Page 24 of Hearts Storm

twelve

A FEW WEEKS AGO

LIZZY

Trivia Night tomorrow night at The Brew. You in?

Can’t. Got my last round of training this weekend. I’m in Portland.

LIZZY

Boo!

LIZZY

JK Stay safe.

My legs wobble, heels clicking against the pavement as I make my way down the street to my Airbnb. This weekend has been brutal, and I needed to let loose with Mia and Ari and have a few drinks.

We haven’t been able to hang out much in the past few months because I’ve been too busy training and moving to Lakeside.

Aside from that, I’ve managed to keep myself busy working part-time at Summit Studio, co-teaching yoga classes with Sasha. I also have my own aerial silk and pole dancing classes once a week. All while I gear up to start working at Lakeside Fire Search and Rescue next month.

I’m kind of freaking out. Mostly because Logan Cade is going to be the new captain. Not only that, I’ve recently come to the horrifying realization that the Iz from the text that made me run away like my hair was on fire, after my sex-filled weekend with him, was from Lizzy.

His twin sister and my new friend.

My friend, who just so happens to know I hooked up with her brother last year. She also doesn’t seem to give a shit about it either.

I cringe at the thought. Mentally kick myself for not sticking around to ask him about it. Now anytime I see him around town, I turn and head in the other direction, trying to avoid him at all costs.

But he’s not making it easy. Nope.

He comes to at least two yoga classes a week. But he never says a word to me. Just keeps on being his usual dark and broody self as he works his way through the poses, eyes tracking me as I walk the room.

Then there’s Brex.

When he showed up at Summit Studio to talk to Sasha about work out options for the firefighters, all I could do was stand there behind the welcome desk next to Noia trying not to lose my shit before ducking down behind the counter when I saw him shift to look in my direction.

Now, not only am I going to be working with Logan, but Brex, too.

Fucking figures.

I’m so up in my head, I don’t see the two men until they’re standing directly in front of me.

Stumbling to a stop, I mumble an apology before trying to sidestep around them.

But the taller one—a beefy guy with a buzz cut and a faded Seahawks jersey stretched tight across his gut—sidesteps to block me again. His buddy, who’s shorter and wider, with a scraggly beard and a trucker hat pulled low over his eyes, mirrors the move on my other side.

The sharp sting of whiskey and cheap beer hits my nose. Buzz Cut’s eyes are glassy and unfocused, a sloppy grin plastered across his face as he sways slightly on his feet. His buddy’s got a red flush creeping up his neck as he leers, his gaze roaming over me as he licks his fleshy lips.

“Whoa. Where you goin’ in such a hurry, sweetheart?” Buzz Cut slurs, holding his hands up. “Night’s still young.”

“Yeah,” his friend chimes in, voice thick. “We’re just headin’ back to our place. Got a whole case of beer and a killer sound system. You should come with.”

Pulse kicking up, I force a polite smile. “Thanks. I’m good.”

I try stepping around them again, but they both shift in unison. Almost as if they’ve done this before.