Page 15 of Burning Secrets

Logan, too, had deployed his chute and now pointed at their landing spot. He seemed less driven lately, and maybe his new girlfriend, Jamie, had something to do with that.

I’ll be right back.

Nope.

The earth loomed closer, and she angled her chute, catching the wind, riding it northeast toward the drop zone.I’ve had harder falls, believe me.

Oh, for Pete’s sake.

Logan came in, and she watched as he landed, rolled, popped back up.

Perfect.

She yanked hard on her toggles, slowed her descent, and landed, almost like a whisper, running and then rolling, textbook.

She came up, grabbed her chute, and ran toward the gear box Mark had deployed. As the rest of the team landed, they broke out the Pulaskis and chain saws and drip torches.

Jade landed and ran over, unlatching her harness as she ran. “Let’s get moving. We need to build that line, start the backfire.”

The hum and crackle of fire ate into her words. Not a roar yet.

But soon, if they didn’t hurry.

She grabbed her Pulaski, headed out after Logan, and stopped thinking.

Eight hours later, fatigue ate at her brain, her entire body wrung out, hurting, her lungs raw, her hands hot under her gloves—probably a few blisters forming—and her feet raw. Dirt and soot streaked her face, and she sat on the bald spot abovethe fire, surveying the land, drinking from her warm water bottle.

Smoke spiraled from where the two fires fought for life—not happening, not after the line they’d dug, the backfire they’d deployed. It ate at the main blaze and shut down the advance. Jade had called in a chopper of shots to mop up and to pick up the team.

She preferred sleeping in her cot back at the base instead of the hard, charred ground, thank you.

Taking off her helmet, she poured water over her head, let it soak into her hair, run down her face.

“Sheesh, Jo, that’s a look.” Skye came over, plopped down beside her.

“I’m not trying to impress anyone.” She wiped her face with her scarf, probably rubbing ash into her pores.

“I’m impressed.” This from Hammer, who glanced over at her, winked.

She rolled her eyes.

“Not even…Crew?” Skye angled a look at her.

Aw. She’d gone eight entire hours without thinking about him. She shook her head. “He ghosted me. We’re done. And…we never started. He?—”

“Saved your life. That sounds like a good start.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Whatever. I don’t know what it was. But…no, I’m not interested.”

“Even if he had a good reason?” Skye capped her water bottle.

She looked over at Skye. “Why, you know something?”

Skye frowned, shook her head. “Why would I know anything?”

JoJo frowned, but she was right. Why would she? She sighed. “No. Any guy who ghosts me after he promises to come backcan’t be trusted. I don’t date people I don’t trust.” She lifted a shoulder. “And I’m too busy anyway.”

“Right.” Skye hung her hands over her knees. “Any word on that wolf and how he died?”

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