Page 41 of Just One: Box Set

Chapter Four

C alli wasn’t sure whether she should feel suspicious or disappointed.

DallyDude had been chatting her up like they’d known each other for years, but now it seemed like he’d vanished.

She stared at her phone, waiting for a message that didn’t come, her optimism fading.

Maybe it had all been too good to be true—yet another confirmation that she was better off staying single.

Glancing at the clock, she groaned, realizing she had wasted most of the evening texting a stranger, then waiting for him to reply.

With a sigh, she pushed herself off the couch, ready to call it a night, when her phone buzzed, startling her.

“Hey, Shelly—” she answered, barely containing her irritation.

“Oh my god, Calli,” Shelly interrupted, her voice tight with urgency. “Have you seen the news?”

“What? No, I’ve been chatting with some guy on that app you forced me to install. Why? What’s happening?”

“Turn on your TV. There was a fire. Katherine Holmes was trapped inside. The firefighters who saved her were taken to the hospital for injuries.”

“Katherine? From the soccer team?” Calli’s heart raced as she hurried to the remote. Her hands shook as she switched on the TV, her eyes widening at the sight of the charred remains of a house filling the screen. “Oh my God. I’ve got to go to the hospital.”

“I knew you’d want to. Do you want me to meet you there?”

“No, I’ll call you once I know something,” Calli said, already grabbing her keys and bolting for the door.

Her mind was consumed by thoughts of Katherine, who she had just seen a few hours ago at school.

It didn’t feel real—none of it did. Before she even realized how she got there, Calli was pulling into the hospital parking lot.

Her feet carried her into the ER waiting room, her pulse pounding in her ears.

She scanned the room, searching for Katherine’s mother, but she wasn’t there, likely upstairs with her daughter.

Calli was about to approach the front desk when she spotted two firefighters heading toward the elevators.

Without thinking, she called out, “Excuse me!” and rushed to catch up as they stepped into the elevator.

Darting in before the doors closed, she smiled nervously at the two men who turned to look at her.

“Were you at the fire?” she asked, breathless.

“Yes, ma’am,” one of the firefighters said, his face still streaked with soot. “Are you family?”

Shaking her head, Calli bit her lip. “No, I’m Katherine’s soccer coach. I just want to check on her.”

“Follow us,” the bigger man offered kindly. “We’re heading to the same floor. Katherine’s mom is up there with her, and our guy who pulled her out is in the same unit.”

Calli’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Is he okay? I didn’t even think to ask.”

“He’ll be fine,” the firefighter assured her with a chuckle. “Just a strained back. He’ll be out of commission for a few weeks, but nothing too serious.”

“Thank God,” Calli murmured. “Please, thank him for me. Katherine’s one of my best players, and honestly, I expected to be in the ER one day because she broke a bone, not this.”

The firefighter nodded, smiling softly. “She’s a brave one. Reckless, though. She’s gonna have a tough recovery, but more from guilt than anything else.”

Calli blinked. “Guilt? What do you mean?”

“She started the fire.”

The words hit her like a punch to the gut. “Oh… fuck.”

The firefighter raised an eyebrow, amused. “Whoa, never heard a teacher cuss before. That’s kinda hot.”

Calli rolled her eyes, too shaken to respond to the flirtation. “I’m still human,” she muttered. “And I don’t swear in front of students.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. “Katherine’s in room 316,” the firefighter said, stepping aside to let her out. “Nice to meet you, Coach. Be safe.”

She gave them a quick nod and made her way down the hall. As she raised her hand to knock on the door, it swung open, revealing Katherine’s mother, her face pale but relieved.

“Oh, Miss Cross!” The woman enveloped Calli in a tight hug, her voice shaky with emotion. “She’s going to be okay.”

Calli held her, rubbing her back in comfort. “I’m so glad she’s alright. What happened?”

Ms. Holmes sighed heavily, stepping back as she wiped her eyes.

“It was her damn phone,” she said bitterly.

“She started making a grilled cheese, but when her phone rang upstairs, she forgot about the stove. The smoke detector didn’t go off because the battery was dead.

If those firefighters hadn’t gotten to her in time… ”

Calli shook her head gently. “But they did, and she’s here, safe. That’s what matters.”

Ms. Holmes smiled through her tears. “Do you want to see her?”

Nodding, Calli followed her into the room, relief flooding through her as she saw Katherine asleep, looking peaceful despite the oxygen tube and IV. Leaning down, Calli kissed her forehead. “Rest up, Katherine. You’ll be back on the field in no time.”

After a few more comforting words with Ms. Holmes, Calli made her way back to the elevator. As she waited for it to arrive, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Her heart flipped a little when she saw the I-Hope notification.

DallyDude: I didn’t ghost you, DoggyStyle… work was brutal.

Calli smiled despite the heavy situation at the hospital. As the elevator doors opened, she quickly typed a response.

DoggyStyle: It’s okay, DallyDude. I hope everything’s better now.

By the time she made it to the bottom floor, the ER had grown busier. Pushing through the crowd, Calli made her way to her car. She pressed the hands-free button as she started the engine and called Shelly.

“How’s Katherine?” Shelly asked immediately.

“Sleeping, but she’s okay. She started the fire trying to make a grilled cheese.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah,” Calli muttered. “She’ll be out for a week, but I’ll have to keep an eye on her when she’s back. This might really mess with her head.”

As she drove home, Calli filled Shelly in on the earlier chat with DallyDude, her frustration at his sudden disappearance and his reappearance with an apology. Shelly, as always, told her to give him a chance—there could be a reasonable explanation.

Once home, Calli locked the door behind her and immediately headed for her bedroom. The day had been exhausting, and all she wanted was to collapse into bed. As she kicked off her shoes, another notification lit up her phone. She opened the app, smiling at DallyDude’s message.

DallyDude: I hope you’ll give me a chance. I really enjoy talking to you, DoggyStyle. Feel like sharing your real name? While your screen name is cute, I’d prefer something less… dirty.

Calli hovered her thumb over the screen, debating her next move. Did she really want to risk opening up to someone again, especially after being played by her ex? Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and began typing.

DoggyStyle: Are you a player, DallyDude? Because I’ve been there, done that, and I don’t need a repeat. I’m looking for forever. If that scares you, then no... you don’t need my name.