When We Burn (The Blackwells of Montana #1)

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

brIDGER

M y baby sister is a badass.

We’ve always known it. Bee, as most of us call her, has the kind of personality that says I don’t give a fuck. If she wants it, she’s going to figure out a way to get it.

And the woman isn’t even twenty-five yet.

A couple of years ago, she decided that she wanted to open a bookstore here in Bitterroot Valley, but the space she wanted, right next to the coffee shop, wasn’t available. The owner made noises about selling, but then they would change their mind. Did Bee buy or rent something else instead?

No. That firecracker waited them out because no other space would do, and now, Billie’s Books is close to opening.

It’s Thursday, I’ve just dropped Birdie off at school, and I’ve decided to grab some coffee before I see how the progress is going at the new bookstore .

Millie Wild-Lexington, owns Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co, and she’s another badass woman in my life.

I’m surrounded by them.

“Hey,” Millie says when I approach the counter. “Your usual?”

I don’t know how she’s managed to memorize every customer’s usual, but she has.

“Yeah. How’s it going?” I side-eye the plastic that’s covering the big hole that was cut between the two stores so customers will be able to get coffee and reading material. “Not too much dust over here?”

“Nah, the plastic helps,” she says with a smile, sliding my mug of hot, black coffee my way. “She’s almost done over there, Bridge. It’s so great. Have you popped over?”

“That’s my next stop. I needed a caffeine hit first.”

“And I appreciate your patronage.” She grins at me but then scowls when I don’t smile back. “Why are you always so grumpy?”

“I’m not.”

She rolls her eyes. “You have been lately. Cheer up, Chief. Nothing’s that serious. How’s Birdie?”

“She’s been feeling pretty good.” I frown, not wanting to jinx it. “Loving school. She’s in Dani’s class.”

“Yeah?” Her eyes sparkle as she watches me. “And how is that going?”

“Birdie loves it.” I take a sip of coffee.

“And how is it having my sister-in-law across the street?”

“No complaints from me.”

Millie exhales and rolls her eyes. “Are you flirting with her? Dating her? Come on, I saw the way you looked at her. You like her.”

“Sure, I like her. I’ve known her forever.”

I laugh when Millie narrows her eyes at me.

“I’m attempting to date her, okay?”

“That’s better.” She grins. “Is that why you’re grumpy? Because you haven’t been dating her enough? What dates have you been on, anyway?”

“You’re a pain in my ass. She came to my place for dinner on Monday.”

She blinks at me. “That’s it?”

“I have a job. She has a job. I have a kid. She has a cat.”

“Wait, she has a cat?”

“Yeah, it was a stray. Not that Pickles is any excuse.” I shake my head, and Millie frowns.

“Who’s Pickles?”

“The cat.”

“Back up.” She leans on the counter and crosses her arms over her chest. “You haven’t even taken her on a real date?”

“You’re not listening. She came to my house for dinner.” I say the words slowly so she can comprehend them.

“Was Birdie home?”

I lift a brow at her. My best friend is starting to piss me off.

“Then it wasn’t a date, Bridger. Did you walk her home and kiss her?”

I wince. “I walked her home, but before I could kiss her, Birdie interrupted. That seems to be happening a lot. Getting interrupted.”

“Interrupted doing what?”

I turn at the sound of my sister’s voice and wince again.

“Nothing.”

“He’s trying to date Dani, but he’s a single dad, and his kid is always around,” Millie informs her, giving her the bare version of the story.

“Oh, I wanted to talk to you,” Billie says, and then pauses. “Well, now I want to talk to you about a couple of things, but the first is, I want Birdie for the weekend.”

“Convenient,” Millie says with a toothy smile, waggling her eyebrows. “Say you have the weekend off, Bridge.”

“I have the weekend off.” I turn to my sister. “Why do you want my kid?”

“Because I’m less than two weeks from opening my supremely fabulous bookstore, and I want to celebrate with my best girl. I’m going to spoil the shit out of her. Auntie time is important, and I’ve been too busy to take her much. I’ll pick her up from school tomorrow and bring her home on Sunday.”

