Page 54 of Sweet Hate
What’s the correct answer here? Do I agree and look like I’ve been gossiping, or play dumb?
I settle on a stiff nod, halfway between agreeing and telling him to go on.
“Well, it’s true. I’m sorry you found out that way. I’d have preferred to discuss it with you first, but you know how things go. Rumors spread like wildfire.” He laughs at his own pun. “That being said, I’ll be looking to promote one of my lieutenants to captain of this firehouse. I’ll be observing all of you in the coming weeks and then following up with an interview for the role. I’ll make my final decision and official announcement after that. Any questions?”
“No, sir. Understood. I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
“Don’t let me down, Verona.”
He gets up and walks out, but my mind’s still reeling. Did his parting line mean he wants me to get the job? I’ve worked damn hard to get where I am, climbing up the ladder to become the youngest lieutenant this district has ever had. To make captain so young would be unheard of.
I used to look up to Cap even as a kid. I’d constantly ask him to tell me stories of his career, creating a deep-rooted fire within me to be like him. He was so cool, calm, and collected in the face of any danger. He’d run into burning buildings and save people without a second thought. The day he saved my parents and I from a car wreck drove it home. Some kids looked up to superheroes, but I never did.
Cap has always been my superhero, and I knew I wanted to do what he did someday.
This right here is why I can’t afford any distractions. I need to focus and bring my A game. This promotion would mean hitting my life goal before I turn thirty-five, and all in my hometown. If the B shift lieutenant gets it, it’s unlikely for me to progress to captain here anytime soon.
I need to get my shit together. I can’t afford to get swept up in my Hurricane—not when the rest of my life is on the line.
It’s not like she’ll be sticking around to be part of it.
So why do Ineedto text her again?
18
HAVEN
“Wait, wait, WAIT a minute—so Axel just stopped texting you when you moved?” Kim’s jaw practically sits on the diner table.
“Close your mouth, Kim, you’ll catch flies.” Mia pushes Kim’s mouth closed with a finger without missing a beat.
Breakfast with the girls is the perfect distraction. I might be totally stalling, but to say I’m nervous about seeing Axel would be an understatement.
“Uhhhh hellooooo Pink Lady. Wanna clue a sister in already?”
I laugh. Kim’s dramatic reactions are somehow helping me fill them both in on the whole sordid story.
“Yep, that’s exactly it. I texted him for weeks, then tried occasionally after that, but he gave me nothing! When we said goodbye before I left for the airport, we were both upset, but I had zero idea that he literally meantgoodbye, see you never!”
“Girl, why didn’t you tell us any of this? I’d have quite happily hit him in the balls, with a goddamned shovel,” Kim practically shouts.
“Jesus Kim, can we not tell the whole town please?” Ikick her under the table. Last thing I need is everyone knowing my business.
She looks contrite, an expression that’s totally alien on her face, and mimes zipping her lips shut, motioning me to continue.
“I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to believe it myself at first. I made up every excuse under the sun. Maybe he fell asleep, or he lost his phone, or he got hit by a bus—any and all wild, crazy thoughts—until I asked Grams about him, and she mentioned seeing him around with some girl. Once I heard that, I realized he was ghosting me on purpose, and then I just felt freakin’ humiliated.” Kim and Mia share a concerned glance waiting for me to continue. I hate having to relive these memories, they still hurt. Especially now, seeing him again every day.
And now, I feel bad even saying anything given our brief text truce, but if anyone can help me make sense of it all it’s these two.
“Last thing I wanted to do was tell you guys and keep thinking about him. It was all I could do to hold my shit together enough for training. It was just easier to pretend everything was normal, until eventually it just…was. But I’m fine now, you guys; you don’t need to worry. I got over it.”
Mia knew most of this already, but we’d agreed to pretend she didn’t. I love Kim dearly, but she can be a bit of a loose cannon, and when all this kicked off, I just didn’t want to risk her confronting him over it and blowing up their entire friend group.
Kim’s face is now bright red, and alarmingly, she’s grasping her knife in a vise-like grip.
“Easy there, Rambo” I slide a hand over her knife-wielding one and push it down to the table.
“That’s not the point. What a tiny, limp-dicked toad of a man to do that to you.”
