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Paul waited until Carlos was out of earshot before he turned on TK.
“What the hell was that man?” he asked angrily.
“Me?!” TK demanded, wiping the tears from his eyes. “How is this my fault? His father arrested my dad, Paul! He accused my father of being an arsonist, and Carlos agrees with him!”
Paul scoffed, not believing for a second that Carlos thought Owen was actually the arsonist. “Did he say that, TK? Did he say those words? That Captain Strand is an arsonist?”
TK hesitated. “No…” he replied, “He didn’t exactly say it. But he-”
“But nothing,” Paul cut him off. “Carlos was in a tough spot, TK. Caught between his own father and his boyfriend’s father. And yet he still came here and tried to talk to you himself, as hard as it probably was for him, instead of just letting another officer do it. Because he loves you and probably thought it would be easier to hear it from him than from a stranger. And yet you shoved him around for it. That’s not okay man.”
TK didn’t respond, but tears started to pool in his eyes again.
“Now hold on a minute Paul-” Judd started to say.
Paul turned to him. “I don’t think I will,” he replied. “Don’t think that what you did was okay either, Ryder. Kicking him out like that as if he was in the wrong. I know you were just trying to de-escalate the situation between them, but he was just doing his job, and he didn’t deserve that. From either of you. And what’s worse, none of us even stuck up for him, we just stood there without saying a word. I just stood there. I can’t even imagine how he feels right now.”
No one said anything for a few seconds.
Paul turned to look at Marjan and Mateo. It was clear from the look on Marjan’s face and the nod that she gave him that she agreed with him. Mateo looked like he wanted to sink into the floor.
“You’re right,” TK whispered, looking down at the floor clearly ashamed. “He didn’t deserve that. I’m just so scared about my dad… And now I might have lost Carlos. I can’t lose him.” His voice turned desperate as he looked up at Paul. “I can’t lose him.”
Paul shook his head and started to walk away, turning to TK on his way back to the kitchen.
“For what it’s worth, he’s a good man and he’s crazy for you, I do think he’ll forgive you,” he said. “But this can’t happen again. Treat your man right, Strand, or somebody else will.”
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Carlos stood up slowly from the couch when he heard a knock at his front door.
For the first time since he’d met him, he hoped it wasn’t TK. He still wasn’t ready for that conversation just yet.
“Paul,” he said in surprise when he opened the door. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Hey man, can I come in for a bit?” Paul asked.
“Of course,” he replied, moving over and ushering him in.
Paul walked over to the couch and took in the half eaten tub of ice cream. He looked over at the TV.
“Oh man,” he said, shaking his head and barely suppressing a laugh. “Ice cream and Bridgerton, that bad huh?”
Carlos’s cheeks burned. “I needed a distraction,” he replied. “Michelle has been pushing me to watch this show for months. She was here a little while ago, you just missed her.”
“Listen man,” Paul said after a beat of silence. “I owe you an apology.”
“For what?” Carlos asked, his eyebrows scrunching together in confusion.
“What happened at the firehouse today,” he replied. “First TK pushing you around like that and then Judd asking you to leave, it wasn’t okay at all. And I just stood there, I didn’t say anything until after you’d already left. I should have said something before and I’m sorry for that.”
“It was a hard spot to be in Paul,” Carlos said. “I’m not upset at you. TK is your teammate, he’s your friend.”
“But that doesn’t make it alright. You’re my friend too, Carlos,” Paul said seriously. “I hope you know that. You may not be a member of the 126, but you’re still family to all of us.”
Paul was shocked to see Carlos’ eyes fill with tears.
“Oh man, I’m so sorry,” he said, reaching out and pulling him into a hug.
“I appreciate you saying that,” Carlos said, hugging him back tightly. “So much. I didn’t mean for any of that to happen, I’m sorry.”
“You’re not the one who has anything to be sorry for, Carlos,” he replied. “And I’m sure my apology isn’t the only one you’ll be getting tonight either. Marjan, Mateo and Judd all feel horrible about what happened, but no one is more sorry than TK.”
Carlos took a step back and wiped at his eyes.
“He called and texted a few times,” he said. “I haven’t answered yet. I don’t know what to say. I know it’s not okay that he shoved me and if it was anyone else but him, I don’t know if I’d be able to forgive that. But I love him so much. It’s an impossible situation involving both of our fathers, the men that we look up to more than anyone. I know TK didn’t mean to lash out like that. He’s been working so hard with his therapist to handle his emotions in a healthier way. He just isn’t always able to think clearly when it comes to Owen.”
Paul nodded. “I can’t tell you what to do here man, that’s up to you. But I will say this. I saw his face after you left and after he truly realized what he’d done, and he was terrified. He was ashamed, and scared that he was going to lose you. He loves you too, don’t doubt that Carlos, even when he acts like a total idiot.”
Carlos laughed. “He’s my idiot though, isn’t he.”
Paul smiled and nodded. “That he is.” He bumped shoulders with Carlos. “Forgive me?”
“Of course,” Carlos replied. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t forgive you guys for, you’re family to me too. And when I’m ready, I’ll talk to TK. Just please tell me that he’s safe right now?”
“He is,” Paul assured him. “Judd spoke to him after shift, he went to Owen’s place. He’ll be with Mateo all night and he’ll keep an eye on him. Don’t worry, we got him bro, at least until you’re ready to step back into the job again.”
“Thank you Paul,” he replied. “Really, and thank you so much for coming over. I needed this.”
“Anytime,” Paul said, plopping down on the couch and grabbing Carlos’s ice cream. “Now grab me a spoon and hit play, I need to see why the world is so obsessed with this Duke.”
Carlos laughed and sat down next to him. “Believe me, once you lay your eyes on him you’ll understand.”
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Two hours later, when the ice cream was long gone and Paul had left, Carlos’s phone rang again.
He looked down at the caller ID and took a deep breath before answering.
“Hey Ty.”