Page 7 of Arsonist’s Match (Blaze and Badge #1)

A thena felt like celebrating the day’s victories, except the woman she wanted to celebrate with was two time zones away. After buckling herself into the driver’s seat of her blue Lexus, she glanced at her phone, spotting a message from her friend Cam.

Are you surviving without your personal first responder to give you CPR?

She smirked, huffing a laugh at the question, and typed a reply. If it wasn’t for my personal first responder, I wouldn’t need CPR. She started the engine, its quiet hum a reminder of the privilege she’d been born into. Then her phone beeped again.

Me and a couple of buddies are on our way to Pistolero’s for drinks and nachos. Come! That’s an order.

Athena pushed Cam’s phone number.

“Yo.” Cam’s tenor voice rang through the car speakers as Athena checked her rearview before backing out.

“You know I don’t take orders. Are you already soused? You’d better not be driving.”

“Neither one, but, hey—I got you to call me.”

Athena could picture the grin she heard from the stocky butch woman, probably wearing a checkered button-up with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, her graying comb-over gelled in place, and a snarky twinkle in her amber eyes.

Camilla Davis had been the first woman Athena had met after moving to Houston, and, while they’d failed as lovers, they’d succeeded as good friends, despite Athena’s habit of losing herself in work .

“Flash doesn’t want you sitting alone in that dismal apartment worrying if she’s the marshmallow at a BBQ,” quipped Cam.

“You’re the one whose goose will be cooked when I get there for even suggesting such a thing,” Athena retorted. “You’re in luck, because I feel like a party after my wins today. Save me a seat.”

“Consider it done!” Cam clicked off, and Athena wondered how many “buddies” she’d have to share Cam with.

To be honest, she wanted to bounce her concerns off her friend to see what she thought, and she didn’t want to spill her guts to a bunch of strangers or acquaintances.

Practice runs of how to word everything looped through her mind on the drive to Pistolero’s.

A friendly face smiled while a meaty white arm waved at Athena from the patio seating area.

Pleasant aromas of lime and grilled meat filled the air, which had cooled to an ideal temperature after an oppressive day.

Summer hung on in Southeast Texas until Halloween or longer, followed by a brief, comfortable fall and a short, cool winter.

Swimming was practically a year-round activity, as was consuming ice cream and chilled beverages.

Athena returned the smile, too conservative to add the wave, and laced her way around to a table where three women in their forties or early fifties sat with frosty drinks and a platter of nachos.

“Good evening,” Athena greeted them, sliding into the empty chair beside Cam.

Wrapping a muscled arm around Athena’s shoulders, Cam gave her a squeeze.

“You remember Courtney and Jodi, don’t you?

” A lean woman with black hair and a deep tan waved, followed by a grin from the more full-figured one, her ash-colored hair held back in a rainbow headband.

Athena, for the life of her, couldn’t remember meeting either one of them before.

“Nice to see y’all,” she responded.

“What’s it like to date a firefighter?” asked the buxom woman, before sticking a straw in her mouth and slurping up something sweet.

“Courtney!” Cam scolded, narrowing her brows in reprimand. “I told you two not to hammer Athena with silly questions. ”

“I want to know what it’s like to date someone in her twenties,” Jodi asked with interest, leaning forward.

Athena passed a scrutinizing gaze between Cam’s friends.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Cam apologized, gripping Athena’s arm. “Don’t make an excuse to leave because we are all so envious.”

Inhaling a deep breath, Athena released it with a sparkle in her eyes. “I believe the word ‘hot’ covers it for both of you. Waiter?” She lifted a hand while her tablemates giggled. “I’ll have a big frozen lime margarita, please.”

“And bring another plate of nachos,” Cam added, looking relieved. “I’m so glad you came.” She released Athena’s forearm and patted it with a smile.

Athena stayed to enjoy her drink, munch on nachos, and the rare thrill of being envied.

In fact, she couldn’t recall receiving such a reaction from people since her engagement announcement to Timothy Winchester, attorney at law, came out over twenty years ago.

Seeing how novel other women her age saw her new relationship only made Athena more worried it wouldn’t last. She was about ready to leave when Courtney and Jodi excused themselves to the restroom.

“I know they can be a bit much, but I think we all want to do some vicarious living through you,” Cam admitted.

Athena watched the women wind through tables of other patrons toward the door and figured she had five or ten minutes before they’d be back. She licked her bottom lip and was biting it, a pensive expression on her face, when Cam touched her hand. “What’s wrong? I thought you caught the bad guys?”

