Page 68 of Five Alarm Love
She jerked, like she’d been kicked in the gut.
“Hunter, shut up.Get out of here,” Tuli growled.He reached out, but she sidled away.“Lou, I’m—”
Her ears rang.Vision tunneled.Not again.“Not everything is meant to be broadcast.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“You never do.”She swallowed what felt like shards of glass.“You can’t help but be the person you are.”
“Why does that sound bad?”
“I have to go.”
As he stepped away from the vehicle, a girl ran up and tugged on Tuli’s sleeve.He glanced up at Lou with a worried expression, then turned to the child.Based on the animated movements and his smile in return, he was telling her all about firefighting.
His face gentled as he knelt with a wince to talk with the child on her level.
As she put the ambulance in gear and pulled away, something inside of Lou’s chest caught.Hard.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Damn the stupid,giant gaping hole in his face and his inability to stop words from coming out of it.
He wrapped up the impromptu firefighting discussion with a local kid and stood up with a suppressed groan.
It wasn’t Tuli’s fault that all he’d thought about since last night was Lou.The minute he saw her he wanted to check in with her.Make sure that they were okay.See her smiling face again.
That wasn’t his fault.
What was his fault?Time and place.Word choices.Volume.
And Hunter.Situational awareness would’ve helped.
“Well, well, Mr.Suave.Seems like you have some insider information on my cousin.Care to share?”Hunter cocked his head.
“Shut up.”
“Hey!”He held his hands up.“No need for workplace violence.I’m just making friendly banter.”
“Banter, my ass.”
Hunter studied him, eyes narrowed.“It’s you who stepped in moose poop.Not me, pal.”
“Back off.I’m not your pal,” he growled as he turned on his heel and stalked off toward the fire truck, catching himself when his right foot scraped on loose gravel.Damn it.Last thing he needed to add to this disaster was falling flat on his face in front of pretty boy.He stopped and turned toward Hunter.
Exaggerating his defensive hands-up stance for all to see, Hunter said, “Does Louise know you have anger issues?Seems like that info would be helpful when making an informed decision about her life choices.”
Tuli ground his molars until his jaw ached.
Hunter sneered at him.“Looks like even more doors are now open for me.”
“How’s that?”Tuli pretended to check the pump panels on the truck.
“Good thing I’ve been chatting up Uncle Steve.He likes me.Likes my new ideas to make money for the town and the corporation too.”
“Through the mine?”
“I have insider connections.”
