Page 43 of Striking the Match (Redwood Bay Fire #3)

My eyebrows shoot up. “You’d…as in…are…the character would be gay?”

She shrugs. “If that works for you? He could equally be bi. The point is to take what Hollywood loves about action stars and prove anyone can be a hero.” She places her hand over my heart.

“Isn’t that why you came out? To prove that anyone can play football?

Black or white, rich or poor, gay or straight?

Everyone should be welcome on the team so long as they can kick the ball. ”

“I mostly threw the ball,” I tease her.

She looks at me deadpan. “Yes, well, in real football, that’s against the rules.” She cackles and pokes my chest. “What do you say? Would you like to come in and read a scene or two? Basically, the part is yours to reject.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know what to say.” I’ve been so lost. It feels incredible jarring to suddenly have a direction in which to steer my rudder.

“Say yes!” she cries, then downs the rest of her Champagne. “Oh, we’ll have such fun, I promise. The world is your oyster, Cassius. Don’t let anyone convince you that you’ve stagnated. The truth is that you’re in your prime and there’s a whole new legion of fans simply waiting to discover you.”

I turn and scan the room again, only looking for one man.

I feel like I want to burst with excitement, and I know exactly who I want to tell my news to first. I see him deep in conversation with an elegant lady, who I guess from context to be his neighbor, Mrs. Bloom.

I get the impression he’s in good hands for the time being.

“Yes,” I say as I whip my head back around to grin at Bella.

“I say yes! Let’s give it a try. Unless I totally suck and you guys want to fire me, I’m saying right now that I want to give this my best shot.

Even if it’s just for a good time. It beats moping around my house wondering what the hell to do with my time. ”

She smirks wickedly and quirks a perfectly penciled eyebrow. “Well…I would assume you’re doing that delectable beauty whom you keep looking at over there. Am I wrong?”

My cheeks heat and I’m grateful my blushes aren’t as visible as Teddy’s. “A gentleman would never kiss and tell,” I say politely.

“Which means you’re fucking like rabbits.

” She beams and seizes my biceps with surprising strength.

“I’m so very happy for you, Cassius. I know we don’t know each other—at least not yet—but I’m jolly well going to go ahead and tell you that you deserve this anyway.

Congratulations. Everyone should find someone who puts a look on their face like you have now. ”

I swallow and nod, not expecting such enthusiasm from a Brit. Aren’t they renowned for being demure?

I prefer her unbridled joy.

“Is that what you found with your fella?” I ask her.

She grins. “Minus the fucking, yes.” She moves a lock of blonde hair and holds a finger behind one of her earrings.

I realize with pride that I recognize the colors of the dangling gems are the same as the ace flag.

I’ve been studying them all, but I haven’t had many opportunities to see many in the wild until now.

“Hell yeah,” I say sincerely, clinking our almost empty Champagne flutes together.

“It takes some getting used to,” Bella says more seriously, indicating the room with her glass.

“The rules and the politics of all this nonsense. It left Tony feeling quite hollow at the beginning. If your sweet young man ever wants to chat with someone who’s been through it, I know Tony would love to pass on any wisdom he’s gleaned over the years of putting up with me. ”

I give her a sincere smile. “Wow, yeah. I’m sure Teddy would appreciate that, thank you. Did you guys have a hard time going public as well then?”

“Oh, the press put my poor darling through the ringer,” she says, a frown darkening her usually happy features. “They were convinced I’d left Reyse for him or, worse, cheated on Reyse with him. They constantly compared the two of them even though there wasn’t anything of substance behind it.”

I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember any of that.”

She bumps her shoulder against mine. With her long legs in those high heels, she’s very nearly as tall as me.

“Exactly. I know this all seems like the end of the world right now, but people will get used to it. The scandal will fade and leave you in peace.” She rolls her eyes.

“Mostly. Honestly, I’ll never understand why reporters are so interested in us when there are real crises going on around the world. ”

“Because people like to think they know us,” I say with a rueful laugh. “That we’re their friends. It’s kind of sweet that millions of people genuinely just want to see what we’re up to and know we’re okay.”

“And then there are those who would gleefully strike a match and set us on fire just to watch us burn.” Her scowl turns to a playful smile and a wink.

“Luckily, you’ve found yourself a man who specializes in putting out fires.

And it looks like he’s making his way over here. I’ll give you guys a moment.”

She leans in and kisses my cheek before melting into the crowd just as Teddy appears. “Was that Bella Dalton?” he asks me in awe.

“Now that is someone I know,” Mrs. Bloom says happily. “She’s a plucky one.” Her dog wags her tail from where she’s standing by her mom’s feet, well behaved on her leash.

I chuckle and reach for Teddy’s hand that isn’t supporting his neighbor’s elbow. “That was Bella, and she was lovely. I think she’d like to meet you if we get a chance later.”

“Me?” Teddy asks incredulously.

Mrs. Bloom nudges him. “I said you belonged here, didn’t I?”

Teddy blushes. “You did,” he mumbles.

I kiss the top of his head, beaming. “Of course you do, baby. Now, are you going to introduce me to your charming friend?”

