Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
WYATT
We enter the Snowline, and the entire place goes silent. The music stops, the conversations dry up, and everyone turns their heads in our direction, staring at us like they can’t believe we’re here.
Probably more like their shock is over me showing up. Nate is the party guy. The one everyone loves. Me? I keep to myself. I barely have time for myself, let alone going out to a bar on a random weeknight. This isn’t my style.
And everyone in town knows it.
My gaze lands on the very woman I had my hands on earlier today like she’s a magnet and I’m inexplicably drawn to her.
Shock courses through me at seeing her, all dressed up for a night out and not frantic while clad in only a thin robe.
I can’t help but recall how I tossed her over my shoulder as if she didn’t weigh a thing—she didn’t, though maybe the adrenaline surge I was dealing with at seeing her run into a burning building had something to do with that.
She’s staring at me with a look of mild disgust on her pretty face, a bottle clutched in her hand, her slender fingers wrapped around the neck.
She’s sitting with Paige Lawrence, and I swear I hear Nate whistle low as he stands next to me.
The dumb fucker has been literally pining over Paige for years after he broke things off with her that summer when he came home from college and she had just graduated from high school.
They had a little thing that he ended, and for whatever reason, they’ve remained just friends ever since.
“There’s Paige.” I nudge him in the side with my elbow, and he shoots me an irritated look.
“No shit,” he mutters. “Who’s the hottie with her?”
I’m tempted to roll my eyes and tell him to knock it off.
“Damn, she’s pretty.” Nate rubs his hands together like some lecherous creep about to make a move on the wrong woman, and for some weird-ass reason, a strong yet unfamiliar sensation rises within me, making my hands curl into fists as they hang by my sides.
Oh shit. I think that feeling is . . . jealousy.
“That’s the woman I rescued this morning.” I told my brother the story on the drive over because I thought it was entertaining. He immediately asked me if I’d hit it, and I said no. Because I’m a liar.
“You are such a liar,” Nate says now, chuckling as he slowly shakes his head. “You would totally hit that.”
She’s blonde and busty and wearing a white sundress with little pink flowers scattered all over it.
The dress is innocent yet sexy because it has a scoop neck that’s giving me a nice eyeful of cleavage.
She blinks those big blue eyes at me, and I tear my attention away from her, my gaze sliding over to Paige, who’s glaring at my brother with invisible daggers shooting from her eyes.
Paige is gorgeous. She is also the town sweetheart because she’s so kind and good with kids and the old folks.
Good to everyone really, especially since she volunteers everywhere she can because she genuinely enjoys helping people.
The entire town loves and protects her. And while I can admit she’s beautiful and sweet and would make a great girlfriend to someone, I’ve always known she’s not interested in me.
She still likes my brother, despite the fact that he has his head lodged up his ass when it comes to this woman.
“Should we go join them?” Nate asks, amused as always.
“Absolutely not.”
He ignores my response, like I knew he would, and heads straight for their table, spreading his arms out wide as he approaches Paige first. “Paigey! Looking hot as usual.”
“Oh fuck off, Nathaniel.” She gives him a hug anyway, and I swear she closes her eyes for the briefest moment when he wraps his arms around her, like she’s enjoying it.
I follow behind him, my steps hesitant, feeling out of sorts at seeing the woman I rescued in a more casual setting. I’m off duty and not in my uniform—just a regular person versus being in charge of my engine and crew.
“This is Rachel,” Paige says once she’s pulled herself out of my brother’s arms. “My new friend.”
“Hey, Rachel.” Nate shakes her hand, sending me a wolfish grin. If he even tries flirting with her, I’m going to murder him. “I think you already know my brother.”
“Captain Grumpy Pants? Yes, a pleasure to see you again.” Her voice drips with the faintest tinge of disgust, her nose in the air just like it was earlier, and I settle into the barstool right next to her, hoping I make her feel even a tenth unsettled as listening to her snooty tone makes me feel.
Nate laughs, Paige joining him. “The most accurate description of my brother I think I’ve ever heard.”
“Why, thank you.” Rachel inclines her head toward him before swiveling it in my direction. “You go out? To bars?”
“On occasion.” I don’t need to tell her this is the first time I’ve been out since I don’t know when. And why is she so surprised by the idea?
“When I drag his ass out and force him to go,” Nate adds, like I knew he would. “He’s a workaholic.”
“So I like my job. And don’t get summers off like some people.
” My brother is a PE teacher and the football coach at the local high school.
He played the sport in college, and there was even a hint of talk that he could get drafted, but a shoulder injury ruined that opportunity for him.
He never seemed to mind, though. He likes working with the high schoolers and being their coach, and the team was good last season.
Like championship-potential good, though they got taken out in the playoffs.
“You’re just jealous,” Nate drawls, and I make a disbelieving sound.
“I know I am,” Paige says without hesitation. “I wish I got summers off.”
“It’s your choice that you take on an extra summer job,” Nate points out. “Maybe you shouldn’t work at Mitchell’s this year so you can have a little more freedom.”
“I need the money,” Paige mumbles, dipping her head.
“Aww, you’ll have all that credit card debt paid off by September.
” Rachel sends her a sympathetic look, patting Paige’s arm, and I wonder if she’s ever known what that’s like, feeling broke.
