Page 18 of Five Alarm Love
With a shrug, Hunter pushed off and walked over to the other firefighters and law enforcement personnel, slapping them on their backs and laughing too loudly.
Tuli fought to keep his jaw from dropping.
This idiot.Yukking it up in front of him.With Lou.
Tuli could have stepped in and diverted the attention.
Instead, he, Tuli, social media influencer, total specimen, and Yukon Valley fire chief, had stood there like a limp fire hose.
Lou looked up with a forehead-wrinkling, perplexed, and sheepish expression.
Recovering from the blow to his ego, he focused on her.“You okay with that, Lou?I mean, he’s family and all, but…” Didn’t take a rocket scientist to know how much Hunter’s friendship with Ryan must have felt like a betrayal.
For a split second, he had wanted to cram his fist through Hunter’s face.Tuli wasn’t a violent guy, but for the right reason, he would make an exception.
Lou shrugged.“Maybe it’ll be fun catching up again.Old times and all.”Every word fell like a dagger into his chest.“It’s okay.”
“If it’s not, you can always call me.I’ll come up with an excuse for you to leave.”
That relieved smile lit up the night.He could survive for weeks on a genuine smile from Lou.“I know,” she said.
He wanted to say more.
What else was there?He’d been outmaneuvered by the Brad Pitt of the Yukon Valley Fire Department.The guy was her first cousin, but somehow, he’d still scooped Tuli right in front of him.
It was Tuli’s own fault.His own insecurities held him back, and he knew it.
Problem was, he couldn’t snap his fingers and make his family history go away.He couldn’t blink his eyes and have two normal legs and a million dollars.And Tuli needed all of those things sorted out before he felt that he could be the man that a quality person like Lou deserved.
When he didn’t say anything more, Lou shook her head, got in the ambulance and, with a small wave, drove off.
He turned back to his truck, stumbling on the gravel.
Chapter Seven
The following day,Lou sat on the banks of the Yukon River, her fishing line in the water next to Hunter’s, counting down the minutes before this meetup was over.The early September afternoon warmth still lingered, with temperatures in the sixties, but at least mosquito season had ended.No way would she be in short sleeves without DEET if the bugs were swarming.
Hunter stood up tall to recast his line with a dramatic flip of his arm and a big exhale, then sat back down with a satisfied nod.
She suppressed a sigh, then glanced over to make sure he hadn’t noticed.
Objectively, her cousin Hunter was a nice enough guy who’d been a star football player when he was a grade behind her in high school.He might be related to her and a bit of a mess, but he was a persistent mess who, for some reason, wanted to catch up.She hated having to say no to anyone.Hated conflict.
This situation was extra icky.Hunter was also Ryan’s friend and had returned to town last year, right in time for the end of her relationship.Which, fine, that didn’t make Hunter the culprit, but he did carry some blame for the damage to her reputation, at least by association with her ex.How much did he know about her failed relationship details?Seemed like the whole town knew way too much after Ryan got finished blabbing.At least Ryan had left for work in Fairbanks, and she didn’t have to see him around town.
To think she had once liked him.Before she figured out what a jerk he was.
Stop it.Not all men were like her ex.
An image of a certain guy with a shock of dark, thick hair and a playful smirk came to mind.She chuckled to herself.Then there were guys like Tuli who couldn’t navigate their way through a basic social situation, but that didn’t make them bad.
“You’re smiling.Great day, huh?”Hunter said.
Lou’s face warmed.“Mm-hmm.”
“I should bring your dad out here to cast a line or two.Spend some time with him.Pal around more.”
Okay, weird.First of all, Lou was acutely aware that she wasn’t the son her dad had always wanted, and neither was Gordy.Hey, life happened.
