Page 39 of Love in the Time of Wildfires

???

Logan

Is that your nickname?

Have you been obsessing over this the whole time??? Lol.

Logan

Why won’t you tell me?

I moved across the state in order to have a fresh start and not have this nickname follow me. Why would I already go back?

Logan

I thought you moved for a fox.

That was one reason among many. I’m not as single-minded as you think. Btw, the museum got a new batch of T-shirts, and one of them had a fox, so I had to buy it.

Logan

Send me a pic.

River took a picture with her phone, adding it to their conversation.

Logan

That’s just the shirt on your couch. I wanted to see it on you.

You already have a picture of me. Why do you want another one??

He didn’t respond right away. There were several minutes of dots appearing and disappearing as he seemed to change his mind on what he wanted to write. She wondered how often he looked at her picture and if there was a particular reason he wanted it. She didn’t have the guts to ask. How lonely did it get for firefighters camped out in the middle of nowhere for several weeks?

She’d already returned his picture to the refrigerator. A couple corners had gotten bent when she’d rushed to stuff it down her pants. Why hadn’t she thought to stuff it down her shirt? Everyone knew the sexiest place a woman could store anything was down the front of her shirt. That was definitely a wasted opportunity.

Logan

Is your nickname Foxy?

Why would you ask that? Is it because you think I’m foxy?

Logan

No.

Logan

No—I mean...that’s not why I think that’s your nickname. You know why.

I have no idea what you’re trying to say. I’m sobbing into my sofa.

Logan

You’re extremely aggravating.

Logan

Fine. You’re foxy. Happy?