Forever Nate: Once Upon a Player, #1

I walk into the kitchen of the firehouse, and smile when I see my coworker, Amelia, scooping scrambled eggs into a serving dish. Not because I’m happy to see her beautiful Hispanic face and smoking-hot curves, which I am—I’m always happy to appreciate a beautiful woman. But because it’s such a bittersweet moment. I know she’s on breakfast duty this morning because she lost in an arm wrestle against me during our last shift.

I rub my hands together with pure smugness as I approach, my smile continuing to grow.

Hmm, it smells so good in here, I compliment, grinning. And it’s going to taste so much better, as I know someone else has cooked it, especially since I was supposed to be on breakfast duty today. What’s it like to be a loser?

She stares daggers at me while flipping me the bird. Screw you, asshole. You’re the reason I had to get up an extra hour earlier this morning, so I could make you all breakfast, she says, waving a spatula in my direction. Getting up at six a.m. is not a good look for me.

I stretch my arms out, giving out a satisfying yawn. That’s funny. I actually managed to get an extra hour in bed this morning. Just that extra hour really makes the difference. I could probably climb Mount Everest with the energy pumping through my veins.

She flips me the bird a second time. I go to grab a plate, and pain shoots across my knuckles as she smacks me with a spatula. Well, since you’re so energized, you won’t want any breakfast then.

It’s going to be like that, huh? I ask with a smile.

Yep, is all she says, turning away from me and heading toward the oven where the bacon is sizzling away.

God, her sass is the reason she’s one of my best friends in this place.

Fine, I’ll just eat a bag of potato chips.

I head to the pantry and grab a bag of chips, but before I can rip them open, they’re snatched out of my grasp, and a plateful of eggs, bacon, and sausage appears in front of me like magic.

There’s no way I’m letting my boy fight fires with a stomach filled with potato chips.

I take the plate from her, giving her a grateful smile this time. Have I told you how beautiful you are today?

She rolls her eyes. Is that the line you say to all the girls?

Only the ones who make me breakfast in the morning.

She barks out a laugh, shaking her head with humor. You are a dog. Go eat your breakfast before we have to put some fires out. I didn’t slave my ass this morning for it to go in the trash.

Yes, ma’am, I say, smacking a kiss to her cheek before I head over to the kitchen table, where several of my colleagues are already shoveling breakfast in their mouths at the speed of light.

Since we’re on shift, we could get a call out at any minute, meaning we have to drop everything we’re doing and get on the engine in thirty seconds flat. And since none of us like to waste food, the only way to eat a meal in this place is to inhale it as if our asses are on fire.

I take a seat beside Matt, our lieutenant, who is grinning ear to ear with his Abercrombie smile while chomping down on some bacon.

You know, Amelia totally has the hots for you. I don’t understand why you’re keeping her in the friend zone. You guys would be perfect together.

Not missing a beat, I swipe a forkful of eggs in my mouth and answer while still chewing, You’ve met me, right? I mean, I had two chicks in my bed two nights ago. At the same time. That’s not the kind of guy any girl wants; not girls like Amelia.

He raises a brow, continuing to eat. Two girls, really?

Yep. Though it’s kind of exhausting with two. Maybe I’m just getting old, but having two chicks with only one cock to go around isn’t the type of math I really enjoy anymore.

Matt chuckles while my other fire buddy, Jesse, stares at me with his mouth wide open, still with food inside.

Nice.

Dude, I can’t even get one chick in my bed, let alone two. And you’re complaining that it’s exhausting? When I grow up, I want to be you.

I laugh as I shovel as much food into my mouth as possible. Hey, I never said I was going to turn celibate, just that I’m going to keep to one woman at a time now. Threesomes are kind of overrated.

The only guys who say that are those who have threesomes. You don’t know how good you’ve got it, son.

I laugh at his use of the word son, especially since I’m two years older than him. He likes to pretend he’s gangster.

Matt is right about Amelia though. What’s up with that?

I shrug my shoulders as I chow down on my breakfast. There’s nothing up with that, but I don’t do relationships. Plus, she’s one of my best friends in this place. I could never go there.

It’s going to happen one day, Matt says as he points at me with his fork. You’re enjoying the single life, playing the field, but when you least expect it, that one girl will come along and turn your world upside down.

I scoff as I swallow back my food. You sound like my sister.

Well, everything you’ve told me about your sister tells me she’s one smart cookie.

You’re wrong, okay? I will never want to settle down. I’m happy with my life. I don’t need to complicate it with commitment.

Matt smiles, nodding his head. Yep, that’s what I used to think, and now, I have a wife with a kid on the way.

Amelia joins us with a plateful of eggs and toast and a cup of steaming coffee. What are we talking about?

Jesse is the first to speak, Well, Nate was telling us about a threesome he had a few days ago.

I smirk as Amelia’s gaze lands on mine with amusement. Our friendship stems all the way back from the fire academy, so she knows threesomes aren’t unusual when it comes to me.

Jesse continues, Then, we were wondering why the hell you guys aren’t together. And Matt was telling Nate that, one day, a girl will come along and knock his world upside down.

Amelia looks from Jesse to me. How your dick hasn’t fallen off by now is beyond me. And as for Nate and me as a couple, she says, aiming her attention between Jesse and Matt, it would be like dating my brother. Just gross. And if he ever falls in love, I’ll pay for his wedding out of my own pocket.

You’re only saying that because I’m never going to get married, I say.

Exactly. She beams before bringing her fork up to her mouth.

