Read Online Amongst The Flames: A Contemporary Christian Romance (Embers and Ashes Book 1) by T.K. Chapin - Free Book Online
Authors: T.K. Chapin
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doing okay.”
“You can be real with me, Taylor. I know sitting in that big house of yours all by your lonesome has to be hard without your family being around.”
I nodded and sighed. “It has been hard, but I’m managing. I’m excited to see them here in a few days.”
He nodded. “Keep praying. What brings you by the fire station?”
“I talked to the Chief yesterday and he said I could come help with the tour for the kids.”
Micah nodded. “That should be good for you. Be sure not to hurt yourself.”
“I’m not stupid, I’m just injured…” Micah leaned back in his chair as I continued, “But I’ll be sure to be careful. I don’t want to be out of work any longer than I have to be.”
“Who’s the fresh meat?” an unfamiliar voice from behind me said. I turned and looked to see it was someone I didn’t know and he was with Kane.
“Who’s this?” I asked, looking over at Micah and then to Kane.
“Taylor’s the farthest thing from fresh meat, kid,” Kane scolded the guy. “Brian Gomer, meet Cole Taylor. Cole Taylor, meet the Rookie.”
I extended a hand to shake his. His grip was weak and skin was clammy. Instantly, I didn’t like this kid.
“I heard about you Taylor…” Brian said. “You got hurt rescuing a little girl. The way people talk about you around here, you’re like a legend. I didn’t know you still worked here. And what’s up with that kung-fu grip of yours?”
I smiled politely. “That’s called a real handshake. But yeah, I’m still here… just out on medical leave for a minute.”
Kane dug his fingers into the rookie’s shoulder, causing him to squirm a bit as he said into his ear, “I told you Taylor was out on medical leave. Don’t disrespect him! That makes me look bad!”
“I didn’t mean any disrespect, Sir,” Brian pleaded with a frightened tone.
Raising my hand up as I shook my head, I said, “You’re good. Don’t worry about it. And for crying out loud, Kane, let go of the poor kid’s shoulder!”
Kane released his grip and said, “Aside from being dumb, this Rookie here made a dish the other night that blew Micah’s Alfredo away. Even Sherwood was impressed!”
One of my eyebrows went up. “Oh really? What’d Vance say about the dish?”
“Vance was out of town doing some food competition with those wiener sausages from poker night.”
“I see… What’s the dish?” I asked.
“Burgers, but rookie calls them Widow Makers. It’s two patties, bacon and pepper jack cheese,” Kane said. Turning to Brian he continued, “And what do you do with the meat Gomer?”
“I marinate it in a special sauce overnight,” he replied looking at me. “It’s pretty delicious. It won first place in the Eastern Washington State Fair a couple summers ago.”
“Sounds good, you and Vance might wanna host the fireman ball this year. You guys can cater it,” I said smiling.
Brian didn’t get the joke, he only nodded.
Kane caught it though and slapped the kid on the shoulder. “It’s a joke, Gomer!”
“Seriously though, I look forward to trying one of them out,” I said.
Kane said, “I’m about to take the rookie out back to have him practice his ventilation cuts.”
“Nice,” I replied. Looking at Brian, I said, “Let the tool do the work.”
“Okay,” he replied with a quick nod.
“How are you and the bakery gal doing?” I asked.
Kane nodded, “Good.” I wanted to ask about his mom, but I knew he wouldn’t like the public forum discussion about it and I wasn’t sure who was aware outside of Micah and me. “Let’s go, Rookie,” Kane said with a nod. They ventured over to the back door and left. I turned back to Micah at the table.
“He’s a good kid,” Micah said.
I took a sip of my coffee and asked, “Do you know him personally or something?”
“No, but Sherwood does. The kid is the son of one of the firefighters that retired from here.”
“Who? I don’t remember anyone by the last name of
“You can be real with me, Taylor. I know sitting in that big house of yours all by your lonesome has to be hard without your family being around.”
I nodded and sighed. “It has been hard, but I’m managing. I’m excited to see them here in a few days.”
He nodded. “Keep praying. What brings you by the fire station?”
“I talked to the Chief yesterday and he said I could come help with the tour for the kids.”
Micah nodded. “That should be good for you. Be sure not to hurt yourself.”
“I’m not stupid, I’m just injured…” Micah leaned back in his chair as I continued, “But I’ll be sure to be careful. I don’t want to be out of work any longer than I have to be.”
“Who’s the fresh meat?” an unfamiliar voice from behind me said. I turned and looked to see it was someone I didn’t know and he was with Kane.
“Who’s this?” I asked, looking over at Micah and then to Kane.
“Taylor’s the farthest thing from fresh meat, kid,” Kane scolded the guy. “Brian Gomer, meet Cole Taylor. Cole Taylor, meet the Rookie.”
I extended a hand to shake his. His grip was weak and skin was clammy. Instantly, I didn’t like this kid.
“I heard about you Taylor…” Brian said. “You got hurt rescuing a little girl. The way people talk about you around here, you’re like a legend. I didn’t know you still worked here. And what’s up with that kung-fu grip of yours?”
I smiled politely. “That’s called a real handshake. But yeah, I’m still here… just out on medical leave for a minute.”
Kane dug his fingers into the rookie’s shoulder, causing him to squirm a bit as he said into his ear, “I told you Taylor was out on medical leave. Don’t disrespect him! That makes me look bad!”
“I didn’t mean any disrespect, Sir,” Brian pleaded with a frightened tone.
Raising my hand up as I shook my head, I said, “You’re good. Don’t worry about it. And for crying out loud, Kane, let go of the poor kid’s shoulder!”
Kane released his grip and said, “Aside from being dumb, this Rookie here made a dish the other night that blew Micah’s Alfredo away. Even Sherwood was impressed!”
One of my eyebrows went up. “Oh really? What’d Vance say about the dish?”
“Vance was out of town doing some food competition with those wiener sausages from poker night.”
“I see… What’s the dish?” I asked.
“Burgers, but rookie calls them Widow Makers. It’s two patties, bacon and pepper jack cheese,” Kane said. Turning to Brian he continued, “And what do you do with the meat Gomer?”
“I marinate it in a special sauce overnight,” he replied looking at me. “It’s pretty delicious. It won first place in the Eastern Washington State Fair a couple summers ago.”
“Sounds good, you and Vance might wanna host the fireman ball this year. You guys can cater it,” I said smiling.
Brian didn’t get the joke, he only nodded.
Kane caught it though and slapped the kid on the shoulder. “It’s a joke, Gomer!”
“Seriously though, I look forward to trying one of them out,” I said.
Kane said, “I’m about to take the rookie out back to have him practice his ventilation cuts.”
“Nice,” I replied. Looking at Brian, I said, “Let the tool do the work.”
“Okay,” he replied with a quick nod.
“How are you and the bakery gal doing?” I asked.
Kane nodded, “Good.” I wanted to ask about his mom, but I knew he wouldn’t like the public forum discussion about it and I wasn’t sure who was aware outside of Micah and me. “Let’s go, Rookie,” Kane said with a nod. They ventured over to the back door and left. I turned back to Micah at the table.
“He’s a good kid,” Micah said.
I took a sip of my coffee and asked, “Do you know him personally or something?”
“No, but Sherwood does. The kid is the son of one of the firefighters that retired from here.”
“Who? I don’t remember anyone by the last name of
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