Page 74 of Burning for Alexander
Just then, Legacy’s sexiest fire chief walked in to pick up a large to-go order for his crew. As he caught sight of the four of us sitting at a nearby table, he up-nodded casually and said, “Marians,” and then continued to the counter as if nothing was amiss.
As if my body part hadn’t been inside of his body part early this morning.
I swallowed. “I have a lover in Spokane.”
My sister and cousins’ heads swiveled toward me, and I could have sworn the chief’s head tilted.
“Spo… kane,” Ella said. “That’s an eight-and-a-half-hour drive from here.”
Lennon’s face dipped into a thoughtful frown. “No wonder you look like shit. More driving than fucking.”
Judd’s shoulders crunched forward slightly like he was holding back a laugh.
“No, not Spokane,” I snapped. “I always get them mixed up.”
“Emigrant,” the chief coughed.
“Emigrant,” I said quickly. “Emigrant. Two hours over the mountains, that’s all.”
Ella stared at me. “You mix up Emigrant and Spokane?”
Rosie looked confused. “Doesn’t Emigrant have like three people in it? How do I even know the name?”
Lennon was more generous. “Good barbecue in Emigrant. I can see the appeal.”
I sat up and stretched my neck. “So anyway. Enough said.What about your love life, Ella? Papa said he’s planning on setting you up for the wedding. It’s either that or he’s inviting Britt Schmidt. Your choice.”
That was enough to change the subject. My sister’s pompous ex was always good for a healthy rant session, and there was nothing Ella was more hypocritical about than the family messing in her own love life. She’d do anything to avoid talking about the guy who’d been an on-again, off-again rollercoaster of drama.
When we were finally finished and we all went our separate ways, I made a beeline for Kincaid’s place. After I got there and let myself in with the key he left, I sent Tavo a quick text.
I’m out for the night and if my nosy family wants to know my comings and goings, tell them I’m in Emigrant.
Tavo
I feel like this is a racial joke which is unexpected coming from you.
It’s a town on the other side of the Absarokas.
Tavo
Why are you going there?
I’ll tell you when you get a little older.
Tavo sent me back a laughing emoji and an eggplant emoji.
I took a long, hot shower in Kincaid’s bathroom, reveling in the fact that I was done with work for the day and had the entire house to myself.
We didn’t know each other well enough for me to even consider poking around in his things. Kincaid had trusted me with access to his place, and I didn’t want to fuck up that trust by being nosy. So after the shower, I grabbed a pair of his pajama pantsfrom the dresser where I’d already seen they lived and slid into his big bed. The sheets and pillowcases smelled like his citrus bodywash, and the familiar scent lulled me half to sleep right away.
From my spot on the bed, I could see into the partly open closet, where a well-worn ball cap sat on a shelf. The words were hard to make out, but it looked like it saidSummer Song. There was something familiar about that.
It reminded me of a poem I’d read… and something else. But I was already half-asleep, cradled and comforted by the scent and warmth of Judd Kincaid. And the rest of my efforts to remember were lost to slumber.
22
KINCAID
