The Firefighter Who Rescues Me

Chapter 27 ♚ Strange Things

"Speaking of, there's something I've been wondering about," Brian said.

I motioned for him to continue. After all, he was technically paying me to chat and that beat dealing with paperwork any time.

Meanwhile, he looked around as though there were any possibility of anybody spying, and not as if we were in a refurbished trailer with two puny windows and two doors.

"You guys are gonna marry in winter, which means Dean's gonna be smack in the middle of hockey season, so he won't be able to be the best man." Brian scooted his chair closer and whispered the question that had been brewing in him, "In that case, who's gonna be the best man?"

I cocked an eyebrow. His logic was sound, too bad for him I didn't have the answer.

Pace and I had been so busy getting the house—and ourselves—ready for Surprise, we hadn't even talked about the best man. My maid of honor was set, and so were my bridesmaids, and that was as far as I knew about the wedding. That, and that Pace and I would start out pre-marital lessons with the local priest in a couple of weeks.

Thus, I evaded the question by asking another. "Why are you asking me instead of Pace?"

"He's been tight-lipped." The foreman folded his arms. "Shane also asked him and got nothing, and at this rate I'm afraid Hunter might be making a move."

Recalling the conversation we'd had at the bar months ago brought a cheeky smile to my face. Back then, I figured Pace was beloved by his friends, for all of them to have made him their best man at their weddings. Now that the roles had reversed, it was funny to think he'd struggle picking his own among such great friends.

I leaned back on my chair, folding my hands over the rise of my belly. "You guys will probably have to submit your applications for his consideration pretty soon if you want to stand a chance."

He narrowed his eyes, smiling at the same time. "Maybe I'll just challenge the guys to a duel and pick the victor that way."

"Ha! I like that idea."

I was about to throw around ideas of how to go about it when someone knocked on the door. Brian opened the door and at one look outside, he gave me a sour face.

"It's the competition," he said.

Which turned out to be the Sheriff. Hunter popped his head in and saluted me. "Hey! Sorry to pop in unannounced while you're at work but I was wondering if I could borrow a few minutes of your time."

"All of the minutes you want," I said, magnanimous, not even minding that my boss could see my plain excitement at prolonging my break.

Brian's mind must have still been on the previous topic, because before stepping out of the trailer he told me, "Remember, it has to be a fair fight. Don't fall for his earnest-looking face."

Hunter's eyebrows went up when I responded with two thumbs up.

"What was that?" he asked as he took a seat before me.

"Oh, nothing much." I did my best to appear innocent as I said, "Just wondering what to do with so many interested parties on the position of Pace's best man."

Hunter gasped. "You mean it's not me?"

Not based on what Brian had just said, which probably meant Hunter was also fishing for intel. I laughed. "Oh, you're good, Sheriff."

"That's why they pay me the big bucks," he said with a grin I couldn't help returning.

"Anyway, as much as I appreciate the distraction from my boring tasks, you're on the clock and there must be a reason why you're spending taxpayer money on me."