“I’m sorry to hear about Max,” Rip offers.
Owen “Max” Maxwell. Her soulmate. Her one true love. He followed her to Alaska as soon as he could. They were supposed to get married, but he was killed in an accident.
Camellia nods. “Thank you. But that was a long time ago.”
“I can’t even imagine,” Rip continues. “What a freak accident too! Jumping into a wildfire zone, and your parachute doesn’t open? I think that’s my worst nightmare!”
“Oh, yeah, it’s not great,” Camellia folds her arms and tries to make herself as small as possible.
“Rip, maybe now’s not the time,” I caution.
“I mean so many freak accidents from our team,” Rip barrels on. “I think wearecursed.”
Camellia gives him a pained smile. “If you’ll excuse me.”
She slips away, headed toward the restroom.
“What the fuck, man?” I punch Rip in the arm.
He rubs the spot. “Geez, CHIEF. Lighten up. I’m simply pointing out that nearly all of our Flame Jumper teammates are dead. We have to be cursed.”
I point at him. “Okay, smart guy. If we’re cursed, what’s yours?”
“Cursed with being awesome,” Rip grins, then saunters over to a group of fire widows.
I sigh and head toward the bathroom hallway. I hear someone swearing a blue streak and punching the paper towel dispenser inside.
Camellia might have the nickname “Hothouse,” but a better one might be “Hot Head.”
I knock on the door. “Everything all right in there?”
The cursing and punching stop. I push the door open. Camellia is hunched over the sink, splashing water on her face.
“What did those paper towels ever do to you?”
She stands and rolls her eyes at me, water still streaming down her face. Even like this, my heart swells. There’s not a day that goes by that I wish I made different decisions twenty years ago.
Camellia opens her mouth to no doubt give me a smart-ass answer when there’s a pounding on the door.
“Yo, Chief, if you’re done reapplying your makeup, there’s a guy out here who wants to speak to you,” Rip bellows through the door.
“What’s he want?” I yell back.
“Says he wants to confess,” Rip answers with a snicker. “Says he killed Nimble.”
