Page 9 of Feverburn

“Hey, buddy!”her voice cooed as she ruffled the hair around his neck and under his ears. He opened his mouth in pure happiness, pawing her tits and torso.

“I’m so sorry. He’s trained not to do that. Kiszka down.”

“Wait, his name is Kiszka?”she asked, kneeling to pet him. “Like the dudes from Greta?”She looked up at me, rearing her head back to avoid awettongue on her chin from myrude-ass dog. I opened my mouth to answer, but my brain was buffering.“Kiszka like the last name of some of the guys in the band Greta Van Fleet, right?”

“I’m impressed you knew that.”I cleared my throat.“I heard it and thought it sounded cool. Ilovetheir stuff. That Jake guy is abeaston the guitar.”

A smile lit up her beautiful face.“His riffs on‘Safari Song’are my favorite. Theyticklemy brain just right. I’m a Danny girl myself. I dig the whole quiet guy thing.”She stood up while Kiszka ruffed his input. She made a face that made him spin in excitement as I stood distracted by how fucking attractive this was.

Gesturing down at Kizzy, she asked,“He’s a husky, right?”

“Thesheltersaid he was probably part malamute too, mostly a big floofy baby, huh boy?”I stared at my gray and white dog, watching his chocolate brown eyes turn her into mush.

“What agorgeousboy!”she said, making him do tippy taps with his feet, snuffing in his husky-like way of talking to her.“You are!”she said in agreement, then beamed at me.“If you ever need a dogsitter, I’m your girl.”She gave his head a final pat before heading up to her loft.

“Sounds good!”I yelled at her retreating figure. She was leaving too soon, and I was ogling like an idiot again. I looked back down at Kiszka only to see him twitch his ears.“You bastard!”I whispered-yelled, making him open his dopey mouth like he was innocent. I took him for a quick walk before leaving him to guard the store as I headed down the street to Tilly’s Tavern.

The pub quiz was one of the few things I enjoyed around town involving people. The tavern was one of the oldest establishments in Pine Bluff. Once inside, my eyes adjusted to the cavernous interior of dark woods, brick walls, and thick beams overhead. Booths and tables lined the outside perimeter. Taxidermy animals hung on the walls, and a fireplace in the corner created a lodge-like feel.

I made my way around the U-shaped bar to my usual spot. Barrett and I liked to huddle in the corner by the kitchen, watching everyone like guard dogs. Besides my brother, he was the only man in town as big as me, hence the nickname Bear. He had a couple of inches on me, towering at six-foot six with a burly build. Above his medium-length beard, acne scars marked his tawny tan cheeks. His brown hair was in his usual man bun. If I had to guess, he pulled it off, but I still made fun of him and called him Khal Drogo occasionally. We were both 33 years old and had been lifelong friends since our dads fished together. We were never encouraged to leave Pine Bluff like some other guys. We agreed that being the oldest son was a burden in that way.

Bear looked meaner than shit until he smiled. The second that happened, you could tell he was a gentle giant. Little did the townspeople know we cried like bitches together over the movieThe Notebook. We also got drunk and had aTwilightmarathon at least once a year. Watching him cry when Edward left Bella in the forest inNew Moonwas hilarious. Then he’d make fun of me for crying when that creepy baby was born, and Edward gave lifeless Bella CPR.

Mostly, we just fished.

“Hey man,”he half-hugged me, slapping my back with amassivepaw.

“Hey, Bear,”I said, looking around as I sat on the stool.

“Good turnout tonight,”he mumbled, his sausage fingers gripping the handle of a beer stein.

“Yeah,”I said flatly, still thinking of Rosie’s quick exit.“You know my brother’s girlfriend, Kaylee?”

“Yeah, I towed her car when she crashed.”

“That’s right. So she moved to town a couple of months ago, and now she’s opening a coffee shop—”

“Coffee and crystals,”he corrected. I turned to look at him in disbelief.“What? You know Ilovegeology. Ihopeshe gets geodes I can crack open.”He slurped the foam off the top of his beer.

“Okay, you fucking caveman. She talked a friend into moving up here to run the coffee side of the business. My sister moved in with Meg and offered the loft above my store because housing is so shitty around here.”

“And the new girl is hot?”

“Yeah.”

His mouth pulled in consideration. “Kaylee is hot, so it makes sense that her friend is, too. That’s kind of theruleof things.”His simple way of putting things was both comforting andinfuriating at times.“And now you have a hot chick living above you.”

“Right, and she knew about Greta. Kizzy adores her. And she’s good at arguing with me, which I find so fucking attractive.”I rubbed my short beard while Bear chortled at my misery.

“What’s the big deal? Ask her out on a date. Then you won’t be tormented that she’s above your store. Probably touching herself directly above your office.”I jabbed him in the rib with my elbow, fighting a smile. I had already thought of that and liked that visual a little too much.“What’s her name?”he asked, leaning closer to hear my response.

“Ro…sie…”I said, staring at the door while she walked in with Kaylee giggling. It was the kind of magical girl laughter that filled the air and made yourheartthump faster because it sounded like audible dopamine. Bear followed my gaze, letting out a rumbling chuckle only toslapmy back so hard I shifted in my seat.

My brother Harley was holding the door open for them. He walked behind Kaylee protectively while they made their way to a booth. Seeing them together was almost too much to look at if you were single. It was too bright, too wholesome, like the sunrise when you’re hungover. Without a doubt, Kaylee was Harley’s person.

He felt my gaze and gave me a nod of recognition that I returned. Moments later, Dane slithered into the booth next to Rosie. My nostrils flared, watching him. Bear had to nudge me to order a beer because I wasn’t paying attention.

“I don’t think you have time to wait. It looks like Dane is already on the prowl,”Bear said.

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