Big Daddy Firemen (Big Cedar Daddies Book 2)

Krebs wasn’t nearly as mountainous as Big Cedar, but it was still plenty hilly.

There were plenty of trees, too, that blanketed those hills, keeping it green in the spring and summer. Now, the leaves had all fallen and were awaiting their return. In Oklahoma, winters usually didn’t last that long, so the buds would probably appear sooner rather than later.

Austin, Cane, and Walker sat in an Italian restaurant, planted at a circular table, munching on breadsticks.

“Wonder why this town has so many Italian restaurants?” Cane mused aloud.

“You mean you’re from Oklahoma and you don’t know?” Austin said.

Cane thought about it for a moment. “Yeah. Guess I never really thought out it,” he admitted.

“It was the miners,” Austin explained. “You know, there used to be coal mining operations all up and down these hills. Lots of immigrants—especially quite a few from Italy—left the East Coast and headed here looking for jobs. They brought their food with ‘em. That’s why we have so many good little mom-and-pop Italian restaurants around here.”

“Huh. Makes sense, I suppose,” Cane said before shoving another chunk of bread in his mouth. “Sure is tasty. That’s for damn sure.”

The server came by and dropped off plates of spaghetti and meatballs, along with salads and another basket of bread.

Cane didn’t know if he’d even be hungry for the main course by the time their Italian sausage dinners came out. He’d worry about that later. Right now, he wore a big grin as he leaned in close, breathed in the aroma of the steam that rose from the “appetizers”, and smiled in satisfaction.

Despite having eaten the sandwiches before leaving Big Cedar, he could easily enjoy all that food. Fighting fires worked up a man’s appetite.

He thanked the server and then dug in.

They had plenty of privacy to talk, thanks to the unique arrangement of the eatery. The sprawling building contained a bunch of small rooms, each one with a round table in them, for family-style meals.

“Damn, this is good!” Austin said. “But I wonder how our girl is doing on her date.”

“I don’t like that she knows next to nothing about this guy,” Walker said. “He could be a crazy killer.”

“Well, the good news is Krebs isn’t exactly a big city,” Cane reminded him. “If she needs us, we can be there in seconds.”

“Yeah, responding fast is our specialty,” Austin said after washing a bite down with cold beer. “All she has to do is text or call.”

Walker nodded but his fears didn’t look pacified.

“I hope she has fun. But not too much fun. I don’t want anyone else getting that little girl,” he admitted. “Maybe it’s time we make our move.”

“Ha,” Austin snorted. “You think she’d really go for all three of us?”

Walker’s worried expression morphed to a suggestive grin. “I think she would. We just need to let her know it’s okay. Give her permission, so to speak.”

Cane nodded. “That’s what I’m talking about. I love you guys. I’d be damn happy for either one of you if you landed that cutie. But I can’t stand the thought of never getting to hold her. I want to be the one to protect and cherish her, take care of her the way she deserves. You boys feel the same way. So the only thing that makes sense is if we all do it.”

The other men nodded. They picked up their beers and met in the middle of the table for a toast.

“Maybe it’s time we reel that cutie in and bring her on home to the firehouse for good,” Cane said.

“Amen,” Walker and Austin said.

They clinked their bottles together and smiled. Cane couldn’t stop thinking about his sweet girl. Based on the grins Austin and Walker wore, they couldn’t stop, either.

That sweetie was in for it.

Less than a mile away, at another, smaller Italian eatery, Daisy sat across the table from Clinton Grimes.

Clinton wasn’t bad looking. He seemed aware of that fact, too. Which, in turn, made him less attractive.

He sat in his chair with an arrogant ease, the look in his eyes making him seem as if he was in a state of perpetual amusement by a joke that only he was in on. He’d been talking for about fifteen minutes straight and it had all been about himself.

“So I had an epiphany: I’m too good for middle management. I’m destined for other things. That’s when I went to school and got my law degree.”

“That’s great,” Daisy said. “Did you⁠—”

He continued speaking as if he hadn’t even heard her. “My track record in court is freaking amazing. Seriously, all I do is win.”

“Wow,” she said, not knowing what else to add.

She was thankful when the server dropped by with their dinners.

“You know, I’ve been to New York City. Lots. So I know good Italian food,” Clinton said with a snort. “This is passable. But it’s not New York City good.”

The server looked slightly offended. Daisy shot the young woman an apologetic smile and mouthed, “Sorry.”

Clinton continued to drone on incessantly.

And on and on.

After a while, Daisy didn’t know what he was even saying. Or care.

Once the server left, she picked at her food for a moment, looking at the lasagna. It looked and smelled really good, but she didn’t have much of an appetite.

“Are you going to eat all that?” Clinton asked, arching a skeptical eyebrow as he looked at her plate.

She’d been tuning him out, so it took a moment for the question to even register. “Excuse me?”

“Sometimes a girl can really pack it away and I’m just curious if you’re one of those types.”

She suddenly felt very self-conscious as his appraisal shifted from the portion size of her plate to her body. He looked her up and down from across the table.

“Excuse me,” she said. “I need to… powder my nose.”

Does anyone say powder my nose anymore? she wondered quietly as the cut quickly through the restaurant, toward the restrooms. Once there, though, she didn’t go in. Instead, she pulled out her phone and called Austin.

He answered on the first ring.

“I like that I’m the one you always call.”

“It’s because your name is first in my contacts,” she said.

“Sure, sure. You okay? This guy isn’t trying to murder you, is he?”

“No. That would be more interesting than what’s actually happening.” She stopped and thought about it for a few seconds. “Scratch that. He is killing me. With boredom as he talks about himself. Remember when you said to call if I need an evac?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, this is me calling for an evac!”

“We’re on our way. Just finishing off our lamb fries. I was full after all that food we had, but Cane insisted we order them.”

“Lamb fries!”

“Yeah.”

“Yuck!” she said. For some reason, the deep-fried lamb testicles were a regional favorite. She found them disgusting, though she had to admit she’d never actually tried any.

“We’re on our way.”

“What should I tell him?”

“Let us handle that.” A few seconds of silence passed before Austin asked, “He’s not being a dick to you, is he?”

“Well, he kind of, sort of implied something about my weight.’

“Mother fu⁠—”

“It’s okay,” Daisy interrupted. “Just come quick.”

“The only time I come quick is if I’m responding to a call or you need me,” he said.

“Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed, blushing as she laughed and ended the call.

Help was on the way.