I blink. “You’re insane all on your own.”
He climbs out and circles the truck, stealing the bags from my hands like I’m made of glass. “You’re the one bringing Thai to a bunch of grown men who think sriracha is exotic. Who’s insane now?”
I grin. “They love me.”
He doesn’t disagree.
Inside, the firehouse is chaos. Boots thudding, laughter ricocheting off brick. And then?—
“Heyyy, is thatMrs. Walker?” Ramirez bellows from the recliner, tossing a foam football in the air. “Didn’t know we ordered a firecracker with our pad Thai.”
“She’s not Mrs. Anything,” Clay grumbles, setting the food on the counter.
Gabe leans in close, stage-whispering, “That denial was a little too quick, Chief.”
“Shut up and eat,” Clay snaps, but he’s biting back a smile.
I unload containers, pretending not to notice the looks exchanged between the guys. Or the way Clay stands just a little too close. Like maybe if we lean far enough into this charade, it’ll become real.
But the fantasy only lasts until later that night.
Until the check clears.
And suddenly, everything feels different.
The insurance money from the fire hits my account, and with it, the suffocating weight of reality. I’m not stranded anymore. I can leave. Go anywhere. Start over—for real this time.
But the thought doesn’t thrill me.
It wrecks me.
Because for the first time in forever, I don’t want to run.
So I do the next best thing.
Isabotage.
He’s in the garage, working on a cabinet, the scent of cedar and sawdust clinging to the air. His muscles flex as he planes a board, shirt discarded, sweat glistening across his back. He doesn’t notice me until I speak.
“So... big day. I got my check.”
He pauses, blade halting mid-stroke.
“Yeah?” he says without turning.
“Yeah.”
Silence.
And then, “Guess that means you’ll be hittin’ the road.”
My chest pinches.
“Do you want me to?” I ask, softer than I mean to.
He straightens, brushes a hand through his hair, and finally looks at me. Those damn eyes. Burned whiskey and heat.
“You deserve more than this place,” he says, gesturing to the garage, the cabin, all of it.
