“Rescue her?”
I wipe the sweat from my forehead with my forearm. “Something like that.”
“Your hero complex is showing, Riggsby.”
I laugh, sharp and humorless. “Well, it bit me in the ass last night.”
Levi slides a can from his pocket and pulls out a pouch, slipping it behind his lip.
“Shit’ll kill you,” I mock.
He chuckles. “Haven’t you heard? The new theory is that nicotine is actually good for you.”
I roll my eyes. “You ever feel like you’re trapped out at sea, and no matter how hard you paddle, you’re left in the same spot?”
“I’m a single dad; I feel like I’m drowning every day.”
Levi doesn’t give himself enough credit. He never let becoming a teen dad—hell, a single one at that—stand in his way. He stepped up to the plate when his daughter needed him. Even through high school, he was a dad first—skipping games and nights out to be home with his daughter or picking up extra shifts at his parents’ feed store. After he graduated from high school, he took classes to become a firefighter. He’s worked his way up in the ranks, but through it all, he always shows up for Audrey. Not to mention, he’s created his own family for himself and his daughter. He might feel like he’s drowning, but fromthe outside looking in, he’s the type of parent I aspire to be. And maybe, one day, I’ll get the chance.
“I was pissed when Wren came back to town. How dare she after all this time, right? But then, we were forced to be around each other, and I thought, shit, maybe this is our second chance.” I pull my cap from my head, running my fingers through my wild, damp locks. “She was pregnant.”
Levi’s eyes bug out. “Pregnant?”
“With our kid.”
“Jesus. You two can’t catch a fucking break.”
“No shit.” I dig a mint from my pocket, needing something to do. “Her birth date was yesterday. While she was grieving the loss of our child, where was I?”
Levi drags a hand over his face, shock and pain written all over it.
I shake my head. Everything I touch turns into pain. I never had a chance to love our daughter before the world was ripping her from me, but I would’ve loved her. I would have fought like hell to get back to Wren. But it doesn’t matter now.
“I would’ve stepped up.”
“Of course you would have. You’re a great guy, Jett.”
The distant sound of an engine roaring draws my attention. In the distance, I watch as a red four-wheeler speeds through the field. Cupping my hand over my eyes, I squint, trying to make out who’s heading this way.
“Heath and…” I trail off.
“Baker?” Levi questions.
Heath’s smile nearly takes over his face as he skids the four-wheeler to a stop next to my ATV. Baker flies into his back before he’s playfully punching him as he jumps off.
“You’re the worst driver,” Baker grumbles, wiping the dust off his shirt.
I nod toward them. “Talk later,” I tell Levi, letting him know I’m dropping this topic.
“Question…” Heath strides over, jumping right into his story.
“Here we go,” Levi grumbles.
“So do you think the department will get any complaints for a wardrobe malfunction?”
Levi stands straighter. “What’d you fucking do?”
“Got a call in town about a cat in a tree…”
