“It was from Jordan!” she said before I could even check my phone history.
“You were snooping!”
“I happened to glance at the phone when it rang,” she said with her Italian-American bluntness. “This is not my fault.”
I rolled my eyes and called Jordan back. As it rang, I began to fear that he might not answer. But then he picked up on the fourth ring.
“Hello?”came his sexy voice.
Goosebumps covered my arms, and the words poured out of my mouth excitedly. “Hi! Jordan, it’s me, Clara. I saw that I had a missed call from you, which is perfect, because I was going to call you and ask if you wanted to hang out today. I know your shift starts tonight, so maybe you would like to get an early dinner before then?”
“Oh,”he replied. “I’m, uh, actually kind of busy later. Things are crazy around here.”
I didn’t know whereherewas since he wasn’t working, but I was too disappointed to think about that.He turned me down.
“Okay,” I said awkwardly. My stomach sank, but I ignored it and pushed on. “Maybe another time. So, uh, why did you call me?”
I heard him whispering on the other end. Talking to someone while covering the receiver. “Clara, can you come over to the station? Right now?”
“The firehouse?” My heart surged with hope that maybe I would get to see him after all. “Yeah! Sure! I mean, I can come over if you want me to.”
More whispering on the other end. “Great. See you soon.”
I hung up and beamed at Mom. “He wants to see me!”
“This is wonderful! He—”
I held a finger up to her. “If you saygrandchildrento me one more time, I’m getting my tubes tied.”
She clamped her lips shut so quickly I’m surprised a shockwave didn’t echo through the house.
I ran upstairs and took a shower. When I got out, I realized I was still sweating—I hadn’t given myself enough time to cool off after my jog. So I took asecondshower, then stood in front of my closet and agonized over what to wear. This wasn’t a date; he was only inviting me over to the firehouse. So jeans and a T-shirt were probably best.
Come to think of it, why was he at the firehouse? His shift didn’t start until tonight. Maybe he switched with someone, and that’s why he couldn’t hang out with me later.
I drove to the firehouse and parked on the street, once again taking care not to block the fire engine doors. There was a hideous lime-green Mustang in the parking lot, with the license plate: FIRMAN.
I knocked on the front door. A few moments later, someone I didn’t recognize answered. He had a shaved head, but patches of dark hair were starting to grow back on his scalp. His head was round and large—a littletoolarge, if I’m being totally honest—with small ears on the sides. Maybe the small ears were what made his head look too large by comparison. His dark, beady eyes didn’t help.
He whistled to himself. “Why, hello there. It’s not my birthday, but suddenly I wish it was. I’m Billy, and I’mveryhappy to meet you.”
His comments, and the way his eyes raked over my body, made my skin crawl. I ignored his outstretched hand and said, “Yeah, okay. Is Jordan here?”
Billy’s wormy smile faded. “What’re you doing with him? I’ll treat you much better.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just sort of stood there.
Jordan suddenly appeared next to him. He gave Billy a not-so-friendly shove and said, “Why do you have to be an asshole to everyone you see?”
“Asshole? I was giving the lady my compliments.” He turned his gaze back on me and gave me an evencreepiersmile.
“That’s what I’m talking about. Stop it.” Jordan blocked Billy’s body and gestured. “Come on in.”
“You’re a real loser, you know that?” Billy told him. “First you crash here all weekend, and now this…”
Jordan put a guiding hand on my back and led me down the hall. “Thanks for nothing, Billy.”
I felt the other fireman’s eyes on my back as we walked away.