Page 64 of The Backdraft
“Arch thinks I should be a therapist,” Harrison answered, dropping a kiss to Sophie’s hair.
“You should! You’d make a great one!” she encouraged excitedly, like maybe it would actually happen.
To my left, Darcy shrugged. “I’d trust you with all my deepest, darkest secrets and I barely know you. I think it’s the glasses. They scream trustworthy.”
Harrison barked out a laugh. “Well thank you. I’ll keep it in mind for future career options.”
Sophie rubbed her hands together, then bounded toward where I’d placed the axe down. “Okay, are we going to throw this thing or what? Come on, Darcy! Let’s show ‘em how it’s done!”
Darcy smiled, and met my gaze before following after her.
“What do you think we’ve been doing?” Harrison called, shaking his head while walking toward them.
Hanging back, I watched Sophie take her turn. Just like Harrison, the axe crashed to the floor below the target. Then Darcy went, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away. It was like I had tunnel vision, and she was the light at the end. Her throw landed squarely in the bullseye of the target, and when she turned to face a shocked Harrison and Sophie, she threw a wink in my direction.
Let yourself be happy.
As I joined the group, those words echoing in my head, I thought, maybe, I could.
***
“Did you get some rest? I know the last couple of weeks were crazy around here,” Chief Abrams asked, sitting down in his desk chair.
“I did, yes,” I answered.
“Good, I’m glad. Whalen, Rapsy, and Elmes are back in rotation so that should help a little while the others get their shit together.”
I nodded. “That’s good. We’ll be back to normal soon.”
“That we will. Anyway, let’s get down to it.” He stroked his mustache, a subconscious habit of his. “I’m offering you the lieutenant position.”
There it was. The words I’d been waiting years to hear.
So, why wasn’t I happier?
I still wanted the position, there was no doubt about it, but while one part of me was pumping his fist, beyond excited about the achievement, there was another part of me that wasn’t as gleeful, and I thought I knew why.
“Thank you, sir. Can I ask why?” I had to be sure. He had told me he wanted me for the promotion before Darcy came into the picture, so I knew I had some merit, but if the only reason he wasoffering it to me now was because of her, I wasn’t sure I could take it.
“I’ve seen a real change in you, Archer. You’re still passionate about the job, but you’re not letting it consume you anymore. I mean, you used to be here on your days off. It was getting to the point where I was contemplating charging you rent.” He laughed, then continued. “I had to pull you from a card game for this conversation, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you step foot in the lounge.”
I cracked a smile then. “Meyers cheats. I don’t know if Blackjack is my game.”
“Doesn’t matter! My point is this, you’ve always been dedicated, hard working, and dependable, all of which are important, but now you’re someone the men can relate to—someone they can trust. I don’t know if it’s that girlfriend of yours lighting a fire under your stubborn ass, or if you finally woke up to living, but this is what I was looking for from you.”
I let his words sink in.
In a way, itwasbecause of Darcy. It wasn’t because she was my girlfriend, or because she was about to have my baby—he hadn’t even mentioned that—but still. The changes the chief noticed in me were because I’d started to grow close to Darcy. Whether she meant to or not, she became someone I felt comfortable enough talking to, someone I could trust, and maybe that had rubbed off on me in return. Was it wrong to take a position if there was a person, a catalyst, responsible for my growth?
“So? What do you say?” he asked, resting his folded hands on his desk.
I cleared my throat. “Can I think on it? Just for a day or two?”
By the shock on his face, it was clear he hadn’t expected me to say anything other than yes, but I needed to think this over.
“Of course. Get back to me on Tuesday.”
“Thank you, sir.” I stood and exited his office, closing the door behind me and heading in the direction of the bunk room to grab my things. It’d been a long shift, and prior to my conversation with the chief, I’d been exhausted. Now, my mind was racing too fast to even attempt sleep. I needed to talk this out.
