Page 74 of The Fire

I snorted. “Yeah, well, I live in O’Leary. Nobody cares enough to be that mad at me.”

“Except Jamie Burke,” he reminded me.

“That was me being an idiot,” I scoffed. “I never really thought that.”

“Anyone else who’s mad at you? Maybe carrying a grudge?”

I shook my head.

“I don’t care how long I live in this town, I will never understand how all of you are like a village of cute, fluffy puppies,” Gideon said, biting into the muffin with a vengeance. “Guy working at the diner turns out to be a murderer, everyone gets suspicious of everyone else for like ten minutes before you’re all just smiling and singing happy songs again. How’sthatwork?”

I smiled. “I don’t know, exactly. But life’s way better when you think like an O’Learian. Speaking of—” I grabbed his napkin and gestured toward his face, where remnants of cinnamon sugar were scattered around his mouth.

I’d intended for him to take the napkin, but instead Gideon leaned forward, letting me mop his face for him. I shook my head and laughed as I dropped the napkin onto his empty plate. “See? You don’t get service like that in the big city,” I said.

“Fucking fairytale land.” Gideon’s eyes took on a faraway look. “Makes a guy wish…”

But before he finished the thought, the door to the bakery was wrenched open with a sharp jangle, and I turned around.

“Oh!” I said, jumping to my feet and giving him a big grin. “Jamie! Hey.”

But Jamie didn’t look happy to see me. At all.

He looked from me to Gideon, then sucked in a breath through his nose, doing that rampaging bull thing he did when he was truly mad.

I frowned. “What the hell happened?”

“Nothing,” he bit off. “Why do you assume something happened?”

I raised my brows. “Uh, because you were fine an hour ago, and now you’re looking at me like you’re Liam Neeson, and I’m the guy who kidnapped your daughter. What gives?”

His eyes cut to Gideon again, like he didn’t wanna talk in front of the guy. Which was fine withme. I wasn’t the one storming into the bakery and throwing a shit fit.

“I’m going home,” Jamie announced. “In the truck. I’m assuming you’ll catch a ride on your own.”

“What the fuck? No. I want my cupcake, goddammit.”

Jamie shook his head. “Get your own damn cupcake.”

Then he stormed back out, nearly ripping the door off its hinges.

My body flushed hot and cold, anger warring with embarrassment. What the fuck just happened? Howdarehe? How fuckingdarehe?

Gideon made a noise that sounded almost like amusement, and I turned to pierce him with a look.

“This is not funny!” I told him. “I have no idea what his problem is or why he’s taking it out on me—”

“Oh, Parker, you’re precious,” Cal said. He was leaning on the counter, grinning hugely. “He’s jealous.”

“Jealous? Jamie?” I snorted. “Of what? Of who?”

Gideon cough-laughed again. “I think I’ve just been insulted.”

“What? Oh.Ohhh.”I looked at the window and the diner across the street. “He saw me…” I motioned toward my mouth and then at Gideon.

Gideon nodded slowly.

“Shit. But that was…”