The woman obviously comes from money, and I can guarantee she’s not the one who makes any of it. Must be nice.
“Hey, Wyatt, how’s Dottie?” Paige’s mood shifts, and her face lights up at my daughter’s name. The tension in my body eases at her question. “I haven’t seen her come in to get an ice cream yet.”
“She was on the lake with my sister earlier today,” I tell her. Dottie loves going to the ice cream counter at Mitchell’s Landing after a day on the water. Pretty much everyone in my family owns a boat, save for Nate. “I’m sure Serena stopped by and got cones for the girls.”
“Oh, I didn’t work today, so I missed them.” Paige mock-pouts. “Give her a kiss for me.”
“I will.” I nod, glancing over at Rachel, who’s watching me with curiosity. I don’t answer her unasked question, and she doesn’t push, so I let it die.
I shouldn’t be interested in this woman, but I can secretly admit I’m drawn to her.
Though, when she finds out I have a child who is my absolute top priority?
I’m sure she’ll lose interest fast. Most women do.
For me, family comes first, my daughter above all else.
If they don’t understand that, then they’re not for me.
This woman with her big-city ways and rich-girl vibes wouldn’t even begin to comprehend what it’s like to take care of a child.
This woman acts like a helpless child herself, which reminds me of her irrational behavior during the fire.
She didn’t know how serious the fire was, yet she still ran into a burning building . . .
“Dottie is Wyatt’s daughter,” Paige says to Rachel, ruining any mystery I might’ve had going on. “She’s six and so adorable! Looks just like Wyatt.”
“Hey, I take offense to that,” Nate teases. “You just basically called Wyatt adorable.”
“Oh, stop acting jealous.” Paige jabs her elbow into Nate’s side, and he does the same to her, the two of them laughing. Rachel and I share a knowing look, and I’m impressed she already sees what’s happening between them, though I suppose it’s fairly obvious.
Becky approaches our table with an empty tray, collecting the discarded bottles while she takes our orders. “Been a while since I’ve seen you around, Wyatt.”
“Work’s been keeping me busy.” I cross my arms, hating how everyone’s acting like it’s such a big deal that I’m out for the night.
“Thank goodness the fire season has started out pretty mild so far,” Becky says. “Save for our poor Rachel and her house burning today.”
I rear back a little, shocked. “And how do you know about that?”
“Well, the girls here told me.” Becky smiles at them, accepting Rachel like she’s a part of our group, which is surprising.
We’re a small town that depends on tourists, but it’s not like we always readily embrace them.
Most of the time, we consider them a nuisance, and some locals even call them “cidiots.” Wish I knew who coined that term because it’s a good one. “I’ll be right back with your beers.”
The moment she’s gone, “the girls” lean in close and start whispering to each other like women do.
Nate stands on the other side of Paige in silence, glancing around the room, checking out who’s here.
I don’t bother. If there’s anyone around that I want to talk to, I’ll manage a conversation eventually.
Right now, I just want a beer to help ease the tension that is currently flowing through me.
It’s a different kind of tension than what I’m used to, and not necessarily bad either.
More like a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach that grows the longer the girls whisper to each other.
I’ve got my foot propped up on the stool, and I’m bouncing my knee like I used to when I was a kid in school.
Full of pent-up energy that I could only get out when I was playing sports, and I played them all.
Football, basketball, baseball. I loved all three and was good at most of them.
And if I wasn’t running out all my energy being an athlete, I was fucking around with some girl in my parents’ old Toyota with my hand in her panties, both of us steaming up the windows in the back seat of the car.
Ah, high school. Haven’t thought about those memories in years. My high school recollections are tainted by Cheryl and getting with her my senior year, but I had a life before that. Fond experiences that I can look back on.
I’ve hooked up with a few women since Cheryl left. Nameless, faceless women who were mostly tourists and never local, here for a week, a weekend, a few days. Nothing serious, no commitments. That shit scares me. I can only commit to one female currently, and that sweet little female is six.
“What are you doing here in our quaint little town this summer, Rachel?”
I perk up at my brother’s slightly mocking question, pulling myself out of my memories and focusing on the woman sitting next to me.
“Oh, I came here for a few weeks. Just for fun.” She shrugs her slender shoulders, and my gaze goes to them. All that smooth, lightly tanned skin exposed. Is she as soft as she looks? Probably. She smells good too, her perfume a rich floral that probably costs a fortune.
“You’re here by yourself?” Nate sounds incredulous.
“Yes, I am. And I don’t mind. I just—I needed to get away for a little bit.
” Her voice is purposely breezy, like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
I narrow my eyes, watching her closely, and I see the telltale flicker in her gaze.
She’s lying, but why? Is she running away from something, or someone?
“Haven’t you ever just wanted to escape for a little while to find yourself? ”
“Definitely.” Paige nods.
“Nope.” Nate scrubs his jaw with his hand, obviously perplexed.
“Never,” I respond. “I have too many responsibilities that make it impossible for me to run away.”
The more I think about it, the madder I get. This woman running away from her life. Reminds me of Cheryl, who ran away when her responsibilities got too hard. I don’t need another runaway in my life.
No, thank you.