Chicago First Responders: Boxed Set by Harvey BJ

Author:Harvey, BJ
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-03-23T00:00:00+00:00

5

Alex

One thing my parents always instilled in us kids was punctuality, which is why I’m up with the birds and walking through the firehouse doors half an hour early for my shift on Monday with a huge smile on my face.

Last night, I had the best night’s sleep I’ve had since arriving here. Not being in a hotel room had a lot to do with it, but it was also nice to be in a bed of my own, in my own space, excited for my shift today in a job where I’m not known for my last name. I’m not weighed down by expectations—either self-imposed or from my family—and can just be.

“Hey, Alex,” Marco says as soon as I enter the big open-plan living area of the station. “You’re nice and early.”

I shrug. “I like being on time, and I figured I could get settled in and packed away before our shift starts.”

“Good idea. I’ll show you to your locker then.” He nods toward the hallway I’d walked down on Friday, and as we pass the outgoing crew members, he stops and introduces me. Five minutes later, we reach the locker room. He stops in front of an empty one halfway along the row. “Here ya go.”

“Thanks,” I say, dumping my bag down on the bench and opening it up while Marco takes a seat.

“So, did you get settled into Gio’s okay?” Marco asks.

“Yep. And thanks for that, and the furniture. Kinda makes up for not telling your brother about me.”

The Lieutenant throws his hands in the air by his head, his eyes full of amusement. “In my defense, that was more Luca’s doing than mine. Besides, sometimes G needs a bit of a spark in his life.”

“He seems pretty low-key and down to earth,” I reply as I place my toiletries bag in my locker beside a plastic container full of snacks that I always like to keep stocked up. When you’re working twenty-four hour shifts, snacks are life.

“He is. But he’s all work and no play.”

“Nothing wrong with that.” It’s just not for me. I spent far too many years working and living a humdrum life because that was what I thought was expected of me—by my parents, the townsfolk, my ex-boyfriend . . .

“Not at all. But having recently met my reason for living, I can definitely see the upside to having a life outside of the job. That’s something my little brother is yet to learn.”

“Is this a big brother talk? ’Cause I have one of those, and I guess if Gio is anything like me, he doesn’t much like taking brotherly advice.”

“Pretty much.” Marco chuckles as he moves to his feet. “It’ll just be good for him to have someone else around the house—that’s all I’m saying. Anyway, I’ll leave you to it. Meet us in the garage in twenty and I’ll run through the start-of-shift procedures with you.”

I open my mouth to tell him it’s not necessary, but he beats me to the punch.

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