Page 24 of Whirlwind

“Wait, are you the chasers who got sucked up?”

Finley flushes, and I curse the chasing network for being so goddamn mouthy. I’m glad that it hasn’t gotten out what chasers were caught in the storm. The last thing I need is the internet and every person I know texting me asking what happened, why the great “Twister Tamer” almost got him and his student killed.

“We didn’t get sucked up,” Finley says. “We’re still here, aren’t we?”

“Well, shit! I was wondering why you two looked roughed up. Thought maybe it was from a kinky roll in the hay.”

“Joseph!” I bark. My eyes narrow at him in the rearview mirror, but not before I notice the way Finley’s mouth parts in shock. She recovers quickly and closes it before shooting a glare at both Joeyandme.

He chuckles and holds up his hands. “Sorry, sorry. I’m only teasing. Didn’t mean to make you both uncomfortable.”

“Sure you didn’t,” she chides, though I can hear a lightness in her voice. I know it’s there because she doesn’t want Joey to get suspicious. And truthfully, I don’t know if he was serious or just being Joey.

I got to know him fairly well during our chases with Channel 5. He thrives on teasing and being, well, Joey. Normally, I find him funny and a bit charming, but not when his antics have to do with Finley. It makes me think we’re being too obvious, and I take a mental note to pull her aside later and talk with her. If we’re going to get through this chase, we can’t continue on like this, even if I’m the one who made it this way.

Joey chuckles at Finley then pops his head between our seats like a gopher. “Are you going to tell me what it was like?! I mean, hell, you two survived a twister and lived to tell the tale!”

“Windy,” Finley says.

Joey hoots and smacks his leg, and I can’t help but smile. “Windy?!” he presses. “That’s it?”

“Windy and loud.”

Joey bellows harder then smacks me on the shoulder. “See, Fin, this is why Ryker here is a Tornado Daddy. If you had been with anyone else, I’d bet you’d be in Oz by now. His striking good looks made that Wicked Witch go easy on you.”

I narrow my eyes at him through the mirror again. “We got lucky. That’s all.”

“I don’t know; maybe Joey’s right.” I dare a quick glance at Finley, mouth agape at her words. She smirks. “You are very pretty.”

Joey barks and holds up his hand so Finley can smack it in a loud high-five, then he grips my shoulder and jostles me. “This weekend is going to befunnnnn. Don’t you agree, T-Daddy?”

I grip the steering wheel and shake my head. “Only if you stop calling me that.”

“Got it. I’ll keep it to Tornado Daddy then.”

Finley giggles sweetly, and once again, I’m reminded of how nice it sounds. And that Joey is the one making her laugh. Fucking Joseph.

“How do you two know each other?” I ask, both to change the subject and because the green-eyed monster in me needs to know if there was ever something between them. They are very relaxed around one another. It could mean they’re good friends, but it could mean something else, too.

“Sharkie and I were college pals.”

I eye Joey in the rearview again, and he’s smiling like he knows why I’m asking. Or maybe I’m simply paranoid.

“We were lab partners our freshman year and found out we were both into storm chasing,” Finley says.

I shouldn’t be jealous of that, but I am. A part of me wishes I’d known Finley then. That I was in Joey’s shoes instead of my own. It would be a lot easier for us if that were the case.There wouldn’t be our age difference or the little fact that I’m her professor.

“Fin and I were partners in crime for a long time,” Joey says. “Our meteorology professor hated us!”

“I’m scared to ask why.”

Joey practically bounces in his seat and rubs his hands together. “Can I tell him, Fin-Fin?”

I bite my cheek at the ridiculous names he’s using for her. He’s like a kid hyped up on too much sugar, but Finley finds it endearing like I did before now. Once more, jealousy licks at the back of my throat, and I attempt to push it down.

“If you must.” She sighs playfully.

Joey sticks his head between the seats again. “He was giving a lecture and said that mesocyclones always form in the forward flank downdraft region of the supercell, where the strongest updrafts occur.”

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