Playing With Fire (Firehouse Fourteen Book 2) (15 page)

Dave held up the bottle, showing her it was almost full. "No, I just came over to remind you about taking off for the camping trip. It's next week."

She swore under her breath, having completely forgotten about the trip. There was no way she was going, not now, not after everything that had happened. She opened her mouth to tell Dave that but was stopped from saying anything when Rick stopped beside her.

"Already taken care of, pal. Told you I'd make sure she was off."

Angie stared after him as he moved away, then turned a furious look to her brother. "You asked Rick to give me the time off?"

"Of course. I knew you'd forget, and that's what big brothers do."

"No, Dave, it's not. Dammit, why do you have to keep trying to run my life? Did you think that maybe I didn't want to go?"

He watched her, his eyes questioning, and she realized that, in his mind, he did nothing wrong. He took a swallow of his beer then shook his head, giving her a smile. "Of course you want to go. You've gone every year. It'll be fun, like always."

"Dave, I don't want to go. And I'm not—"

But the band started playing, drowning out her words, and Dave walked away without even acknowledging anything she had said.

She stared after him, the realization slowly dawning on her that she needed to take control of her life, because if she didn't, Dave would keep on doing it.

But she had no idea how to do it, not when everything she had tried so far had failed.

Well, no more. And she'd prove it by not going on that trip.

She couldn't go, for many reasons.

The biggest reason of all was Jay.

And Dave would not force her into changing her mind.

Vibrant greens whirled by, occasionally breaking to show a glimpse of valley, a flash of sunlight on deep green and brown below before coming together and soaring up, disappearing into shadow.

Angie leaned her head against the seat and stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by as they sped along I64 in West Virginia. She supposed the explosion of nature passing them by should fill her with a sense of peace and calm.

She was anything but.

Dave had won. Again. And now they were nearly to their destination, a partially wooded property tucked between Fayetteville and Park Service property in the New River Gorge that one of his friends owned. The back of Dave's truck was loaded up: tents, sleeping bags and air mattresses, firewood, cooler. Two duffel bags, one packed hastily and without much thought.

You'd think they were heading to a month-long excursion in the middle of nowhere, instead of a three-night getaway on the edge of small-town civilization.

Three nights. Angie repeated the words in her mind, telling herself she could handle this for three nights. They'd be back home by Thursday, since Dave and everyone else on his shift had to work on Friday. Surely she could handle three nights.

"How long before you get over your snit? It's been almost six hours, hasn't that been long enough?"

Angie turned her head and stared at Dave, her look letting him know in no uncertain terms that no, it wasn't long enough. But just in case he didn't get that, she said, "I'll be over my snit on Thursday when we get back home."

"I don't get it. What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" She leaned over and turned the radio down, then turned in her seat. "What's wrong is that I didn't want to come on this trip. I told you that. But you wouldn't listen, as usual."

"You're just being hard-headed. You've come the last couple of years and had fun. I don't understand why you're being difficult."

"Difficult? Dave! What part of 'I don't want to go' didn't you understand? Why is it you always have this need to decide what it is I want without even asking me? Why do you feel like you need to control my life?"

He turned his head and looked at her, then went back to focusing on the road in front of them. His phone buzzed in its holder and he grabbed it. A frown creased his face, his mouth tightening into a hard line as he powered the phone down and tossed it on the dash. Angie was about to ask him who was texting him and if anything was wrong but he started talking before she could, picking right up where they left off.

And of course, he only picked up on what he wanted to hear, not what she was saying. "Again, I don't understand why you didn't want to go. A lot of the guys are bringing friends or family. It'll be fun, just like always."

"Are you really that stupid?"

His head whipped around and he glanced at her, surprise and dismay clear on his face. "Maybe I am. Maybe you should explain because I really don't see what the issue is."

"Really Dave? You think being forced to spend four days in the middle of the woods with a guy I'm no longer seeing is a good idea?"

He tossed her another look, a frown deepening the lines on his face, and she secretly rejoiced. Finally, he understood! She just wished he had seen the light six hours ago before he forced her along.

