The Bradford Station

Chapter 6

Hayden

"Danny's a really nice guy," Janie says as the hottie leaves. I can't believe I gave him my phone number. I've never been that forward with a guy before. Many wouldn't call it forward, but I'm not the type of girl who puts herself out there like that.

"He seems to be. Found out he works with my dad, and we all know my dad doesn't hire people who aren't great."

"He does have a knack for getting the best firefighters there are."

"Can you check to make sure I did his transaction correctly? I'd hate to mess something up." I step back from the terminal, allowing her to look at what I've done.

She steps into the space I've vacated and double-checks my work. This isn't exactly what I thought I would be doing when I applied for a job here. With my degree, I should be in mortgage processing or financial planning but, as dad reminded me, you have to work your way up. You can't expect someone who doesn't really know you to give you a job that others have to work their way into. I'd been of the illusion with a college degree in hand, I'd be offered more than an entry-level position. It was a hard blow, but it was one I decided would be good for my ego.

I've had to apply for income-based repayments on my loans, but I feel good about what I'm doing. In the end, this will be good for me and I'll be able to stand on my own two feet. Something I've longed to do my entire life.

"You did good," Janie praises me. "I think from now on, if we have those types of transactions, you should handle them. Then we'll move on to more complicated ones. You're quick."

"I've worked retail since I started working. Money doesn't trip me up much. I've always counted it, taken checks, things like that. It's the making sure it's debited and credited correctly that will get me."

"Then that's what we'll practice on," she smiles.

Her gentle nature is what I hope my mom would've been like had she stuck around. "Thanks for your help."

"It's what I'm here for."

*****

Even though the job isn't physically taxing, I'm tired when I leave for the day. I guess mentally more than anything. Learning and flexing my brain after not having to use it for a few months has been slightly overwhelming and I'm more tired than I thought I would be. But I'm excited too. At lunch, my sister texted me that she was coming home for a few days.

We haven't seen each other since my graduation. Before then, it'd been six months. For two people who'd spent their entire childhoods and most of their teenage years together, it'd been hard to deal with the distance.

Pulling out onto the main road, I almost laugh, realizing this is rush hour. There's a total of probably thirty cars. This type of stuff is what I moved back here for. Within ten minutes, I'm pulling into my dad's driveway and parking behind my sister's car.

Turning my car off, getting out, and yelling as I run to the front door, "Hailey!!"

"You're finally here!" She screams, coming out and holding her arms open for me to collapse into. "I thought you were never going to get off work. Was worse than waiting for Santa on Christmas morning."

"You and I both know that's a lie, but thank you for making me feel loved."

Dad stands off to the side, his arms crossed and a smile on his face. "It's good to see you two together again. Feels like forever since we've all been in this house."

The past few years have made it difficult. Hailey off at school and then deciding to stay in Nashville. My traveling even further away for my education than she did, but we made it. Now that we've finally done what we set out to do, we're home, and I don't think either of us could be happier.

"Wanna go for a walk?" She asks. "After being cooped up in the car for a few hours, I need to stretch my legs."

"Try days, bitch." I roll my eyes.

"Go get changed." She points up the stairs. "I'll meet you outside."

"While you two are gone, I'll go get some steaks and grill out for us."

"Ugh dad, you shouldn't be eating so much red meat," Hailey grumbles.

"Would it make you feel better if I get chicken? Doesn't mean I'll eat it, but I'll get it and cook it."

"Yes." Hailey crosses her arms over her chest. "It would make me feel better. If there's nothing else for you to eat, then you'll be forced to try something different."

He rolls his eyes. "Might invite some of the guys over since you two are home. Would that be okay?"

"Firefighters?" Hailey grins. "I don't know anyone in their right mind who would say no to that."

"But you remember my rule, don't you?" He gives her a pointed look.

Both of us say the phrase in unison. "Don't date my guys."

There's never been a time before when I've hated that rule more than I hate it now. No one has intrigued me like Danny Ramirez in a long time and f**k if he's not off limits.

We grab water bottles and head outside while he goes to his truck.

"Be safe," he calls to us.

"We will be," we yell together.

The two of us wave as he backs out and drives away. Turning in the opposite direction, we take off walking.

"So, what's been going on since you got into town?" Hailey asks.

We're walking slowly to start out, getting warmed up before we kick it into high gear. "Not a whole lot," I sigh. "It's weird being back, but at the same time I'm glad to be home."

"That's how I felt when I graduated. In the end I couldn't stay here because the opportunities for me to advance in my field weren't here. Nashville isn't terribly far away; I can be back here within a few hours. Just being in the state is enough for me." She bumps my shoulder. "But I knew it wouldn't be for you."

