Page 49 of Striking the Match (Redwood Bay Fire #3)
TEDDY – THREE MONTHS LATER
“Do you think it’s going to rain?” Cassius asks me.
“Oh, don’t,” I groan, elbowing him playfully in the ribs then pointing up at the perfectly blue sky. “I think we’re probably going to be okay.”
He chuckles and wraps his arms around me from behind, pressing our temples together and sighing as we watch the busy goings on outside of the One-Thirteen firehouse.
Our helicopter fundraiser event is in full swing, and it feels like half the town has come out in support on this gorgeous Sunday afternoon.
“I don’t know,” Cassius counters. “Good things happen when it rains.”
I can’t help but laugh incredulously. “Your house practically got destroyed the last time we had a big storm here.”
He shrugs. “Yeah, but we’re rebuilding that. I’m talking about how you agreed to be my boyfriend in the rain. And how you told me you loved me for the first time in the rain. Not to mention that you saved my cat’s life in the rain.”
“Our cat,” I correct, attempting to frown, but the smile creeps out anyway as I look back over my shoulder at him.
He matches me with a grin. “Oh, my apologies. Our cat. And our house will be better than ever when it’s finished.”
“Our house,” I say, squirming against him, happiness humming through my veins.
After the events of the previous shelter fundraiser, Cassius began renting an apartment in town as a temporary measure while he sorted out what was salvageable.
It wasn’t just about recovering his possessions, although we were able to rescue a surprising amount of his stuff.
He and the surveyors had to determine whether or not he’d have to start from scratch after the disastrous flood damage.
No one was all that surprised when he was told he’d be better off razing the property to the ground to make absolutely sure it would be structurally sound, but he went a step further and picked an entirely new location so construction could begin right away.
And this plot hopefully really does have a zero risk of flooding.
I didn’t want to rush anything, but as it became clear that I was spending all my time at his place when I wasn’t here at work, he was the one to suggest we try living together and see how that went.
The situation at home with my parents was okay as it was mostly just the three of us.
But Nate is still refusing to get help, and whenever he came around the tension was unbearable.
That combined with the desire to finally spread my wings at twenty-three were the push I needed to at least try living with my boyfriend.
The logical side of me was worried that by jumping in too deep, too fast, we’d ruin what we were building. But another side of me recognized that perhaps subconsciously I didn’t think I deserved to be this lucky or happy, and wanted to sabotage it.
Cassius and I have suffered through enough forces in the universe trying to tear us down without me doing it as well. So much like the time I jumped into a swollen river because I knew with all my heart it was the right thing to do, I took the leap.
And never looked back.
I love waking up beside him. I love cooking dinner together and washing the dishes. I love watching TV and sharing closet space and bickering about who took the trash out last and all the other million tiny little things that come from being a couple and living together.
I love him so much. There are days where I still step back and wonder how the hell this became my life. But I trust now that it’s better than fiction could have ever been.
I am the author of my own destiny.
The fame issue has mostly faded into the background, which is kind of crazy.
I never thought I’d get used to strangers approaching us, asking for selfies and autographs.
But here in Redwood Bay, I do think the novelty of having our golden boy home again has worn off a little.
People aren’t so shocked to see him around anymore.
He’s not Cassius Garda, former NFL player and Seahawks superstar. He’s just Cassius.
Teddy’s boyfriend.
It’s different when we’re in LA, which has been fairly often these days.
Between visiting our new friends Bella, Tony, Reyse and Corey, as well as Cassius having pre-production meetings, readings, wardrobe fittings and everything else for his new Fallen Angels Club role, we find ourselves making the drive pretty regularly.
I’m so proud of him for pursuing a new career that he’s excited about, I find it’s easier putting up with the fans, especially as most of them are very sweet. Even the rude ones bother me less now.
If this is the metaphorical price I have to pay to be with Cassius, I’ll gladly pay it.
Sometimes, it’s still a tightrope walk to make sure that literal finances don’t create a chasm between us.
