Page 150 of Sunkissed Colorado

Her expression did something complicated, and she pulled me into a hug. I held the side of her neck, feeling the rapid thump of her pulse.

“I’ll be fine, baby,” I whispered in her ear. “I’ll see you later.”

She nodded. “Be safe. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

The brushfire was just off the highway. Probably a damn cigarette somebody threw out a window.

But we got it under control quickly and started mopping up. The late afternoon sun beat down on us as we doused the last of the smoldering patches, turning the air thick and hazy. My gearfelt twice as heavy as usual, and sweat poured down my back underneath my turnout coat.

As the sun was going down, I got a spare moment. I sent a quick text to Zandra, letting her know I should be home in another hour or two, hopefully. She didn’t respond, but I didn’t think much of it. The street festival in front of Hearthstone would be over by now, but I figured she was probably still visiting with friends.

Niko took off his helmet and wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. “Man, we didn’t even get to try the food trucks.”

“We could grab tacos on the way home,” Darius said, coiling up a length of hose. “Your treat, right?”

Niko made a face. “Mytreat? You guys are the ones with the steady day jobs.”

I was shaking my head at them as I put my phone away. Then Connor came over, looking pensive. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “You upset about the lack of tacos too?”

Connor scratched his jaw, smearing some dirt across his cheek. “Actually, I was thinking about what you said earlier. About any guys from the football team hanging around Jessa. There was this one afternoon way back, when I was skipping class with this girl I was dating, and we passed Jessa whispering with Russ Wheaton behind the bleachers. I’m surprised I even remember it, but I guess seeing him today at the beer tasting made it pop up in my mind.”

My stomach dropped. “But Russ wasn’t on the team.”

“He was, though. For like the first few weeks of school. He’d made varsity the spring before, but he wound up quitting after the first game or two of the season. He was probably just one of the other new kids to you, since he wasn’t a senior.”

What the fuck. Russ and Jessa? Was that possible?

I searched my memory. I truly didn’t recall Russ ever being on the team. And I’d been working with Russ at Hearthstone for years. How had it never come up?

“I don’t know if it means anything,” Connor said, “but I figured I’d mention it.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” My own voice sounded distant. I took out my phone again and called Zandra, pacing toward the edge of the road where asphalt met blackened earth.

No answer.

FORTY

Zandra

“What do you think,Zandra? Can we call Smokejumper Stout a success?”

I looked over at Russ and grinned. “Definitely. People loved it. Great job with the name too.”

“Thanks. Wasn’t too on the nose?”

“It was perfect.”

Around us, the remnants of the street fair lingered in the golden-hour light. A few families still sat at picnic tables or on curbs, finishing the last bites from the food truck offerings. Neighbors clustered in small groups. Children meandered between the adults, their faces sticky with ice cream and their energy finally starting to flag, while the cleaning crew picked up.

Rosie had already headed home with Jimmy, and Callum’s siblings had said their goodbyes not long after he was called away to the fire. The thought of him out there sent a familiar twist through my stomach, but I was learning to live with it. Being with a firefighter meant accepting that danger was part of his duties. I was so proud of him for stepping up the way he did. A lot of my terror during that first call had been tangled up with losing Jessa in high school. But letting go of that old pain had made it easier to face the reality of Callum’s volunteering now.

Some things really did turn out okay, and sometimes, a girl like me got her happy ending.

Winnie approached us, her cheeks flushed from the heat and her smile bright. “Did you see all the donations for Hearthstone’s repairs? I couldn’t believe how generous everyone was.”

“It really was amazing,” I agreed. Russ nodded along with me, hands dipping into his pockets. “I’m looking forward to working some shifts with you again behind the bar.”