Glancing over, I smirk at her. It's true. Bradford is deep in my bones, part of my DNA. Anywhere else and I don't feel settled. Without a doubt, I knew to be happy and live up to my potential, I would have to come back. "I have unfinished business with this place."

"HaydenÉ"

"I know. What mom did doesn't reflect on us, butÉ" It's hard to explain to someone else, even if she is my sister. "I wanna prove being in Bradford doesn't mean what she thought it did. It's not a one-stoplight town. We have culture; anyone can be happy here."

"You don't have to explain your choices to me. I'm just saying there's nothing for you to prove. Nothing would have made her stay and the best thing we can do is live our lives to their fullest extent."

"What you've said is true." I take a drink of my water. "It's just a part of my personality that I need to get the last word in.

She laughs. "You're telling me? I think I know it better than anyone else."

"I met a guy." I grin over at her.

"Do tell," she squeals.

"The worst kind of guy," I groan over dramatically.

"Why do you say that?"

"So I got stuck at the pass. Had a flat tire and couldn't get the lug nuts off; they were too tight. I tried for over an hour. No one stopped to help me until this hottie in a Jeep."

"Hottie in a Jeep? Sounds like the beginning of a country song."

"A really good one," I agree. "Anyway, he got out, and dayumÉ"

"I need all the details," she giggles as we pick up the pace.

"GirlÉtall, dark, and handsome. Dark hair, tan skin, a head and a half taller than me," I sigh. "Five o'clock shadow, lean, but muscular at the same time."

"Sounds like he should be on the cover of a romance novel."

"He could be," the breath I blow out makes my lips flutter together. "Here's the thing, though."

"Uh ohÉ"

"Yeah." My hair hangs in my eyes and I push it back. "It was chilly, so he gave me his jacket to wear."

"How amazingly high school of the two of you."

I flip her the bird. "It wasn't his damn letterman's jacket. It was his Bradford Station Firehouse Number One jacket."

"Ohhhh s**t," Hailey nervously laughs.

"Yeah. It's the rookie, from what I've been able to gather."

"Damn, dad likes him a lot."

"He does, and you know how dad is but," I shrug. "He's fuckin' hot. He came into the bank today. I waited on him and, when I gave him his receipt, I put my phone number on it."

"Brazen."

"Even put a little note on it saying if he isn't scared of dad to give me a call or text," I giggle.

"What do you think he's going to do?" She asks as we walk in front of our house, making our first lap.

"I hope he calls me, but it'll depend on how scared of dad he is. Eventually, there'll be one who decides to forego his rules. That'll be the one who'll be mine."

I haven't been interested in someone like this since high school. I'd met a guy at a football game, assuming he was in another district since I'd never seen him before. Bradford has two high schools, but the surrounding counties obviously have their own. He was intriguing and won me over with the way he treated me. Although I was a senior, it was hard to be seen as an adult. As one of the youngest seniors in our class, I still wasn't driving yet, and Hailey was in her second year of college. If I wanted to go anywhere, a friend would take me or I'd have to ask dad. It wasn't until our third date, when dad dropped me off, that I'd known why I'd never seen him around.

I remember it like it was yesterday, the embarrassment and wanting to crawl in a hole to die.

"What are you doing with my rookie firefighter, Hayden?"

"Your firefighter? I thought he went to another school."

"Yeah, three years ago!"

"I had no idea," I defended myself. "You." I point to the guy, no, man standing outside the car. "You knew I thought you were a lot younger than you are. I talked to you about high school."

"I thought you were just trying to make conversation," he shrugs.

"Are you really that dumb?"

"He is," dad interjects. "He won't be at the firehouse for long, especially if he keeps pulling s**t like this."

While I'm sure dad cusses a blue streak at work, I don't remember a time when I've ever heard him use foul language in front of me or Hailey. "I don't know what to sayÉ"

All I want to do is stick my head between my knees and pretend like none of this is happening.

"I know what I'm going to say," dad growls. "Number one, you're fuckin' fired and, number two, you're grounded."

"Are you replaying that time you got grounded in your head?" Hailey asks, breaking me out of my memory.

"God, it was the most embarrassing thing," I groan, burying my face in the palm of my hand. "I didn't live it down at school until we graduated, and no one wanted to take me to the prom."

"I mean, could you blame them?" She laughs.

*****

Dinner's been eaten and I'm drying my hair from the shower I took when I hear my phone buzz on the nightstand. Since my phone is primarily how most of my friends catch me up on their lives now that I'm on the East Coast, I quickly pick it up.

Not recognizing the number, I click into the message.

D: Do you give your number to every guy who comes through your line at the bank?

Danny.

He actually texted me. A smirk on my face, I sit down on the bed, cross my legs and try to figure out if what we say in the next messages will change my life.