Page 33 of Five Alarm Love
Edging away, she murmured, “Sure, sure.I’ll see you at the fish fry.”
Chapter Twelve
That Friday aroundfive p.m., Tuli steered ladder truck 1-4 down Yukon Valley’s main street, creeping toward the Salmon Festival.The parade ended at the school, and he could almost smell the seasoned salmon from here.He waved and smiled, turning on the siren, much to the squealing delight of the kids lining the route.
He checked the phone mounted on the dashboard.Yep, it was still filming out the front window.
When they stopped for a moment, he flipped the camera and gave a few lines of commentary that he’d edit into a post later tonight.
The brightly decorated fish-themed float in front of him started moving again, and he eased off the brake with more of a jolt than he had wanted.Damn it.The repeated press of his foot on the pedal had worsened the numbness and now the weakened muscles shook.He rubbed his leg.
“You okay?”Hunter asked from the passenger seat where he threw out huckleberry candies to waiting kids.
Like Tuli truly would give that guy any more ammo.“Absolutely fine.”He rested his hand on the steering wheel.
Letting out a gusty, satisfied breath, Hunter said, “Don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to this evening.Visiting with friends and family.All good.”
The way he emphasizedfamilyagain made Tuli flinch.Probably a subconscious response given his lack thereof.
Tuli would be nice to him.Personal feelings aside, Hunter was still on probation, training to be a full member of the Yukon Valley Fire Department.Tuli was his boss.He needed to remain civil and continue training the guy.That was literally Tuli’s job.Frankly, he needed the help in the thinly staffed department.“Me too.Grandma Ruth has been cooking up a storm.”
“Uh, yeah.The food should be good too.”
“Anything you’re looking forward to this evening?”
Obviously, the guy wanted to say more, but Tuli didn’t like responding to conversation lobs.
It took exactly two more tossed handfuls of candy for Hunter to lean back into the vehicle and spill.He looked over at Tuli and sniffed.“The real reason?I’m this close to getting the mining supervisor job.”
“Sounds good,” he mumbled.
“You bet it’s good, bro.I’ll be raking in the money.”
“What’s your experience again?”
“Trained in the field while I was away from Yukon Valley.Time to cash in on a good education.”
Every conversation with this guy was like a million little paper cuts.
“Say, you got a thing for Louise?”
Where’d that come from?
Tuli muttered, “You ever hear about privacy?”
In fact, he had hoped to see Lou at the festival and catch up with her.Not just out of personal relationship interest.Tuli might not be as close of a friend with her as years ago, but he still could tell that something had been bothering her the past few weeks.He wanted to help.Maybe she was hiding something?Hard to tell.
Tuli, the most public face of Yukon Valley, wasn’t the expert in privacy.He rested his hand on his traitorous, shaking leg.
Some things needed to be private.He, of all people, could appreciate that fact.
Hunter reached into the bucket with his meaty hand and gave a piercing whistle out the window before throwing more candy to the screaming kids.
The school came into view, with tents set up on the fields and a bonfire already going, even though it was another few hours before twilight.Days stayed long here into fall, and people took advantage of the extra light.
He pulled up to the parking area.Thank God he could stop pushing the truck’s pedals with his quaking leg.
“She’s family, and I protect family, you know.”
