Page 14 of Lit Up by My Brother's Best Friend

And that’s when I break down. “Oh my God, I’m a terrible person, Georgie. I can’t believe I said that. Who am I?” I’m sobbing into her shoulder.

“Love is always a risk, hunnie,” she says soothingly as she rubs my back.

And it hits me. I wipe my face and I step back from her embrace. “You’re right, Georgie. I’ve been willing to take all these stupid risks, but I haven’t been willing to take the greatest risk of all. I need to know what’s going on.”

“Ya, you do!”

“I’m going to go find him and demand an answer. Then I’ll know. Then I can move on.” For better or for worse.

Chapter 8

HUNTER

“Hit the lights, Nolan. I’m exhausted.” I slump back on the bed in the firehall, too tired to go home for this nap. We all got called in for a wildfire job that the chief didn’t want getting out of hand, and now pretty much the whole crew is here sleeping it off.

I can’t wait to go see my girl after the shitty morning I had. But I just need two minutes of shut-eye—

“Hunter!” A muffled voice booms.

No one can possibly need me right now. I pull the pillow over my head to block out the bellowing.

“Hunter!” I hear the voice again and it sounds decidedly female.

“Hunter!” Shit. That’s Sierra. What is she doing here? I’m not ready. I had plans. Plans will have to wait. I grab my sweats and throw them on, then yank open the door. She’s standing there with her hands on her grippable hips. That’s what I’m calling them after last night.

“What are you smirking at?” Gruffly, she calls me out and a collective ooooh fills the air from my crew. Damn it.

“You.” I have to answer honestly.

“Why are you laughing at me? Again.”

Oh. She’s pissed.

“You’re in for it now,” Nolan hollers at me.

“Shut it.” That’s the best I’ve got at the moment.

“Take it outside,” Eli groans. “Some of us are trying to sleep.”

“Sleep some other time. This looks like it’s about to be juicy.” I can hear the giddiness in Finn’s voice and don’t have to turn around to know he’s probably rubbing his hands back and forth. Like the tool that he is.

Before I can tell my whole crew to mind their fucking business, Sierra is up in my face.

“You left this morning without saying a word. I want to know why.”

Oh shit. She thinks I skipped out on her.

“It’s not like that.” I rush to say. “I swear. There was a wildfire—”

“Truth,” Finn shouts to back me up. I always knew that guy was a keeper.

“We just got back. I was going to take a quick nap because we’re exhausted—”

“Truth,” Finn shouts again.

“Thanks, man. I’ve got it.” I call back and he chuckles. Idiot.

“Anyway,” I rake my hand through my hair and pull out the note in my pocket that, shit, looks like my dog ate it and spat it out. And I don’t have a dog. “I started to make this.” I shove the crumpled and somehow soggy mess into her fingers.

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