“Nope.”Bethany gave her a toothy grin.
It was obviously a lie.One she hoped her friend wasn’t going to call her on.Even if she didn’t feel like studying, she should probably be packing.Benny might be busy at work today, but they still planned on moving her things into his place this weekend.Yes, she only had three measly suitcases, but they weren’t going to pack themselves.“You never told me how your date went?”she smoothly changed the subject.
Judging by her friend’s grimace she was taking it that Mark wasn’t going to be getting a second date.
Lucy sighed, blowing out an extra-long breath.“Apparently he was close to making it big as a professional juggler.”
“What?”Bethany almost choked on air.“A professional juggler?”
Lucy rolled her eyes as she braced her hands on the steel surface.“Yep.Even decided to give me a little demonstration of hisskills.”
Just from the way Lucy elongated the word “skills”, Bethany had a pretty good idea of where this conversation was heading, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“What even constitutes a professional juggler,” she air quoted the word for emphasis.“The circus?”
Her bestie scoffed.“He wishes.”
She stifled a giggle and pasted on her most serious expression.“Poor Mark.You don’t believe he’s got what it takes?”
“He gave me a demonstration.”Lucy’s brow lifted as she fought like a trooper to suppress her grin.
“And?I’m on the edge of my seat here, Luce.”
“Well, let’s just say there were only two balls, and he kept dropping them both.Did I also happen to mention that this demonstration went on foran hour.In a public place.With witnesses.”
Oh dear.Her poor, poor friend.
Just as she was about to give in to temptation and let her laugh break free, her phone went off.Which was odd enough to have her answering.No one actually rang her anymore.She was more of a ‘I’ll text you back five hours later’ kind of girl.
“Hello?”she swiped, not recognizing the caller ID.
“Bethany?”A panicked female voice asked.“Uh, it’s Libby.Zach’s wife.”
Libby?Why was Libby calling her?
“Hey, what’s up?”She sat up a bit straighter, more than aware of the frantic energy crackling down the phone line.And there was that sinking feeling again.
“It’s, uh, have you seen the news?”Bethany’s stomach twisted.“The guys, they’ve been fighting a wildfire over by Splitrock all day.”Another twist.Libby’s voice was quiet for a second before she tore her world apart.“Zach and Benny...they’re still out there.”
Bethany stopped listening after that.But she kept her phone to her ear as she slipped off the diner stool and started heading for the exit.Ignoring her best friend’s calls from behind her.
“I’m on my way over there now,” Bethany announced, pushing open the glass door.
“I’m coming, too.”Libby’s voice trembled.“I’ll meet you there.”
***
The place was carnage.
The scent of burnt earth filling Bethany’s throat as her grip on Libby’s hand tightened.Ever since they’d arrived, they’d been clinging onto each other.Both desperate to hear good news.It was Cody who had led them to where they both stood next to his cruiser.Away from the red tape cordoning off the hot zone.
Their eyes remained fixed on the fire line.Looking for something.Anything.They’d still not seen the other men on Benny’s team.Bethany hoped like hell that was a good thing.That they were out there, looking for them.Cody had disappeared not long after they arrived.He said he’d gone in search of answers, but the worry on his face made her think he just couldn’t handle the total fear and devastation vibrating off the two of them.
He’s going to be okay.This is his job.He’s trained for this exact situation.
She clung desperately to those thoughts.Repeating them over and over again in her head.
All they knew, all they’d been told was that during the battle to put out the fire, the wind shifted before Benny and Zach had a chance to retreat with the rest of the team, which meant they couldn’t escape the way they came.They had to find another way.When she’d gone to Google what that meant, Cody had taken her phone.Literally taken it.Like she was a child.He was lucky she was using all her current strength to keep breathing or his balls and her knee would be getting acquainted.
