Chapter 28

I never thought I’d be happy to see Callahan Woods again, but he saved my life. I was ready to abandon hope before he showed up and pulled me out. My stomach is churning with nerves. I have no idea what the plan is once we arrive at the fire tower, but I trust he knows what to do. It’s my only option. We’re not out of the woods yet, literally.

Between the brutal pain in my shoulder and the acute headache, I’m feeling pensive. So with each command Callahan barks at me, I become even more irate. I was ready to give up, but now I’ll make it to the top of the mountain just to spite him.

Reactive hyperemia is setting in, and the sudden rush of blood back into my extremities is excruciating. My fingers feel like they’re on fire stuffed in his gloves with the handwarmers. The sensation is like stabbing knives, almost unbearable. Gritting my teeth, I attempt to focus on anything else. Somehow warring with Cal and getting that anger out seems to make it better.

Fighting back tears of embarrassment, pain, anger, relief, and fear, I ask, “How did you know I was up here?”

He sighs. “Texted you. You didn’t respond. Didn’t see your car at your apartment. Just had a bad feeling. ”

“You drove by my apartment?”

“You weren’t answering your phone!” he grumbles.

“Thanks.” My voice is genuine.

He scoffs. “I didn’t have a choice.”

Okay, fuck you. “Oh please, you always have a choice. Just like when you…” The fact that my lips are still too frozen to form words angers me.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” I yell, thankful he didn’t hear my slip up. Every time he looks at me, his eyes flash with compassion, and it makes me angrier. It’s not real. I fell for it last time, and now I feel myself falling for it again. It’s my own fault, but it’s easier to take it out on him. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t stop myself.

“Isn’t there some other man who should be out here searching for you instead of me?” he asks.

What the hell is he talking about? “Probably! Anybody would be better than you. Surprised you even cared enough to show up.”

Especially considering he didn’t show up the day we were supposed to meet at my apartment. Instead, he texted he was done with me, with zero explanation. I wasn’t even worth the time to say it to my face.

“You say the dumbest shit sometimes. Come on.” He grabs under my arms and tugs me forward. My shoulder screams out in pain, and I smack his hand which sends the overactive nerves in my fingers into a fiery rage. I bite my tongue to keep from howling in agony, then pick up the pace as best I can. Fuck him.

“You should have just left me. Dying hurt less.”

His jaw clenches, and he glares at me. “Move!” he shouts.

When we reach the false summit, he freezes in his tracks, staring at the path the rockfall made after mowing down a wide clearing. It looks like a power line corridor, with trees neatly folded over to the ground like a woven rug.

“You should have heard it,” I say .

We exchange a quick glance, then I step forward, and he continues with me.

“If we make it to the fire tower?—”

“When,” he corrects.

“Whatever. Then what? We break in?”

He shakes his head. “I have a key.”

“Why?”

“Wildland firefighters have yale keys to the lookouts.” I don’t reply, so he proceeds. “They’re supplied to us when we join and only returned when we leave the agency. I keep mine on my key ring.”

“Lucky us.” I know I should conserve my energy and not speak, but my face feels so frozen I’m afraid what will happen if I don’t.

“You can quit with the sarcasm now.”

I was being sincere, but I don’t blame him for mistaking it for more attitude. I’m in a lot of pain, and every word out of my mouth has a layer of sass. It’s shocking he can decipher as much as he is, but I am grateful for the tower. Twenty minutes ago, I thought I would die between a rock and a hard place.

“It’s not sarcasm. We get a free Airbnb, complements of the US federal government.”

“Glad this is a big joke to you.”

Crying would be much easier, but tears will fog up these goggles. “I’m trying to be appreciative! I owe you one, okay?”

“You have no fucking idea.”

I wince at a throb behind my eyes that hasn’t quit.

“Stop talking and move your ass. You’re slowing us down.”

“Oh, it’s my fault I got rocked by half the mountain falling down? Sorry!”

He groans. “No, it’s your fault because you didn’t turn around sooner. You should have been keeping an eye on the sky, should have known a storm was coming through—you acted fucking stupid today. ”

“You’re an asshole.” I swallow down my emotions. He’s right, I should have turned around, but I’m also right. Rockfalls are random, so it could’ve happened to anyone. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m kinda having a shitty day, so if we could save the reprimands for later, that would be awesome.”

“Yeah, because my day has been all roses, thanks to you,” he seethes. Point taken.

I stomp through a pile of snow. “I thought I was going to die earlier!” I pause, trying to regain my composure. “I still might die before we get there,” I snap.

“You better not waste my fucking time and die.”

I trip over a rock, my arms shoot out to catch myself, bringing back the shoulder pain, but he’s hauling me up before I hit the ground. I grunt as he puts me back on my feet.

“Jesus, would you watch where you step? Quit whining and focus on getting to the top! I’m not giving you any sympathy.” He flinches at his own words, and his compassionate gaze finds mine again. Cal the Liar. His features shift, and he narrows his eyes. “Just, shut up, Scottie.”