Chapter 13

It’s the last night in Oregon. Between working on the Mahonia fire and sneaking around with Prescott, I had an awesome fucking week. She and Matt were already sent home to Sky Ridge this morning. Matt was itching to get back. Can’t blame him; it’s no fun sitting around and waiting for something to happen.

As is tradition, we’re celebrating the end of our assignment by throwing back a few at the nearest establishment with a liquor license. I’m about three beers deep and feeling terrific. I can sleep on the ride home tomorrow, something I desperately need more of.

My phone buzzes, and I pull it out of my pocket. I hope it’s Scottie. I’ve been waiting for her reply; she should have texted me back by now.

Scottie

Sorry I didn’t text earlier. Fell asleep.

We’ve had some late nights.

Scottie

That we have.

It’d be a tragedy if we didn’t have more.

I didn’t tell her Dixon caught me slipping out of her dorm that last night when he got up to take a piss. He’ll keep quiet, but he gave me a stern look to remind me I was being reckless.

He’s presently sitting to my left and leans over to peek at my screen.

I roll my eyes and lock my phone. “Need something?”

He shakes his head but leans his shoulder into mine and lowers his voice. “Kinda surprised you’re hooking up with her.”

“What do you mean?”

Yeah, it’s usually not my style to have multiple hookups with the same person. I’ve learned to withdraw when things start to feel too real because if I don’t, the other person will. It’s not a good quality, I’m aware, but I’m working on it…

“Just not your type.”

“She’s hot—that’s my type.” Deep down, I know she’s more, but for the sake of this argument, it’s not like this was the first time I’ve done something similar.

“She’s married.”

“What the fuck are you on?” I laugh and take a sip of beer. “She’s not married.”

“Judy over at the municipal office processed the application. She and my momma had lunch and said Prescott Timmons checked the box marked married on her forms. On top of that, I heard she hooked up with Dave—your favorite person.”

My jaw clenches. There’s no way. He’s mistaken. “Nah. They’re talking about the wrong girl, then.” She’s not married—she doesn’t wear a ring, and she’s not hooking up with Dave. They work at the same firehouse, but she wouldn’t do that.

Doubt creeps into my thoughts. You worked with her too .

Still, I can’t picture her doing something like that with him. He hit on her the night we met at the bar and… She technically never turned him down. Dave was the one to walk away after Xander asked about their newborn. I shake my head. “I think you gotta check your sources, man.”

“Just tellin’ you what I heard.”

I raise my beer bottle to my lips and take a big swig. “You heard wrong.”

Fuck Dave. And fuck Dixon for spreading bullshit rumors.

“You could ask her.”

I glance down at my phone, my reflection peering back at me in the black glass, then tuck the device in my pocket. It’s not a matter of her sleeping with other guys, but infidelity is a trigger for me. The idea of her sleeping with a married man when she’s a married woman, gets my hackles up, and Dave of all fuckin’ people—he’s the reason I’m not happily married with two and a half kids right now. I don’t want to think of him being the reason I can’t see Scottie again.

If there’s truth to these rumors, then I’m out. My stomach sours. To even engage in the idea I ruined some other poor bastard’s life the way Dave ruined mine, has my guts in knots.

Perhaps I should ask her about it… And if she comes clean? Fuck. A sweat breaks out across my forehead. Whatever, he can have her. I’m sure as hell not going to enter some fucked-up love triangle and break up two families.

I take a sip from my beer bottle. “She’s smarter than that.”

“How the fuck would you know?” Dixon rolls his eyes. “Just trying to watch your back. I don’t wanna see you go down that road again.”