Page 46 of Silver Fox Firefighters Next Door

I was free falling. My stomach was plummeting or maybe my heart was. I wasn’t sure. I just knew my feet couldn’t be on solid ground with the way I felt. Standing across from me were the guys. Not my guys. Never mine. Yet, there they were, waiting to battle against me.

“Since there’s only one of Eve and three of them, we’re going to mix this one up a little. Simple and sweet, but good enough to count. There’s going to be a spelling bee.” Margaret laughed and then slapped Mayor Steven’s arm. “Coco came up with the words.”

Through the rush of blood in my ears, I could hear the remaining crowd laugh in preparation for whatever words Coco had chosen. I didn’t think it was funny, though. Instead of the wild joy I thought I’d feel if they showed up for me, I was embarrassed and mad. They were humoring me. Showing up to compete in some ridiculously stupid battle to make me happy because they were good guys who didn’t want to hurt me. I’d explained to them about the connections being made through the battles, though. Them showing up as some Band-Aid for my hurt feelings was fucked up. They didn’t want what I wanted. They were leaving.

“Um. Evie? You want to come up to your mic, hon?” Margaret looked genuinely confused when I looked up at her. “And maybe rearrange your face into something a little happier?”

I didn’t bother trying to talk myself down from the ledge. I scowled at Margaret and then turned to fully face the guys. “No.”

Tate’s easy-going smile slipped. “What?”

I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head. “I said no.”

“Okay, but why are you saying no?” Aiden stepped towards me. “This is what you wanted, Eve. We’re here for you.”

I turned back to Margaret. “Did you do this?”

She held up her hands. “I only suggested they think through their choices.”

“Eve, what the hell? You wanted this. We’re here—”

“I know you’re leaving. You know I heard you yesterday. So why are you here?” I threw my hands up, not waiting for them to answer. “Screw this. I’m not doing this.”

“Yes, you are.” Nash closed the gap between us and frowned at me. “You wanted it and you’re getting it. Spell the words, Evie.”

“What do you think? That some pity play is going to solve all the things wrong with me? Maybe if you guys play my stupid game, I’ll stop being sad and you can leave in peace? Fuck that. I’m no one’s pity play. You don’t want me? Fine. Someone else will eventually. Until then, though, I’m busy and I’m not interested in continuing whatever sham thing we had going on.”

“Um, Eve? I think you should stop and think—”

I glared up at Margaret. “I don’t care. I should never have asked you to set us up. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Goddammit, Eve, you—”

I turned around to leave and saw we had quite the crowd watching us. Feeling even more mortified that half the town was watching the guys pity me, I took off at a sprint to get away from there. I was humiliated and hurt by them showing up because I knew they weren’t there for the right reasons. Everyone would know that when they left town and I was left standing like an idiot, watching their taillights disappear.

I’d just reached Main Street when a car slammed on its brakes in front of me. I stopped and stared in complete shock at the sight unfolding before my eyes. Mark. Mark getting out of the car that slid to a stop. Mark running around to face me on the sidewalk while the same people who’d watched me run away from Aiden, Nash, and Tate watched.

“I can’t believe I found you so fast!” Mark wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight. “I’ve been going crazy trying to talk to you, Evie. Are you okay? I saw you running. You never run.”

I stood completely still, in utter shock that the first time Mark visited my hometown was after he’d married someone else and I’d just had my heart broken by three men who weren’t him. “What are you doing here?”

“I had to come see you. The way we left things…it wasn’t right, Eve. I know that now. I shouldn’t have married anyone else. I should’ve waited on you. I’m not happy without you. I wake up every day thinking about you, Eve. I go to sleep every night thinking about you. I need you.” He dropped to one knee in front of me and cleared his throat. “I still love you, Evie. I want to be married to you. Only you.”

My mouth opened and closed like a mounted singing fish. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I didn’t want to believe it. “Mark… Get up.”

“You called me last night. You called me and that means something. Let’s forget the past year, Evie. You don’t know how sorry I am for everything.” He grabbed my hands, still on the ground in front of me. “I would take it all back if I could. I had everything with you, Eve. I lost sight of us and I’ll never forgive myself for it. I love you. I know you still love me. Just say yes. Say you’ll marry me.”

“You called your ex?” Nash’s growled question sent a shiver down my spine. He moved next to me and gripped the back of my neck. He shifted his hard gaze from Mark to me. “Did you ask him to come here?”

“I hung up as soon as he answered. I wanted to know why I’m never enough.” I took a small pleasure in watching Nash react to my words. “Then I decided it didn’t matter. The why isn’t important. Not when it won’t change anything.”

“Who is this, Evie?”

“Don’t call her that.” Aiden appeared at my other side. “You don’t get to call her that after what you did to her.”

“You need to get back in your car and get the fuck out of town, asshole. You’re not welcome here.” Tate moved in front of me, forcing Mark to get off his knee and stumble backward, into his car.

“Evie?” Mark looked around Tate. “What’s going on?”

---