We sit for a moment, after I pull into the station, with ridiculously large smiles spreading across our faces.
“It’s hard to focus on anything else when she’s around.”
Isaac lets the hot Miami sun beat onto his arms through the passenger window.
“It really is.”
“Would you ever do it again? The three of us like that?”
“If it’s anything like last night, it would be hard for me to say no. You?”
“Agreed. It was…Fun. I wonder when she’ll be up for more.”
We walk into the station, and everything is back to normal. It’s exciting, the possibility that we could actually keep this up and have it go well.
Isaac and I are chuckling when he pauses, his face burning when he glances in the Captain’s - ex-Captain’s office. I follow his gaze and feel my own embarrassment heat my face.
“That’s one awkward thing we didn’t account for,” Isaac says as the Captain snaps his head up at the sound of Isaac’s voice.
“Hey fellas!”
Ex-Captain Martin waves us into his office. He never slows his pace putting his beloved desk treasures in the faux-wood cardboard box.
“How are you two feeling? You ready for the test? Prepared and everything?”
“Of course,” Isaac says immediately.
He’s ready? Already?
“How about you, Burrows?”
“You know me, Cap. I hate tests.”
Ex-Captain Martin chuckles, laying a heavy but loving pat on my shoulder.
“You’ll do fine, kid.”
Even though it’s silent, I can feel Isaac reprimanding me and I need to change the subject.
“So, Cap, how on Earth are you going to pick between your two favorites?”
“I won’t be.”
“What?” Isaac aims his concern toward the ex-Captain.
“Look guys, everyone in this department knows I wouldn’t be able to pick between you two, so fortunately for us, I don’t have to be a part of the selection process. It’s only fair.”
“If you’re not doing it, who is?” I ask.
“It will be a board of other captains from the surrounding areas. They’re all trusted departments and I have full faith in these men and women to make the best pick. There are three parts of the test so if you tank one, Burrows, you might be able to redeem yourself with the other’s.”
“Hey!”
“I thought it was essentially an interview and maybe a bit of physical, what else is there?” Isaac asks.
“You’ll have a written test, a physical test, and interviews.”
“I’m really good at written tests,” I cough, still feeling completely unprepared.
“Are you?”
Isaac raises a cocky brow.
“Well…”
“Thought so, all right, you two buzz off. You’ve got a lot of work to do.”
We said our goodbyes to the ex-Captain Martin. As we walked together, we fell silent. I’m suddenly very aware of Isaac’s tense stature. His brow is furrowed, deep in thought.
God, I want this position so badly. I want to show everyone what I’m capable of. I’ve worked so hard for this, but I know Isaac feels the same way, and after all that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours, I wonder if it’s not the sex butthis testthat may really hurt our friendship.