“I did, but …” Athena cast a doubtful gaze at Cam.

“What if Flash is avoiding me? I mean, she’s been taking extra shifts and then volunteered to run off for a week to fight a wildfire in California.

What if she regrets getting together with me and wants to move on, only she doesn’t want to hurt my feelings by telling me so? ”

“What fantasy world are you living in, girl?” Cam angled herself to face her. “There’s no one dumb enough to dump a catch like you.”

The laugh that spilled from Athena’s lips was as genuine as it was humorless.

“Cam, you’re sweet, but I’m not thirty anymore.

I’m almost forty-five, bossy as hell, and just as tangled in a dangerous job as she is.

Between her shift schedule and my cases, we’ve only gotten to spend a few nights together at my place in Piney Point Village since she moved back into her loft. ”

“But she took you to meet her parents at Galveston Beach,” Cam reminded her in a comforting tone. “She wouldn’t do that if she wanted to break up with you.”

“That was a month ago.”

“Come on and spill,” Cam coaxed, her eyes dancing with the request. “Is she as terrific in bed as I imagine?”

The corners of Athena’s lips quirked up, and she felt heat rising in her cheeks. “Oh, yes, and then some. At first, when I was hurt—”

“Because you got smacked by your own SUV?”

“Very funny,” Athena deadpanned. “Anyway, she started out so tender and attentive, did all the work, made sure I was comfortable and satisfied. But once the doctor declared me a hundred percent, the tiger burst free and, my God, Cam, I had no idea any of that was possible!”

“Good for you, sweetie.” The glow of Cam’s smile told Athena she meant it.

“But I’m afraid I can’t keep up,” Athena worried.

“We haven’t even been on a proper date yet, and—OK—she asked me to babysit Snuffles while she’s away, and that’s a big deal.

She really loves that dog. Am I imagining things?

You know I never cared before. If a woman wasn’t into me, that was her loss, not mine.

But it’s different with Flash. I want to keep her. ”

“Honey, she wouldn’t leave that puppy with you if she didn’t trust you more than Jesus,” Cam replied with assurance in her tone. “Do you think maybe there’s something else she’s trying to avoid besides you?”

Athena scratched a spot behind her ear, then smoothed down her hair. In confusion, she asked, “Like what?”

“Are her extra shifts at Firehouse Eight?”

“No, she’s just been filling in elsewhere,” Athena answered thoughtfully.

“And didn’t a friend of hers get blown up there, and another one lose his arm? ”

“Oh, man,” Athena emitted with a sigh. “We’ve talked, and she shares her feelings with me, if she’s had a nightmare, but …

Flash’s identity is wrapped up in being tough, invincible.

She might not even realize that’s what she’s doing, but I’ll bet, whenever she walks in that building, she’s hit with flashbacks and tightness in her chest. She said she didn’t need counseling, that everything was fine.

” But Athena understood the weight people carried was rarely visible until it cracked the surface.

Cam shook her head. “When I was younger, before I met you, I worked at a construction job. I saw a fellow get crushed when a crane’s chain broke, and a steel beam fell on him.

I didn’t even know the guy, and it haunted me for a long time.

No way she’s fine. But, like you say, she can’t accept anything she views as a weakness, so it’ll take all your smarts to handle this right. ”

Athena nodded, picturing the bravest, strongest woman she’d ever met, and how devastated she had been right after the explosion. “Thanks, Cam.”

“We’re back!” Courtney waved.

Jodi set a fresh round of drinks on the table. “My treat,” she proclaimed.

“Thank you so much,” Athena answered as she rose from the table, “but I’ve gotta dash—have an early meeting in the morning and need to head home. It was great catching up with you all.”

The two friends pouted, and Cam shot her a knowing wink. “Catch you later.”

Athena’s heart felt like a lead ball when she entered her sparse apartment near FBI headquarters. It hurt her soul to think Flash still grieved, or, even worse, still blamed herself for what had happened. She said she didn’t, but if she was hiding it …

“Arf, arf, arf!” greeted the tiny, bouncy Havanese. She danced on hind legs, waving white paws in the air, her black ears cocked with interest. The bundle of adorable energy spun in a circle, crying, “Gr, gr, gr,” before whipping into a proper sit, big chocolate eyes fixed on Athena.

“Good girl, Snuffles,” Athena praised. “You used your piddle pad. ”