Page 21 of Hot Response
“A little better, I guess. But she’s getting more dependent on me now, instead of herself, so I’m starting to think moving back home was a bad idea.”
“There’s no way to guess the right thing to do when it comes to family. How areyoudoing?”
Cait shrugged. “It’s been six months and I’m starting to feel like this is my life now. Like, not mytemporarylife, you know?”
“You need to get out and have some fun. I’m picking up a shift for Lydia at the pub Saturday night. You should stop in and have a beer. And some nachos.”
Cait knew Lydia Hunt was the owner’s daughter. And she was married to Aidan Hunt and her brother was Scott Kincaid. Both guys were assigned to Engine 59, out of the same house as Gavin. Same tour schedule, even, since they’d been on the scene when she and Gavin delivered the baby in the hallway.
She’d forgotten that Karen sometimes worked the bar at the pub. She’d done it more often before she became a wife and mother, but a few times a month she liked giving dad and baby some bonding time and herself some adult interaction outside of the hospital.
“Come on,” Karen pushed. “One night out. Your mom is a grown woman and your brother is a teenager.”
“It’s not them. It’s me, really. I’m just tired and it seems like so much work to dress up a little and do more than put my hair in a ponytail.”
“That’s exactly why you need a night out. You’re getting into a rut and, from the sound of it, a pretty deep one. I’ll tell them to put extra cheese on your nachos.”
And that’s how she came to be walking into Kincaid’s Pub alone on Saturday night.
Karen spotted her right away and waved her over to an empty seat on the back side of the massive bar. Two older men were sitting at the far end, and there were a few customers watching the big TV on the wall. There were a lot more customers than she’d expected sitting at the tables, too.
“I was starting to wonder if you were going to come.”
“So was I, but Mom finally started the process of packing up some of Duke’s things to donate and...it was an emotional day and I had to get out of there.”
“What’ll you have?”
“Whatever you recommend, and nachos.” She grinned, already feeling lighter than she had in a long time. “With extra cheese, please.”
While Karen poured her beer, Cait looked around the place. She saw a few faces she recognized enough so she could probably strike up a conversation if the mood to be sociable struck her.
At the far end, past the tables, was an alcove. A guy was standing in the opening, holding a pool cue and laughing at somebody in the room. When he turned his head, she recognized Rick Gullotti, Gavin’s lieutenant. He must have recognized her, too, because he smiled and waved. She waved back as Karen set down her beer.
“It’s pretty busy tonight,” Karen said. “I’ll be doing drive-by conversations, so I’m sorry in advance.”
“No problem. It feels good just to be out of the house.”
It was true. She didn’t mind sitting alone, relaxing with a beer and the low chatter of people who weren’t looking to her for anything they needed.
But she couldn’t help but wonder if Gavin was in that back room. Maybe playing pool. Bent over the table, his jeans hugging his ass while he concentrated on lining up his shot.
Damn.Cait gulped her beer, hoping it would cool her off. That had certainly escalated quickly.
Earlier, she’d decided against texting him to let him know she’d be there. If he wanted to get together with her for a drink, he could make the time for her. But she regretted it now, because all she could think about was whether or not he was in that alcove, but she couldn’t come up with a good excuse to look. She could say hello to Rick, she supposed, and if he was in there, some of the other firefighters probably were, too.
But the lightning rounds of conversation with Karen gave her an excuse not to work up the courage, and then she had nachos she didn’t want getting cold.
She had a mouthful of extra cheesy goodness when the door opened and Gavin walked in. The way he turned toward the bar immediately and spotted her made her wonder if he’d known she was there. Managing not to choke, she chewed faster and was able to wash down the nachos with a swig of beer before he reached the empty stool next to her.
“Is this seat taken?”
“Help yourself.” She played it cool—she hoped—because if hehadcome there to see her, she wasn’t going to make it easy on him. “Nice place.”
“The best. I’m glad you decided to check it out.”
“I ran into Karen at the ER and she told me she was working tonight and invited me to stop by.”
Something flickered in his expression and she knew he’d gotten her point. She was there because of Karen’s invitation, not his.
