Free Nutcase by Charlotte Hughes Page A

said.
     
     
     
    I tried to dodge as much traffic as I could while driving south toward the heart of the city where Jay’s engine company was located. As with most metropolitan areas, downtown Atlanta was skirted with a number of rough neighborhoods where crime, including intentional fire setting, ran rampant. Condemned buildings waited months for demo crews; they were enough of a fire hazard without someone putting a match to them. Jay had chosen to work in a high-risk area because he felt that was where he was most needed. It was also the most dangerous.
    A half hour later we pulled into an Arby’s. I placed three orders at the window. Mona and I ate on the way.
    “I’m sure the woman is qualified or she would never have been hired in the first place,” Mona said.
    “Jay said she was not bad, but I think hiring her had a lot to do with her father. He was the fire captain when Jay signed on.”
    We pulled into the parking lot of the fire station, and I parked. “Okay, we’re going to pretend we were in the neighborhood and decided to surprise Jay with lunch.”
    “Like he’s going to believe it?” Mona said.
    “You got a better idea?”
    We climbed from the car. I waved to a couple of men I knew who were in the process of polishing the fire truck in front of the building. A fire truck was called an apparatus, although I just called it a fire truck. Mona and I went inside where a blond thirtysomething-year-old man was spraying the apparatus floor, named as such because that was where they parked the apparatus. He obviously didn’t see or hear us, because he turned and the cold spray hit our ankles. Mona gave a squeal.
    He looked up and immediately stopped the flow of water. “Oh man, I’m sorry!” he said. “Hold on a sec and I’ll grab a couple of towels.”
    “He’s good-looking,” Mona whispered.
    “You’re supposed to be keeping your eyes out for the hottie with the big boobs,” I whispered back.
    The man returned with two towels. “I’m really sorry about that,” he said. “I wasn’t paying attention.” He looked at Mona. “Oh, I got your uniform wet.”
    “That’s okay,” she said, waving it off. “I’m not expected at the hospital today.” We quickly dried our ankles and shoes. “Thanks,” I said as we handed him the towel.
    “Just don’t tell the captain,” he said jokingly. “I haven’t been here that long.”
    I smiled. “It’ll be our secret. By the way, I’m Kate Holly, Jay’s, um, wife, sort of,” I said. I introduced Mona.
    “Ronnie Sumner,” he said. We shook hands.
    “I was told you really know your stuff.”
    He looked pleased. “That’s good to hear,” he said. “Jay’s in his office.”
    Mona and I headed that way. “Did you see the muscles bulging in his arms?” she whispered.
    “I thought you only had eyes for Liam.”
    “Well, now that I’m practicing to be a nurse, I pay attention to body parts. One of my classes will be anatomy.”
    Mona and I stopped outside Jay’s office. I couldn’t help but notice through the glass windows the blonde sitting on the other side of his desk.
    Mona noticed, too. “Uh-oh, she is hot.”
    “I shouldn’t have come,” I said. “Maybe we could slip away unnoticed.” I’d barely gotten the words out of my mouth before Jay saw us. He smiled and waved us in.
    “Kate, this is a surprise,” he said, coming to his feet as we stepped inside. “Hi, Mona,” he added. “I heard you were planning on becoming a nurse. Nice uniform.”
    “Right now I’m just practicing,” she said.
    He nodded as though it made sense.
    “Mona and I were in the neighborhood and thought we’d bring you lunch.” I handed him the bag. The smile he gave told me he hadn’t fallen for my story.
    “That was thoughtful of you,” he said. “Thanks.”
    The young woman remained seated as Jay introduced her as Mandy Mason. She was a knockout all right, and, like Carter had said, she was well-endowed, plus some. She had an athletic