chapter six
“Life isn’t like a box of chocolates. Life is more like a cereal box full of grenades. You pick the colors you want and hope they don’t explode before you have a chance to check the pin. But once you do, the relief and joy in that moment is incomparable because you’re suddenly the most alive you’ve ever been. Almost scary how much sense it makes, isn’t it?”
~From Max Emory’s Guide to Dating and Other Important Life Lessons
Jason
“So, something you need to tell me? Your best friend and confidant?” Colt set a large coffee on my desk and waited, arms crossed, stupid grin on his firefighting face.
“Suck. Ass,” I replied, lifting my coffee to my lips and trying to block out the memories from the night before. Curly hair, red lips — damn it! “And no, nothing to tell.”
To say I’d slept like shit the night before would be a grave understatement. From my disastrous dinner with Blanche — I’d spent the better part of the night tossing and turning, aching with need, and waking up to find myself in a cold sweat — to hunting down more signs at six in the morning. Because Max, after our conversation, had decided to double his efforts within the last twelve hours. The guy was an enigma, that was for sure.
A bored enigma.
“Interesting.” The chair creaked as he leaned forward. “Because word on the street is that you were seen last night with Blanche—”
“Hardly a crime. She’s nice.”
“She smells like Windex, but sure...” Colton drew out sure with a judgmental tone I hated, but was used to. “And then you had a run in with—” He coughed.
“Really? Are we in high school again?” I tapped my fingers against the keyboard in an effort to ignore him. “And don’t you have fires to fight? Kittens to rescue?”
“People to shame,” he added with a wink. “So, Maddy’s back in town.” He grabbed a piece of paper and swiped one of my pencils. “How does that make you feel, exactly?”
I grit my teeth. It was bad enough when I had to deal with Max’s stupid signs all over the town, but it was worse when people knew my business and watched my every move like I was a walking Netflix original. I prayed for someone to rob the bank so I’d have a reason to leave.
“It makes me feel just fine,” I answered with a shaky breath. I wiped my face with my hands. “Can we not talk about this? Ever?”
“She was your only love,” Colt pointed out thoughtfully.
I eyed my sidearm and wondered how much damage I could do to his right bicep if I skimmed the bullet a bit.
“First sex.” This part was said loud enough to gain the attention of the chief, and at least three other officers, who all snickered to themselves.
“Get it out!” I spread my arms wide to anyone who would listen. “Yes, she was my first everything, and now she’s nothing to me, you hear me? Nothing!”
The room fell quiet.
The front door of the police station closed.
And wouldn’t you know?
There stood Maddy. Holding a freaking sign that said, ‘Vote Max. I’m only running because I wanted to make a sign.’
Hell, at this rate, he was going to get voted president and create a national holiday where everyone had to walk around without pants.
Cheeks flushed, she quietly dropped the sign onto the front desk and addressed our receptionist, Darla. “I have a dozen more in my car. They were all over my front yard this morning.”
Darla glared at me over her shoulder as if it was my fault Max wasn’t in prison and was free to actually make signs. She shook her head. “We’re currently dealing with the problem. Go ahead and talk to Officer Caro. Maybe more information will stop this psychopath from littering the city,” she grumbled. And then, “Should have never let that man step foot in this town.”
I could have sworn Chief said, “Amen.”
“And that’s my cue.” Colt waved me off. “After all, I have kittens to save.”
The bastard abandoned me to Maddy.
Gorgeous, curly-haired, blue-eyed, Maddy.