“I’m already there,” I whisper to the night. “You’ve lit the match, firecracker. I’m just trying not to get us both burned.”
Ember’s ginger cat winds around my ankle with a low meow. The white one sits in her window, unblinking, judging me as if it knows every sin I’ve just committed.
“Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking.” I push off the truck. “It’s better this way. She’s safer hating me.”
Chapter Seven
SERA
JoeyJo: What happened with the chief?
Hellzz: The fire chief?
Tammany: What other chief do you know around here?
Russ: Sera, are you alive?
Arlene: Sera must still be in bed
Hellzz: With the chief?
JoeyJo: The way he hoisted her over his shoulder last night, I’d say so, yeah.
Arlene: Wait. She dated his son.
Russ: She likes to keep it in the family.
JoeyJo: Sharing is caring.
I’m here. Alive. Barely.
I rub my eyes and wipe the drool from my cheek as I sit up in bed. Last night’s clothes crumpled on my bedroom floor, a reminder of how I embarrassed myself. Again.
Tammany: I need all the tea.
Russ: Did the chief set your world on fire?
JoeyJo: Or did he just leave you smouldering?
Hellzz: Smouldering, definitely. Girl’s still smoking.
More like burnt to a crisp.
Arlene: At least he didn’t leave you on read.
Oh no, he did worse—he left me breathing.
Russ: That’s dark.
So was last night.
JoeyJo: Soooo… when are you seeing him again?
Never. Hopefully.
Russ: Did he finally kiss you or just scold you?
Tammany: Knowing him, probably both.