"Is that what this is about? You're worried about Jay? Well don't be. He's fine and I'm sure he won't even notice you're there. I wouldn't be surprised if he brings someone with him, because he always has before."

Angie sat back like she had been slapped. His words cut through her, piercing and sharp, and she swallowed against the emotion that choked her. She hadn't even thought, hadn't even considered the possibility that Jay might bring a date. And oh God, what would she do then? There was no way she could stay, no way she could act like that wouldn't bother her.

And Dave, damn him, still didn't understand.

"You know, Mike was right. You really are an ass."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you ever stop and think before you say anything, Dave?"

"Think about what?" He glanced over at her and she wondered if he could tell she was upset, that his words hurt more than even she thought they would. He lowered his brows, worry creasing his forehead, then turned his gaze back to the road. Silence filled the truck for so long that Angie shifted in the seat and leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

"You're not going to tell me that you're upset about Jay. I told you before he wasn't your type, that it wouldn't work out. And I was right."

She didn't even bother to open her eyes or look at him, just turned her head further to the side.

"Whatever, Dave. You know best."

He must have missed the sarcasm in her words, must have missed the choked emotion in her voice, because he leaned over and patted her leg like she was a little kid.

"I know. Don't worry, you'll have fun. You won't even notice Jay's there."

**

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The words left Jay's mouth before he even realized he was speaking them. Mike looked over at him, then turned to watch the truck bouncing along the rutted path to the clearing. She stiffened beside him, her surprise as clear as his own.

"Well, this could be a good thing."

"I don't think so." He turned back to the tent he had just set up and started yanking at the pegs, ripping them from the dirt. Mike grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"Jay, you can't be serious."

"Yeah? Watch me."

Mike tugged on his arm again, pulling him away from the tent. She glanced back at the truck as it rolled to a slow stop, then turned back to him. "You can't leave."

"Mikey, there is no way in hell I'm staying here if Angie's going to be here. With her brother. I can't do it."

She studied his face, her eyes searching, seeing too much, then released the hold on his arm. "Fine. I think you'd be a fool to leave but if that's what you want, then go."

Jay turned, ready to tear down his tent again, then stopped and blew out a heavy breath. He straightened then looked back at Mike with a curse. "Why don't you think I should leave?"

A deep chuckle came from behind him and he turned to see Nick step closer. He gave Mike a quick kiss then smiled at Jay, his grin teasing. "Jay, you of all people should know when Kayla has an ulterior motive."

Mike playfully nudged Nick in the side and shook her head, telling him to stop. Jay looked away, their casual interplay striking a need deep inside him, a need he didn't want to admit to but could no longer ignore. He wanted what they had: friendship, respect, admiration. And love, a deep, profound love.

The thought jarred him, sending alternating waves of hot and cold through him until they joined and formed a huge knot in his gut. He looked over at the truck and watched as Angie climbed down and shut the door, pausing to glance around the campsite.

Her eyes met his and he felt his gut clench and twist even more as their gazes held. Longing scorched him, the strength and need of the emotion mentally flooring him.

Angie broke the contact and looked away, her gaze suddenly focused on the uneven ground at her feet. Jay inhaled deeply, a steadying breath to counter the imbalance he felt from just that one look.

"That's why, right there."

He looked over to see Mike grinning up at him. "What are you talking about?"

"That whole look. Jay, you've got it bad for Angie. Just like she has it bad for you."

"Newsflash, Mike. We're not seeing each other anymore, remember? Because
she
broke it off."

"Yeah, because of Dave, not because she wanted to."

"And your point is?"

"My point is: I've never seen you give up so easily. Since when do you not go after something you want?"

"Since it was made perfectly clear that it wasn't going to work. I know better than to beat a dead horse—unlike someone else I know." Jay kicked at the peg he had partially pulled up, then stomped it back into the ground with the heel of his boot, calling himself every kind of fool. He should be packing his tent up, calling it quits and heading home.

But he didn't.

