I’m rolling up hose at the front of the engine when Everett joins me. He tucks away his notebook and pen in the breast pocket of his uniform shirt. “I heard your shift’s getting a new probie. Remember Zach’s brother, William?”
“No shit?” I grin. I’ve only met the kid a few times, but I saw him play when he was the star quarterback for the Finn River Falcons. He surprised everyone when he chose not to pursue a career in the NFL this year and came home instead. Something about a bad hit and a concussion that had him reevaluating his life choices. I heard he’d tested with Finn River Fire, but that was months ago.
“You know what firefighters and cops have in common?” I ask Ev.
He narrows his eyes. “Why do I feel like this is a trick question?”
I layer in more hose.
“Fine, tell me,” he says with a huff.
“They both want to be firefighters.”
“Funny.” He shakes his head, unamused. “How’d driving lessons go?”
“I’m still here, aren’t I?”
He quirks an eyebrow. “That bad, huh?”
“You’ll get a taste soon enough.” His son Logan will be thirteen this fall.
He hooks his fingers on his duty belt. “Can I take the boat out thisweekend?”
“Sure,” I reply, then study his face because there’s a weird edge to his tone. “Why?”
He swallows, and a look of apprehension fills his eyes. “I’m gonna propose to Vivian.”
This hits me in the gut. “Think she’ll say yes?” I tease.
He scowls. “Don’t be an asshole. I’m nervous enough as it is.”
I shoot him a grin. Vivian was a walking red flag when she came to town, and I was wary because my brother has a history of rescuing the kind of women who end up destroying his life. But I was wrong about Vivian, and now I can’t imagine our family without her and her son, Mateo.
“She’s good for you,” I say.
His serious brown eyes tense. “I love her and Matty so much.”
“I know.” I offer him my fist and he bumps it.
“Later,” he says, and trots back to his rig.
On the way back to the station, I watch the passing blur of forest and powder-blue summer sky as my brother’s words circle through my thoughts. Him wanting to marry Vivian isn’t exactly a surprise given how deeply they’ve fallen for each other, but it kicks open a hornet’s nest of feels. And a sting that’s never really gone away.
Kelly’s angry shouts burn through my mind.You’re never here! You’re either at work or training or playing the fun parent with Greta!
And that makes it okay to fuck my best friend?
It’s not about him.
The hell it isn’t.
It’s about me. What I need.
That hit me hard—because I knew she was right about being gone a lot, and the impact it had on our family. A forty-eight hour shift is a long time to be away. When the faucet leaks or the car breaks down or there’s a school event—a firefighter’s spouse has to be self-reliant. But if Kelly sleeping around was her way ofexpressing her resentment, why then, of all people, did she pick Vance,another firefighter? Why not a banker or a teacher or an accountant? Someone who would come home every evening. Someone who would never have to work on holidays or miss a birthday. Not that it would have made it okay…but maybe someday, I could have understood it.
And why, of all people, did she choose my best friend?
The morning of the tree planting, I haven’t seen Meg all week. I worked a three day and then Greta and I went on an overnight up in the Bitterroots for the Fourth of July. It’s a holiday every firefighter dreads thanks to the reckless shit people do in the name of celebrating and the added dangers we face because of it. Thanks to my seniority, my request is usually granted. Greta and I hiked high enough to find the last of the snow and she kicked my ass in a snowball fight before supper.
