Page 62 of Set My Soul Ablaze

Today, we celebrated that man—my man.

Clad in his crisp, black uniform, Artez stood in front of a room of his peers and loved ones. He took his oath as the new station 143 captain. Captain Moore passed the torch to Artez. He spoke life into his successor. I even saw Artez’s eyes mist with tears.

With shaking hands, I walked up onto the stage and pinned his new badge onto his uniform.

Captain Artez Gilliam.

A man who was resilient.

A man who beat the statistics.

A man who loved fully.

A man who saved me.

Artez came into my life when my entire world was literally up in flames. He saved me from a man who wanted to kill me. He went the extra mile to make sure nothing and no one would ever come between us.

Artez was a gift from God.

Artez was mine, and I was his.

We got married two weeks after he proposed and would celebrate three months of marriage in just a few days. I was Mali Gilliam. He had officially signed over the deed to his home to his sister and moved in with me two months ago. He still promised to make sure he paid their mortgage because that was what he felt in his heart was the right thing to do. All they had to do was keep the smaller bills paid and focus on groceries. Life was moving fast, but we took each day with a positive outlook.

“Congratulations, my love.”

I kissed him tenderly and stood beside him as the ceremony concluded. The room erupted into a standing ovation as Captain Moore presented Artez to the room with his new title. All our loved ones were in attendance, all seated together at a table in the front. It warmed my heart to see how well our families meshed. I think my daddy loved the fact he had another manaround. He could sit out on the lake, drink a beer, and talk with Artez about guy stuff. It was a cute thing to see.

One thing I loved about the 143 was how inviting it was. As soon as the higher-ups left, we turned on the music, and the vibes were like a cookout. Everyone danced and laughed and had a good time.

“Captain! Captain! Captain!” The crew cheered as Artez made his official entrance into the station as the new captain.

I was worried they would hold some animosity toward him for rising in the ranks so quickly, but they welcomed him with open arms and support. I prayed they remained close-knit as he settled into his new position with Juliet as his new lieutenant.

The two of them worked well together, and we often made jokes about her being his work wife. I trusted them both with my life, though. Plus, Juliet had a new relationship brewing.

“Thank y’all so much for the warm welcome. It’s a huge responsibility added to my plate, but I’m ready to show y’all just how dedicated I am to this station and the city we protect.”

“Cheers to Flame and Juliet!” Bradlee shouted.

We all lifted whatever was in our hand to celebrate. I took a seat on the couch and watched my man move around the room. He talked to everyone who called out to him, with the biggest grin on his face. My husband looked good as hell in his uniform. So good that I couldn’t wait for us to get home so I could take it off him with just my teeth.

I twisted the large diamond ring on my finger as I thought about all the changes in my life. The second location for Floral Fur Pet Groomers would open at the beginning of next year. We had already begun hiring staff. Kira would manage the second location while Dominique would manage the original location. Both of them had become family, and I loved our growing connection.

Artez had also encouraged me to take cooking more seriously. He saw how passionate I was about feeding my loved ones and friends and bought me a food truck to run whenever I felt like traveling and cooking for people.

Joylei had agreed to join me when I felt like cooking on the food truck. We both took the courses and got the proper certifications to properly run the truck without fear of getting shut down. I loved that she did it with me. I think her new man was why she enjoyed trying new things and experiences now. Charles had given my girl a new glow and kept her on her toes.

Our life was busy, and we’d sat down a few weeks ago to check in. We agreed now wouldn’t be a good time to have kids since we both were heavily involved with our careers. Plus, we had his nephews and niece to spoil when the baby fever spiked.

Of course, we both wanted a family, but we were content with getting our bearings, exploring the world, and navigating life together before we added kids to the list of things to do. When God saw it fit to bless us with products of our love, we would cherish and nurture them with our whole being.

I could feel his presence before he spoke to me. His voice was low, deep, and sexy as he leaned down close to my ear and whispered, “Meet me at engine 80.” Then he disappeared back into the crowd.

I waited a few minutes. Then I stood up and made my way through the fire station—my second home. I spoke to people in passing, thanking them for celebrating Artez’s accomplishment or telling me how much they enjoyed the meal.

Because everyone was in the common areas, the garage where the trucks were was completely empty. I could smell his cologne as I turned the corner. Then I saw him with a single rose in his hand as his eyes met mine.

“Hi, Captain Gilliam.”