Mike kept grinning at him as she lowered herself into the camp chair then leaned back and watched him. "I'm not beating a dead horse. I just don't want you to quit when I know how much you want it. How much both of you want it."

"Kayla, don't push." Nick leaned over and gave her another kiss. "I'm going to get something to drink. You two kids behave while I'm gone."

Jay swore to himself then grabbed his camp chair from the ground next to his tent, pulled it from the bag and set it up. Mike was watching him, a grin on her face as he slammed the chair into place before falling back into it.

Mike didn't say anything, just watched him with that stupid know-it-all grin he hated so much. She looked up as Nick approached with three bottles in his hands and took the soda he held out for her. Jay accepted the lone beer and twisted off the cap, taking a long swallow and trying not to look over at Angie.

But his eyes searched her out anyway and he watched as she started pulling gear from the back of Dave's truck. From the look on her face, she didn't want to be there.

He couldn't say he blamed her.

"Don't give up, Jay. You two are good together." Mike's voice was suddenly quiet, serious, and he looked over at her, surprised. He hadn't talked to her much about Angie, about how he thought he was feeling and what he was thinking. With Mike, he didn't need to. She knew him better than anyone else.

He looked away and took another swallow of beer, then shook his head. "It's not that easy, Mikey. Not with Dave acting so self-righteous."

"Yeah. And what the hell is up with that anyway? He's not usually such an ass."

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with Angie being his little sister." Jay couldn't keep the sarcasm from his voice, surprised that he was even defending the man, not after everything that had happened. But Mike shook her head, her gaze thoughtful as she looked over where Dave was pitching his tent.

"No, there's something more going on. I told you that. He hasn't been himself for the last couple of months, even before you started seeing Angie. I just think that made whatever's going on worse."

"Gee, thanks Mikey. That makes me feel so much better."

She started then looked over at him, a small grin on her face. "Sorry, didn't mean it that way."

Jay really didn't feel like keeping this particular conversation going, so he let it slide and said nothing. He turned back and looked around the campsite, thinking that it was starting to look some kind of refugee camp.

Tents were scattered in a loose semi-circle around a large fire pit, camp chairs and coolers and gear tossed in between. A large brick grill stood on the other side of the fire pit, with a large screened tent set up next to it that housed two picnic tables. About fifty feet behind the tents, backing against the woods for privacy, was a portable shower and two latrines. Not exactly the height of luxury, but they were clean and functional, which is all they needed for the time they'd be out here.

The shift had been coming here for several years, ever since Pete had gotten the property from his grandparents. Jay had no idea if he ever planned on building on it or not, but the secluded acreage was perfect for these summer camping trips, and everyone had always had a blast.

Jay had a feeling this year would be the exception for him.

He took another swig of beer then let his eyes drift back to where Angie was standing. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and a few strands had come free, waving around her cheek in the slight breeze. She stood off to the side, looking uncomfortable and out of place as she watched Dave set up their tent.

Jay did a double-take then choked on the beer he had been swallowing. The tent Dave was setting up was a two-person tent—which meant it was really only big enough for one person. There was no way in hell both of them could sleep in that thing.

His eyes searched the gear piled around Dave's tent, coming to rest on another bag as memory of the last few years' trips came back to him. This wasn't the first time Angie had joined Dave on the trip. And each year before, they had each had their own tent.

He wasn't sure why he was just now remembering that, or why the realization made him happy. And he sure as hell wasn't going to waste time thinking about it.

"Hey Jimmy, can you give Angie a hand with her tent?" Dave looked up and called across the clearing, where Jimmy and Pete were wrestling with what was supposed to be tonight's dinner.

Pete looked over at him then shook his head, his gloved hands smeared with sauce and seasoning. "The chefs are busy." His eyes darted around the campsite, stopping to rest on Jay. "Have Jay or Mike do it. And her tent can't go next to yours."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because we need to leave that area clear for the vehicles. You know that."

Jay watched the exchange with a sinking feeling and shifted in his chair. He looked around the camp and suddenly saw what had been obvious to Pete.