Page 4 of Take a Hike
“Only what the local militia is called.” Fifi gave her a pointed look.
“Right.” Daisy didn’t seem at all bothered by the reminder. “That’s a matter of local pride. A name like Freedom Survivors reflects poorly on the whole town.” For some reason, she gave a startled little jump and shot Kieran a look that seemed almost…guilty? Charlie tucked it away in the mental file she’d just created on the grumpy firefighter. Since she was still focused on Kieran, she saw his expression shift from a flash of pain back to his usual scowl.
“It does,” Fifi said, “but it’s also a matter of local pride to have the objectively hottest firefighters in the calendar.” Bennett gave a wordless, displeased grumble, and Fifi patted his arm. “If you were a firefighter, I’d campaign to have you be Mr. June.” He flushed a little but couldn’t hide his pleasure at that.
“Very true—about the local pride thing, not the stalker-husband-as-Mr.-June thing,” Lou said as she steamed milk. “I have no opinion on the latter, so don’t choke me out, Fifi. Plus the more calendars that sell, the more money Fire gets. It’s a civic-improvement issue.”
Charlie was loving the play of confused emotions passing over Kieran’s face. She saw the point where he decided he was definitely finished with the conversation.
“I’ll wait in my truck,” he growled at Lou, turning on his heel and blasting out of the shop before anyone could respond.Everyone left at the counter exchanged glances before breaking into laughter.
“What’s his deal?” Charlie asked, keeping her question vague in the hope that Lou and Daisy would tell her absolutely everything about this angry and extra-handsome firefighter. She was already hoping she’d run into him again so she could poke the bear some more. He seemed like the best bet to keeping herself entertained while they were stuck in this tiny, sleepy town.
To her surprise, Fifi spoke first. “Well, his dad was one of the Freedom Survivors.”
“Oops!” If Lou hadn’t had lids in her hands, Charlie had a feeling she would’ve been covering her mouth as she tried to take back words she’d already said. “I completely forgot about the militia connection. In retrospect, that was kind of an awkward topic of conversation, wasn’t it?”
Daisy let her head drop to the counter, connecting with a gentlethud. “Sooo awkward. I have retroactive embarrassment.”
Charlie started to laugh. “No wonder he looked so taken aback. I figured it was just the firefighter centerfold thing.”
“No, it was that his dad tried to kidnap me,” Fifi said, and Charlie immediately sobered. When her sister and Bennett had last been in Simpson chasing a skip who’d holed up with the local militia, they’d gotten on the bad side of Clint, the Freedom Survivors’ new leader, and Finn, a firefighter who’d secretly also been a militia member and, apparently, Kieran’s dad. When Fifi and Bennett had started investigating Cobra’s murder—with Clint as their main suspect—Finn and Clint had gone so far as to kidnap Fifi. They’d soon regretted that decision, thanks tothe ass-kicking Fifi and Bennett had handed out before the two militia members were arrested.
“Was Kieran involved in all that?” she asked, tensing, even as she tried to figure out why she cared so much. He was a stranger—an extremely hot, very cranky stranger. She might’ve enjoyed teasing him, but it was no skin off her nose if he was a militia weirdo. If he’d been involved in Fifi’s kidnapping though…it didn’t matter how hot or entertaining the guy was. Charlie would get her revenge. Her stomach squeezed at the thought, though, as she waited for their answer.
The only problem was that they weren’t answering. Instead, the two Simpson residents and even Fifi and Bennett were exchanging looks that Charlie translated to mean that they weren’t sure how much to share. Charlie hated not having information—especially when other people had it—especially,especiallywhen her sisters knew and she didn’t. “Well?” she prompted.
“No idea,” Lou was the one who answered. “He says he wasn’t involved—didn’t even know that his dad was. Apparently the cops believe him—or don’t have enough evidence to prove he’s lying—because he hasn’t been arrested or even been forced out of his job with Fire.”
“Is he local?” Charlie asked, pocketing the key and washing her hands. Once they were clean and dry, she started putting lids and sleeves on the coffees Lou had finished.
“Thank you,” Lou said gratefully. “Watch out, because I might kiss you on the mouth for helping with this monstrous order. The Byrnes have lived here for a while at least, but I’m not a local. Daisy?”
She looked thoughtful. “I vaguely remember Kieran in school—he was several years older than me—but other than that…” She shrugged.
“Daisy was a homebody,” Lou explained, making Daisy give a crack of laughter.
“Homebound,” Daisy corrected, although she looked amused by Lou’s downplaying. “I’m agoraphobic. I’ve just been leaving the house again for a couple of years.”
“Really?” Charlie was distracted from their Kieran discussion. “So you stayed home your whole life until just a few years ago?”
Daisy shook her head. “It didn’t get bad until I was sixteen,” she explained. Tension had crept into her words and expression, so Charlie changed the subject.
“Back to Kieran—what’s the gossip? Is he married? Kids? Do you believe him that he didn’t know about his dad’s involvement?” Charlie asked. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to know more about the man, but she’d never been good at suppressing her curiosity. “Could he be one of the Freedom Survivors?”
“No wife, kids, girlfriend, or boyfriend that I know of,” Lou said easily, although she slid Charlie a sideways glance. “Hot, isn’t he?”
“Objectively, yes.” Even as the word left her mouth, Charlie knew she wasn’t fooling anyone. When the other women burst into laughter, it just confirmed it. She gave them all a mock glare. “Fine. He’ssubjectivelyhot as well—as long as he didn’t help kidnap Fifi. Grumpy, but hot.”
“It’s a type,” Daisy said, lifting her eyebrows meaningfully atLou, who grinned at her over the drink she was making.
“It is a type,” Lou agreed. “A very, very,veryattractive type.”
“Oh.” Charlie’s stomach took a disappointed dive down to her toes. It’d feel strange to continue to poke at him if he were Lou’s. “You and he…?”
Lou actually put down the milk she was steaming so she could raise her hands, palms out, as if stopping traffic. “Oh no. I have my own hot-but-surly specimen, and one high-maintenance, protective grump is plenty. Kieran is all yours.” Giving Charlie a magnanimous smile, she picked up the milk again.
“So Charlie…” Fifi’s tone was smug. “Remember all the stalker-husband jokes you made?”
