Page 29 of The Firefighter's Fate

They’re both dressed casually in jeans and shirts, as am I. That’s good. I was worried about being overdressed and too intimidating. It’s already been hard enough convincing them both to come for a chat without scaring them off in my usual businesswoman take-no-prisoners journalist attire.

“Hey!”

Ava and Olivia both smile warmly at me as I wave them over.

“You must be Ember,” Ava says.

“And you must be Ava Matson. It’s a pleasure meeting you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” she replies sweetly. I can see why she has the reputation that everyone falls in love with her - she’s so bubbly and friendly. I can already tell she’ll be easy to get on with.

So very different to Connor.

“Hey, Ember,” Olivia greets.

“Thank you both for meeting me here today,” I say. “And for taking the time out of your busy schedules.”

“It’s been no problem,” Ava replies. “When Olivia told me about you, I desperately wanted to see what all the fuss was about.”

“Well, hopefully I ain’t a letdown.”

“I’m positive you won’t be.”

Ava is with Damon Penmayne – the real bad boy of the billionaire family. He’s the one who owns the brewery just outside of town, but it’s practically an open secret that he’s truly involved in the criminal underworld. He would be a scary man to date, I’d imagine. Ava is a brave woman.

“Getting interviewed is a weird thing,” I remark. “So I totally understand if you both want to take things slow. Just let me know if I ever stray past the line. I can be clumsy sometimes.”

“I’m sure you won’t,” Olivia says. “I am sure you’re better at your job than you’re letting on.”

I laugh.

“Maybe I am.”

“We best be careful, then,” Ava says, winking at her best friend. “Don’t want to spill all our deepest, darkest secrets to this hack.”

“Let’s sit on this bench,” I suggest, gesturing at one by my side. “It’s probably the best place here to conduct this.”

We take our seats while I pull out my phone to record the conversation. I’ve made the deliberate choice to do this at the park, in this informal setting, on a bench like this - I want an honest, real interview with these women and not one where they might feel the need to be guarded.

We’re across the road from the fire station. Damn, it seems like I can’t escape Connor Penmayne in this small town even if I try.

“So this is all about Connor, then?” Ava asks me. “Olivia and Spencer told me that’s why you’ve come all the way here to Crystal River. Really?”

“Well, it wasn’t for the sightseeing,” I say. “I’m here to get Connor on the record. I’m here to write an entire article about him.”

“You’ve set yourself one hell of an impossible task there.”

“That’s what I told her,” Olivia says to her best friend. “That it would be impossible.”

“I’m sure I can manage him,” I say. “I’ve interviewed some fucked-up people.”

Ava smiles.

“Have you met him yet?” she asks.

“Yep.”

“And you still think you’ll get him to talk?”

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