Between Hello and Goodbye(51)

He shocked me again when he broke the kiss and wrapped his arms around me. Holding me close. Outside of Silas, no man had ever hugged me.

I buried my face in Asher’s chest and clung to him. His voice rumbled in my ear. “Call me when you land.”

I pulled away to gaze up at him. No one had ever said that to me, either. I swallowed hard. “You really want me to?”

The furrow between his brows appeared. “Yeah, Faith. I really do.”

“Okay.” I kissed my finger and pressed it to that worry line. “Aloha, Asher.”

“Aloha, Faith,” he said. “Till we meet again. ”





Part II

Each time, you happen to me all over again. —Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence





Chapter Thirteen



“Lieutenant? I have the supply reports you wanted.”

Billy was at the door of my new office—hardly larger than a closet but more than I needed. Since my promotion, the rookie’d been on his best behavior. He laid the folder on my desk with deference, and I was too exhausted to tell him to knock it off. Turns out, I missed the ribbing and giving each other shit that comes with being a grunt.

“Give it time,” Captain Reyes had told me. “You’ll find the right balance between brotherhood and leadership.”

Even just newly promoted, I could feel his intentions—Cap was going to be Chief when Hutchins retired in a few years and would need a replacement.

One fucking thing at a time.

“Thanks, Billy,” I said and waited until he’d gone before stuffing the file in a drawer. The reports could wait—they’d all look like hieroglyphics to me anyway, I was so damn tired. I drew on my jacket, shoulders aching, and headed out.

Four days of grueling shifts had just ended when we’d gotten the call: Kīlauea, on the Big Island, was showing fresh activity, smoking and oozing lava. The volcano had been erupting off and on for ten years. But since the devastating eruption a few years back—one of my first calls—we didn’t waste time waiting to see what she was going to do before we took action. I’d helped Cap coordinate a team to assist local crews in Lava-Flow Hazard Zones 1 and 2, and we set off for another four days. Fortunately, Kīlauea went back to sleep.

Which is all I wanted to do.

We’d returned just this morning, and thanks to the OT I’d put in, I had five days off. I had big plans that involved a lot of napping, eating, and trying not to think about Faith Benson. But who was I fucking kidding? The only times I wasn’t thinking about her was on the job, and my nights were less about sleeping and more about jerking off to memories of our lone night together.

I stepped out into the heat of early June and started across the parking lot.

“See ya, Lieutenant,” Travis called.

I waved, the weird nostalgia returning. I cursed at the irony. I missed being just one of the guys, and I missed Faith.

So naturally you got your ass promoted.

My phone rang, showing Morgan’s name.

“Hey, Mo,” I answered as I climbed into the front seat of my Jeep.

“Hey, man. How was the trip?”

“Uneventful, thankfully.”

“Good to hear it. Listen, I know you just got back and you’re probably tired as hell, but I’m in a jam.”

I rubbed my eyes. “Nah, I’m good. What’s up?”

“It’s Kaleo. Nal and I are booked solid today with clients. Chloe was going to take him after school, but her principal called a last-minute faculty meeting at three. I hate to cut into your first afternoon off, but can you take him?”

“Of course,” I said, clearing the exhaustion out of my voice. “Hey, that’s great about being booked up.”

“Thanks to Faith.” I heard the smile in Morgan’s voice. “We implemented her ideas and Nal had a few more of her own, and now we’re flying.”

“That’s great.”

“Great for us. Not so great for you.”

“You know I’m always happy to have Kal.”

“You sure? You sound terrible.”

My throat was a little scratchy, likely from the poor air quality around the volcano. I checked my watch; it was after two o’clock. “I’m fine and school’s out. I gotta get him.”

“Chloe said she could bring him to your place before her meeting.”

I let out a slow sigh. “Great.”

“Thanks, you’re the best. I’ll let her know.”

“Yep. Talk to you later.”

“Talk soon. Oh, and Ash?” Morgan cleared his throat. “I’m glad you’re back safe.”

My chest constricted. “Yeah, okay…” I mumbled. “Whatever, shut up.”

Morgan chuckled. “Love you too, bro.”

I drove to my place and Chloe was there, just climbing out of her silver Camry. Kaleo was already on the tire swing I’d put in the front yard. Kal had insisted on a few upgrades. I’d been watching the kid a lot lately, thanks to Morgan’s business taking off, and now that the school year was ending, I figured I’d be having him even more.

“Hi, Uncle Ash!” he called, twisting the rope above him into a tight coil, then letting it go. The tire spun around and around.