Beautiful Burn (The Maddox Brothers, #4)(55)

“Hit the ground running?” I said.

“What’s that, darlin’?” Jack said.

I laughed, knowing it was going to be an interesting drive. We both spoke English, but the slang was going to be a challenge. “Just that you started working the second you landed.”

“That’s the way we like it,” Liam said.

I faced forward, adjusting my seat belt. Tyler had both hands on the wheel, his knuckles white.

“What?” I said. We were sharing the cab of the truck, but the Aussies were chatting, and the engine helped to muffle anything I didn’t direct at them.

“I’m just thinking of this morning.”

“You’re not the only one who’s ever seen me unclothed.”

“I know,” he said, closing his eyes. “I know, but I wasn’t there to witness it.”

“You’re going to have get over it,” I said. “You have to work with these guys.”

“Maybe I could if I knew what the hell we were doing.”

I wrinkled my nose, caught off guard by his sudden ire. “It’s not like you’ve brought it up.”

“Actually, I have. I was trying to be patient.”

“What happened to that?” I asked.

“A man can only be patient for so long.”

“And what does that mean, exactly? Did I miss the deadline I didn’t know I had? Everything was fine two hours ago. Why are you so pissed off?”

He didn’t answer, his jaws fluttering beneath the skin.

Liam leaned up, patting Tyler’s shoulder. “Sorry about your girl.”

“She’s not my girl,” Tyler said.

I curled my shoulders forward and looked out the window, trying hard to seem unaffected. The Aussies were instantly quiet, making the awkwardness even worse. I didn’t realize how much Tyler’s dismissal would hurt. The entire time we’d known each other, I had thought I was the one being pursued, but in that instant I understood why I’d held back: Tyler had left his dad, his friends, his brothers behind. Deep down I knew he was going to leave me, too.

The engine revved, and the tires spun on the asphalt, creating a high-pitched hum. I couldn’t talk, so I folded my arm against the window and closed my eyes, pretending to sleep.

Tyler spoke when the Aussies asked him questions about the Alpines, keeping silent while they chatted in the back seat, discussing their enthusiasm for the hikes in the mountains and the cooler climate.

Liam paused, and then called up to Tyler. “What’s the story with the sheila?”

“Her name is Ellison.”

“Okay, what’s the story with Ellison, then?”

“She’s a photographer for a local magazine. She’s following us around for fire season, documenting what it is that we do.”

“She’s a beaut,” Liam said. “She’s got the lightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen.”

Tyler stayed quiet, but I didn’t have to open my eyes to see his expression.

“Does she have a boyfriend?” Liam asked.

“Crikey,” Jack said, disgusted. He clearly understood what Liam didn’t, that something was going on between Tyler and me, even if he wouldn’t admit to it.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree, pal. She’s into girls,” Tyler said.

Technically, he wasn’t lying, but it didn’t make me feel any less pissed. Up until that moment, Tyler had been forthcoming and unapologetic about his feelings for me. Now he was acting like a prepubescent who was trying to act cool in front of his buddies.

The two and a half hours felt like an eternity, and by the time we pulled into the hotel parking lot, my body was stiff and screaming for me to move.

I stepped out onto the asphalt, and then scrambled to pull my camera out of the bag and slipped the strap over my head, snapping pictures of the pink ball of fire behind the thick layer of smoke in the sky.

“That’s nothing, darl,” Liam said. “You should come back to Oz with me.”

Tyler grabbed his duffel and slammed the driver side door, walking quickly into the lobby. Liam and Jack followed, and I walked behind them, standing back while Tyler and the Aussies checked in.

The lobby was drab, decorated in beige and fake plants, and full of firefighters, some of them gearing up to go out, others standing around with a beer in their hand. A chalk sign by the bar read Welcome, Firefighters! Half-price IPAs and appetizers!

Tyler began arguing with the female desk clerk, and then he pulled out his cell phone.

I frowned when he produced his wallet, slapping his credit card on the desk. The clerk ran his card and handed it back with two small envelopes. He looked around for me, and then walked across the room to where I stood.

“Here,” he said, handing me one of the envelopes.

“What was that about?” I asked.

“I got you a room.”

“I could have done that,” I said. “I have a card from the magazine.”

He sighed. “I didn’t know that. Anyway, I took care of it.” I started to walk around him toward reception, but he took my arm. “What are you doing?”

“I’m giving them my card so you don’t have to pay for my room.”

“I told you I took care of it.”

I pulled away from him, glancing around at the different faces in the room. Most of the firefighters hadn’t noticed our exchange, but the Aussies had.