Brody tosses his hands up, and Nate and I watch him rejoin the rest of the crew to clean up.
“Do you really believe it wasn’t the arsonist?” I ask.
Nate sighs, swiping a hand across his forehead. “It’s not myjob to know. It’s my job to keep you guys as safe as possible while you fight fires, save lives, and protect property. I’d be doing you all a disservice if I sided fully one way or another.”
“You’re a good Lieutenant, and you’ll make a great Captain one day.” I down the last of my water, tossing it into the same compartment as Brody’s. “Just don’t let it come at the cost of a friend.”
His lips form a line, and he nods. “I think I’m supposed to be dishing out the advice, not the other way around, kid.”
“Would you rather I do a handstand in front of all these people, and you have to reprimand me later?”
“Jesus Christ. Don’t you fuckin’ dare.”
I make a motion to do exactly that, and Nate gasps, grabbing my arm. For the first time all day, I laugh, and I don’t stop for the rest of the cleanup.
Chapter 34
Bryn
Alowwhistlefillsthe air, causing a smile to spread across my face. Wyatt’s sitting on a rock at the top of the waterfall where the controls to the fountain lie, tools scattered out on the rocks next to him.
“Don’t you look nice,” he calls when I get closer.
The way his eyes rake down the length of my pink dress sends my stomach swooping. The tray I’m carrying has two glasses of lemonade and a sweet treat courtesy of Gran.
“Went for lunch with Savanna, then met up with the rest of the girls,” I explain, setting the tray down on the flattest rock near him.
He nods knowingly. “Nate mentioned you guys were going out.”
Putting my hands on my hips, I jut a hip out. “We were shopping forsomeone’sauction dance.”
Wyatt grins at me, half lifting his shoulder like he doesn’t want to admit it was forhisperformance. Somehow in the last few weeks, he’s managed to wrangle the girls into help him with his number, along with the guys. Savanna told me today it was actually Wyatt’s brother, Boone, who convinced the girls. Or her. Then she worked her magic on everyone else.
Except me. She didn’t ask me whether I wanted to be part of it. But why would she? He’s being auctioned off for a date, forgoodness sake. Wyatt and I are friends. That’s it.
I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep telling myself that and believing it, though.
The day he knelt in front of me, branding me with his touch so he’d be the last man I felt, unlocked something in me. The shift was immediate, like a wind whipping through my entire mind and body, clearing it of everything except Wyatt. Since that first night we danced together, I’ve always felt safe with him, but that day took it to an intrinsic level that I’ve spent every moment since trying to comprehend.
I still haven’t figured it out. Which makes the thought of him going on a date with some other girl impossible to think about without a flood of jealousy, even if it’s my own doing.
“Gran said you’ve been working out here for hours,” I say, grabbing one of the lemonades and offering it to him. “I thought I’d bring you some refreshments.”
After taking the glass, he eyes the treats on the tray. “And Moon Pies. You sure know how to treat a guy right.”
The compliment has a blush staining my cheeks.
Gesturing to the rock beside him, he asks, “Care to sit?”
He doesn’t wait for an answer before he’s clearing the space of his tools, and I smooth a hand over the front of my dress at the action. I brought refreshments for both of us, so it’s ridiculous that a bout of nerves is hitting me, my brain telling me I shouldn’t stay while something else urges me to plant my ass.
We’re friends. Friends are allowed to have lemonade and Moon Pies together.
Giving in, I slide my hands over my butt to tuck my dress under as I sit down. When I’m situated, I point at the tools he lays out in front of him. “How’s everything coming?”
Taking a sip of his lemonade, he kicks his feet out in frontof him, stretching his long legs. I’m not sure how he’s spent so much time in jeans over the summer, but I suppose growing up on a ranch, riding horses, he’s used to it. Not that summer will last much longer. It’s a beautiful day, but the evenings are chillier now that it’s late September.
“I think I’m making progress.” He eyes me as he sets his glass down next to him, then lifts his baseball hat with a logo of his family’s ranch to wipe the sweat off his brow. “Wanna help me?”