I blink in surprise, thankful once again that my kid has such an incredible network loving on her. It’s not the first time she’s spent the weekend with Bee—one of the necessities of being a fire chief and a single dad. But then a plan begins to form. “Okay. What was the other thing you wanted to talk about? ”

“You’re dating Dani? Our friend Dani? My best friend, Dani Lexington?”

“I don’t know any others.”

Billie frowns and looks down at the coffee that Millie just passed her. “But it’s Dani.”

“Do you have a problem with her?” I cross my arms over my chest, waiting. “Like you just said, she’s one of your best friends, Bee.”

“I know. I love her to pieces, but…I’m surprised, that’s all.”

“Why?”

My sister sighs, side-eyes Millie, and chews on her lip.

“It’s okay,” Millie says. “Say it.”

“She’s just not your usual type. And I say that with all the love in my heart for Dani. She’s the best. But with her past, and—” She blows out a breath. “You know what? Never mind. It’s none of my business.”

“She’s stronger than you give her credit for.” My voice is low but not soft, and Billie winces. “Don’t tell me you think she’s damaged goods or something fucking stupid.”

“Jesus, no.” She looks horrified, and that makes me feel marginally better. “I’m simply surprised, that’s all. But she’s awesome, so I hope it works out. Now, come see my fabulous store.”

She takes my hand and leads me out of the coffee shop and next door, and it takes me a moment to snap out of my sudden mood. “She’s just not your usual type.” She’s always been my fucking type, but I’ve had to steer clear .

Shake it off.

When we step inside, I’m surprised to find that most of the bookshelves are already full.

“Wow, you’ve done a lot of work in here, Bee.”

“I know. My back is killing me, and I need to find a massage therapist. But I love it so much. I need Birdie’s help this weekend buying children’s books for the kids’ corner over there. I want to do a story hour once a month, and I want it to be a fun spot for kids to sit and read while their parents browse.”

“I hate to burst your bubble, but you’ll probably end up with some ripped books and stuff. Kids aren’t usually careful.”

“I’ll have some out that the kids can read and damage, and the brand-new ones will be in cellophane if they’re within reach.”

“Good idea.”

She shows me around each section. I notice the romance section takes up more than half of the store, and when I point that out, Bee grins.

“As it should be,” she says. “It’s the best-selling genre out there.”

“You’re the expert. Are you sure you want Birdie for the whole weekend?”

“Yes. I was about to call you, actually, so don’t even worry about us. I have extra meds for her at my place, just in case, remember? Not that she’ll need them.”

“I really would like to spend some alone time with Dani.” And I’m completely floored that Bee’s offer aligns with my weekend off. That never happens, but it’s something I’ve tried to implement across all of my team. Rotating weekends off. Myself included.

“Done. Do it. Enjoy.” She grins at me. “Wrap it before you tap it.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Billie.”

“Hey, it’s good advice.”

After I left the bookstore yesterday, I got called to a fire and didn’t get home until late. Birdie ended up spending the afternoon and evening with Merilee, a retired teacher that Brady Wild recommended, and I have to admit, she’s a lifesaver. She even came to my house, so Birdie was at home.

I never had the chance to call or even run over to see Dani, but I’ll see her this morning when I drop Birdie off at school.

“Now, don’t forget, Aunt Bee is picking you up, and you’re spending the weekend at her house.”

“I know ,” Birdie says with a little shimmy in her seat. “We’re going to have so much fun.”

“And I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“Okay.” She’s not concerned at all, and I love that my girl doesn’t get separation anxiety when it comes to being away from me.

After parking in the lot, I walk Birdie over to the sidewalk where teachers are greeting kids .

“I’ll see you Sunday,” I say as I squat down to hug my daughter. “Be good and have fun, okay?”

“Okay.” She kisses my cheek. “Bye, Daddy.”

And with that, she rushes inside of the school, and as I stand, my eyes lock on Dani.

She’s in khaki pants today that hug her curves, and a navy blue button-down top that shouldn’t be provocative at all, yet, I want to strip her out of it and have my way with her.

