Chapter 12
Kenzie
Whoosh.
Whir. Whir. Whir.
The constant whirring noise only added to the churning effect in my stomach.
“Oh, God,” I muttered, my breathing swallow and beads of real sweat trickling down both sides of my face. I pulled my still damp clothes closer to my chest, resisting burying my face in them. They were all the clothing I had with me at this point.
Except for the baggy chic offered by my insufferable, handsome, and stubborn host.
When I bit down on my lower lip to keep from laughing, the helicopter was jolted enough I tasted blood.
I’d known coming back home would have its share of trials and tribulations. Just the way I’d left the last visit after an argument I’d gotten into with my father, I knew being around my parents would test my last nerve.
But this was beyond the scope of anything I’d thought would happen. I hated flying with a passion.
“Just hold tight,” the pilot said into the microphone.
Why did he sound so joyful? I was on the verge of painting the inside of his helicopter with various shades of brown and yellow and he was chipper as could be.
So was Axe, who remained thoroughly amused that I’d fought him tooth and nail before being forced onto the sleek bird. His words, not mine.
My stomach lurched for the fifth time as the sight of several buildings and a few airplanes finally came into view. When another moment of turbulence hit, even with my seatbelt on, I was pitched forward, forced to grip the edge of the passenger seat in front to keep from smashing my face.
Axe was perfectly comfortable and threw a look at whoever was the pilot. I’d heard his name but right now, I couldn’t remember my own. I hated flying in huge airplanes with comfy steel everywhere. This was as if flying in a plastic toy with a big whirlybird on the roof.
“Just a little turbulence, Palomino Girl,” Axe offered.
Why was he using my nickname through the microphone? To torment me again?
“Palomino Girl. Cool name,” the pilot said with the same lilt in his voice and I wanted to deck him from the slight expression of amusement. All smokejumpers seemed to think they were hilarious.
Thank God I’d only had coffee because the man would be wearing my breakfast. When he dropped the helicopter by what had to be a million feet, I slapped my hand across my mouth.
“If what Axe told me is true, you’re damn lucky to be alive. Two Clark Fork dams broke free within thirty minutes. There were water rescues all over the place. The fire department couldn’t be everywhere they were needed. Shorthanded.”
“Any casualties?” Axe asked while tipping his head in my direction.
The pilot tossed him a glance. “Two. Both tourists.”
Exhaling, I closed my eyes. Fuck. My father’s influence was costing lives. I was furious.
I’d had no idea just how lucky I’d been.
If Axe hadn’t come along I’d be dead. With a moment of silence, I allowed myself to think about what Axe had told me.
I’d heard more through the grapevine than anything that my father was buddies with three of the men on the city council.
If I had to guess, I’d say he corrupted the minds of the council members based solely on his hatred of the Beckett family.
Maybe additional firefighters could have prevented Will from dying. I certainly didn’t want to drive that plot point into Axe’s mind. I had no doubt what he’d do with it.
Another drop and I dry heaved.
A few seconds later, I realized I’d allowed a moan, this time not from fear.
“Just sit back, Kenz. We’ll be landing in about two minutes,” Axe told me.
“Sorry the ride is a little bumpy,” the pilot offered, as if that would do any good.
“It’s okay.” My voice was as weak as the rest of me.
I tried to follow his advice, sitting back in my seat and pressing my other hand on top of the first. This was… The worst thing in the world to go through. Okay, the second worst after the day before, but with the nausea and the way my vision had been affected, I was ready to pass out.
With my eyes closed, I felt a little better until I suddenly had a free-falling moment. I let out a shrill scream, my eyes flying open and my hand with a death grip on Axe’s shoulder.
The pilot turned the helicopter around and landed with a soft thud, but the jarring effect was enough I let out a series of moans.
“You’re okay. You’re fine. We’re on the ground.” While I suspected Axe’s words were meant to be comforting, I just didn’t care.
I even tried to get out of the door while the blades were still going and Axe had to stop me. “Don’t. I need to get off this thing.”
“Okay. Just breathe for me. Okay?” Axe was grinning while I was ready to hurl all over him.
“Don’t you do that to me. Don’t you dare.”
Still with the shit-eating grin on his face, he jumped out, holding out his hands for me to grasp. Call me hardheaded or just unwilling to ask for help, but I jumped instead. Unsteady on my feet, I fell right into him.
From somewhere behind us, I was certain I heard one of the men in the group who were outside cheering.
