Page 29 of Ignite

“You’ve never lied to me. Don’t start now. Everyone can see the spark between the two of you. Let that ignite and he’ll be signing up for everything, just to make you happy. No one will invoke the clause.”

“I doubt it.”

“Trust me.” Reece hugged me again before changing the subject, “Now when are we going to have another party out at your property.”

“Um, when Wildfire recovers after the last one.” I shot Bailey an evil look and he tried to cover his eyes. “Who lets off fireworks around horses?”

“In my defense, it was only a small one. I thought it was a dud.”

“I had to sleep out there for a week to calm them down.”

“Had to?” Reece cocked an eyebrow. “Or were you looking for an excuse?”

“Fine. I wanted to camp out there.” My property and horses were my safe place. Every few months I needed a technology detox and my horses. They understood me like no humans had. Cider especially could sense my moods and was always up for a good huzzle. “Now, hand me a dart because I need to stab something.”

Chapter 10

What Happens Out Of Town

“Anotherday,anotherheatwaveas we complete another month without rain. Is saving water a reason to shower together? This radio station is all about the love and the love of saving water. So, call in and share your best water-saving tips.”

Ethan

FML.

I strode out of the pub and started the jog back to my townhouse, cutting through laneways and the golf course so no one would drive by and offer me a lift.

I should get a large fucking tattoo across my forehead because it couldn’t be any plainer; my life sux.

We kissed.

She kissed me.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a first, last, or best kiss that had been better than the one I’d shared with Rylee. And it wasn’t even as if either of us had planned it. I’d dropped by because wild horses couldn’t appear to keep me away from her, and she’d been crying. From there, nature took its course, and we’d kissed.

And then, of course, the subject got around to me volunteering, so we’d argued.

I stopped jogging and bent over to catch my breath. Running after a full meal had been a fool’s errand and I refused to be spotted losing my dinner on the top of the ninth hole.

Why couldn’t the woman get it through her head that I wasn’t going to sign up for her precious, bloody Rural Fire Service? She was almost as bad as Reece and Korbin—telling me that I’d get my pick of pole bunnies to fuck if I just signed on the dotted line.

I wasn’t interested. Not if it was the only way to get to Rylee, and not if it lined my bed with notches I didn’t ask for or deserve.

If women only wanted to drop their panties because I wore a uniform, then I’d stick with the rugby league jersey and the captain’s arm-band. Reece, Trey, Korbin, and all the other studs could get their muffins down at the fire station or wherever the pole bunnies found them.

I wasn’t fucking interested in making the same mistakes as my father.

I refused to spend my life being everything to everyone, only to die poor, alone, and forgotten before my body had gotten cold. I’d watched my mother suffer while dad spread himself thin. I’d heard their arguments while she pleaded with him to go to the doctor for the persistent cough.

By the time he found time, he’d run out of time. And who had come to see him in hospital? Not one of the bastards who had cost him his life. Who came to his funeral? Only those who wanted to be seen to care. And who had to pick up the pieces and look after his widow and son?

I started off again, down the ninth hole and cut through the green toward the gate leading to my group of townhouses. If only I could stop my chain of thoughts. It was obvious who’d been left to look after my father’s widow and son—me.

That’s right. Me. I gave up my dreams and a chance to trial with the best team north of the border, because I couldn’t leave mum. I couldn’t even tell anyone about the offer because if she’d found out—

Even knowing what I knew now, I wouldn’t change a thing. Actually, knowing now how little time we’d have, I definitely wouldn’t change a thing. I didn’t regret one minute, or one dollar invested in ensuring my mother’s last years were the best I could give her.

So, no thank you Rylee Mettner, Reece Sinclair, or anyone else who wanted to have an opinion or pass judgment on my life choices. I wasn’t about to sign up and risk my life for a bunch of ungrateful strangers. Not when I’d been there, watched the movie, and knew how it ended.

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