“Good morning,” she says as I approach.

“Good morning.” I reach out and tuck her hair behind her ear. I want to kiss her and pull her in for a hug, but she already set the boundary of no affection at work, and I won’t cross it. “So, Bee is picking Birdie up from school today. I wanted to give you a heads-up. She’s already listed with the office.”

“Oh, thanks for letting me know. You must have to work?” She chews on her lip and frowns. “Not that it’s any of my business.”

“No work,” I reply easily. “I have a date.”

She blinks, and hurt moves into her eyes, and I feel like a giant asshole.

“Oh, how nice. Have fun.”

“No.” I step closer to her. “Sorry, that was a really bad way of saying, I’d like to take you out on a date.”

She swallows, licks her lips, and then glances up at me. I hate that she still gets so nervous around me, so apprehensive.

I want her to trust me .

“What time were you thinking?” she asks, trying to keep her voice casual.

“Seven. I’d like to take you to dinner.”

“You would?”

I can’t help but feel a mixture of humor and frustration. “Why wouldn’t I, Dani?”

“For a whole host of reasons.” She blows out a breath. “Yeah, dinner at seven sounds good. Casual?”

“I was thinking pizza or BBQ. Are you craving anything?”

“Pizza sounds good, actually.”

“Pizza at seven, then.”

“We can just order it in, if that’s easier for you.”

God, I want to touch her. We’re going to have to talk about this rule of hers. “No. It’s not easier for me. I want to take you out to dinner, Dani. Seven o’clock.”

“See you later.”

I wink at her and then return to my truck. I have flowers to buy, and I need to make a phone call.

The phone rings through my speakers, and Holden answers on the second ring.

“Hey, man,” he says.

“Hey, are you busy right now?”

“I’m just working on some paperwork in my office. What’s up?”

I clear my throat. “The office at your barn at the ranch? Can I pop out there?”

“Sure. Door’s open.”

He ends the call, and I head out of town, toward the Lexington ranch. Holden inherited it after their dad died earlier this year. One of the first things he did was have me and my guys come out and burn every building to the ground to purge the property of his bastard of a father. It was a great training exercise for my guys, and as the flames destroyed everything, I could almost see the weight lift off my friend’s shoulders.

I’m glad that I could be there for him and help with that.

I also wonder if Dani’s been out to her family’s property since she and her sisters collected whatever they wanted from the farmhouse.

It’s a twenty-minute drive to the turnoff that leads me to the barn, and I park next to Holden’s truck, then hop out and walk inside, finding my friend in his office.

“Hey.” I grin and lean against the wall opposite him since he’s in the only chair in the room. “How’s Millie?”

“Fucking gorgeous and perfect in every way,” he answers and then narrows his eyes at me. “What’s going on? Is someone dead?”

I might be, if this goes poorly.

“I need to have a conversation with you about Dani.”

Holden stands and crosses his arms over his chest. “What about her?”

“I’m taking her out on a date tonight.”

A muscle clenches in his jaw. “Why?”

“Why?” I scoff at that and push my hands through my hair. “Because she’s amazing. Because she’s funny and beautiful, and I want to see her. I want to date her, actually. ”

Holden’s sigh is loud and full of frustration. “What else do you plan to do to my sister?”

“I don’t think you want me to answer that question, man.”

“Fucking hell.” Holden paces away, hands on his hips, and then turns back to me. “You hurt her, I end you.”

“Obviously.”

“No, that’s not an idle threat. My girls have been to hell and back, and nothing is ever going to hurt them again. So if you so much as look at her sideways, I’m coming for you, and I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re my best fucking friend.”

“I will never intentionally hurt that woman, and you know it. For fuck’s sake, Holden, I know what you all went through. I’m not dicking around with her for shits and giggles.”

He swallows, watching me, and then nods. “As long as we understand each other.”

“We do.”

At 6:57, I walk across the street, with flowers in hand. I ring the bell and Dani answers, and her whole face fucking lights up when she sees the yellow roses in my hand.

