Page 2 of Trouble

Shit. It’s pointless to argue with the two of them. Ford will do whatever makes Lake happy. Happy wife, happy life and all that jazz.

“It’s the holidays. You should be with family for the holidays,” Lake starts, stepping up beside me and squeezing my hand.

Just the thought of my family has me taking a step back.

Ford is on my other side now, gently cupping my elbow. “And you’re family. Right Nash?” he adds in that higher tone people only reserve for babies.

“Of course he’s right,” Lake replies in a similar tone as she pulls me into a hug.

“Oh my gosh, you’re squeezing me so tight I can hardly breathe,” I whine, though I snuggle into my best friend’s chest.

With a chuckle, Ford presses a kiss to my forehead, then steps back. “We’ll always be here for you, Mel. I know you don’t want to stay here?—”

I shake my head. While Lake doesn’t know the extent of what’s going on, I couldn’t hide it as easily from Ford. Since the Worst Human Alive is my agent, I had to inform Ford that I’d fired him, so he found out pretty quickly that things had gone south. If only the jerk would listen to a word I said and accept that he’s been relieved of his position.

“I appreciate you reaching out to your friend. Staying at his house will be just fine.”

“I really wish you’d just stay here.” Lake pushes her bottom lip out in a dramatic pout.

“Nah, I heard my roomie is a hottie,” I say with a shake of my head, trying to lighten the mood. I’ve always been the wiseass of the two of us. The tease. The girl with a smile. I refuse to allow my ex to steal that too.

Ford snorts. “Who told you that?”

I point to Lake, who merely shrugs. “What? Obviously, I like older men.”

Her husband, who is the definition of a silver fox, pulls her into his side and nuzzles her neck. “You’re going to pay for calling me old, Red.”

She winks at me, then turns a haughty eye at him, mindlessly grasping Nash’s wrist gently when he tugs on her hair. “Who said I was talking about you? I was referring to our fire chief, broody Declan Everhart.”

Just the sound of his name stirs a sensation to life inside me. Maybe it’s the promise of a new beginning, or the thrill of letting go. All I know is that, in this moment, I decide I’m not going to live in the past anymore.

“Okay, family,” I tease. “Tell me more about this chief.”

CHAPTER 2

Declan

Beckett: We’ll be there within the hour. Is everything set for Melina to stay with you?

I nodat the text and flip my phone over on the bar top.

“You realize the person who’s texting you can’t see your nod, right?” my best friend Cade says from the stool beside me.

With a grunt, I study the menu.

“Why bother looking?” he teases. “We both know you’ll order the same thing you always get.”

My phone vibrates, so I turn it over. Naturally, it’s my pain-in-the-ass brother-in-law again.

Beckett: She’s coming to the event with Ford and Lake, but her stuff will be in the car. Can you have one of the guys grab it and bring it into the station?

With another nod, I set it face down again.

“Seriously, Dec, they can’t see your response. Why the fuck can’t you just reply when people text?”

I arch a brow, amused that this bothers him so much.

I’m saved from having to respond when Hailey, the bartender who also happens to own the place, turns her attention to us, ready for our order. “Hey, Chief, how are you?”

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