Page 107 of Ignite

I couldn’t think clearly, not when I didn’t know where Rylee was, or that she was safe.

Ethan:Rylee, I get that you’re mad at me. I get that I fucked up. Call me. Talk to me so I can apologize and grovel in person. Please.

Ethan:I’m hoping you are safe. Who am I talking to? Of course, you’re not safe. You’re probably in the middle of things, looking after people. Being the person I want to be. I can be. Just talk to me. Stay safe and talk to me.

“Flick, thank goodness.” Finally, someone answered their phone. Felicity’s partner would be with the team and if anyone knew where Rylee would be, it would be one of her best friends.

I had made human contact with someone who might know—

“Now’s not a good time, Ethan.” Her voice had none of her normal sweetness and patience. “What do you want?”

Now also wasn’t the right time for wallowing in a self-pity funk like I’d been doing for months. My life had been dry kindling, just waiting for any match to ignite. Sort of like the community and town I now loved almost as much as I loved one woman.

Hell. I loved a woman without going through the normal process of dating, sleeping, and loving together. The whole meeting each other’s families was out of the question, but there were other normal traditions that should have come first.

“Rylee, where is she?”

“What! I thought she was with you.” Felicity’s annoyance at answering the phone changed. “Seriously, Ethan. No one’s heard from her. I tried calling to see if she wanted to come in and help make up ration packs or man the radio.”

“Fuck.”

“Ethan. Honestly, I thought she was with you. Where is she?”

“I’ve tried calling, but we had a fight this morning.”

“I was there. I remember. You were an ass.”

“I’m always an ass, but it doesn’t change how I feel about her. I’ve left messages and sent like a dozen texts. I’ve tried calling the guys—“

“They’re all out in the field. They won’t even check messages until they get a break.”

“Then what can I do?” I almost screamed into the phone, not at Felicity but at the situation.

A situation of your own making, asshole.

“Have you been to her house?” I heard a deep breath as Felicity fought to remain calm.

“She’s not there. Neither is her ex’s car.”

“Even if Trixi kicked Darin to the curb, Rylee would never take him back. You know that, right?”

“They have history, and I was a jealous ass. This fire’s getting out of control, and I’m scared for her. If she’s not with the guys, if she’s not at the station and you don’t know where she is—hell.”

“Ethan, I can’t help you. The roads are almost closed. Anyone left in town is going to have to head to the beach. I’m working with anyone who has a car or people mover, trying to find people who can’t escape.”

“What about Rylee?”

“Shit.” I’d never heard Flick swear—not even when her teens pushed all buttons. “There’s nothing I can do. If you can find her, please convince her to not be a hero. Force her to go with you and find somewhere safe. Probably the beach.”

“I don’t even know where to look.” I could be driving around in circles in the dark, and still not know where to look. “She wasn’t supposed to be on call today.”

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, impatient to get to Rylee but not having the first clue where to start looking.

Eventually, I heard Flick draw a long breath. “She won’t leave her horses. I’ll text you the address. Please, Ethan, keep our girl safe?”

“Or die trying.”

Finally, I understood my old man. I understood how you could love something or someone, you’d be willing to die trying to save them.

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