“For you. ”

She takes them and buries her nose in them in that way that women do that I find so fucking adorable.

“Thanks.”

“You’re gorgeous, Dani.” It’s true. She’s in a red-and-white dress that buttons down the entire front and falls just above her knees.

When my eyes find her face again, she’s looking at my arms, and it makes me feel smug. I’ve caught her looking at my arms and shoulders before. I work out a lot—I need to be strong for my job—and I’m glad that she likes what she sees.

“I’m just going to set these in some water.”

I follow her inside and see that Pickles is curled up on the couch, napping.

“How’s it going with the cat?”

I can hear the water running in the kitchen, and then Dani returns, carrying a vase with the flowers in it.

“She’s sweet,” Dani says, smiling softly at the kitten. “She sleeps with me, and she always greets me at the door when I come home from work.”

“So, you’re glad you kept her?”

“Yeah, I am. Okay, I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Let’s do it.” I hold my hand out, and without hesitating, she slides her palm against my own, and I link our fingers, guiding her across the street to my truck.

The drive to Old Town Pizza is quick, and the owner, Heather, winks at me when we walk inside. I called ahead and asked if she could reserve us a table on her rooftop, since it always fills up quickly, especially on a Friday night .

“Well, hello, you two. I have your table ready. Follow me.”

Dani frowns up at me, but I just shrug, and we follow Heather up a set of stairs to the open-air rooftop. There’s a bar up here and umbrellas over the tables, but we have an unobstructed view of the ski mountain and most of downtown.

“It’s pretty up here,” Dani says once we’re seated.

“I think so, too.”

She looks my way and then chuckles when she finds me just staring at her. “You’re just trying to be charming.”

“Me? No way. What do you like on your pizza, sweetheart?”

“Oh, I’ll eat anything.” She pushes the menu away and looks back at the mountain, so I reach over and take her hand in mine, getting her attention.

“But what do you like? If you’re home alone and you order pizza, what do you get?”

“We can get whatever you want. Really, I like anything.”

“That’s not what I asked you.” I narrow my eyes and lean forward. “Dani, I’m trying to get to know you. I’m learning you. I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, want to know how you order your freaking pizza.”

She presses her lips together in a line and then says, “I like pepperoni with pickled jalapenos, pineapple, and mushrooms. It’s weird. So when I eat pizza with anyone else, we just get something normal, like pepperoni or Hawaiian. ”

The waitress arrives, setting down the drinks we ordered when we got here, and says, “Are you ready to order?”

“Yeah,” I begin, watching Dani. “We’ll take a large pepperoni with pickled jalapenos, pineapple, and mushrooms.”

Dani’s eyes have widened and her jaw drops in surprise. Jesus, has no one ever ordered her pizza the way she likes it?

“Do you want hand-tossed or deep-dish?” Sandy, the waitress, asks.

I lift an eyebrow at Dani.

“Hand-tossed,” she says, and I nod at Sandy.

“What else?” Sandy asks.

“I think we need more carbs,” I add, “so let’s do some cheesy breadsticks.”

“With ranch,” Dani chimes in, earning a smile from me.

Good girl , I mouth to her, and her cheeks redden.

Fuck, I want to see her blush everywhere.

When we’re alone again, Dani says in a small voice, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“It sounds delicious.”

She snorts out a laugh, but when I don’t laugh with her, she looks at me like I’m not telling the truth, and I don’t like that.

“There’s nothing on that pizza that doesn’t sound good to me.”

“Okay,” she replies, but I can tell she doesn’t believe me .

That’s fine. I’ll prove it to her.

“How long have you lived in your house?” she asks me, changing the conversation.

“About three years. I bought it because I liked the backyard and that it backs up to the woods, so it’s a little more private.”

“You do have a good backyard,” she says with a nod. “Holden hated that I moved into my place. Hated it.”

“Why?” I sip my iced tea, watching her.

“Because it’s old and shabby, but it’s cheap, and it’s clean, and I have some projects planned for it. Some paint and stuff, nothing too crazy. But I like the neighborhood, and I’m not too far from work. In fact, I usually walk.”

