Aspen's Blaise Read online

  That earned a laugh from the others, and Aspen turned to sit on the floor with her back against the couch. She kept her fingers locked with Lorelei’s, bringing the woman’s arm over her shoulder to rest across her chest. “So, what’re we all talking about tonight?”

  “The fundraiser,” Amy replied, wincing as she shifted on the love seat. Lita’s hand immediately moved to rub at her wife’s lower back, her brows drawn tightly together in concern.

  “I’m starting to think we might have to pull out of it, mi amor,” she said, watching Amy’s face as she waited for her wife to relax, “Every time you move, it seems to hurt you.”

  Amy’s head whipped to the side and she pinned the Medical Examiner with a ferocious glare. “We are not pulling out of the fundraiser. This baby isn’t due until the end of November, and unless I go into labor on that stage, I am not giving up the chance to do this.”

  Lita’s eyes widened and she looked around, finding her own surprise mirrored on the faces of the other eight women in the room. “Okay,” she said, withdrawing her hand and raising both defensively, “Dios Mio, we might need an exorcist soon. You’re fucking scary, baby.”

  Amy smiled winningly and pressed a quick kiss to Lita’s startled lips before returning her attention to Aspen.

  “Apparently, Cordy has developed Alzheimer’s, so we need to have another planning session. If we don’t get this figured out soon, we’re going to screw everything up and Jenica’s boss is going to be pissed.”

  “Fuck you, Arroyo!” Cordy hissed, tossing a venomous glare Amy, “Yes, I forgot about the fundraiser, but I’ve got a lot on my plate right now! Serial killers, mass murders, and cold cases aren’t going to solve themselves.”

  “Cálmese, Cordy,” Lita said sharply, “Chill out. She knows about your cases, everyone does. Don’t start getting an attitude with her.”

  Lita’s eyes narrowed dangerously, fire sparking in their dark brown depths as she and Cordy locked gazes. The others stayed quiet, watching with morbid curiosity to see how the situation was going to play out.

  Aspen glanced up at Lorelei, the tension between their friends making the young woman intensely uncomfortable. Lorelei smiled down at her wife and rolled her eyes, flexing her arm against Aspen’s chest reassuringly. Aspen smiled weakly and returned her attention to the women staring holes in each other across the room.

  “Aukati ake!” Jenica’s firm command startled Aspen, who’d never heard the woman’s voice take on such an edge before.

  “Stop it,” Jenica repeated, moving to stand between Cordy and Lita, “We are guests in our friend’s home, and we are not here to fight.”

  Jenica’s soft brown eyes hardened as she focused them on her wife, who visibly flinched under the woman’s angry stare.

  “Fine,” Cordy and Lita huffed in unison, each simultaneously crossing their arms over their chests in an act of petulant defiance.

  The other women in the room snickered. “Man,” Aspen muttered, “and I thought I was supposed to be the kid in the group.”

  And just like that, the tension in the room dissolved into a fit of giggles.

  ***

  “Okay, now that we have food, someone go over the fundraiser for me again.” Cordy snapped apart her chopsticks and dug into the steaming pile of chow mein on her plate.

  “The Callie Rae Baxter Center is holding a fundraiser to raise money for their new library,” Stormie explained as she scooped rice onto her plate, “The Walkers provided the funding for the library itself, so the Center is raising money to fill the shelves. They want to fill it exclusively with LGBT literature.”

  “That’s a really cool idea,” Aspen beamed, “I didn’t even know that there was an LGBT genre until last year. It’ll be neat to see a whole library dedicated to the kind of stuff that appeals to us.”

  “That’s the whole idea,” Jenica explained, “There are so many amazing books out there that aren’t available in public libraries, simply because they’re categorized as LGBT. Authors are being cheated out of scores of readers, and readers are losing out on the chance to discover the books that really speak to them.”

  “Remind me what this has to do with Halloween,” Cordy prompted, breaking the end off a crab puff and popping it into her mouth.

  “The WeHo series!” Aspen exclaimed excitedly.

