Page 61 of Love Me Dangerous

I gulp a breath and release it, but it’s like my shoulders are locked together. “What if he leaves anyway?”

“You’re the strongest person I know, Fie.”

I give her a high five, thesmackfrom our palms filling the quiet room. We grab our things, and I step into the hallway while Ava locks the door. From the rental shop, rock music filters from their open doorway. When we pass by, Miller and Kai are busy at the two bike stands.

“Hey, you two foxes comin’ to The Limelight on Saturday?” Miller calls out. “Kai’s gonna wear his birthday suit.”

“Gross,” Ava mutters with a roll of her eyes.

From deep in the shop, Kai scoffs. “Am not.”

I give them a snarky salute as we pass by the doorway.

When we exit from the main lodge, across the meadow, the ski lift is still running. A couple of mountain bikers load up and the chairlift carries them off. It makes me think of Zach. Coupled with what Ava said, it gives my stomach butterflies.

Hell yes, I am strong. But if I fall for Zach and he leaves, isn’t it another example that I’m not worth the trouble?

“How’s Jesse doing?” Ava asks, snapping me back to our conversation.

“Okay, I guess? He’s lost interest inWinter Games.”

She gives me a pained look. “But he was so close to finishing.”

“Since the accident, it’s like his focus has changed.”

“Some of that is normal.” Her mouth scrunches in thought, like she’s recalling one of her physiology lectures.

“Mom sent his ticket. He’s leaving on the fifteenth.”

“Oof,” Ava says. “That’s soon. How are you feeling about it?”

“He’s excited.”

“Any signs of… you know?”

I shake my head. The missing drone is a red flag, but that’s the only one since the accident.

“He agreed to watch Linnie for me on Friday.”

“Oh yeah, for your gig with Mr. Lennox, right?” Ava asks. “Dean Coulter’s in town. Maybe he’s here to meet with him.”

“Doesn’t Coulter specialize in action flicks?”

“Maybe Teague Lennox is going to be the next Jason Bourne.” Her eyes get dreamy.

I give her a smirk. “Does Hutch know you have a crush on a movie star?”

Her cheeks flush a pale pink. “Of course Hutch knows. I share everything with him.”

Ava and Hutch have been tight since fifth grade when he beat up the jerk who kept stealing her lunch. In high school, she’s the only reason he passed biology class. When she left for college, he happened to get stationed nearby, and when he gets leave, Ava is the first person he texts.

“Does he share stuff like that with you?” I ask.

The employee bus crests the rise and cruises into the loop.

Ava frowns. “I don’t think he gets crushes.”

We climb aboard the bus and take seats in the back like a couple of rebels.

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