As I heap more food in my mouth, I point my knife at Jesse. You’re single and ready to mingle, right? Why don’t you make an honest woman out of Amelia?

The blush that creeps up onto his face makes me chuckle. He looks like a deer caught in headlights. Amelia looks almost appalled at the suggestion. In all honesty, she would probably eat his scrawny butt alive.

Oh, honey, he wouldn’t be able to handle me.

We all burst out laughing, and Jesse’s face turns a deeper shade of red.

Sorry, bud, I tried, I say, busting his balls.

His eyes widen as I make it sound as if he purposely wants to get romantically involved with her.

W-wait, I wasn’t … I don’t … he babbles nervously.

I crack up with a mouthful of food.

Unfortunately, I don’t get to tease him more because the alarm goes off and a female voice sounds over the intercom. House fire: 144 Lake Road. Engine 57, Truck 57, Rescue 57, and Battalion 4.

Without an ounce of hesitation, we’re up on our feet, and we charge toward the apparatus bay, heading to the engine. I remove the shoes I’m wearing and step into my boots and protective pants, pulling them up before sliding the suspenders over my shoulders. I then put on a Nomex hood around my neck and slide on my jacket before climbing into the jump seat, followed by Jesse and Amelia, while Matt sits up front with our driver engineer, Trevor.

A few more seconds later, the sirens on the engine blare, and we follow the battalion chief and pull out of the bay with the truck and ambulance following close behind. As we charge through the streets of Dallas, my heart begins to race, pure adrenaline filling my veins at the possible dangerous call. We have no idea how bad the fire is. It could be a heated blaze or a small stove fire, but the unknown is exciting. I mean, that feeling alone, the adrenaline, is why I love the job … well, that, and being able to save lives.

We arrive in half the time it should take. As we pull up, I see the blaze through the window on the second floor. Smoke rises from the roof. Immediately, I know it’s no simple stove fire. I remove my seat belt and grab the air tank, strapping it to my back and attaching it to the mask hanging off my jacket. The second we come to a stop, I grab my helmet and step out onto the asphalt, my eyes immediately assessing the fire burning in front of us. It’s growing by the minute. The chief is already talking to a neighbor, and I overhear the guy tell him that two women in their early twenties live in there. He points to a window on the far left, and that’s when I can hear screaming. I follow the sound with my eyes, and I spot one woman hanging out of the window, shouting for help.

The truck team gets into action, elevating the ladders from the truck to the second floor to rescue the first girl.

Matt, levels his eyes with me. Okay, we need to assess the fire from the inside. Nate and I will go to the second level. Jesse and Amelia, you scope the downstairs.

We all slip our masks into place and head inside. Immediately, I can feel the heat from the blaze, even through my protective gear. The fire has already reached the stairs, making it an impossible escape route.

Matt turns to me and shakes his head. We need to find another entry, he shouts from under his mask.

A few seconds later, Matt stops me as the chief’s voice comes over the radio. We’ve got one of the women, but there’s another trapped upstairs in the bedroom where the fire is contained.

Copy that, Chief, but we can’t get to the second level because the fire has already spread to the stairs. We need to find a new way in. Are any windows clear upstairs?

Yep, the one on the far left.

Okay, we’re heading out. Keep the truck in place.

Copy that, the chief replies.

Matt looks over to me and speaks, his voice muffled by the mask, Let’s enter from the window upstairs.

I nod before heading back outside. Once I reach the truck, I begin my way up the steps with Matt following. I climb through the window and into a bathroom, the smoke growing thick and fast under the gap of the door.

Peeling off a glove, I check the temperature of the door with the back of my hand, and when I’m met with cool wood, I do a second assessment with the handle. The handle is cool too. I turn to Matt and tell him, The fire doesn’t seem to have reached this end of the house yet.

I put the glove back on before I slowly open the door, peeking my head out. I’m greeted with a fog of smoke, but I can see the angry red glow of the fire at the far end of the hallway, along the edges of the wall and past the staircase.

I tread carefully, making my way down the hallway, shouting, Fire department. Call out.

The farther we get into the house, the harder visibility becomes, and the hotter the temperature gets. When I approach the bedroom where the blaze seems to be coming from, I call out again, and I sigh with relief when I finally hear yelling coming from inside.

Help me!

Hold up! Help’s here!

Sweat is already dripping under my protective gear, the heat almost unbearable as the blaze is now only inches away from me. I stand at the threshold, my eyes scoping the area through the thick smoke and growing fire, and a second later, they land on a blonde woman confined in the corner of the room, her entire body trembling with terror.

Help me, please! I’m trapped! she chokes out with a scream, tears streaming down her face.

It’s okay. I’m here to help. What’s your name? I ask, yelling over the crackle of the fire burning through the wood around us.

I-it’s … R-R-Remi, she cries out, her voice shaking.

Hi, Remi. I’m Nate, I say in a calm voice. And behind me is Matt. Just hold on. We’re going to get you out, okay?

She nods, but the wild look in her eyes tells me she isn’t convinced. I take a quick glance around. With the fire almost circling her, there’s no safe way to extract her. My eyes whip to the window, and I curse under my breath when I see the window ledge is also engulfed in flames.

I turn to Matt. We need a hose up here. We need to contain this fire before … I don’t finish the sentence to say she literally has just minutes before the fire torches her alive because he knows. We both know, if we’re not quick enough, she will turn to ash … and I sure as hell ain’t letting that happen, not on my watch.

Matt nods, and I get on my radio. "We need some help. We’ve found the girl in