“Oh, sorry!” he cries. “Cassius Garda, this is the One-Thirteen’s very glamorous and very awesome neighbor, Mrs. Sylvia Bloom.

” His gaze drops to the dog. “And this is Miss Margot Fonteyn. Mrs. Bloom, this is Cassius, my, um, boyfriend.” His voice is a little shaky, but he grins with confident pride as I lean in to gently kiss Mrs. Bloom on each cheek.

“Teddy’s told me so much about you, ma’am,” I tell her truthfully.

“Likewise,” she says as I draw back. “Apparently, you play football?”

Every now and again it does me a lot of good to be reminded that there are people in this world who know nothing about my sport and have never even heard of me. I like that Teddy’s neighbor doesn’t feel like she has to pretend in order to impress me.

“I used to play quarterback, yes,” I say, not feeling the same pang of regret as usual.

Bella’s offer is still fresh in my mind and I’m tingling with anticipation about talking it through with Teddy.

“I hear you make a mean rhubarb crumble. I’m sure my mom would love to trade notes.

She’s here somewhere, no doubt forcing my dad to talk to the mayor about litter picking or congestion. ”

Mrs. Bloom raises her nose in the air. “Oh, I have a few stern thoughts myself about the parking situation outside of the library. Perhaps Miss Margot and I shall go join them.”

“No doubt my mom would love that,” I say with a laugh. “It was nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“And you, Mr. Garda.” She gives me an approving nod. “You look after my Theodore, now.”

“So long as he looks after me right back,” I tell her with a wink, wrapping my arm around my man’s waist, loving how he feels pressed against me.

“Oh, there’s no worry about that, I’m sure,” she says as she and her pup wander off.

For a second, I simply turn and face Teddy, inhaling his unique scent and beaming as I hold him in my arms. “I’m so proud of you.”

He blinks in surprise. “What did I do?”

I shrug and press a quick kiss onto his lips. “Just being yourself. This is a lot, and having you here is the best feeling.”

He relaxes against me and smiles. “I think I finally convinced myself that this isn’t all a dream I’m going to cruelly wake up from one day.”

“Yeah?” I ask, trying not to get my hopes up. “I’m your dream?” My biggest fear is still that he’s going to realize that this is too much and I’m not worth the effort. But he nods and squeezes my arms.

“You are,” he murmurs, his gaze not wavering from mine. “One I’m never waking up from. I belong wherever you are.”

My heart explodes in my chest. “Damn right, baby. And now the whole world knows it, too.”

I lean down to kiss him, but after only a couple of seconds I hear jeering and wolf whistling. “Oh, guys! Get a room!”

Teddy and I part to see most of the One-Thirteen advancing on us, all big grins and thumbs up.

I laugh, loving how they’re not intimidated enough by me not to tease their friend.

I know most of them from when they rescued us after the landslide, but we haven’t really met properly.

Teddy helped me retrospectively put names to faces.

Lili and Yara are easy enough to distinguish from the guys, Lili in a bold jumpsuit and Yara in a long, light pink strapless dress.

The men are almost all in black suits, except the jokester who I’m pretty sure is Sawyer.

He’s paired a silk shirt with skintight leather pants and knee-high stiletto boots.

The all-black feminine ensemble on his muscular frame is a daring look of which I very much approve.

Simply by being himself, he’s defying stereotypes.

Just like me and Reyse, I suppose.

“So are you guys officially dating now?” the red-head guy, Lochlan, asks us excitedly. No wonder his nickname is ‘Beast’ with how built he is, but I feel the golden retriever vibes rolling off him.

“Um, yeah,” Teddy admits shyly, looking up at me.

“Definitely,” I confirm.

Yara coos and Sawyer high fives his best friend, Anton. The more sensible one of the gang, Lieutenant Rico Flores, reaches out to shake my hand. “Welcome to the family, man,” he says sincerely. “Teddy’s a great guy.”

From the way Teddy tenses beside me, I think both he and I expected Rico to say that Teddy was the lucky one to be with me. I appreciate that this guy has gotten it the correct way round.

Unfortunately, I don’t get any longer to enjoy being properly introduced to the One-Thirteen.

“Uh…guys?” Drayton says, the Australian who’s temporarily filing in for the guy on honeymoon in Japan. “That’s not normal, right?”

I follow his gaze, as does the rest of the team. The conversational tone around the room is shifting to alarm. People are moving away from the front of the house, and it’s not until I look down that I realize why.

Water is spreading across the floor. Fast. It’s sloshing in from the entrance hall like someone emptied a bathtub.

“What the—?” I say in horror.

But the words die in my throat.

An almighty crash rips through the air closely followed by several terrified screams. I try and move to see what’s happening, not quite processing what I’m witnessing.

A car—a whole car— has plowed through the wall, taking out the front door with it.

Several feet of water surges inside, knocking people off their feet with shrieks and splashes, sweeping furniture up that further slams into my guests, and shorting out the sound system, killing the music with a pathetic fizzle that seems inappropriate for the magnitude of the situation.

A flash flood is tearing through my home, heading straight for me and Teddy. My last thought before the water hits us is that I have to protect him. I have to protect everyone.

That’s when the lights go out, plunging us into darkness.