All Fired Up Read Online Free PDF

front of his.
    “Well?” The sound of footsteps behind her distracted her. Without turning around, she spoke to the other men who were about to high tail it out of the room. “No—stay please, guys. I’d like you to hear Warner apologize for being rude to me on parade yesterday.”
    Warner stood up abruptly, his chair almost falling over. “I don’t apologize to sluts.” He turned and headed for the door. Jerry reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.
    “Buddy, I don’t know what’s going on here, but I won’t stand for you calling Cindy that. Show a little respect.”
    “Get outta my way, Jerry.” Warner shook himself free and made to move.
    “Not so fast.” One of the others moved around behind Warner, blocking the doorway.
    It was Sheldon, the Lieutenant, who took a step closer. “Look, there’s no place for ill-feeling in a job like ours. And there’s no place for disrespect for a fellow firefighter either. So you just say you’re sorry and get over whatever it is that’s got up your nose.”
    Warner glared at her through hooded lids, betraying his anger and humiliation. “They shoulda never let women into a man’s world.” His eyes flickered away from hers for just a moment. “Sorry.” He turned, and the others moved to let him through. As he stomped through the door, he turned and looked back at her. “You just better keep outta my way. If ya know what I mean.” Then he was gone.
    An awkward silence filled the room. Inwardly, she was shaking from the unpleasant altercation, but cool and confident when she spoke. “Thanks guys.”
    Sheldon looked at his companions, then back to her. “Cindy, I don’t know what that was all about, but in our job, we rely on each other. Every time we get a call-out, we place our lives in each other’s hands. Even though his apology was half-hearted, it will be in the interest of all of us if you’ll accept it, and move on. OK?”
    She nodded her head. “I’m more than OK with that.” She looked at each one of them in turn. “Thanks.”
    “Right, then let’s get to work.” Sheldon and the others left the room. She stowed her bag and followed them out to the trucks, where she began the routine maintenance of the apparatus and equipment, working alongside her colleagues.
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    It was late in the afternoon when the alarm went off. The team had been undertaking hazardous material training, wearing full protective suits. Following well-rehearsed routines, the crew responded quickly to the alarm and within thirty seconds, the first truck left the fire station, headed for the site of the emergency, lights blazing and sirens screeching.
    “You’re on the second truck, Reece.” Dave called out across the noisy workspace.
    She grabbed her gear and helmet, and reached up to the metal handles near the truck door, heaving herself up nimbly and taking a seat in the back of the dual cab. The radio blared, relaying information about the emergency and the location. It was a fire at a chemical plant on the outskirts of Hillwood. The truck left the station and turned onto the main road, the neon glare of blue and red flashing lights reflecting off every car and building as they raced, with sirens wailing, to the scene of the fire.
    “Directions!” Jerry was driving, concentrating hard on the traffic, and cursing the vehicles who didn’t pull over to let them pass.
    Warner sat in the front passenger seat, a clipboard on his lap. He grabbed the GPS and called out instructions to Jerry. Next to her sat Sheldon, buttoning up his coat and adjusting his black Lieutenant’s helmet. He turned to look at her.
    “Used your breathing apparatus in a chemical fire before?”
    Her heart was beating rapidly. “Only in training.”
    “Put it on now and check it. When we get to the scene, stay close to me at all times. Got it?”
    “Got it.”
    The wail of the siren suddenly stopped as the unit pulled up outside a large