“Are you okay?” Axe asked while offering the person a middle finger salute.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little shaky.” I could tell all eyes were on us and what a sight I must be since I’d only had time to slide into another pair of sweatpants before the helicopter had arrived.
“You look kinda cute in my shoes.”
Looking down, I picked up one of my feet, the shoe almost dropping off even though the laces were double knotted. “I’ll get your things back to you.”
“Nah. Don’t worry about that. They look better on you,” he said, then took a deep breath. “Um, I… I know there’s a lot to say, but—”
“Get your ass in gear, Axe. We’re leaving in five minutes.” While the guy was still a few feet away, I could hear his voice loud and clear. Plus, he was shaking his head as he studied us standing together.
I glanced at the group, thankful I didn’t recognize anyone.
Then I noticed my brother was leaning against the hood of a truck less than fifty yards away. Even from that distance, I could tell he wasn’t happy. To see me or to see that I was standing with the man once considered his best friend?
Why did I have a feeling I wasn’t the only one hiding from the past?
Axe followed my gaze toward Wade, taking a deep breath. “Your brother is here.”
“So he is.”
The heat from his body was as oppressive as before, both our bodies humming with continued electricity.
“I, um… Thank you for saving me yesterday. Obviously I wouldn’t have survived without you being there.”
The hard edge of his jaw became less clenched. “You’re welcome. It’s not every day I can save a pretty lady.”
“You still have a mean throw with that lasso.”
He finally laughed. “At least I learned a few tricks.”
“Axe. Get your ass in gear!” someone yelled. Men and a few women were running everywhere, around a huge cargo plane with its engine running.
Axe sighed, rubbing his hands on his jeans, squinting as he glanced toward my brother again. “I gotta go, but I’m sure we’ll run into each other while you’re in town. Maybe let me know when you’re ready to head out back to Billings.”
The moment was extremely awkward, so much so when I stuck out my hand for a shake, he laughed but accepted the gesture. This was it. There was a chance I wouldn’t see him again. “Right. Sure. Small town. Maybe I’ll stop by Kimberly’s bakery. You take care of yourself. Okay?”
“I’ll do what I can. Good luck on getting another Bertha. I know a guy who owns a used car lot.”
“Axe!”
I glared at the man screaming his name. As silly as it would sound to someone else, the ache from the thought of never seeing him again was even worse than before.
He backed away and I immediately felt a series of pangs in my stomach.
When he suddenly took long strides toward me, butterflies replaced the pain, a tickle of the same electricity I’d experienced shifting through my system.
For a minute, I thought he was going to take me into his arms. Just like in a romance novel or in the movies.
When he pulled something from his pocket, I resisted making a single sound. “Take this. I meant to give this to you earlier. I just switched phones and this one is still working until I find the time to cancel the service.”
I glanced at the phone in his hand, hating the disappointment. “I don’t want to take your phone.”
“It’s fine, Palomino Girl. I have a T-Mobile thing that shares several devices. Hopefully you have Apple care and can get a new phone. If not, you can try putting it in a bag of rice to dry it out. That’s worked for me before. At least you can call your friends in the meantime.”
“Axe!” someone else yelled, the irritation in his voice grating.
“Okay. Thank you. I’ll get it back to you.”
“Whenever,” he said, shrugging.
“What’s the passcode?”
“I’ll let you figure that out. If you know me at all, it’ll be easy.”
He wasn’t kidding. He was testing my knowledge of him. “That’s not fair.”
“Whoever said life was fair was a fool. You can do it. I’ll give you one hint. Six letters.”
Now he was being the mischievous guy?
He walked backwards, wearing a slight grin, the light breeze tousling his hair. Even as his eyes searched mine.
There were a half dozen things I needed to say to him, but nothing came to mind. Maybe the right words weren’t available. As before, he’d never listen to me anyway. He was that stubborn.
“And you’re not terrible at all,” I whispered, knowing he couldn’t hear me.
When one of his buddies tapped him on the shoulder, he finally turned around and I was at a sudden, strange loss.
I pulled my purse and the lump of damp clothes closer, continuing to watch him as he headed for the door of the base. Maybe we would run into each other again.
A girl could hope.
This was terrible. Tears formed in my eyes. I refused to cry. We’d both decided this was best. Why? I had no freaking idea.
Unable to walk away so soon, I studied the phone. It was beaten up, scarred, and the screen was cracked, but it was very much him. A passcode. Six letters.