Wilde Fire (Forever Wilde 3)

Beth sighed. “Well, at least now it ought to be affordable for us. I hate to say it, but I’m kinda glad it burned down.”

There was a pause before John spoke. “I’m glad you’re happy. You’ve put up with a lot in this family. You deserve something nice finally. You know I’d do anything for you, right?” The sound of a quick kiss could be heard over the beginning rumble of the dishwasher. I took the opportunity to turn around and sneak back out of the house, grabbing Tisha’s shoes and backpack on the way to the door.

There was no doubt in my mind that had I gone into the kitchen, all hell would have broken loose and I would have said any number of things I couldn’t take back. My brain was going a million miles a minute and jumping to all kinds of outrageous conclusions.

When John told Beth he’d do anything for her, did that include setting fire to Bill and Shelby’s house?

And when Otto used almost the same exact words to me only a few nights before, did that mean he’d cover up his suspicions of my brother to protect me?

When Tisha saw me, her face fell. “It’s already been five minutes?” Eliza and Cody started complaining, and I noticed Hal was nowhere to be seen.

“Come on, baby girl. We have to go. I have to get home and make a phone call to the fire chief.”

Chapter 30

Otto

Otto,

My parents are moving back to Hobie.

I can’t decide whether I’m angry or heartbroken. We got into a fight about them moving back and they ended up admitting to me that the only reason we moved to Minnesota in the first place was to get me away from you.

I’m in shock. I had no idea they were trying to get me away from you. We tried so hard to keep our relationship from them… I guess we weren’t as stealthy as we always thought. So they must have been pleased as fucking punch when I married Jolie. They got to pretend they had a het son instead of a gay one. I’m learning that the older I get, the more jaded I become. Now I can see why old people are such curmudgeons. They’re just over it. They have no more energy to put up with assholes.

There isn’t a night that goes by when I don’t soothe myself to sleep with thoughts of you.

Stay safe at sea and come back home one day, sailor, Maybe I’ll be there waiting for you when you do.

Walker

(Unsent)

I threw myself into soccer camp to try and get my mind off the arson cases. I was still on paid leave from the station, and all I had was time on my hands. When I wasn’t at the soccer field, I was at the barn, pampering the horses and taking time to exercise each one. It got to the point Doc and Grandpa were probably sick of seeing my face.

So when Thursday afternoon came around and Sassy begged me to go to a party at the lake with her, I leaped at the chance. Anything to get my mind off my own damned boredom.

It was one of those parties where tons of different people all showed up at the lakeside park and formed little groupings of their own. Some were families with picnics and swimsuits, some were teenagers with cell phones and attitude, and some, like my group, were adults who just wanted to drink a few beers and shoot the shit.

Someone had beach music playing from a stereo speaker and Sassy’s good friend Stevie couldn’t help but complain about “the oldies station.” When West and Nico walked up without Pippa, I quirked an eyebrow.

“Where’s the girl?” I asked.

West was the first to answer. “We left her with a stack of cash and a bowl of kibble. She’ll be fine.”

Nico slugged him in the belly. “Your grandfathers have her for a sleepover. Doc was unusually needy this time when it came to the begging.”

“You sure it wasn’t West who was begging for some baby-free time with his boo?” Stevie asked with a leer.

West made a comically exaggerated nod, which made everyone laugh. When he sat down on the giant blanket we’d spread out, Nico immediately settled half on his lap. I always got a kick out of seeing Nico be so affectionate with West. I remembered him as a surly teen years and years ago, so seeing him with a gorgeous smile on his face and hearts in his eyes when he looked at my brother was the best thing ever.

And West was no different. The way he looked at Nico was like he’d been given the most precious gift and had no plans whatsoever of squandering it.

“You two are disgusting,” I muttered into my beer.

Okay, so maybe I was a little jealous. My boo wasn’t there to shoot me heart eyes because he was busy fighting crime and hoping his boyfriend wasn’t a serial arsonist.