Page 30 of Playing with Fire

Lyla tapped both hands on the table excitedly. “He's totally into you.”

Nicole smirked. “I agree.” She tipped her head in my direction. “And she knows it too.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Mia spoke first. I wished I had their confidence.

“But the question is, what's holding him back? Between the way he acted at the wedding and now, he’s very hot and cold. Do we want our friend to be with someone like that?”

“Well, maybe it's the same reason she has.” Lyla waved in my direction. “About her working for him now.”

Mia's brows pulled together suspiciously. “That doesn't account for his behavior at the wedding, or since then. Maybe he's not over his ex-wife.”

Before I could respond to that, Nicole was already shaking her head. “I don't think that's it. I've seen them together at the hospital. They seem friendly, but nothing that makes me think anything more. I saw Logan talking to the guy Maggie is dating. They were hitting it off.”

Mia's lips turned up into what could only be described as an evil smile. “Text him.”

“What?” The words immediately spilled out of my mouth. Was she crazy?

“Yeah. Tell him you've been drinking and need a ride. If he likes you, he won't ask a single question, and he'll come and get you.”

I loved Mia, but sometimes I thought something was seriously wrong with her. “I'm not lying to him.”

Mia waved me off. “Technically, it's not lying. You have been drinking.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I'm not doing that. He has the girls, so even if he wanted to, he couldn’t.”

“That’s a good point.” Nicole hummed. “But Mia might be onto something. Next time you have a problem, call him first. If he jumps at the chance to help you without question, you have your answer.”

“Or that means he's a good person,” I countered.

“Eh,” Lyla started. “I'm a good person, but even I'm asking questions if you call me for help.”

“You guys are ridiculous.” But I couldn't help but wonder what he would do if I called and needed help. “Alright, enough of my problems. Lyla, how are the EMT classes going?”

Luckily, they were all willing to finally change the subject. We got a round of shots and toasted Nicole, the birthday girl.

It was one more reminder that I was the baby of the group, only being brought in early this year when I started job sharing with Nicole. Mia was the oldest at twenty-eight, Lyla was a year younger than her, and Nicole was now twenty-five. Maybe that was why they took such an interest in the thing with Logan. They just wanted to make sure I was okay. It felt good, and it was nice that they treated me like a peer and not a little sister.

Our conversation about calling Logan for help aside, I was not one to believe in fate or anything, but as I drove home an hour later and found myself on the side of the road with a flat tire, I had to wonder. I’d only had one cider and one shot, so I was fine to drive. But now I was stuck on the side of a dark road late at night.

My brother had shown me once years ago how to change a tire, but I wasn't confident I remembered, nor did I want to try it in the dark. I picked up my phone and stared at the screen, debating who to call. Jay was the sensible option. I always called him for help.

But the girl's advice ran through my head like a broken record, and before I could chicken out, I dialed Logan's number.

I was about to hang up when his deep voice came through the line. “Izzy? You okay?”

This was dumb. Freaking stupid. How would I explain calling him? He would immediately ask if I had called my brother, and I totally wasn’t thinking about the girls. He wasn’t going to wake them up and put them in the car to come help me.

“Izzy?”

Shit. “Um. Yeah. Sorry. I...”

“What's wrong? Do you need a ride?” Shuffling noises came through the phone.

My heart took off at a sprint. Was he actually going to come with no questions asked?

“Izzy.” This time his voice held a hint of that growliness I’d gotten from him before.

“No. Not a ride. But do you know how to change a tire?”

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