Hanlon
As soon as Stone is out of earshot, I can tell Logan is vibrating with questions, so I speak up to head him off. I’m sure it will leave him with more questions, but I’m hoping it’ll also prevent him from asking them.
“Please don’t use me to antagonize him.”
“I’ve never seen anyone get under his skin as much as you do, and I give it a valiant effort every day,” Logan muses. “He’s not really an asshole; he’s just been off since…” he trails off and very obviously switches tracks. “I mean, heisan asshole,but he’s a good teacher, and you’ll learn a lot. I just wish I knew why he was so uptight around you.” Almost as an afterthought, he adds, “Maybe he thinks you’re hot.”
“Ohmygod, please never say that again.”
“Interesting,” Logan muses.
“What’s interesting?” I ask, wishing Stone would come back soon.
“He said something similar when I suggested the same thing to him in the car on the way here.”
My eyes bug out of my head. “WHAT?Seriously, Logan,back off,” I say, panicked, forgetting that my internship is partly in Logan’s hands as well as Stone’s. “I mean, just let it go. Please.”
“Do you know each other?” Logan asks,notdropping it.
“No,” I say. And that’s the truth, isn’t it? I might’ve known Stone at one time, but I sure as hell don’t know him now. I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose as Logan begins speaking again, but he stops abruptly, and I feel the pleather bench seat dip with Stone’s weight.
“Oh, thank God,” I mutter at his return.
“If he’s glad I’m back, you obviously didn’t keep your mouth shut while I was gone,” Stone says to Logan, who’s shoveling a giant forkful of barbecue in his mouth as he shrugs.
“I’ll figure it out eventually,” Logan says with a smirk.
Finally, Stone snaps.
“JesusChrist, man! Hanlon is my brother, okay? Are you satisfied?”
“I’m yourstepbrother,” I clarify. “And it isn’t like we’re close. Hell, we’ve barely spoken in the last several years,” I say, turning to Logan. “I don’t want anyone thinking I got this internship because we’re related.”
“You’re hisbrother?” Logan exclaims. “I didn’t even know youhada brother! Oh God, this is delicious.”
“Stepbrothers,” I repeat at the same time Stone says, “Enough from you.”
Shockingly,Logan kept his promise and hasn’t told anyone about Stone and me being related, but he definitely gets a jab in every time no one is around. Originally, I liked Logan because he reminded me of Chase, but Logan is definitely far more annoying.
He hasno off switch.
And this morning, I’m running on three hours of sleep thanks to theget-togethermy roommates hosted last night. I mean, they seem like nice people, but they’re obviously using their internship as an excuse to party…and party they do. Thankfully, theymostlykeep it to Friday and Saturday nights, but I think I’ve gotten a collective seven hours of sleep the past two weekends.
By the time the fourth week rolls around, I’m dead on my feet and look the part. It doesn’t help that the patrol shift starts at four-thirty on blasting days…like today.
“Whoa there, Clark Kent,” Logan says, using the nickname he gave me as I stumble into the office, guzzling my coffee. “Rough weekend?”
“Every weekend is rough living with those guys,” I tell him honestly. Too tired to keep my answers stoic and uncomplaining.
“You wanna ride in the helicopter today?” he asks. “It’ll wake you up. Besides, it’s about time. I’ve been telling Stone we need to get you up there, but he keeps putting it off.”
Adrenaline shoots through my system. I admit, it works to perk me up, but more so out of fear than excitement. And there’s something else there, too. Could that be a twinge ofgratitudeI feel for Stone trying to protect me? I mean, sure, I’m annoyed on principle because I don’twanthim to protect me…but he already did it, so I might as well be a little thankful.
As if hearing his name summoned him, Stone walks out of his office in his usual uniform of black Gore-Tex snow pants and red hoodie. A disturbing thought immediately enters my mind.From the helicopter, Stone would look like a drop of blood if he were lying on the mountainside.
“I told you, he’s not going up,” Stone says, eyeing Logan with unmasked fury.
Logan is completely unfazed. “I mean, hehasto go up at some point. Kid’s studying avalanches. It’s better to see them from up there than down below. Of course, the same can’t be said for you.” Logan winks at Stone, and I stare in disbelief.
