Page 79 of Finding Hayes
But he was right.
A shower with a well-hung man definitely cheered me up.
twenty-one
. . .
Hayes
“Married life looks good on you,”Cap said, as he clapped me on the shoulder and then moved around his desk to sit across from me.
“Thanks.”
“Was that Priscilla Larson I saw upstairs bringing you cookies?”
I laughed. “Yeah. She hasn’t missed a year yet. I keep waiting for those grumpy teenage years to kick in and for her to realize she doesn’t need to thank me year after year.”
“You saved her life, Hayes. That’s not something anyone forgets.”
I cleared my throat and nodded. “Thank you.”
“So, I wanted to talk to you about this position and make sure you know what you’re up against.”
I was just coming off a three-day shift, and I was tired, but I perked up at the mention of the promotion.
“I’m assuming I’m up against Lenny.” I leaned back in the chair, stretching my legs and crossing them at my ankles. “Eventhough I think he’d be a terrible leader, I understand why we’d both be considered for the position, as we’re both lieutenants.”
“Lenny isn’t in the running. Not really. I mean, he’s applied for the position, of course, but he’s never had my support. It’s always been you I saw filling my shoes. The job is yours if you want it.”
I wasn’t expecting that.
“What do you mean? We’re both lieutenants. We both want to be captain. Everyone knows we’ve been competing for the same position.”
“At the end of the day, I’ve spent a lot of time with both of you. I know what’s best for this firehouse, and I’m not shy about it.” He leaned forward, folding his hands together and resting them on his desk. “Lenny isn’t a bad guy. He’s a decent lieutenant. He’s a better firefighter than people think he is, and the reason they feel that way is mostly because he’s gotten lazy. But he’s capable, and that’s why he’s still here. But he’s never been in the running forthisposition.”
“Well, that’s news to me. He’s been campaigning with Kimber for quite some time.”
He chuckled. “I’m more than aware of what he’s been doing. But having a wife who throws fundraisers doesn’t make one a fire captain. You’ve always been the only one in this house who has been considered. We’ve got some applicants from out of town, but you’re the guy we want. Always have been.”
“You’re serious?”
“Do I strike you as a joker?” He smirked. We were similar in many ways. We were both quieter and focused on the job.
I rubbed my hands together. “I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting this.”
“You thought that I’d promote Lenny because his wife likes to throw parties?”
“I think everyone did.” I shrugged. “We all know that a family environment is important to you.”
“Creating a family environment does not happen because someone threw a few parties. Creating this connection with the guys comes from being there. Modeling the behavior you want to instill. Showing up when they struggle or when there are challenges. Leading by example, and that’s exactly what you do, Hayes. What you’ve always done. Every damn day that you come to work, you show up. You work hard. The guys respect it. The way you’ve taken Stinky, Beebs, and Bones under your wing and taught them the right way to fight fires. The right way to show up for your family here at the firehouse. That’s what matters.”
I ran a hand down my face. I wasn’t used to being caught off guard, but I hadn’t expected this.
“Thank you. It means a lot.”
“I know it does.” He smirked. “And it’s great that you and Savannah found your way together. I like seeing you like this.”
I quirked a brow. “Like what?”
