Page 94 of When the Smoke Clears

“Dying,” she says.

I nod several times. Nope. I’m not crying in front of her. Life sucks too much to let her see me like this. “I gotta go.” I head toward the door. “We’ll leave around one, if you want to go hiking.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Everleigh

“Oh, hey, Everleigh,” Jamie says, opening the door. Her expression doesn’t convey expectancy. “What’s up?”

“Will invited me hiking. Is that okay?”

Jamie glances over her shoulder at the crew gathered in the living room. Maren and Ozzy. Fitz. And Will, who looks almost as surprised to see me as Jamie does.

“Uh”—he shakes his head as if his thoughts need to be rattled to life—“yeah. I stopped by her property this morning to check out the barn. And I mentioned the hike and offered to let her tag along.”

I’m not sure he can handle his dad’s impending death and his friends thinking he has feelings for me. So I help him out.

“I sort of invited myself. He didn’t have much of a choice.” I shrug, stepping onto the burnt orange entry rug so Jamie can close the door.

Will studies me through slightly squinted eyes, back against the linen gray wall beside the white stone-framed fireplace. A fall garland that matches the door’s wreath lines the mantel.

I can’t stop myself from imagining what our place would look like during the holidays. Would we decorate it like Jamie has done, or would we spend too much time gaming to care about decorations?

“I’m proud of you, Will.” Maren pats his back. “You’ve made amends with your past, and things don’t have to be so awkward. I’m glad you invited Everleigh.”

Jamie eyes me with distrust.

“Those are cute socks,” I say, nodding to her pink-and-purple wool socks.

“Oh, thanks,” she says, falling for the distraction. “Fitz got them for me this morning.”

“Fitz is a good man.”

“He really is.” She holds out her hand as if he’ll let her pull him from the sofa.

Instead, he hooks his arm around her waist and hugs her. My heart somersaults when he kisses her tiny baby bump.

I want that. A man who adores me and buys me cute wool socks. Instead, I’ve fallen for a tortured firefighter who keeps me at arm’s length.

“Everleigh!” Lola calls, barreling into the living room. “Thanks for the ice cream. You’re the coolest.”

“I’m glad you got it. I think your dad was eyeing it pretty hard.” I smile at Ozzy.

“I was making sure Maren didn’t eat it all.” Ozzy laughs for two seconds before Maren elbows him. I love their playful relationship, and the way Ozzy looks at Maren and Lola like he’s the luckiest guy in the world.

Lola parks her hands on her hips and cocks her head. “Are you Will’s girlfriend now?”

“Lola, no! Jeez, stop.” Maren laughs, pulling Lola in for a forced hug. “She’s just a friend.”

Will winks at Lola. “Sweet pea, Everleigh is too smart for me. Just like you’re too smart for all the boys who will want to date you.”

She rolls her eyes. “My dad said I can’t date until I’m thirty.”

Everyone laughs.

“Your dad is smart.” Will playfully tugs on her braided pigtails. I love the way he adores her.

“We only need to take two cars,” Fitz says. “Will, you can ride with us, and Everleigh can ride with them, unless you want to ride with Everleigh?”