Page 297 of Her Reluctant Hero
Epilogue
Peyton straightened from digging line, tossing her braid over her shoulder, and looked at her crew boss. She wasn’t used to answering to the name yet; she’d only had it four months, since they married in January. Besides, around here, everyone who used that name meant Gabe. Howard stood with his hand on one hip and held the radio toward her impatiently.
“The IC wants to talk to you.”
A grin tugged at Peyton’s mouth as she stepped gingerly around flames to take the radio. “Cooper,” she acknowledged into the mouthpiece, her lips close, intimate.
Gabe’s voice rumbled through the static. Jen had submitted his name to take her place as incident commander when she left the service to have her baby, and he’d shocked them all by accepting, then loving it. Why wouldn’t he—he got to boss everyone around now. “The edits on your book came today.”
Her heart thudded against her ribs. She’d done it, written a book, had sold it, and each step made the dream more real. It had all happened so fast, thanks to her magazine editor and her contacts. “How do they look?”
He grunted. “Like I would know. Probably some work here. Lots of comments. Hell, I’d rather punch line than do this.”
She had a feeling she might, too.
“I’ve got a shower reserved for eight, can you make it?”
She laughed. Idiot. Didn’t he realize others could be listening? “I don’t know—five minutes in the shower isn’t much incentive after a two-hour hike.”
“I can make it worth your while.”
“Not in five minutes you can’t.”
“Maybe since it’ll be two of us we can double the time.”
“Ooh. Ten minutes. All the difference in the world. I’m there.”
“Peyton.” His serious tone carried over the walkie. “Come home safe.”
Home. A tent in a fire camp she shared with Gabe. And she wouldn’t be anywhere else. “I will,” she said. “Cooper out.”
