Page 46 of Some Cowboys Brave the Flames

“Okay…” Mason drawled. “And?”

She dug her fingers into her hair. “And… have you forgotten how bad those fires were at the beginning of the season? Thatwas when everything was still at least a little wet. The news says this is the worst year for rainfall that we’ve had. It’s like a ticking time bomb. All that needs to happen is one idiot dropping a cigarette in the wrong place or a loose chain dragging against the asphalt for disaster to strike.”

His flat and yet smug expression softened. “Oh.”

“Yeah,oh.” She shook her head before throwing her hands into the air. “And no one seems to be worried that Ash will inevitably be called into the fray. No one cares that this could mean he gets seriously hurt.”

“Charlie—” he said softly.

“No! No. You can’t stand there and pretend to care when you haven’t cared for at least a month. You severed your friendship, and for what? Because you didn’t like that we found love?”

Mason grimaced, and his lips curled with disgust. “Please don’t say that.”

She folded her arms. “I love him, Mason. I care about him more than I’ve cared about anyone. And if he wasn’t your friend first, then you wouldn’t have cared at all.”

“That’s not true,” he ground out. “I’m mad because he took something from you that wasn’t his to take. When he kissed you?—”

“It was wrong. I know. But it’s in the past, and nothing else happened. It wasn’t even as bad as you’re trying to make it out to be. He barely even touched me.”

“He shouldn’t have touched you at all!” Mason’s voice rose, and then he sighed and ran a rough hand through his hair before he started pacing. “You’re too close to the situation for you to understand?—”

“I understand, Mason,” she said quietly, cutting him off. “I really do.”

“It sure doesn’t seem like you do.” His voice remained hard, and his agitation only grew. “When it happened, you should have told me.”

“And what would have happened? Would you have turned him into the sheriff? Would you have beaten him bloody? Because you already didthat!” Charlie’s self-control was slipping again. She had to take a deep, steadying breath in order to get back on track. “That’s not the point of this conversation. I’m not going to rehash what happened in the past. I didn’t feel violated. If I had, I would have told you.”

He shook his head, making it clear this was a hill he was prepared to die on.

She stared him down, unwilling to change her opinion as well. They were at an impasse. “Look, whether you want to rekindle the friendship you had with him is up to you. Regardless, you’re still a good guy, and you should be worried about him just like I am.”

Mason’s hard expression faltered. It was in that small moment she could see there might be a chance for the two friends to return to what they used to be—in time.

“I know that I shouldn’t be overthinking this,” Charlie said. “But I can’t help it. There’s this poisonous feeling I have in my gut, telling me that something bad is going to happen. I can’t explain it, and I don’t know what to do.” There, she’d said it. He was probably going to think she was crazy for her fears. Maybe he’d even suggest she get medicated for it.

And maybe that was her only option.

But at least she’d gotten it off her chest.

“Have you talked to Ash about this?” Mason asked.

Charlie’s sharp eyes narrowed, then she relaxed and sighed. He wasn’t being judgmental. This was Mason’s attempt to help her through whatever it was that she couldn’t shake. Nodding, she glanced away. “I did.”

“And what did he have to say about it?”

She shrugged.

“If you don’t tell me, I can’t say whether he was being full of it,” Mason said flatly.

“He said that he’s been trained. That there are protocols in place to ensure they don’t lose anyone. He also said that if he were to ever get seriously hurt, then it would be because he’d broken those rules.”

Mason snorted, and she gave him a concerned look.

“Was he lying?”

Her brother dragged a hand down his face. His muscles weren’t as tight as they’d been before. It was as if he’d told himself he had to accept what was going to happen between her and Ash whether he liked it or not. “He was telling the truth—about the protocols.” Mason gave her a side-eyed glance. “But Charlie, there’s no way to guarantee someone won’t get hurt on the job. Yes, they’re going to put those rules in place to help, but it’s not a sure thing. Accidents happen. That’s why businesses have worker’s comp insurance.”

Her stomach dropped, and he must have seen her reaction to his words because he sighed again.

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