With Caution

else wants to watch NASCAR, you damn redneck,”
    Cortez shot back.
    They rolled again, crunching chips and plowing into the rickety particleboard coffee table someone had donated to the firehouse when Remi first started working there.
    “No one wants to watch Leave it to Beaver either, you fucking cocksucker.”
    Finally, Baker turned his game off and got up. “I’m going to the grocery store for more chips, wanna come with me, Lassiter?”

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    J.L. Langley
    Remi closed his book and stepped over the two firemen wrestling around on the floor like a couple of punks and followed Baker to the door leading into the garage. He turned back. “Hey, assholes, clean up the fucking mess. We’re going to get shit to make dinner.”
    “Fuck you, Lassiter,” Jamison growled out before bursting into laughter.
    Cortez soon joined him. “Hey, Remi. Get stuff to make cookies.”
    Grinning, Remi flipped them both off and jogged past two more of his coworkers—
    Duncan and Thomas, who were straightening hoses and talking—to catch up with Baker.
    Duncan hailed Remi as he went by. “Hey, Remi, y’all going to the store?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Get some chocolate ice cream.”
    “Got it.” Remi slid into the seat and buckled his seat belt, looking out the passenger side window. The number two engine towered over the truck as they drove out. It looked like shift three had washed the big red beast yesterday. Someone needed to wash the truck too.
    “Does that bother you?”
    “What?” Remi glanced over at Baker. Baker was one of the two paramedics on first shift. He was also the only white man on first shift. The rest of the men were Latino or Apache.
    “The gay jokes.”
    Oh shit , had he given something away? Remi’s stomach sank. “No. Should it?”
    Baker shrugged. “Just wondered since your friend is gay and all.”
    How did Baker know Jake?
    “The vet?”
    “Oh, Chay.”
    “Yeah, the animal doc. That was wild. Never would have guessed he was gay. Lots a folks were surprised.”
    “Tell me about it.” Remi squirmed in his seat, trying to think of something to change the subject without being too obvious he was doing so. Sadly, his father wasn’t the only person in town who was homophobic. If anyone suspected Remi was gay… Actually, he 146
    www.samhainpublishing.com

    With Caution
    didn’t much care what people thought so long as Dirk didn’t find out, but in this town that would be a long shot.
    They pulled up in front of the grocery store, and Baker cut the engine and got out.
    “We should get a cart. The cupboards are bare. We can take up a collection when we get back.”
    Yeah, they were, someone forgot to put the lock on their fridge and someone from second shift had eaten their leftovers from the other night. Remi got a shopping cart and shoved it toward Baker. He hated pushing the damn things. Which was why he always took Sterling shopping with him. Sterling loved to push them. Unfortunately, not only did he play on them, but he snuck things in behind Remi’s back. A small price to pay as far as Remi was concerned. “Whose turn is it to cook dinner?”
    Groaning, Baker took the cart and pushed it toward the first aisle. The right front wheel wobbled, not touching the bright white floor. “Mine.”
    Remi laughed and followed his coworker. The smells of different produce tickled Remi’s nose, making him have to concentrate to keep it out.
    Most of the guys hated to cook, but they all took turns. Remi didn’t like to cook, but he was used to it. He had been cooking for himself and Sterling almost from the day Sterling was born. Something niggled at the back of Remi’s memory.
    Sterling was crying.
    Remi could barely walk, fresh out of the hospital. Why wasn’t Mom getting the baby?
    Getting up, Remi slowly made it to his parents’ room where the bassinet was.
    Sterling was red-faced and screaming his lungs out. His little fists were balled up so tight his tiny knuckles were white.
    Lifting the baby up, Remi realized not only did it hurt his ribs, but the kid was sopping wet. Somehow he managed to get Sterling changed and into the kitchen.
    Sterling quieted for a little bit when Remi found his pacifier, but it didn’t last long.
    He spit it out and started wailing again.

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    Remi just wanted him to shut up. He was tired and he hurt and his pain medication was making him sleepy. He found a note in the kitchen telling him his