Page 9 of Burning For You

Not on anyone.

“I’m not really living there so it’s not that hard.”

Because living in Glens Falls, twenty minutes away, made it a little bit easier.

No worries about being tempted to check out where she came from.

Here, she could build her life again. Start over and try to move on.

All the while, searching for what really happened that night.

3

LIFE GOT COMPLICATED

“Why didn’t you tell me about your sister?” Ash asked the next night at Corbin’s place.

He crossed the room and grabbed a beer from the fridge without asking, like he owned the place. Which, considering how much time he spent here, wasn’t far off. Hell, he’d helped Corbin build the house two years ago when he wasn’t working at the firehouse. He still helped Corbin out on days off.

Any extra money he could earn, he was right there swinging a hammer and busting his ass at Lancaster Construction.

Corbin rummaged through a cabinet, came up with a bag of chips, and headed for the family room. “Which sister?”

“Skye,” he said. “I don’t know anything about Brenna. I don’t even see her.”

Corbin laughed as he dropped into his chair. “You don’t normally see Skye either. But I’m guessing you ran into her at that car fire yesterday.”

“Yep.” He took a long pull from his beer and hit the recliner button, the chair easing back, his sneakers lifting with it. “That’s her. When did she move back?”

It was bad enough that he’d always had a thing for Skye when they were younger. Worse that Corbin had known. But that was before Skye had moved in with the Lancasters. After that, Ash had learned fast to keep it friendly, keep it light, pretend she was just another girl.

Easy when that was what everyone expected from him.

Light. Easy. Fun.

Corbin shrugged. “She’s been back a few weeks.”

“A few weeks?” He shot him a look. “And you’re just telling me now?”

Corbin snorted. “Wow. I thought you were just friends.”

He turned toward Corbin. His buddy was giving him that look. The one that saw more than Ash wanted him to.

“We were friends,” he said. “And friends usually know when someone comes back to town.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Corbin took a drink. “I haven’t even seen her yet, so you’re already one up on me.”

He blinked. “You haven’t?”

In Ash’s family, the second someone came back, it was a full-scale event. Everything stopped. Wagons circled. Big homemade meals and leftovers for days. Brooke Ridgeway style.

It had been a while since he’d been home for a Sunday dinner. Maybe he’d take a drive to the farm tomorrow and help himself to whatever yummy food was on the menu.

You know, brighten his Mama’s day for her youngest showing up unexpectedly.

He barely held the laugh in. His mother would see right through it for a free meal, but she’d pack up the leftovers and hand them to him with a bright smile just the same.

“You know Skye,” Corbin said. “She needs space. Push too hard and she’ll bolt again. Nobody wants that.”