Page 3 of Wildfire (Owl Creek #1)

He holds the door for me like a real gentleman, and as soon as we step inside, I see all eyes on us. This is what I hate about small towns like where I grew up. Everybody is up in your business.

"Usual table, Chief?"

He nods, walks over to the corner table, and sits against the wall, looking over the restaurant.

It's like a king just sat on his throne, looking at his subjects, and it's kind of sexy how I can tell people respect him.

It must be nice to be looked at that way.

My family isn't considered the worst in town, but we're not winning any citizen's awards either.

The waitress walks over and plunks down two menus, two sets of cutlery, and two coffee cups. I put my hand over the cup so she doesn't fill it from the steaming pot on the warmer beside us. "What kinds of tea do you have?"

"Tea drinker, huh? Me too." She winks at me and rattles off a few different kinds I haven't heard of.

"Got any plain black tea?"

"English Breakfast?"

"Perfect, thank you."

"I'll take coffee, Avery. Thanks."

She walks away to get my tea, and I turn to the Chief.

"Her name is Avery?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I like that name. It's got a nice ring to it. Like a stage name or something."

"Stage name?"

"Yeah, you know, for a performer. An actress or a singer."

"Is that what you are? A performer?"

I feel my chest puff up a little and jut out my chin. "I am. Got my guitar in the back of the car."

"On your way to a gig or something?"

"N—no. Nothing quite that cool. Not yet, anyway. Thanks for giving me a ride and everything. I had no cell service, so I couldn't call for a tow truck."

"Yeah, that's the problem out here. The county commissioners are in the middle of public hearings to discuss building more cell towers so we can have service. It's a real hazard if—"

"Here's your drinks." Avery sets down a steeping teapot and fills the Chief’s mug with hot coffee. "Do you know what you want to eat?"

"I'll have my usual, Avery. Know what you want, Renée?"

I scan the menu but know I will get the same thing I do in every restaurant.

Two eggs over hard, two pieces of sourdough toast heavy on the butter, hash browns that are super crispy, and a couple of pieces of bacon.

I've been eating the same thing since I was a little kid when my mom used to take me to the diner on Sundays.

We were just the two of us for our 'girl time. '

Avery doesn’t bat an eye when I give her my specific order, making me like her even more than I did when I heard her name.

She's pretty, but not too pretty. She's the kind of pretty that doesn't make her a bitch because she's so hot, but she's pretty enough to make you want to go to a bar with her to flirt the night away.

Have some drinks and fun, go home, eat frozen pizza, and regret the last beer you drank.

I have a friend like that back home, and I already miss her. I've been gone less than a day, and I miss my bestie like I missed my dog when he died. It's almost the worst pain I've ever experienced in my twenty-two years.

Almost.

"By the way, you haven't told me your name yet, Chief. Or should I just call you Chief?"

"Cole. Cole Barone."

"Cole? Like the stuff bad kids get at Christmas?"

He laughs at that, and I enjoy making him smile. It feels good when you can make people smile. These days, it seems everyone is always frowning at me or yelling.

"Yeah. Like the stuff bad kids get at Christmas."

"Have you been a bad boy, Cole?"

The look on his face jolts me a little, and I realize I have crossed a line.

Sometimes I do that. I cross lines. When you have the life I've had up to this point, you end up skipping over some of the rules of engagement.

I chalk it up to losing my mom at such a young age and growing up with the wild animals that are my dad and brothers.

I throw a packet of sugar at him and grin. My grin always mends fences with men. "I'm kidding."

He nods and ducks his head down just a bit, veiling his expression.

Something in me wants to reach out and lift his face back up so I can see it.

He's handsome in that severe kind of way.

He's a little older than me, but he doesn't have the rakish looks of a young stud like his brother.

He's more hard lines and angles, clean cut without being uptight.

He looks like the kind of guy that rubs his chin when he has serious thoughts.

"So what next?"

He tilts his head like my golden retriever used to, and I swear I feel a little tug in my heart.

"Next for what?"

"Me. My car."

"Oh, right. Sorry, I was thinking about something else."

Like me asking if you were a bad boy?

"Caleb will look over your car and then call me on my phone since he knows we're together, or at least I know where you are. And then you'll give him the go-ahead if you want the repairs."

"I don't have a choice."

"There's another mechanic in the next town, but my brother is very good at what he does. We practically grew up in that shop. He's been fixing cars since before he grew—"

I throw my hands up in the air to stop him. I had two brothers growing up, so I can only imagine what he was about to say. "I get it. Okay, so I guess I just await my fate."

Avery brings the food over. My stomach growls as I inhale the scent of the hot bacon and fried potatoes.

"I heard that." Cole grinned at me. "Enjoy your food."

"Thanks." I tuck into that meal so fast. I had no idea I was hungry. I think I was running on adrenaline for the last few hours since I left my goodbye note and crept out of my house.

When we are just finishing up, Cole's phone chirps. He politely excuses himself and takes the call outside. I've never been around someone thoughtful enough to excuse themself before taking a call. People don't have manners anymore.

God, I sound like an old lady.

His face is blank when he returns, so I can’t read what is happening. It makes me nervous when I don't know what's happening in someone's head.

"That was Caleb. Let's head to the shop as soon as you're done."

"I'm done now."

"You don't want to finish your tea?"

"That's nice of you to ask, but I've got a lot riding on this car getting fixed as soon as possible."

"Where are you heading when you leave Owl Creek?"

"Los Angeles."

"The big city, huh?"

I notice a pinch in his eyes as he leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. Maybe he hates California.

"I want to be a singer. I've got two auditions lined up with some bands, and the only person who's there that I know said I could crash on his couch until I get on my feet."

"Is he a boyfriend?"

"Not that it matters, but no."

"But he's a straight guy?"

"What's with the questions, Cole? It's a place to crash, and I need it. Got nowhere else to go."

He leans toward me and fiddles with the napkin under his coffee mug. "No reason. I just have a natural distrust of most men."

"Well, join the club. There are three point five billion women on the planet who also don't trust men."

He laughs and calls over Avery so she can bring us the bill.

"Thanks for breakfast, Chief."

"Anytime, Wildfire."

"Wildfire?"

"The blaze in your eyes when I found you walking down the road. It reminded me of the fire I had just put out before I saw you."

"Huh. It's cute."

"Cute?"

"Yeah." I get up and sling my backpack over my shoulder. "I've never had a cute nickname before. Well, at least not one that I wanted."

He stands up and gestures for me to walk in front of him, just like a gentleman. "Well, I'm glad you like it. Suits you."