Just For Us (Wild Fire #5)

Chapter One

Kincaid Greene

“Hey, man.” Hudson clapped me on the shoulder as he stopped beside me. “Want a beer? It’s open bar,” he added with a brow waggle.

A chuckle rustled in my throat. “Crazy, really.”

“It’s not like Fireweed Industries doesn’t have money to waste,” he pointed out. “So far, they only had a soft launch for this place. This is the official opening,” he pointed out.

“I even heard of Fireweed Winery & Brewery in Minnesota,” I replied.

“It’s the biggest name in Alaska when it comes to any kind of corporation. They were ahead of the curve when it came to the whole craft beers and wine thing. Anyway, how are you liking Alaska so far?” he asked.

I paused for a beat before nodding. “Love it. I’m used to long winters, so I’m not worried about that. It’s damn pretty country too.”

Just then, Parker Reeves approached.

“Ah, here’s the man of honor,” Hudson said.

Parker, another firefighter on the hotshot crew I’d taken a position with recently, paused beside us, looking bemused. “You don’t need to overdo it,” he teased. This event was to honor Parker and his fiancée, Luna.

“Dude, you have a love story for the ages,” Beck Steele commented as he stopped beside our group.

I’d quickly discovered Beck, a firefighter on another crew in town, was deeply in love with his wife and totally into everyone else being in love.

“For the ages?” I prompted.

Beck nodded, his gaze sobering. “Totally, man. They met one day when they were both in high school, walked on the beach, and kissed. And, here we are now. How much later?” He paused, glancing toward Parker.

Parker’s lips curled in a bemused smile. “It’s been a little over a decade.”

“And, you didn’t even know her name back then,” Beck added.

Parker chuckled. “I do now.”

“It was fate,” Beck said, his voice laced with teasing conviction. He swung his attention to me. “What about you, Kincaid?”

“What about me?” I countered.

“I know you’re new to the area and from Minnesota, so you can totally handle winter here. But what’s your status? Girlfriend? Wife? Boyfriend? Husband?”

A laugh slipped out. “Uh, none of the above.”

“What brought you here?” Beck asked.

“On my mom’s bucket list to live here again.”

“Really?” Hudson chimed in.

“Yep. She was in the Air Force when she was younger and stationed nearby. She always wanted to come back. So here we are.”

“You are a good son.” Beck’s typically teasing gaze was somber.

“Well, I try,” I offered with a light shrug.

“How’s your mom doing?” he asked.

“Uh…” I paused, because, unbeknownst to him, that was a loaded question.

She was okay, but she had lupus and was dealing with a cluster of medical complications as a result.

But that was a conversation for another day.

“She’s good,” I said simply. She was good in spirits, and that was really all that mattered.

“Excellent. Well, when you meet, I don’t know, the man or woman of your dreams, let me know. I’ll give you all the advice you need,” Beck said.

Parker rolled his eyes, hard. “You know, Beck, you’re not the only guy here who’s a family man and happy about it.”

“Beck’s the office gossip, always in everybody’s business,” Hudson interjected dryly.

Luna approached, and Parker immediately curled his arm around her shoulders, snugging her close against his side. He leaned down to give her a lingering kiss.

The love between them practically shimmered in the air around them. I wasn’t prone to being a sappy, romantic guy, but in this moment, there was no doubt these two were happy together.

Conversation floated around us with congratulations to Parker and Luna punctuating many comments.

The event in question had been thrown by the fire station, the crews all pitching in together to organize it with a big assist from Fireweed Winery because they were having their grand opening and thought it would be perfect to celebrate the couple’s engagement along with it.

I loved Willow Brook and Alaska so far. I was even more pleased to be on the crew here.

When you’re a hotshot firefighter, you learn there’s a certain mindset required.

It takes a lot of nerve and a lot of confidence, and sometimes those qualities could translate into arrogance, which wasn’t healthy for the work.

The tone set here didn’t brook that kind of attitude.

Everyone had each other’s backs, and I liked it.

I still wondered if my mother’s hopes for our move to Alaska would ever come to fruition. But that was also a topic for another day, or rather, a question. One that had feathered in the back of my thoughts for most of my life.

“Hi guys,” a voice said, and I glanced over, my gaze locking with a stunning pair of hazel eyes set off by glossy dark bangs framing the waitress’s pretty face.

It wasn’t as if I hadn’t seen a beautiful woman before, but this one elicited a startling jolt. My thoughts swirled with curiosity, but all she was doing was checking to see if we needed any drinks.