Just a Little Bet (Smokejumper #2) - Tawna Fenske Page 0,1
a fire is fair game. They gave me complete creative freedom to photograph anything I feel tells the story of wildfire across the west.”
Tony grinned and slung an arm around her. “Damn good excuse for a road trip.”
Willa quirked an eyebrow at her. “You’re not still talking about traveling together, are you?”
Kayla shrugged and glanced at Tony. “It’s on the table. Tony knows old forest fire sites better than anyone, and it’d be nice to have the company.”
“I do love road trips.” He tipped his head back to chug his beer, missing the look Willa and Grady exchanged. A look that said these guys are nuts.
She’d heard it already, though Kayla didn’t share their concern. Maybe most people couldn’t handle road-tripping with an ex, but they weren’t like that. She and Tony were best buds. Who even remembered that hot minute they used to date?
“Oooh, it’s our song!” Willa smiled up at her husband. “Did you do this?”
He winked and slid an arm around her. “There’s an upside to knowing the guy running the sound system.”
As Willa and Grady shimmied toward the dance floor, Kayla turned back to Tony as he finished ordering a beer. That was odd, since he seldom drank more than one. Something in his posture seemed tense, so maybe the Becca breakup hadn’t gone well. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah, sure.” He turned with a good-natured shrug. “Not like my relationships ever last long anyway, right?”
“Right.” Hell, Kayla herself had a history with him, though that was easy to forget sometimes. They’d been friends way longer than their short-lived fling had lasted, and now he was just her best pal, Tony—her concertgoing companion, jogging buddy, and occasional jar opener. “Let me guess.” Kayla took a sip of water. “The breakup was Becca’s idea, and you’ve agreed to stay friends?”
Tony shrugged again. “More or less. What can I say? I suck at relationships, but I make an excellent drinking buddy.”
Kayla rolled her eyes. “I’ve rarely seen you have more than one drink.”
He shrugged and gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “The best drinking buddies double as designated drivers.”
“Good point.” She studied him carefully. “You sure you’re okay? You seem a little…off.” More off than usual for a guy who burned through girlfriends faster than wildfire in a dry forest. “Something else on your mind?”
He glanced away, and was she imagining a slight tensing of his jaw? “Nah, I’m good.” When he turned back, he was smiling again. “Like I said, I’m not cut out for relationships. But it leaves more time to practice for karaoke night, right?”
Before she could respond, Tony grabbed his beer and ambled toward the stage and the cluster of musically inclined smokejumpers lounging next to it. As she watched him go, she couldn’t help wondering what went on in that head of his.
Wondering why they’d stayed close when they’d crashed and burned in all their other romances.
…
“We need to add that to our regular lineup.” Tony clapped Grady on the shoulder as they stepped off the stage following their tipsy a cappella rendition of The Eagles’ “Seven Bridges Road.” “Maybe with the rest of the guys and some instruments.”
Grady grinned and picked up the beers they’d left on a table beside the stage and handed one to Tony. “Did we sound as good as I think we did, or is it the beer talking?”
“Let’s go with us sounding good.” Tony downed half his IPA in a gulp. He rarely got his drink on like this, but the season’s end and Kayla’s big book deal had him fired up to celebrate.
Sure, that’s it.
“So you and Becca split.”
Grady’s words sliced through Tony’s good cheer, and he took his time lowering the pint glass. “Yep.” He cleared his throat. “Big surprise, right?”
“What was it this time?” Grady grinned, but there was a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. “You gave her a toothbrush as a birthday gift?”
“Funny.” Tony sipped his beer again. “That was five years and about a zillion girlfriends ago. Am I ever gonna live that down?”
“Nope.” Grady set his beer down on the high-top table. “Not ’til you stop sucking at this.”
Fair enough. He hadn’t said as much to Kayla, but yeah, these breakups were starting to wear on him. “Becca said it was clear I wasn’t ready to take things to the next level.”
Since when had relationships become video games? All right, she wasn’t wrong. Tony just wanted to have a good time, to enjoy himself with no strings attached.