I blink at her. “Wait, you walk ? Dani, that’s more than a mile each way.”

“I won’t do it after it gets cold, but it’s been nice out lately.” She shrugs and sips her Coke. “I like to be outside, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

That’s true. I find her outside often.

“Any particular reason for that?”

She sighs. “You know we don’t have to talk about my crappy childhood all the time.”

“I didn’t ask about your shitty childhood.”

“No, but most of my quirks circle back to that. The house I grew up in was horrible, so I liked to be outside, and I still do.” She shrugs. “It’s not a sad thing; it’s just a thing.”

“You don’t look sad to me,” I admit, shaking my head as I watch her. “I don’t see you that way. ”

“Good. Because it would suck if you were only hanging out with me because you felt sorry for me.” She frowns and presses her lips together, as if she didn’t mean to say that, and I decide to put that shit out of her head right now and reach for her hand, linking our fingers .

“I don’t see anything to feel sorry for, Dani. You’re beautiful, a successful teacher, you have your own place, and you’ve carved out a life for yourself that you love. I admire that you take such good care of your students, especially since my daughter is one of them. She has nothing but amazing things to say about you and being in your classroom. Yeah, you came from a pretty shitty situation, but you’re thriving despite it, and you’re absolutely someone that I want to spend a lot of time with. Not because I think I should , but because staying away from you isn’t a fucking option for me.”

“Here you go,” Sandy says as she places our food on the table, and I have to pull back, releasing Dani’s hand. When we’ve confirmed that we don’t need anything else, Sandy bustles away.

“Okay,” Dani says, obviously in response to what I said before the food arrived.

“So, why are you here?” I ask her as I slide a slice onto her plate. “My good looks? My charm? My cool truck?”

She doesn’t laugh the way I expect her to. Her eyes widen, and then she licks her lips. “Bridger, I don’t know if anyone has ever told you this before, and if they haven’t, well, shame on them, but you’re hot . ”

I bust up laughing, and that makes her laugh, immediately lightening the mood .

“You’re just here because I’m a piece of meat?”

“No. I don’t just mean physically, although, yeah.” She waves her hand around, indicating all of me, and I can’t help but grin at her because she’s adorable, and my dick has decided to join in on this conversation. “You have that going for you, but it’s in the things you say and the way you just are. You’re…yeah. You do it for me.”

Now I’m fascinated, and I lean in, ignoring the food on my plate.

“I do what for you, sweetheart?”

She blushes again and pulls a piece of pineapple off her pizza, popping it into her mouth.

“I am not having this conversation here.” She glances around nervously, looking shy. “We know half the people in this restaurant, Bridger.”

“I don’t give a fuck. Let them see.”

She laughs and shakes her head. “This conversation is to be continued, Chief.”

My stomach jolts the same way it did the first time she called me that.

“No.”

Her eyes are full of mischief as she takes a bite of her pizza. “No?”

“Absolutely fucking not . ”

“Hmm.” She licks at some sauce on her mouth, but she doesn’t get it all, so I reach over and wipe it away with my thumb, then lick it off myself, and her eyes dilate. “I want to call you a nickname. You call me stuff.”

“Not chief.” I shake my head and bite half of a breadstick. “Pick something else.”

“Daddy?”

I choke and reach for my tea as she laughs across from me.

Jesus fucking Christ, she’s going to be the death of me.

I’m hard as fucking stone. This whole conversation has turned me the fuck on. When I’ve got my breath back, I stand and circle the table, sit next to her, and lean in so I can whisper in her ear. I brace one arm on the back of her chair and the other on the table, caging her in.

She’s already breathing hard.

“You want to call me daddy , kitten?” My voice is a whisper against her ear, and I love the way she visibly shivers.

I’m going to make her squirm later.

She licks her lips. “It was a joke, Bridger. Obviously, I read too many spicy books.”

That has my eyebrows climbing. “We have so many things to talk about when I get you alone.”

She smiles at me, her lips mere inches from mine. “I can’t wait.”