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Evan hoped to make it to El Paso today.
On I-10, less than a mile past an exit for an actual town, his jeep decides that isn’t going to happen. Maybe he should have given the old girl a once over after being in storage for six months. But Buck’s life is full of ‘should haves’ and he’s not going to start stressing about it now.
It’s not like he’s in a real rush. He’s been provisionally accepted to the LAFD academy pending his fitness eval - which he has no doubt he’ll pass with flying colors. The self imposed time limit had just been a desire to get to LA and get the next phase of his life started.
Evan’s got a good feeling about this one.
Even with a broken down vehicle to start it off.
An hour later, sun in his eyes and a bit too much sand on his face, he finds what he’s looking for. There’s a long, blue tin building with all the garage doors up and open, cars in various states of disrepair in the lot and several voices echoing out from the open area inside.
The mechanic’s lobby is empty of anyone waiting, probably all sitting around getting amazing smelling baked goods next-door. Even the desk is deserted except a small kid sitting on the counter, a pair of crutches laying on the surface next to him. He can’t be more than four or five years old, max. He’s watching Evan closely, curious, and clearly open and excited to see someone new.
“Hey there! Can you help me?”
The kid’s smile is instant and he wiggles as he tries to sit up a little straighter. “You want my help?”
“You’re the one sitting at the counter, right? Must mean you run this place. I bet you’re a tough boss to work for.” Buck keeps a polite distance, but leans against the visitor side of the counter so he’s a little closer to the kid’s level instead of looking down at him.
“Nooo, I just give extra cookies!”
“Oh! Well, can I work for you, then? I love extra cookies.”
The kid giggles, trying to hide it in his hand just as a door somewhere off to the side makes a screeching sound of metal on tile as it’s opened.
“Christopher, are you bothering customers?”
“Daddy!”
Evan looks up, going to bat for the kid immediately. “Your boss here was just sharing some of his positive reinforcement management techniques. Pretty sure he was trying to trick me into coming to work for him, but I managed to talk him into finding me someone to go take a look at my broken down jeep about a mile down the road?” The second he finishes, the man that walks through the door stops and Evan’s jaw hits the floor, his breath fucking stolen . ‘Eddie’ his name badge tells him. Even in greasy grey coveralls it’s clear this man is model level gorgeous and ripped to hell to boot. Deep brown eyes, head full of soft, wavy brown hair, and a jawline cut from marble. Even the late afternoon sun is kind to him, making him glow all golden like a god or something.
Jesus.
Evan wonders what the rest of him is cut like.
This guy is way too pretty to be from this tiny podunk town.
“Did you just ‘ what’s a guy like you doing in a town like this ’ me?”
“Only if I said that last part out loud,” Evan admits with a groan.
Eddie is really fucking pretty when he blushes, so much so that he wonders what else he could say to make it happen again.
“Come on,” Eddie says, clearly not able to hold back on his grin while his kid doubles over in a fit of giggles. “I’ll get someone to watch the front and we can go get your car looked at, see if we need to tow it back here or not.”
“Boss man is coming, right?” He looks over to Christopher who looks as if that is the most exciting thing he’s ever heard in his life - or at least the most recent month.
“Of course. Gotta have someone to keep us in line.” Eddie quips.
Evan bites his lips specifically to keep the thoughts running rampant through his mind on the inside this time. Especially since they involve much more blatant flirting. He’s just glad there’s a kid around so he keeps his hands to himself.
By the look Eddie gives him ten minutes later when they’re loading up into the tow-truck, he’s not the only one.
It’s dark by the time his jeep is in running condition again. Christopher is fast asleep in the cab. Eddie with the magic hands and the frankly phenomenal ass had managed to work said magic with just what he had in the truck.
“So, firefighter, huh?”
The conversation between the three of them had been surprisingly easy, and, frankly, really nice.
It helps that every other thing they said to each other was blatant flirting.
“That’s the plan.”
Eddie bites his bottom lip, looking excited but uncertain for a moment before he digs in his pocket and pulls out a small pad of paper and pen that he scribbles something on. Instead of handing it over, though, he steps in close, close enough it’s clear their flirting has been more than mutual. “Bet you’re gonna look gorgeous with a uniform. Send me a picture of you in it?”
Eddie puts his phone number directly into Evan’s front jeans pocket, letting his fingers linger a touch too long.
Evan licks his lips, then smirks. “Only if you send me one out of yours.”
There’s silence for a long, never ending moment where - for a heartbeat - Evan thinks they might kiss. But then Eddie’s blush is back, deep red and covering his entire face as he steps away.
“Deal.”
Yeah… Evan’s got a great feeling about this stage of his life.