Round and Round (2 page)

“I see you watching,” Jeremy teased.

“I can watch all I want.”

“What about you and Officer Ken?” Jeremy asked.

“He moved to Pittsburgh a while ago,” Kevin said.

“I thought you were doing the long-distance thing.”

Kevin kept watching the firefighter and wondered how he could get a peek to see just what he had in those yellow pants. “We were, but it wasn’t working out. I made plans for last weekend to go over and spent three hours in the car to get there, and he got called in to work. I spent the weekend in his apartment waiting for him to come home. It sucked, and after that we both realized the whole thing wasn’t fair to either of us. So we broke it off.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It was over long before that. I think we both knew it but weren’t ready to admit defeat. He’s happy being closer to his family, and they love him on the force there. He’s going to get promoted and stuff….”

“Are you really okay?” Jeremy asked and hugged him.

“I am. It’s better for both of us, and I was tired of sitting around waiting for him to call. Then he would call and I’d be at the club or something. It’s okay. I guess there’s no breakup easier than the one with hundreds of miles between you. Absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder, just lonely as hell.”

“Feel sorry for yourself much?” Jeremy teased.

Kevin glowered at him. He really wasn’t in the mood.

“I’m just picking on you,” Jeremy said.

They wandered off so they wouldn’t be in the way, watching as a stretcher with a covered figure was wheeled out of the club and loaded into an ambulance. Kevin lowered his gaze to the ground.

“Poor guy,” he whispered. “I’m only grateful it wasn’t someone I know.”

Jeremy pointed across to where a lone figure stood, nervously shifting from foot to foot. “Is that… God, what’s his name?”

“Bradley, and my guess is that he’s missing someone.”

“Oh God,” Kevin groaned softly. “Wasn’t he dating Mario Vitelli?”

“Yeah. They were dating, and I think we just got a pretty good idea who was on that gurney,” Jeremy whispered, but Kevin was already on his way over. He didn’t know Bradley very well, but as soon as he got close enough he grabbed him in a hug, and Bradley fell apart in his arms.

“They need me to wait. Since I’m not family, they said I can’t ride with him. Not that there’s anything I can do.” He broke down on Kevin’s shoulder, holding him tight. “They said they would notify his family. I don’t have their number, and they wouldn’t give me his cell phone, so I don’t know what else to do right now.”

“Just hold yourself together and answer any questions they have.”

“He was right behind me. As soon as someone yelled fire, it was pandemonium, and everyone in back was pushing those in front. I stayed on my feet but lost Mario’s hand. When I got out, I looked and looked for him, but…. That guy who first said to leave did things right. It was the morons who panicked that should be strung up!” Bradley yelled and then broke down once again.

“Can I help?” It was MacDreamy Hotness.

“This is Bradley. He was the boyfriend of the man—” What could he say? “The guy they just took out.”

“They’ve spoken to you, right?” MacDreamy asked, and Bradley nodded. “They’re taking him to the medical examiner. They need to find the exact cause of death. I know it’s hard, but the best thing you can do is go home. Call your family and make sure someone can be with you. Sitting alone at a time like this is not good.”

“Do you have anyone?” Kevin asked.

“My sister,” Bradley answered.

“Then call her. We’ll stay with you until you know.”

“She has kids.”

“I’m sure they would love to see their uncle, no matter what the circumstances,” Kevin said. He stayed with Bradley while he made a call.

Apparently Bradley’s sister told him to come right over. “She’s going to wait up,” he said.

“Then I’ll go check and make sure they’re done with you.” MacDreamy hurried away, and Kevin couldn’t help watching him leave.

“You’re going to be okay.” Kevin stayed with Bradley until the police said he could leave. Then he and Jeremy walked Bradley to his car and made sure he got on the road okay before rejoining the ever-dwindling groups of people. Of course, the news vans showed up a few minutes later, adding even more excitement as they set up cameras and lights to do their stories.

“You might as well go home,” Bull said to both Kevin and Jeremy. “Harry and I need to stay, but if you could get Zach and Tristan home too, I’d appreciate it.”

Kevin had had a few drinks, but that had been hours ago now. He offered to drive, so they all piled in his old Taurus and he made the rounds, getting everyone home before going to his own small, crappy place.

