He peeked his head inside the door.
“You okay?” he asked the driver.
“Scared shitless. Get me out of here.”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
The guy shook his head. “I’m fine. I just want out.”
“Try to stay calm. Don’t move. We’ll get you out soon. What’s your name?”
“Larry.”
“All right, Larry. I’m Kal. Keep your seat belt on and stay still. I’m going to open the door. You’ll feel like you’re falling, but I’m not gonna let that happen.”
Larry looked out the window. “Okay.”
Starling had made his way next to Kal, and looked over at him.
“Turn around so I can get the harness,” Starling said.
Kal pivoted, and Starling unhooked the harness from his belt.
“Hey, buddy,” Starling said. “My name’s Dean, and when Kal here opens the door, I’m gonna grab hold of you and slip this harness on you. Then I’ll hook it to my harness, and we’ll head out of here.”
Larry nodded. “Yeah, sounds great.”
Micah hovered just to the side, helping to provide rope support.
“You ready, Larry?” Kal asked.
“No, but let’s do it.”
“Okay, Larry,” Kal said, keeping his voice calm and even so the guy wouldn’t freak out. “You hang tight to the steering wheel, and don’t lean toward the open door. We’ll handle the rest.”
Kal looked at Starling, who nodded. Kal opened the door, and Starling slipped inside, grabbing hold of the driver. Kal made his way around to support both Starling and Larry, and before long they had secured the driver with the harness and unhooked his seat belt. Then it was a matter of getting him to Station 27’s ladder team, which was already in place. Kal, Starling and Micah all followed the ladder team down.
Once Larry was securely on the ground, the two wreckers could start the job of pulling the semi off the side of the overpass.
Lieutenant Davenport of Ladder 27 came over to them. “Good save today, guys.”
“Thanks,” Kal said.
Micah followed the lieutenant over to make sure Larry was okay. Kal turned to Starling.
“We did good today.”
“You were lax on the rope. And you didn’t back me up fast enough once I reached the driver. If I wasn’t as fast as I am, both he and I could have fallen. Next time, step it up.”
Starling walked away, and Kal just stared after him.
What the fuck? Kal knew he’d done that job clean and perfect. So what the hell was Starling’s problem?
He shook his head and went over to talk to the ladder team, because there was no point in having a conversation with someone who completely disagreed with you.
Ladder 27 gave them a ride back up to the top of the overpass, reuniting them with their team. They did cleanup and returned to the station. Fortunately, the rest of the day was uneventful, and Kal was damn glad when shift was over the next morning. He was frustrated and tired, hadn’t slept well the night before and was grouchy when he got home.
He pulled into the driveway at the same time as his brother Jackson.
“How was shift?” Jackson asked.
Kal shrugged. “Saw some action. The two semis on I-95. Rappelled down and helped get the stranded driver out.”
“Heard about that. Good rescue.”
They went through the garage and inside the house, putting their gear away in the laundry room.
“Not a good rescue on my part if you ask one of my team members.”
Jackson tucked his head in the fridge and grabbed some orange juice, then pulled glasses from the cabinet and poured. “Still having issues with those two guys?”
“Apparently. I don’t know what it is with them, but I can’t seem to do anything right.”
Kal went to the sink to wash his hands, dried them, then got eggs and bacon out of the fridge.
Kal and his brother stood side by side making breakfast.
“What do you think it is?” Jackson asked. “Just a personality clash?”
Kal pulled the bacon from the pan and laid it on a plate, then started on toast. “I don’t know. Maybe. I’ve tried to be nice, I’ve tried hard to get to know them, but they won’t give me anything.”
“What does your lieutenant say about the job you’re doing?”
“Nothing but good things.”
“Fuck ’em,” Jackson said. “They’ve obviously got it out for you for no good reason. Or maybe they’re jealous that you’re doing so well after such a short period of time on the team.”
Kal shrugged. “I’ve tried everything I can, and all I get is shit from them.”
They carried their plates to the table and sat.
“Then stop trying,” Jackson said. “You don’t need their approval. They don’t evaluate your performance—your lieutenant does. And as long as he says you’re getting it done, that’s all that counts.”
Kal knew Jackson was right. He didn’t need everyone on his team to like him. But, damn, he’d never had a conflict like this with anyone he’d worked with before. He and his fellow firefighters had always gotten along. When he’d worked at the same station with his brothers Jackson and Rafe, the entire group had been like a family. There had been no personality clashes.
He was an easygoing guy. He was friendly.
Then again, maybe Jackson was right and he needed to let it go. As long as they could work together, nothing else mattered.
“I smell bacon.”
Kal looked up to see Becks, Jackson’s fiancée, coming down the stairs.
Jackson grinned. “I knew the smell of bacon would wake you up.”
“And we made extra,” Kal said.
“Which is why I love you both—in different ways.”
Kal laughed.
She came over and kissed Jackson, went over to fix herself coffee and filled her plate with bacon and eggs. Then she took a seat.
“How were your shifts?” she asked.
“Kal had mean boys, so his was shitty,” Jackson said. “Mine was good. Nothing eventful.”
Becks looked over at Kal. “What? You have mean boys on your team?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. How’s tattooing?”
“Fabulous,” she said. “And you know you can talk to me about anything.”
“Thanks. If I need to, I will.” He’d practically grown up with Becks. They’d all been homeless together, so she was like a sister to him. Finding her again and Jackson and Becks falling in love had been the greatest thing to ever happen to their family. And now that Jackson had finally proposed to Becks, they were getting married. Hell, both of his brothers were getting married. His brother Rafe and his fiancée, Carmen, were tying the knot next month.
They were all growing up. It was kind of surreal.
“So, you guys have a weekend off, which is rare,” Becks said. “What’s on your agenda this weekend, Kal?”
“My ten-year high school reunion is tomorrow night.”
Becks’s eyes widened. “How fun. You’re going, aren’t you?”
“I thought I might. Hang out with a few of my friends, and hopefully catch up with other friends who don’t live close by that I haven’t seen in a while.”