Page 13 of Sequoia Flames (Black Timber Peak Hotshots #6)

THIRTEEN

VERITY

Smoke makes a haze over the mountain that is impossible to ignore. Everybody in the little town at the base of Black Timber Peak is edgy. You can see it on their faces as they all look up the mountain whenever they’re not working or talking to each other.

I can’t breathe every time I think about Lassiter fighting the fire up on that damn piece of rock. It’s been two days since I watched his face turned up to watch me leave on the chopper. His pale blue eyes fading into the distance.

Tears fill my eyes and I sniffle but I don’t let them loose. Not yet. Not until I know that he’s alright. Then I’m gonna smack the hell out of him for scaring me and making me leave him.

And then I’m gonna throw myself at him, kiss him until neither one of us can breathe and beg him to let me stay. Let me love him.

I never thought I’d let any man worm his way into my heart and soul like my ex.

But I honestly never thought there were men like Lassiter out there.

He’s strong and sexy and sweet and grumpy as hell but just such a good man.

He’s exactly what he seems to be. There’s no hiding any part of him. He is what he is.

And I’ve finally realized that I can’t leave him. I love him. I’m terrified that something will happen to him up on that mountain and I’ll never know. He just won’t show up.

Which I know doesn’t make any sense. I’m pretty sure that I could find out if something happens to him.

I just don’t want to know.

Don’t want it to happen.

Because I will lose hope if God sees fit to take away the only man I can see myself spending the rest of my life with. It will break me. Way worse than anything that my ex ever did to me.

“Are you alright?” The woman eyes me up like she’s afraid that I’m gonna drop to the dirt right now.

“I’m okay. I’m just… a little worried about someone.”

She nods her head. “I know it seems bad right now but from what I’ve heard from my husband, Jude, they’ve got it about ninety-five percent contained.

The rain the other day helped a lot with that.

They’re just blowing through all of the areas and making sure that they’ve got it all.

So if you’re worried about someone on the Hotshots crew they should be back by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

Relief soars through me and those damn tears crowd my eyes.

“Hey, hey! Don’t cry! I was trying to make you feel better.” Her voice cracks and I see tears in her pretty pale blue eyes. For some reason those eyes remind me of Lassiter’s. They’re not the same but they have a similar pale blue color like arctic ice with the sun shining on it.

“I’m sorry. I just… it’s not like I know him that well. But I… he saved me up there and I… well, he said he’d be back for me.”

“Then he will.” She smiles and hands me a tissue.

“Trust me. Those guys on that crew are the most trustworthy men I’ve ever met.

Except for my man. He saved my life too.

I know how that can seem like it pushes you closer faster.

But it doesn’t mean that it’s not real. I can tell by the look on your face that you’re not sure it is.

But if he said he’s gonna be back for you he will. ”

“You don’t even know who he is.” I give a watery chuckle.

“Doesn’t matter. They’re all good guys. But just for the sake of argument what’s his name?”

“Lassiter Wainwright.”

She throws her head back and the sun sparkles on her strawberry blond curls. “Lassiter? Lassiter saved you? Oh, that’s perfect! I can’t wait to tell Jude all about it.”

“Who’s Jude?”

“My husband. Would you like to have lunch with me? Unless you have other plans. I don’t have any other plans this afternoon. Jude’s helping the Hotshots. He’s a guide. The best actually. He can track anything. He works with the forest service.”

“Oh. So he really knows what’s going on and you’ve talked to him?”

“Absolutely.” She wraps her arms around me and starts leading me away. “Let’s have lunch and you can dish out all the dirt on Lassiter. He’s such a grump that he rarely talks and when he does it’s more like a grunt. Like some kind of caveman. I can’t wait to hear all about why you love that man.”

I glance behind me, confused and wondering exactly what just happened. But then I glance over at her warm blue eyes and sigh. Some company sounds damn good right now.

“That sounds nice. Thank you for asking me.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll even give you a protection stone and one for love. That man won’t know what hit him.”

My brows lift when she starts rattling off what kind of stone I need to carry and how soon I should see Lassiter.

My tears dry up and a little sliver of heat builds up in my chest. He should be back tomorrow and I’ll see him again.

My day is finally looking up.