Alec.
Instantly, he scowls, those dark eyes narrowing farther by the second, but he says nothing. He simply stares a minute and shakes his head. Then, when his phone beeps in his pocket, he roughly exits through the door he entered.
It’s probably a good thing, too, considering every time he speaks in my presence, it’s with the sole purpose of being a dick. He loves to remind me how I’m more worthless to him than the smoke stains on his white T-shirt.
And maybe, at some point, I was.
But I’m not anymore.
I earned the coveted title. I graduated Blaze, just as he did.
I just chose not to go out on official Blaze business afterward—whatever that truly entails.
All I wanted was to be a part of the journey these men and women willingly take, to have the knowledge and understanding needed to get on their level, and push them to be a better version of themselves, to help them realize they were stronger than even they knew. Help create heroes.
Had I not gone through what they were set to, how could I sit back and demand anything of anyone?
With a sigh, I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms.
My dad has some serious explaining to do. He must have worked damn hard to pull this wool over my head.
So, Alec is back.
Two years ago—the day after my eighteenth birthday, to be exact—he left for Northern California. They had some heavy fires, several over the course of a year, so my dad took his highest-ranking Blaze in Blackline history and sent him on his way.
I remember it was just after my and Rowan’s high school graduation when the offer rolled in. I was set to start at Blackline that fall, and Rowan had just gotten word he’d failed his first attempt at entrance.
Alec had only just started acting like a decent human right around then. He seemed more relaxed than ever before. So, at first, I thought he was going to pass on the job and choose to stay here in our hometown instead.
For the first time in years, he stopped making comments every five seconds about how I was Rowan’s unwanted shadow and how he’d never see me the way I hoped. Alec even started to come around a bit more. Well, more than he had all through our high school years anyway, which instantly had me on edge. I had to be sure I was always on top of my game, for fear he’d be quick to throw me off.
He came along to several end-of-year events and offered to be our DD on more than one occasion. Sure, that usually meant he acted like my dad and embarrassed me by refusing to let me drink. Every time I did, he’d tell some crap story about me as a kid. Eventually, I just gave up and did what I could to have fun, sober.
But, after our last trip to the beach that summer, he started acting even more out of character. He didn’t tease anymore. In fact, he didn’t say anything, but he was always there. That had me on high alert as he waited in the wings to burn the bridge, should I try to cross it.
Then, the night before he left, I woke up to get a drink of water and heard Rowan and Alec arguing out front. I couldn’t hear much, just Alec telling Rowan how selfish he was and that he was done waiting on standby. Then, Rowan mentioned something about holding all the cards. The next day, Alec was gone.
I hadn’t even known until Rowan casually mentioned it two days later.
The first few weeks that followed, everything felt off. I was so used to the anxiety that would build every time there was a possibility he’d be near that when the source of the nerves was gone, it felt bizarre. But, after a while, it was like he had never been there. Rowan never spoke of him, my dad didn’t say a word, and day-to-day living went smoothly. I didn’t have to look over my shoulder anymore.
Everything was … normal. Comfortable.
But now? Less than two minutes under the same roof as him?
My heart is racing, my cheeks are burning, and I can’t think straight.
All clear signs … Alec is back, and so is the rush that comes along with him.Chapter ThreeOakleyI pretend not to hear Rowan approach and continue going over today’s schedule.
“Come on now, Oaks. Don’t be mad at me.” He walks up behind me, his chest brushing against my back. “You know you can’t be mad at me,” he whispers with a smile, but his cutesy boy act won’t cut it right now.
I shake my head and keep reading. “I’m not mad, Rowan, just thrown off. You knew day one was important. Clearly, you were aware he was here. It would’ve been nice to have a bit of a warning.”