Page 36 of Ablaze

“Oh.” I try to go for a casual tone. “My friends from the fire station and I have these monthly movie nights, and I’m hosting it at my place tomorrow night, so Dean will be coming to that.”

Warren smiles knowingly, his warm amber eyes caressing my face. “Ah, I’m assuming I haven’t passed muster yet, so I’m not invited, huh?”

I shake my head, giggling awkwardly. “No, of course you’re invited! But you told me your dad was going to be in town, so you’d be having dinner with him. I figured you wouldn’t be able to make it.”

I’m hoping he doesn’t call my bluff. While Warren has hung out with my brother and Samantha, he’s right–I didn’t invite him to movie night. It’s been something the others and I have done since before he came into the picture, and I guess I’m not ready to change that dynamic yet.

That, and well . . . I get the feeling there’s one person in particular who wouldn’t show if Warren was coming.

Warren bends to brush his lips on my cheek. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. Very different from the blond, long-haired guys with charmingly crooked smiles I’ve been attracted to over the past several years, but I don’t see any of those in the picture, so . . .

“I’m just giving you a hard time. Anyway, I thought I’d come by on my way home and drop something off.”

“Oh?” I ask, raising a brow. “And what would that be?”

Warren and I have been dating for about a month. And while it’s still new, I’ve often felt like I’ve known him for longer. I suppose that comes from the fact that he’s easy to talk to, funny, and incredibly romantic. On more than one occasion, he’s pulled out all the stops for our dates.

Last week, Betty was sick and Max had to rush out early because his girlfriend thought she was miscarrying–thankfully, she hadn’t–and I was stuck cleaning up the café alone. So, instead of just taking me out to dinner, Warren brought an array of food here. He helped me clean up, turned off all the bright lights, and turned on some LED candles he’d brought with him. We sat at one of the café tables, giggling, catching up, and stuffing our faces.

He pulls my hand and, right when we get to the double doors, he turns to catch me in a kiss. I’m momentarily struck and try to ease into it, but I just can’t seem to get out of my own head. I try to hide my nerves with an airy laugh. “The suspense is killing me!”

He places another kiss on my cheek before opening the doors and my eyes land on a long red box with a pretty bow sitting at the bar.

My brows fold as I walk over to it, picking it up before taking it over to an empty table to open it. Warren watches excitedly as I open the box.

“Oh!” I chime with forced glee as I regard the gift in my hand. “Socks!”

Warren gleams at my response. “Do you like them? I just noticed you’re always trying to shove your feet under my thigh when we’re watching something on TV. Now you don’t have to!”

I clear my throat, hoping to veil my disappointment. Not everyone is going to like my feet being tucked under their thigh, and that’s an expectation I need to reset in my own head. “Yes! These are fantastic! What a thoughtful gift!”

He places a kiss on the top of my head. “I’m glad you like them, sprinkles.”

And as much as I try not to let it, my smile drops.

* * *

My watery eyes glide to where Rohan and Samantha are snuggled together under a blanket on the love seat in my living room. Samantha wipes a stray tear from her cheek and Rohan pulls her closer, laying his lips on her temple.

I’m sitting on the other side of Malcolm on my sofa with a blanket over me, while Dean sits on the ground in between me and Malcolm, his head resting against my knee.

Jack gives his speech to Rose on screen, half-submerged and trembling in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, while Rose lies frigid on the floating wooden door.

Even though it’s my third time watching this movie, my throat tightens. It’s always the love and hate for this scene that has me conflicted. The way Leo’s character gives up his own happiness and life for the woman he loves–the woman he should be with, regardless of their obstacles. The selflessness of it and the pure dedication to her. If only they could have had a life together . . . a happily ever after.

My eyes linger on Dean’s profile. Strangely, he’s not looking at the TV screen. His eyes are fixed somewhere below it, lost in thought. What I would give to be able to read his thoughts right now.

“No,” Malcolm whispers into his fist, blinking rapidly. “No. This is some bullshit, right here.” He sniffles. “That is some bullshit, Rose! You have enough room on that motherfucking door! Move the hell over and save him, you stupid bitch!”

And just like that, the somber mood evaporates. Samantha and I exchange looks before we both devolve into a fit of giggles, the pools of tears created from the intense scene rolling down our cheeks for completely different reasons.

Malcolm sniffles again, making Dean laugh, and I can barely get myself to look over at the six-foot-four-inch man who’s easily larger than anyone in this room. He might be a fearless firefighter like Dean and Rohan, but he’s nothing but a big softy on the inside. I force my eyes to turn to him, and it’s the worst thing I could have done. The second Malcolm wipes his eyes, I’m falling apart in another torrent of giggles. My cheeks hurt from the strain on my muscles.

Malcolm looks from Samantha to me to Dean, shaking his head. “You guys are a bunch of assholes.” He wipes his nose, blinking away more tears. “That was a display of true love right there. The dude gave up his life and his chance to be on that floaty thingy so she could live. That’s fucking true love!”

A sob catches Malcolm’s chest, and Rohan joins the rest of us while we’re holding our stomachs from laughing. “Floaty thingy!”

God, I love this group so much.

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