  The WeHo series; a series of books centering on interconnecting lesbian characters living in and around West Hollywood, had been Aspen’s introduction into the world of lesbian fiction. Sometimes touching on subjects many considered to be too delicate, the author brought her characters to life in a way that made the reader want to know everything about them.

  Whatever emotions the character was experiencing, the reader experienced them, too. Pain, heartache, fear, loss, love, affection, desire; reading the expertly crafted scenes was akin to being transported into the bodies of those amazing women and being given the chance to experience life through someone else’s eyes.

  “We’ve all read the series,” Oakley picked up, grinning affectionately at Aspen, “so when the event committee sent out the email asking for fundraising ideas, Stormie and Jenica suggested a literature-themed costume party.”

  “Too bad it didn’t stay just a costume party,” Max grumbled, earning a playful smack from her wife.

  “Oh, shut up,” Dani grinned, “You’re just mad because you don’t get to be on the panel.”

  “Wait, I vaguely remember the costume party thing,” Cordy said, waving her chopsticks in Max and Dani’s direction, “but what panel? Like, for judging the costumes?”

  Lita shook her head and popped a spicy shrimp roll into her mouth. “No. That’s where the major part of the donations is coming from,” she answered. “Apparently, the WeHo series has a big following in Marilynn, and there are a lot of people who are excited about the fundraiser. Lorelei’s connections are going to make this one of the most successful fundraisers the Center has ever hosted.”

  Cordy looked to Lorelei, confusion written plainly on the older woman’s face. “How’s that?” she asked, interest piqued.

  Lorelei shook her head, annoyed that Cordy could forget something so big, before she remembered that Cordy had been called away before she’d made that announcement. “Oh, I forgot,” she said, offering the Lieutenant a sheepish grin, “You got called into work before I told you. I got Sherryl Hancock to make an appearance at the fundraiser.”

  Cordy almost choked on her crab puff. “What?” she asked, swallowing several gulps of water before she was able to form words without coughing, “You’re kidding? You know the author of the WeHo series well enough to ask her to make a personal appearance? How?”

  Lorelei shrugged. She wasn’t the kind of person to name-drop, and she hated using her connections for what she felt could be selfish reasons. The only reason she’d contacted the author, was because she felt the woman would both benefit from, and support, the library.

  “When I was twenty-one, I was working wildfires outside of Sacramento. We got the fires out two days before Pride, so I decided to stay behind and go to the parade. Sherryl and her wife were there, selling books. I was a huge fan, and I hadn’t even made a dent in the budget I’d set aside to spend that day, so I bought the entire series and had her sign them.”

  “While she was autographing the books, we chit-chatted about this and that, and she asked what I do for a living. I explained about being a firefighter, and that was the reason I was even down there. Her wife is a photographer, and she asked if I would be willing to let her take some shots of me in my gear.”

  “I told her I was fine with it, and I spent a few hours being directed and posed. We drew a little bit of a crowd,” Lorelei chuckled at the memory, a blush staining her fair cheeks, “but by the end of the day, I’d made a great new friend. That’s how I always manage to have the newest WeHo book before everyone else does,” she added with a triumphant grin.

  “Okay,” Cordy said, waving a hand between Lorelei and Stormie, “
but what does that have to do with the panel? I’m still confused.”

  “That seems to be your permanent residence, Aroha,” Jenica said affectionately, leaning sideways to place a quick kiss on her wife’s cheek. Cordy tried to glare at the woman, but her smile ruined the effect.

  “It appears that three of the wealthiest lesbians in the state of Oregon are die-hard WeHo fans,” Amy chimed in, “When word got around that Sherryl Hancock was going to be making an appearance, people began asking about the possibility of a meet-and-greet. Well, the fundraising committee got in touch with Mrs. Hancock, and together, they came up with a brilliant idea.”

  “Anyone who donates a certain amount will be invited to participate in a meet-and-greet,” Aspen took up the explanation when Amy nodded to her. “But, during the costume party, there is going to be a game, exclusively for those three wealthy lesbians. There is going to be a very unique prize for the winner of the game; one that involves Sherryl Hancock, her wife, and the ten of us.”

