Page 44 of When Sky Breaks

Trek raises a damp brow, urging me to continue the saga.

“I just don’t know what to do next.”

“I’m probably the worst person to ask for advice on this subject. My brain works in numbers, not,” he cringes, “feelings.”

I roll my eyes and pluck up another nail, moving down to the next hole. I will say taking some of my pent-up aggression out on this inanimate object is helping. A little.

“Well, how does one go about resolving things with their ex who caught their house on fire and killed their baby brother? Hmm?”

“Fuck if I know, sis.” He winces for real and runs a hand down his sweaty face, leaving dust tracks across his cheek. “I don’t know how you’re even sitting here talking to me without going all Dexter with that thing.”

He eyes the hammer with clear trepidation, and I taunt him with it before dumping it on the ground next to me.

Right. Fuck if I know as well.

“You don’t have to figure it out today. Let’s finish these two frames and get the hell out of here. I’ll even suffer through a chick flick if you need me to.” He grins and I crack a small smile.

When he’s silly like this, it’s easy to forget the things he did. His friendship is something I desperately need with everything else that’s going on. I’ll welcome any distraction at this point.

Fortunately, he’s right. I don’t have to figure it all out in one day.

However, I’ve never been good at holding grudges or staying mad for very long. This is completely different, of course, but try telling my heart this. It’s a stubborn thing. That stubborn thing goes haywire once I glance up and see the man in question walking across the lawn of the firehouse toward the Chief, a camera slung around his neck.

Trek follows my line of concentration and smirks before going back to work. “You can fight it all you want, but soon, you two will have to get the courage to really sort out all this. What do they call it? Angst? Yeah, the angst between you two could probably be felt the next town over. Sickening, really.”

I drown out what Trek’s saying and watch. August pauses in between all of us working, snapping pictures, messing with some buttons, covering the screen to block out the sun, and taking more pictures. As if he can sense me, he flicks his eyes up and pins me with his gray gaze.

That stupid, stubborn organ in my chest stutters.

Where is the massive fury I should have toward him? It would make it so easy to be in the same vicinity as him. The hate is easy to handle. It’s cut and dry. But this in between space I live in? The middle lane of love and loathing? Positively ruthless.

He holds my attention and slowly lifts his camera. I struggle to keep my breath even. Several clicks later, he lowers it.

August has always been good at capturing life in his photos. I wonder what he’ll see in me. This version of me. The one who’s worn down to the bare bones.

He takes a step in my direction but halts when a figure blocks out the sun in front of me. I lean back and shield my eyes.

“When you said volunteering for the town, this wasn’t exactly what I thought you meant, babe,” Johnny says, stooping to his haunches beside me.

Reluctantly, I huff out a laugh, holding up my work gloves. “So the words building a haunted house didn’t register?”

He helps me stand and brushes his hands on his pants when they come away sweaty from my palms. Such a prissy man.

He quirks his lip. “It’s not code for you bossing everyone else around?”

Trek snorts, and I take a small bit of pleasure in knowing Johnny sees me as more than someone who can only do grunt work.

“Naw, it’s dirty work, but the result is awesome,” I say.

“I hope to be around to see it.”

“Oh, I think your patients will miss you if you hang around this town for too long, don’t you think?” I swallow and let loose a nervous laugh.

Johnny folds his arms and the powder blue dress shirt he’s wearing clings to his biceps as he regards me with a twinkle in his dark eyes. “Trying to kick me out already?” He swivels his head over his shoulder before looking back and tugging me in for a hug. “I got it handled. I can stay as long as I need to. For you and your dad, of course.”

Of course.

Although my body is stuck to Johnny’s side, it’s difficult to ignore August, who’s staring at him with an annoyed expression on his face.

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