“Okay, for starters, it was supposed to be a joke. I was not being disrespectful or anything.”
“And I know that…if anything I thought myself lucky to be one of those people who are able to differentiate between what they do and how they feel.”
“And what does that have to do with Mr. December?” he asked and she shrugged.
“You really have to stop calling him that.”
“What? That’s what he is…at least for this year.”
She shook her head and bit her lower lip.
“So, what does he have to do with this story anyway?” he asked and she exhaled loudly.
“I went out there and decided to test your theory.”
“What theory?” he asked and she turned to look into her eyes. “The bully theory?”
She nodded.
“So, what? You went out to the station and told him that you thought he liked you?” he asked and she shook her head.
“No, I went out there and fucked him,” she said simply, and Leo’s eyes grew wide.
“I think there is something wrong with my ears today because I seem to be hearing the wrong things every single time you open your mouth.”
“No…I did take time off and I did go there to fuck Victor Racine.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Is this story going somewhere?” he asked and she nodded. “Then say it! What are you trying to tell me?”
“I felt something…I don’t know what, but I felt something.”
“But you never really feel anything,” he said and she nodded.
“I know…except for my feelings for you, I feel absolutely nothing, but that night…I wanted to stay there. I wanted to be in his arms. I wanted to kiss him…kiss every part of him.”
She shook her head.
“What is wrong with me?” she asked and Leo smiled.
“Nothing is wrong with you. But I think you have been using the tough girl act to cover up what you really feel.”
“Which is?”
“You like Victor Racine,” he said in a soft voice. “That’s the only reason you feel the way you feel about him.”
She parted her lips to say something, but no words were coming out. She was dumbfounded as she sat there looking at him because at the back of her mind, she knew that there was a big possibility that he was right.
“By the way, just so you know, I Googled Mr. December and it turns out that Victor Racine is Zachary Racine’s son,” Leo said matter of factly and Macy shook her head.
“Wait. Do you mean the Zachary Racine?” she asked. “As in the hotshot lawyers?”
“Yes. Those very ones.”
“Wow, I don’t know much, but I am pretty sure that the family is a big deal.”
Leo nodded.
“That’s because they are,” he said. “They are not only hotshot lawyers but also big players when it comes to the who’s who of the country.”
“How do you know that?” she asked.
“How else would you explain someone being in photos with politicians, presidents, and international players?”
“They have an international charity?”
“Are you asking me or are you telling me?” he asked and she shrugged.
“I don’t really know.”
“Okay, you are right because the Racine family does have a foundation, but Victor is not affiliated with any of the charities.”
“So the whole firefighting act…” she started and he shook his head.
“I don’t get it either, and it’s not like the parents are talking about it, but their foundation and business stories are all over Page Six.”
She shook her head confused.
“And their son is a fire fighter?” Macy asked surprised. “I mean, I am all about giving back to society and everything but walking out of a Fortune 500 job to be a firefighter is a stretch even for someone with Gandhi’s heart.”
“Well, I smell something fishy in the Racine family. I can tell you that much,” Leo pointed out.
*****
“You know, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks lately and that volunteer firefighter hasn’t been around,” Victor said as they walked into the fire station after a job.
“Actually, it’s been two weeks to be exact,” Randy said. “And she has a name.”
Victor took off his gear and sighed.
“Two weeks, huh?” he asked, pretending to be surprised even though he had been counting the days. He had been waiting for her to come back or at least reach out to him, but it never happened. He was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen again. Seeing her, even for the shortest time.
“Yup, two weeks.”
“How is that even possible?” one of the other firefighters asked. “She is always everywhere. But suddenly she is MIA.”
“I don’t understand what is happening either. The captain asked me about her, and I didn’t have an answer,” Randy said.
Victor shrugged.
“I’ll go hit the showers,” he said as he walked to the locker room. He was too engrossed in his own thoughts to notice Randy following him. He was a little too much in his own head, thinking about Macy and how much he wanted her to take note of anything else happening around him.
“Hey man, you alright?” Randy asked when Victor finally walked out of the showers.
“This is the men’s room,” he said and Randy shrugged.
“It’s just us in here.”
“How long have you been waiting here?” Victor asked and Randy shrugged.
“Not long.”
He walked to his locker and opened it before he began dressing.
“It’s a little awkward getting dressed with you watching me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have to do it if you talked to me,” Randy said. “You have been a little off your game lately which is saying a lot for someone who the captain considers reckless.”
“I guess it’s just been one of those days.”
“You have had almost fourteen of those so- called days,” she said as he looked at her. “And you have been like this ever since that night Macy came in and the two of you locked yourselves in the captain’s office.”
Victor raised an eyebrow over the other and turned to look at Randy.
“You know about that?” he asked and Randy nodded.
“Yeah…I saw her leaving and I wanted to ask you about it, but there never seemed to be a good time to do so.”
Victor pulled on a T-shirt and sighed.