They resumed walking normally. “We wanted to be safe,” Derek said. “This house is old and creaky, and unlike the station, it’snotsoundproof.”
“Everything go smoothly at the firehouse?” I asked.
Taylor paused to pinch Anthony’s cheek. “It was horrible. Some other kid brought us our Friday-night pizza. He wasn’t evencloseto a hot blonde.” He punctuated it with a wink.
I smiled and felt my cheeks grow warm.
“We saved you some,” Taylor added. “It’s in the oven.”
“I hope the oven isoff,” I said pointedly.
Derek ignored the jab. “Billy Manning acted strange. He said there was a smell in the air. Something different.”
“I dumped the trash with the diapers in the dumpster down the street,” Jordan said. “The smell must have lingered in the air.”
“We can blame Anthony’s little tushy on that,” Taylor said. “What are the sleeping arrangements, Chief?”
Derek dropped his backpack off by the stairs. “You and Jordan can have the two guest bedrooms upstairs on the right. That way Clara and the baby can have the room attached to the bathroom.”
“The typewriter room, you mean?” I asked.
“It’s weird, right?” Jordan chimed in. “Who collects typewriters?”
“Lots of people,” Derek said curtly. “Tom Hanks has an impressive collection.”
“Ohh,” Taylor said with fake enthusiasm. “Well if Tom Hanks has one, then that explains it.”
Derek ignored him and hefted a bag. “I bought more formula and toys on the way home. If anyone needs toiletries, the hallway bathroom is stocked.”
“Thanks, Chief,” Jordan said. “I’m exhausted, so I’m going to head to bed.”
“He loves sleeping in on Saturdays,” Taylor said.
“Yeah, and I didn’t get to do it last week,” Jordan grumbled. He hesitated, then gave me a kiss on the cheek. “If you need help with the baby tomorrow, my schedule is clear.”
“You’re sweet.”
“I’m hitting the sack too,” Taylor said. “I’ll be up to go for a run in the morning, Chief, if you want to go with me.”
It must have been a joke, because Derek grunted unhappily, and Taylor chuckled. He gave me a friendly little wave, then jogged up the stairs with his backpack.
Derek walked to the kitchen, and I followed him with Anthony. He turned back to me and said, “I’ll watch the baby, if you wanted to go upstairs with Jordan and…” He left the rest unsaid.
“I’m fine down here,” I said. “Anthony is still awake, so I’m going to keep playing with him until he goes down.”
“Good,” Derek replied. “Like I said, the house isn’t exactly soundproof.” As if to prove the point, the ceiling creaked and groaned as the other two firemen walked around upstairs.
“Okay,” I said, not wanting to discuss the volume of my sex life any further.
Derek took two beers out of the fridge and offered one to me. I took it gratefully and we went into the living room together. I put Anthony back in his basket and cracked it open. The beer was crisp and cool.
Derek made a noise when he realized what was on TV. “In this house, we watch the Giants.” He tapped on the remote to change the channel to the San Francisco game. The Giants were losing, fourteen to three.
I gave him a smug look.
He grunted unhappy. “Tonight I’ll make an exception. Dodgers it is.”
“Much better,” I replied.