For the past few years, Kevin had lived with one of his friends, but when Tristan paired off with Harry, that had left Kevin on his own, so he’d moved from the place they’d shared to a small one-bedroom apartment he could afford on his own. For Kevin, there were things more important than his apartment, and those were his computers. Once he arrived home, he went to the bedroom, which doubled as his office and work space. He logged in and checked his e-mail for anything urgent. Thankfully there was nothing other than a note from his father, which could wait until morning.

Knowing everything was okay in his little world, he undressed, putting his stinky clothes in a plastic bag and getting them out of the room. Then he hopped in the shower to get the smell of smoke off him before climbing into his twin bed. There hadn’t been a need for anything bigger with Ken gone, and this way he had more room for his electronics. Kevin turned out the lights and tried to go to sleep, but it was hours before he was able to drop off.

KEVIN WOKE
to knocking on his front door. He got out of bed and had the presence of mind to put on a robe before opening the door partway to see who was banging at this hour of the morning. “Mrs. Vertebedian.”

“I heard you come in late last night, and since I made baklava, I thought I’d give you some.” She offered him a plate, and he took it gratefully.

“I love you,” he whispered, and the old lady giggled. “That’s so thoughtful.”

“You know, you shouldn’t stay out till all hours. I know it’s what you kids do, but did you see there was a fire at one of those places? I know you like to go out dancing and hunting for boys, but you should be careful.”

“I was there,” he said and stepped back from the door, letting her in. Kevin had met her the day he’d moved in, and she was sweet, but very lonely. “How about I put on a pot of coffee and get dressed? Then we can sit down and eat ourselves into a delightful sugar coma, and I’ll tell you all about it.” He started the coffee and then padded to his bedroom and closed the door before pulling on clothes. When he returned, the apartment smelled of coffee, the scent enough to revive him a little. Kevin got two mugs, filled them, and handed one to his guest.

“Was it as bad as they said on the television?” she asked. Kevin placed milk and sugar on the table, and she began adding what she wanted. Lord, the amount of sugar she added was enough to turn
him
diabetic.

“I don’t know. I haven’t watched. The fire itself wasn’t a big deal. I put it out with the hose at the club. But someone was trampled in the panic, sort of a friend of a friend.”

“I suppose you would know him.” Kevin didn’t correct her. She didn’t need to know that there wasn’t a secret gayboy handshake or that every gay man didn’t know every other one. It wasn’t worth the explaining, and she hadn’t meant anything by it.

“It was really sad. His boyfriend was there and lost track of him during the crush.” He sipped from his mug and closed his eyes briefly, letting the caffeine start to work its magic.

“I’m sorry, dear.” She sipped loudly and added some more milk before tasting again. Apparently it was to her liking now. “Did you say you put the fire out? Then you’re a hero.”

He shook his head. “I did what anyone would have done. The fireman said I did a good job, though.” Kevin didn’t mean to sigh, but he did. He leaned closer. “He was really cute and Scottish, I’d guess. His accent….” He rolled his eyes and held his breath, then blew it out. “Like buttah….”

“What’s his name?”

“I don’t know. In my mind I’m calling him MacDreamy Hotness, and let me tell you I’d love to see what he has under his kilt.” He cackled and Mrs. Vertebedian did the same. From her stories, she’d been a high-stepper in her youth. “But I got to see him in his fireman’s pants and a
T-
shirt. That was enough to start a fire.” He reached for one of the pieces of baklava and bit into it, humming at the numminess. “No one can make these like you.”

“Thank you, dear,” she said, beaming, and then she ate one herself. “I used to have lots of people to bake for, but now they’re gone.”

He knew. In the time he’d lived here, he’d only seen her have visitors a few times.

“Have you been to the senior center lately?” Kevin knew she went like clockwork, but it gave her something to talk about. He reached for another pastry, then curled his nose. He sniffed and followed the smell to the door of his apartment. When he opened it, smoke wafted in. “Call 911,” he told his guest and raced down the stairs. He found Mrs. V’s door open with smoke billowing out. It was white, and he didn’t see any flames or black smoke. He thought about going in but pulled the fire alarm in the hall instead and raced back upstairs.

“We need to get out.”

“They’re coming,” she said. “Where is the fire?”