It makes sense for him to be responsible for the house, seeing as it’s going to be a multi-million-dollar mansion that he’ll be paying cash for up front.
My firefighter salary isn’t going to contribute much toward that.
But I’m paying a percentage of rent on the temporary place, and we’ve agreed that I’m going to be investing in furnishing and decorating the new place alongside him. Cassius wants this to feel as much of my home as his, not like I’m a guest.
The truth is…my home is wherever he is. Although I’m also still very much not interested in being his sugar baby. So we’ll have to wait and see how it all shakes out. But so far, I think we’re doing okay with juggling the various different factors.
Cassius has also reassured me by not throwing his money around to solve everybody else’s problems. There’s a fine line between donating generously to charity and being taken for a ride.
I never mentioned my brother’s demands that Cassius should help him clear his debt, but because my boyfriend is so amazingly thoughtful and observant, he worked out that was the main source of conflict between us anyway.
I was mortified, but he made me feel better by assuring me that after a lifetime of bullying me, Nate could absolutely clean up his own damn mess.
The One-Thirteen was a different matter altogether, though.
After the way my team sprung into action and saved everyone from the flood at his house, even though they were off duty, left Cassius wanting to throw caution to the wind and simply buy us our new helicopter outright.
Luckily, Bryan and I were able to talk him into paying half, which is still insanely generous.
But he has to make sure his own house is in order first, literally.
However, that’s why we’re here today. Hosting a community day at the firehouse like we originally planned, engaging with the people of Redwood Bay who we devote our lives to protecting.
Technically, the second watch are on call, ready to go if the tones sound with the rigs parked out on the road, clear of all the festivities.
But Dispatch is routing all minor calls to the One-Two-Two, so unless disaster strikes, they should be able to stay with us and the third watch to have some fun over the next few hours.
I glance up at the blue sky again, daring the universe to give us another crisis. But I think it knows not to cross me anymore.
My mom said she’d try and swing by later with my dad, and if they do, that’s cool.
They and my other brothers will always be my family.
But so long as Nate is causing trouble, I’m not going to feel guilty about keeping my distance.
I’m not a little kid anymore and I’ve got my own life to live with the family I’ve chosen.
That’s Cassius and Kiki. That’s the One-Thirteen.
And it’s also probably going to be several more cats and dogs from the shelter once the house gets finished being built.
Kiki might be outraged to begin with, but I’m sure she’ll adapt.
She’s gone from a violent little lion to a fluffy lap cat in a matter of months.
Of course, she still growls at herself at three o’clock in the morning and tries to drink running water by licking the top of the faucet.
She might be friendlier, but that doesn’t stop her from being orange, after all.
That’s what so special about choosing your family. It isn’t blood that obliges you to stand by their side through thick and thin or sheer dumbassery.
It’s love.
Although, nobody says you have to love them all the time.
“Hey, Probie!” Lili yells from where she and Rico are manning the barbecue. “We need more ribs from the kitchen!”
I laugh and squeeze Cassius’s arms around me. “Not your probie anymore, so that sounds like a you problem, Kwon!”
She glares at me while Rico just laughs.
It’s funny, but now I’m a regular firefighter like the rest of my team, I feel it’s okay to think of Lieutenant Flores by his first name.
I guess seeing as I’m less preoccupied with how much younger and inexperienced I am compared to everyone else, his rank is less intimidating.
It also helps that he’s been spending more time with us all lately, almost like he’s avoiding being at home.
I wouldn’t ever pry, but I hope everything’s okay with him.
Yara waves her hands and puts her beer down. “Don’t worry, I’ll get it!” She pauses and points at her eighteen-year-old brother, Fabian. “Be good.”
He rolls his eyes. “No, I’m going to down some tequila and steal your ambulance in the thirty seconds you’re gone.”
Bless Yara. She actually hesitates a second before realizing he’s obviously joking.
It must be hard having to raise your younger sibling like she has.
They seem to have come through the worst years since their parents passed, though, and I only hope it gets easier as Fabian starts navigating adulthood.
A transition I know a thing or two about.