Page 48 of Just One: Box Set

Chapter Eleven

A ndre sat in front of the TV, eyes unfocused, his thoughts consumed by the woman who still refused to return his calls.

“You alright, man?” Liam dropped onto the couch beside him, breaking his reverie.

“She still hasn’t called?”

“No,” Andre grunted, disbelief etched on his face. “I can’t believe you went to her house.”

“I screwed up, Dre. I wasn’t ready to settle down, and I should’ve been honest with her about that. I never thought in a million years you’d fall for her. I mean, what were the chances you’d even meet her?”

Before Andre could reply, the sharp blare of the alarm cut through the air, jolting both men to their feet. It was the end of their shift, making Liam groan in protest.

"Really? No calls all shift, and now we get one?" Liam muttered as they rushed toward the truck.

Andre couldn’t keep the bitterness from his voice. “Perfect. This week’s already gone to shit. Of course we’d get a call at the very end.”

He yanked on his turnout gear and climbed into the truck, slamming the door behind him. Dispatch crackled over the radio with the details: "Engine 12, Squad 12, Rescue 12, Rescue 10, respond to Ponce and Hughes for a two-car MVA. One possible entrapment."

“Fantastic,” Andre muttered, staring out the window at the blur of the passing streets.

Harv, from the front seat, glanced over his shoulder. "Doesn't your girl work at the school right there?"

Andre’s heart leaped into his throat. His head snapped up, cutting his eyes toward Liam. "What time is it?"

“Six-thirty.”

Andre's voice was sharp as he keyed the mic. “Dispatch, any details on the victims?”

"10-4, Engine 12. Caller reports two vehicles. One male, possibly in his twenties, is trapped in his car but conscious and alert. All others are standing by for EMS."

Relief flooded him, and he let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. "10-4." He caught Harv’s curious glance in the rearview mirror, shrugging it off. "Calli would be on her way to work about now."

When they arrived at the scene, Andre’s stomach twisted.

The wreckage of two cars was a mangled mess, but most of the occupants stood outside, unharmed.

His heart stilled as he spotted a blue Mazda in the distance—the car he recognized as Calli’s.

Without thinking, he flung the door open and leaped out before the truck came to a complete stop.

"Dre, wait!" Liam called after him, but Andre was already halfway to the car.

Paramedics from Station 10 were assessing two people sitting on the curb, but Andre’s focus was on the blue Mazda. As he rounded the back of the twisted Mustang beside it, he froze. Calli was squatting beside the Mustang, holding the driver’s hand, her forehead marked by a bloody gash.

“Calli.” His voice broke as he rushed to her, dropping to his knees in front of her. He pulled her into his arms without a second thought. “Fuck.”

She melted into his embrace, her arms winding around him as he threaded his fingers through her hair, inspecting the cut on her forehead. “Let me see,” he murmured, tilting her face up gently.

“You need to move,” Liam interrupted, crouching beside them. “You okay, Calli?”

Her gaze flickered to him, and she nodded. “Yeah, he ran the red light and hit my passenger side. I’m fine, but the guy’s legs are stuck.”

“You did good, baby,” Andre murmured as he stood, helping her to her feet. “Let’s get you to a medic. Liam, you got this?”

“Yeah, go take care of your girl.”

Ignoring her protests, Andre scooped her into his arms. “Hey, I can walk, you know.”

“Don’t care,” he replied, his tone gruff as he carried her toward the ambulance. “You could have a concussion.”

“Andre…” Calli’s hand cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing over his skin. “I’m okay. My car, though…”

Andre tightened his hold on her. “Your car’s replaceable. You’re not.” He pressed his forehead to hers, voice thick with emotion. “God, Calli, when I saw your car, I—I thought the worst.”

He flagged down Lottie, one of the paramedics. “I need you to check her over. Please.”

Lottie hurried over. “Put her down here, Dre.” She gestured to the side of the engine, but Andre sat down, keeping Calli cradled in his arms. “Uh, Dre, she can sit on her own.”

“No,” he growled softly. “I’m not letting her go.”

Calli squirmed in his grip, but Andre held firm. “Stop, Calli. I can’t put you down. Not yet.”

Lottie gave him a knowing look. “About time you found someone, Dre. Let me take a look.”

After cleaning Calli’s wound and applying some butterfly strips, Lottie recommended she go to the ER. Calli refused, so Lottie sighed. “Well, at least let Andre take care of you today. Any headaches or blurry vision, and you need to go to the hospital, okay?”

“I’ll make sure of it,” Andre growled, his protective nature flaring.

Once Lottie walked away, Calli stood between his legs, her eyes searching his face. She bit her lip, her expression softening. “Andre… I shouldn’t have run off the other night. Seeing Liam shocked me, and it made me angry. You’re so… kind, and he’s?—”

“A dick,” Andre finished for her, cupping her cheek. “Yeah, I know. Liam’s always been a pig. I’ve spent years cleaning up the mess he leaves behind. But he’s my best friend. He’s got his reasons for the way he is… still, I’m sorry you got caught in that mess.”

Calli laced her fingers with his, a sigh escaping her lips. “I don’t want to walk away. I think, no, I know… I’m in love with you.”

Andre’s heart leaped. “You love me?”

“Yes.”

Relief and joy washed over him as he pulled her close. “Thank God. Because I’m head over heels for you, Calli.”

Calli stared up at Andre, her voice soft and uncertain. “Can this be real? We haven’t even had a date—or slept together.”

Andre pressed his lips to hers, the warmth of his kiss reassuring. “It’s real, baby. And when we finally share that part of ourselves, it’s going to be the sweetest, most beautiful thing ever.”

She hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowing. “Is it going to be weird for you since I dated your best friend? It’s been long enough that seeing him doesn’t bother me. As long as it’s not an issue for you.”

“Calli, if Liam wasn’t my best friend, I would’ve punched him in the teeth for how he treated you back then.

But can I tell you something?” He gently intertwined his fingers with hers, his eyes softening.

“I’m not happy you were hurt by him, but I’m damn glad you two broke up.

If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t be able to do this.

” He pulled her in for a kiss, hard and demanding, igniting every nerve in her body.

Calli responded instantly, her hands sliding down his arms as she held on, matching his intensity. It was like an inferno building between them, the world around them fading away as they kissed with abandon.

She squeaked when he finally pulled away, breathless. “Sorry. I needed to do that.”

Her cheeks flushed as she bit her lip, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Andre… I know this is the worst possible timing, but right now, all I can think about is getting you naked.”

Without a second thought, Andre grabbed her hand and started moving through the crowd, determined. “Chief!” he called out to a man standing nearby. “I’m taking my girlfriend home. She’s the victim from the Mazda, and Lottie said she needs to rest. She won’t unless I babysit her.”

The captain raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. “Is that so? Well, it’s the end of your shift anyway, and your team’s got things under control. Come on, I’ll give you both a ride back to the station.”

Andre and Calli followed the older man to his SUV, climbing into the backseat. He couldn’t help but notice the grins and chuckles from his coworkers as they passed, Liam even giving him a thumbs-up.

“You’re going to catch hell for this, Dre. But it looks like it’s worth it,” the captain said with a chuckle.

Andre grinned, his hand resting on Calli’s thigh. “Thanks, Chief—she’s definitely worth it.”