Kevin didn’t answer. He hustled her out of the door and down the stairs. She didn’t move quickly, stopping to gasp when she realized the smoke was coming from her apartment. Others hurried past them, carrying bags and other small things in their hands.

Sirens rang out as he stepped from the building. Mrs. V coughed and Kevin gasped for air. Being in a fire twice in less than a day was apparently more than his lungs could take. He managed to make it to the grass before his legs collapsed and he gasped for breath.

The sirens screamed and people rushed around him. A mask was placed over his mouth, and he looked up into a familiar face.

“You again?” MacDreamy Hotness said with a smile. “Just keep that in place. It’ll help you breathe.”

Kevin nodded. “What happened?”

“An oven fire. It’s all right, just smoke. The fire was only in the oven.”

Kevin pointed to Mrs. V, who wandered around a little helplessly. MacDreamy got someone to help her, and that was a relief. “She must have forgotten. She came up to see me and must have forgotten she had something in the oven.” He felt bad.

MacDreamy put the mask over his mouth again. “Just breathe and get the smoke out of your lungs.”

“All right.” If MacDreamy kept looking at him with those kind eyes, he’d sit still the entire dang day.

“They’re clearing out the building and opening the windows to get the smoke out.” There was a breeze, and it wasn’t long before smoke puffed out the front windows of the building, driven by the wind. “Feeling better?”

Kevin nodded again. “I’m okay.”

“Just breathe and stay quiet. You gave us a scare.”

“My head is clear and I feel much better,” he said, removing the mask. “Thank you.”

“I certainly hope this isn’t going to be a habit—you showing up at all my fire calls.”

“To be precise, you’re showing up to all my calls, and I think I like it. Hopefully I won’t have to be in a fire to see you again,” Kevin said and blushed something fierce. He hadn’t meant to be that provocative or forward. His mouth had engaged before his brain. But he liked it when MacDreamy Hotness smiled at him.

“Let’s get this area cleared of people,” another firefighter said. “The building should be safe to reenter soon, but the apartment where it started is going to need to be cleaned.”

“I better go,” MacDreamy said and turned away to help control the gawkers.

After a few hours they were all allowed back inside. To his surprise, even Mrs. Vertebedian was able to go. She didn’t have a stove. That seemed to have been carted off, which was probably just as well, but at least she still had her home.

Kevin kept his windows open all day, and the landlord put fans in the hallways to get the smell out of the rugs and things. After all the excitement and the fact that he’d been up late and hadn’t slept much, he tried resting in the afternoon.

“Okay, Mrs. V,” he called when he heard a knock and went over to open the door. He had expected her to ask to use his stove. The woman cooked all the time. It was her thing, and being without a stove must be driving her crazy, so he’d figured she’d wander up. He pulled open the door, but it wasn’t Mrs. Vertebedian.

It was MacDreamy Hotness, and this time he was in jeans and a
T-
shirt that left much less to the imagination than those baggy fire pants had.

“Did I do something wrong?” Kevin asked, looking around. After the past couple of days, he half expected his apartment to burst into flames.

“Of course not. I wanted to make sure you were breathing okay. You looked pretty wiped out when we found you on the grass.” He smiled, and what a smile it was: perfect teeth, a glint in his eyes, and dimples, even.

“I’m okay. I was going to lie down for a while.” He covered a yawn. “Sorry. I’m a little tired.” He wondered why MacDreamy was here. “Was there some other information you needed?”

“No. I didn’t come by to talk to you about the fire.” He stepped a little closer. “It isn’t very often that I get to meet a guy who’s a hero twice in two days. Well, not one as cute as you are.”

Kevin giggled and covered his mouth again. “I’m not a hero,” he said. The cute comment he wasn’t going to dispute because it was really nice to hear. “I just did what I was supposed to do. I only hope that part of my day isn’t always going to include a call to the fire department.” Although if MacDreamy was the one to show up, Kevin just might. “So you came here to see me? Was it to ask me questions or something?”

“Actually, it was. I was wondering if it would be all right if I took you out sometime.” He flashed a smile that would stop traffic, and for a brief moment Kevin wondered if this was happening to him. Before his friends settled down, they were always getting asked out. They were outgoing and good-looking. Kevin wasn’t. His features were average at best.