I glanced in surprise at the gruff rancher, barely stoppingbefore running him over. “Shit, sorry, Lennon. Wasn’t watching where I was going.”
He waved off the apology. “Glad I ran into you. Rosie said she already told Maya, but I wanted to be sure and invite you to Christmas at Marian Lodge. But just so you know, my family willallbe there this year.” He shrugged and shot an amused glance at me. “Don’t say you weren’t warned.”
I laughed. “Thanks. I’d imagine we’ll head that way like we always do. Appreciate the invite.”
As I stood back to let him by, Lennon’s amusement turned into a full grin. “And bring your boyfriend if you want.”
I stared after him but he was down the street and into his dually before I had a chance to sputter out an answer.
When I turned back to the store, I caught Maya grinning at me.
“This your handiwork?” I asked, thumbing over my shoulder in Lennon’s direction as I stepped inside. “Because you know telling people Adrian and I are a thing is a lie, and Sullivans don’t lie.”
Maya tapped her finger on her lips as if in thought. “That’s funny, because my darling brother lied to me last night about where he was.”
“Did not. I told you I’d be out late. And I was.”
She tilted her head. “Late. Is that what we’re calling sunrise? Huh. Maybe you’re right.” She turned back to the register and pretended to straighten a little stack of town maps on the counter. “You know what bothers me the most about this, Maddie?”
I could tell by her lack of eye contact she trulywasbothered by whatever she was getting ready to say. I steadied myself and braced for it. “What?”
“You talk a big game about howIdeserve to be loved. How Ishould give people a chance to change, a chance to do the right thing. You taught me that relationships make life richer and that I shouldn’t let Mom and Dad’s death scare me off of getting close to people.”
I felt the arrow strike true and bury deep.
She took a deep breath and met my eyes. “If Sullivans don’t lie, I wish you’d stop lying to yourself, Maddie. It’s not just hurtingyouanymore.”
Before I could say anything, the door jingled open, bringing a group of our local search and rescue experts in search of bonfire skewers for s’mores. They were joking around about the fire chief finally having a hot date and how they were planning to go out of their way to make sure the guy got laid.
Maya rolled her eyes and disappeared into the back room, so I shucked off my coat and took her place behind the register.
“So,” I said, trying to make friendly small talk. “Chief Kincaid has a date? I’m guessing he and Alex Marian are finally going to admit they’re not quite the adversaries they think they are?”
Gus blinked at me. “Kincaid and Alex?” He laughed. “Nah, man. Chief’s thing is with someone from out of town. But I’ll be sure and give him hell about Alex. Can you even imagine? Hehatesthat guy.”
They were checked out and halfway back to the firehouse before I realized the “out-of-towner” they’d meant.
I poked my head in the back room and found Maya leaning back in an old chair, scrolling on her phone. “Hey, you happen to know anything about this bonfire tonight?”
She glanced up at me. “Yeah, Adrian’s going on a date with the fire chief. I thought he wanted you to film it, but maybe not.” She shrugged and went back to scrolling.
“You talked to him about it? When?”
This time, Maya didn’t bother looking up. “When he came to get his keys. Hey, did you know that man has never seenDie Hard? Did he grow up Amish or something?”
I blinked at her. It was true what they said about teenagers. They flashed from childish to mature-as-fuck and back again like a compass sitting next to a bag of magnets.
“He said he wanted me to film another date?” I prompted.
Maya pursed her lips. “Well, I asked if he did, but he got kind of… squirrelly. It’s not one of his twelve fake dates, I don’t think.” She shrugged again.
Not a fake date?
I scowled. “Wait, are you sure it wasn’t for the project?”
She sighed. “Look, all I know is that Chief Kincaid asked him out, and it’s not part of the Nordique thing. The two of them are going to a bonfire and making s’mores together.”
“And hedidn’twant me to film it?” I asked in surprise.
