Chapter 21

MID-OCTOBER

“What are you doing before you start ski patrol?” King asks.

This is our last roll of the season, and we're putting finishing touches on the containment lines when a few guys start talking about their plans for the off-season.

“Probably blow all my hazard pay at the strip club. Then maybe steal a car… cook meth… rob a bank...” I count on my fingers.

“So, the usual?”

“Everybody’s got their hobbies…” I shrug. “I dunno. Probably hike Quell’s or Briarburn. Hell, might just plant my ass on a barstool at Shifty’s and get trashed. What about you?”

“Shifty’s sounds great, I think I’ll join you.”

“You could always join me on a hike?” I suggest, scanning down the line. Caleb leans on his Pulaski, and his face is pale. One of the guys swiped his lunch and swapped it for another veggie omelet MRE. I thought he would barf on the spot. I chuckle, recalling my own rookie season and all the bullshit those guys put me through. It’s done out of love and as insurance to make sure you can handle it.

“Why would I climb a mountain in my free time,” he grunts, grabbing a large limb and tossing it in the green. “When I can just get paid to do it next year? Besides, it’s too fuckin’ cold for summits.”

“Best time to go,” I argue with a headshake. “All the tourists are gone.”

King smirks. “I thought tourists were your favorite part.”

“The hot and single ones,” I add with a wink.

He raises a brow. “I dunno, man… we’ve been prepping this line for a week, and you haven’t so much as flirted with one waitress when we go out to eat.”

I raise my shoulders. “So?”

“So, that’s unlike you. Got anything to do with Scottie?”

Talking about that woman makes my blood pressure rise. “Why the fuck would it have anything to do with her?”

“Just askin’... Xander said y’all got pretty loaded at Shifty’s a couple weeks ago, and he drove your sister home, and she mentioned y’all meeting up because you were having girl trouble.”

“I don’t have girl trouble ,” I scoff. “Scottie and I aren’t anything. Not that it matters, she’s married.”

He stands up straight. “What? She’s married?!”

“Yeah.” I huff. As if it’s no big deal. As if I didn’t ruin a marriage. As if I didn’t sleep with another man’s wife.

“Who’s she married to?”

My back teeth grind. I’d love to discuss anything else right now. “Not sure.” I gather a handful of brush, tossing it out of the way, not wanting to meet his eyes.

“Well, you said she was married.” He throws an arm to the side. “You don’t know who her husband is?”

Jesus, fuck. I find a limb and chuck it as hard as I can, then straighten my spine. “Motherfucker, I don’t know!” I scoff. “I don’t know shit about that woman. You wanna know who her husband is, go ask her!” I shake my head, walking up the line to check on the saw team’s progress.

“Whoa, chill.”

I spin on my foot. “I am chill!” I laugh for added conviction. “I just can’t figure out why you’re grilling me about a person I have nothing to do with.”

The pause in conversation is awkwardly silent. I may have had a slight overreaction to his questions about Scottie.

He mutters to himself, “Married… that’s so fuckin’ weird. Sure does raise more questions than answers.”

What’s that supposed to mean? I shouldn’t ask, but my impulse control gets the better of me. “What do you mean?”

He shrugs. “Nothin’.”

Anger rises up my neck. “No, why do you think it’s weird?” Now my interest is piqued. What does he know? Did he hear something? Small towns can churn out rumors all day long, but every once in a while, they get it right. If it’s got to do with Scottie, I wanna know about it despite my better judgment. Apparently, I’m a glutton for punishment.

Maybe it will fuel my anger toward her. I can’t seem to let go of this. I’m so pissed I’m starting to obsess over her. No one knows we slept together. Well, apart from Dixon. I’m too ashamed to even bring it up to King or Xander, and they’re my brothers, for all intents and purposes, though they obviously suspect something went down between us.

“What do you care?” King taunts. “You’ve got nothing to do with her.”

Asshole. He’s right. There’s no way for me to respond, so I don’t.

“You’re getting a little long in the tooth to be playing around,” Bobby says, eavesdropping nearby. “When are you gonna settle down with someone?”

I turn away from the ridiculous question; it’s about time I get back to work. “Fire’s the only woman for me. She’s cruel and she’s hot.”

“You do have a type,” King adds.

I chuckle and spit into the dirt. “That I do.”