Fire and Ice (Firemen do it Hotter Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

ready for Sunday afternoon.”
    Grady saluted David. “You bet, coach.”
    David laughed. “Head home and grab some sleep.”
    “I think I’ll do that.” Grady pulled his phone out of the side pocket of his own duffel. “See you later.”
    David grinned and headed off in the direction some of the other players, who’d participated in the scrimmage, had gone.
    Grady touched the screen and saw he had a missed call from a private number and had a message. He hoped both had been Chelsey.
    His pulse kicked up a notch. He listened to the message and smiled when he heard her sweet voice as she left her number.
    He slung his duffel over his shoulder as he pressed her number on the screen and brought the phone to his ear.
    When she answered he said, “How is your evening?”
    “I’m getting ready to go to bed.” She sounded tired. “Long day at my dress shop.”
    He headed out the front doors of the skating rink. “I hope it was a good one.”
    “It was.” She sounded tense. “I called you to tell you I can’t go out.”
    He wasn’t surprised, but he had no intention of letting her off the hook. “How about this Saturday night?”
    She hesitated. That pause told him he had her and he smiled at the warmth in his chest from the certainty that he was going to get a chance with this woman who had captivated him so completely.
    “It’s only a get together, Chelsey, to see if we click. I think we will.” He already felt it, and he was certain she did, too.
    “A get together.” She said the words as if tasting each one, and with a little more enthusiasm than he’d expected with her being tired and trying to put him off. “Where would you like to go?”
    “Do you have a favorite place?” He felt like he’d just struck gold.
    “O’Brien’s is on College Avenue,” she said. “It’s an Irish bar, of course. Or we could go to that great Italian restaurant down the street from all the bars. Giovanni’s.”
    “Giovanni’s sounds perfect.” Grady preferred to stay as far away from bars as possible. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t go in and have a Coke with friends now and again, but going into bars wasn’t his first choice. “I’ll make reservations for 6:30 and pick you up at 6:10. Text me your address.”
    “Okay.” She sounded shy and hesitant. “I’ll do that and I’ll be ready.
    He grinned to himself as he reached his truck. “See you then.”
    Not long after he climbed into his truck, his phone beeped and he saw that Chelsey had sent her address. He smiled.
    Something in his gut told him Chelsey was special. Real special. Now if she would give him a chance to prove himself worthy of her.
    After putting on his seatbelt, he jammed the keys into the ignition then paused. Was he worthy? He was a recovering alcoholic but there was always the chance he could be triggered to take a drink, which would lead to another. No matter what he told himself now, and no matter that he no longer craved alcohol and had been sober for eight years, he had to be realistic.
    One day at a time.
    He mentally shook his head. It wasn’t a matter of being worthy. He’d have to tell her sooner or later, but he preferred to get to know her before he sprung, “I’m an alcoholic” on her. Some people didn’t want to have a relationship with someone who had a history of a drinking or drug problem. He’d never gotten into drugs, thank God, but being an alcoholic was just as bad.
    He blew out his breath in a rush. He needed to get to his regular AA meeting and talk with his sponsor.
    First he’d get home and pull his head together. The truck’s motor rumbled as he pulled the big vehicle out of the parking lot and headed home.

5
    T he firm knock at the door caused Chelsey to jump up from her seat in the living room.
    Grady.
    She straightened her spine and pushed her hair behind her ears, catching a whiff of the new light floral perfume on her wrists. All day she had been more excited about this date than she’d thought