The Problem with Fire - M.E. Clayton Page 0,44

was with Thomas this week, and so, Monroe wasn’t obligated to come home at all. I had ended up going back to the firehouse, and that had been another clusterfuck.

When I had gotten back to the station, I had marched right into Chief’s office and had requested transfer papers. After calling me a stupid sonofabitch-and he had thrown an ‘ignorant jackass’ in there, too-he had demanded I sit down and tell him everything that’s been going on. So, I had.

After I’d told him everything, starting from the day of the inspection, he had informed me he had been interrogating all the guys while I’d been gone, leaving Daria for last, and that he had relieved her of her duties permanently. He had also made it clear that he was not about to lose one of his best firefighters over an administrative assistant.

He had also demanded an invitation to my wedding.

Jake was going to fucking kill me if I didn’t make this right.

I looked at Leta, and knew I had to make myself worthy in this girl’s eyes, or else I had absolutely no chance with Monroe. “Leta, I can’t do that,” I told her truthfully. “While I respect her greatly, I can’t just let her push me away without a fight.”

She paid me a small mercy and allowed us to walk away from the serving table and away from the crowd. Once we got clear of enough people, Leta said, “She wouldn’t be pushing you away if you hadn’t done something bad to her.” Talk about a jab to the nuts. “She’s had enough crap from men without you adding to it, don’t you think?”

“Leta-”

The girl looked at her mother. “No, Mom,” she said, her voice taking on an ugly edge. “It’s not okay for men to treat us like we’re disposable. They don’t get to damage us, and then clean up their mess with a pretty, little wrapped-up-in-a-bow apology.” The fucking kid was breaking my heart. “Dad did what he did, but really has the nerve to think he deserves a second chance with you? Are you kidding me? And then, Mr. Sayer wants a chance with you, but knowing how you’ve already been screwed over by your husband, he doesn’t have the compassion or just goddamn common sense not to treat you any better?”

“Whoa, hey, Leta,” I said, jumping in. “Your mom and I just had a fight. We-”

She turned on me. “My mom’s not a delicate flower, Mr. Sayer,” she snapped. “She doesn’t clutch her pearls like a seventeenth-century maiden. If she’s telling you to leave her alone, it’s because you lie, cheated, or put hands on her. My mom doesn’t walk away from the people she cares about just because things get hard.” The girl with balls the size of Texas stepped up to me. “So, which one is it, Mr. Hayes? What did you do?”

“Leta, that’s enough,” Monroe bit out. “First off, now is not the time or place for this conversation. Second, it’s irrelevant what Mr. Sayer may or may not have done. There’s no longer a relationship there.”

“Bull-fucking-shit,” I hissed out. I stepped closer to her in a sorry attempt to maintain a bit of privacy, but Monroe was right, this wasn’t the time or place. “I acted like a jealous asshole, and I’ll own that, but everything else is not my fault and just a huge misunderstanding you need to let me make right.”

Monroe’s brows shot up. “Oh, I do? And why is it you think I owe you anything, Sayer?”

“You don’t owe me anything, Monroe. But I love you.” I could hear Leta let out a rush of air. “I love you, Monroe,” I repeated. “I’m pretty sure I’ve loved you since I moved in next door, two months ago.” Her face paled, but what else did I have to lose. “And you’re in for one hell of a fight if you think I’m just going to let you end us. No way am I letting you walk away from me.”

Just then Thomas walked up, and I almost beat the hell out of him in front of his own daughter. “People are starting to stare,” he remarked, his eyes on Monroe. “I think we need to take this inside.” And as much as I hated to agree with the prick, he was right.

Quiet as church mice, we made our way back to Monroe’s with a few polite hellos to random neighbors on the way. Once we got inside, Monroe sent Leta

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