  “What’s the prize?” Cordy asked, suddenly realizing why everyone seemed so exasperated with her earlier.

  “The winner will get to have their photograph taken with characters from the series, as well as a group photo with the author,” Max supplied.

  “Where do we come into all of that?” Cordy asked, hoping she was wrong about the answer.

  “We’re part of the game, Cordy,” Jenica replied, exasperated, “We’re the cast of characters. Each of us will be dressed up as a different character from the series. One of us will walk out and read a vague clue about our identity. The contestants will write down their answers and give them to the hostess, who will award points to whoever is correct. The person with the most correct answers will win.”

  “How is that going to raise a ton of money, though?” Cordy asked, “If the score is being kept with points instead of money.”

  “That’s why there are only three people playing,” Lorelei snorted, “they each paid a hundred grand to play the game.”

  Cordy’s eyes bulged and her jaw hit the table. She stared at each of her friends for several dumbfounded moments before she finally managed to find her voice.

  “So, if I don’t dress up and participate, you’re all going to kill me, aren’t you?” she finally asked.

  Nine heads nodded in unison. Cordy groaned as she pushed away her plate. All of a sudden, she wasn’t hungry anymore. “Just don’t make me wear a dress,” she whined, voice dripping with resignation as she dropped her head into her hands.

  Chapter 7

  “Welcome back, Blaise!” Jordy and Aspen led the crew in a round of applause as Lorelei stepped out of the office and into the bays. She’d been essentially banned from even attending drills for the past two weeks, and despite her still healing status, she was happy to be back.

  She spent the first week after the blast nearly incapable of leaving her house, but even after the doctor gave her the all-clear to resume official duties, Chief Andrews refused to allow Lorelei to go near anything that would require physical labor. He didn’t want anything to slow down her recovery time.

  Lorelei had been annoyed at first, but as the days went by and she woke up each morning with a greater range of extension when she stretched, she was grateful for the man’s insistence. Not being able to do more than paperwork at the department didn’t mean she was being lazy, though.

  After the first few days, when even breathing hurt too much, Lorelei began pushing herself back toward her normal fitness level. Mindful of the broken ribs, she started out slowly pushing the limits of her body with physical therapy. It seemed to take forever, but after just a couple of days, she found the majority of her aches and pains beginning to fade.

  Lorelei looked out at the smiling, welcoming faces of the Falls City Fire Department and felt her throat tighten. When she’d first accepted the position of Captain, she’d been worried that the current members of the department might be hostile toward her. She had no idea how many of the firefighters applauding her had applied for her captaincy, and that had been a big point of concern for her in the beginning.

  There were members of the FCFD that had been with the department for years; some of them at or near the decade mark. There were even four volunteer captains that were fully capable of doing everything Lorelei did at the scene of a fire. The curiosity of why none of them had been promoted to a paid position had eaten away at Lorelei until she’d finally given in and asked the Chief.

  “None of them wanted it,” Chief Andrews had answered with a shrug, “I offered every one of them the position and they turned it down. Things out here are different than they are in Marilynn and Dallas, Blaise. Out here, people take pride in giving to their community; whether it’s through the produce giveaway, the clothing closets, or by volunteering here at the fire department.”

  “Besides,” he added with a smirk, “Being a volunteer gives people a little more freedom than being paid. If we’re tapped out during your shift, you are required to go. The volunteers can choose to sit it out and enjoy whatever it is they were doing.”

  “Thank you,” Lorelei said, beaming at her crew, “It’s good to be back with you, even if I can’t climb back into the officer’s seat just yet.”

  “Tonight, we’re going to be doing everyone’s favorite; conditioning,” she announced, once everyone was gathered in the huddle, “As you all know, everyone in a volunteer department is required to meet the same physical fitness standards as those applying to the firefighting academy. I’m not able to fully participate in the physical side of things tonight, so unfortunately I’m just going to be supervising.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure that’s real unfortunate for you,” grumbled Tim Wilkes under his breath. Unfortunately for Tim, he happened to have the bad luck of standing beside Aspen, who heard exactly what he’d said.

