitting the service for Katie?”

“I’d totally quit for you, babe,” Charlie spluttered, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“We would,” Knox said, moving closer, but in the end, it was to hold out his hand. “That’s some sacrifice. You’ve been at this station your whole career.”

I had. I liked routine, the well known. It helped keep my head clear, ensure I knew where I stood in the station. But I’d give it all up for Katie. I looked across at Rhys, seeing his grin and knowing what he was thinking. All I wanted to do was look after Katie and now…

“It doesn’t matter.” I stared at the floor, unable to bear direct eye contact right now. “None of it does but Katie.” Guys were coming out of the nearby rooms, massing in the hallway to get the gossip. “If I never work as a firie again?—”

“It shouldn’t come to that.” Brent joined us. “I’ve been on the phone. It looks like there’s some options on the table.”

“So when do you finish up?” Gareth, one of my team members asked.

“Today.” Rhys and I looked at each other and then grinned. “We’ve got a dog shelter to build.”

“Well, if there was ever an occasion that warranted a visit to the pub…” Charlie said, looking hopefully at Brent.

It felt like every man drew in a breath, and every woman. They all stared at Brent, and I just shrugged when he turned our way.

“Since we’re not going to get another chance at a farewell…”

The man barely got the words out before everyone started to move.

“Farewell drinks before we hit the road?” Rhys asked.

“One,” I growled. “I’ve scraped enough people off the road to know it’s stupid to drink and drive.”

“One drink and we go and get our girl.” He pulled out his phone and started tapping out a message. “I’ll let Garrett know and hopefully he can get his head out of his arse.”

“That I will drink to.”

After a long, shitty day staring at the computer screen and not really seeing the words of the report, I was glad to be doing something, anything. Every song played on the radio on the drive over to the pub seem to be declaring the same thing. Love triumphed over all and that meant I had to as well, right?

“So are allthe young people doing this… poly thing?”

Brent was several drinks in and was now peering at Rhys and me owlishly. His wife would need to pick him up from the pub before the night was through.

“Not all.” Jason, one of the other firefighters, pulled his wife closer.

She giggled and then pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Jase is too jealous to share,” she explained. “Though having other guys to split the chores with?”

“Shit, you could have one boyfriend take the rubbish out, the other one clean the gutters.” Jason warmed to the idea. “And I could take care of you…”

Watching people make out usually made me feel weird, but not now. It wasn’t too hard to imagine myself in his shoes, Katie on my arm. Maybe one day we’d have the same easy connection.

But right now I had other issues.

Some blokes got too fucking loud the moment they got a beer into them, as if they were a pressure cooker that popped a valve. A raucous male voice had us all turning around.

And I wish I hadn’t.

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