  “Excuse you?” the blonde asked loudly, her voice hard and her green eyes so dark with anger they were almost the color of seaweed. “You couldn’t keep up with her during those tests, Tim, so keep your mouth shut.”

  “Don’t you have homework to do, Barbie?” Tim asked, giving Aspen a quick once-over, “Or a hair appointment to get to? Can you even lift a fire hose?”

  “You think she’s happy about not being able to participate? Do you realize that as a paid firefighter, she not only has to meet those requirements, she has to exceed them?”

  “What the hell is your problem, Tim?” Jordy asked. He hadn’t heard the man’s comment, but Aspen wasn’t one to go off for no reason. If she was disrupting drills, she had a reason.

  “Whoa, okay, what’s going on?” Lorelei cut in, hoping to diffuse the situation. A fight was the last thing she wanted to deal with. She hated disciplinary paperwork.

  “Nothing,” Tim said sharply, glaring daggers at Aspen, “I think your wife needs to take a nap or something. Isn’t it almost her bedtime?”

  “That’s enough,” Lorelei barked, her firm, authoritative voice resounding off the eaves of the bay. “Jordy; you and Michael set up the hose drag. Asher; I want you and Lily to put together the equipment carry, and Stacy, take the duty rig up and close off the stairs. Tim, Aspen, my office. Everyone else, I suggest you start stretching.”

  As soon as they were dismissed, the firefighters scattered. None of them had ever heard the ice in Captain Blaise’s voice before, and most of them couldn’t help but feel a little bit sorry for Tim.

  ***

  Inside the office, Lorelei leaned against her desk with her arms crossed over her chest. She glanced between the two firefighters seated before her, waiting for one of them to speak.

  Aspen’s fists were clenched in her lap, her eyes intentionally fixed on her hands as she tried to wrangle the anger that wanted her to reach over and pummel the man next to her. She hated when people used her age to denigrate her, especially when it had nothing to do with the situation.

  Tim was slouched in his chair, his chin resting on his open palm and a look of boredom plastered on his face. Lor
elei didn’t understand what Tim’s issue with her was; he was completely respectful when they were on scene, but the man didn’t like her and she knew it. Not that she cared; he didn’t have to like her, that was his prerogative, but he was going to be respectful while at the firehouse.

  “All right,” she said, breaking the tense silence, “what happened?”

  “Your little sister’s PMS-ing,” Tim replied flatly, waving his hand in Aspen’s direction.

  “Fuck you!” Aspen roared, her knuckles turning white as her fists tightened in her lap.

  “Enough,” Lorelei said sharply, “Tim, that was inappropriate and offensive. Anymore remarks like that, and I will launch a formal complaint. Understood?”

  “What the hell, Blaise? Why?” Tim asked, a spark of annoyance lifting his brow, “Everyone always makes jokes about y’alls age gap.”

  “Our age difference, yes,” Lorelei conceded, “and those jokes are all in good fun. But you called Aspen my little sister, knowing full well that we are married. To imply that either of us would be engaged in an incestuous relationship like that is not only inappropriate, it’s defamatory and derogatory.”

  Tim rolled his eyes but had the decency to look contrite. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Apology accepted. Now, what the hell happened out there?” Lorelei recrossed her arms over her chest and directed her attention to Tim. “Why did you two interrupt the announcements? You both know that huddle is supposed to be a conflict-free time, so why did you bring conflict into it?”

  “Because Tim thinks he’s God’s gift to firefighting,” Aspen spat, her gaze finally swinging to the object of her anger, “He doesn’t think saving a fellow firefighter, and getting blown up in the process, is a good enough reason to simply supervise during conditioning.”

  “I never said that!” Tim objecting, his eyes widening at the implication, “I said I bet it’s real unfortunate that she’s stuck supervising.”