Sweater Weather

Chapter 9

Sean had expected some stony faces, maybe some glares from his old teachers and various members of the police department. He hadn’t expected the crowd to be holding up iPhones to snap his picture, or the high proportion of women packing the auditorium. He hadn’t expected…her.

herHe stared…and kept on staring while Josh eyed the seats full of women like a kid in a candy store.

“Is this turnout because of the movie?” Josh whispered.

“I warned you. Not much happens around here. We’re big news.”

Still, he couldn’t look away from the girl at the front of the auditorium. Her chestnut hair was pulled into a low, classic ponytail at the base of her neck. She was frowning intently at her thumb. Who was she? She reminded him of someone…he knew her…but she wouldn’t look at him so he couldn’t say for sure…

Josh followed Sean’s gaze and whistled under his breath. “Do you know her?”

As if she’d overheard, she finally looked in his direction. Her eyes met his in a punch of silvery sage-green.

Evie McGraw. Holy s**t.

Evie McGrawNo wonder he hadn’t recognized her at first. She’d only been fourteen when he left. A skinny kid he’d paid no attention to—until the night when everything went to hell.

Now she was…wow, she was an absolute knock-you-off-your-feet beauty. She had the kind of face you’d see in a magazine or on a billboard, all luminous eyes and stunning cheekbones. Did she remember him? Or had she blocked out the trauma of that night? He wouldn’t blame her if she had.

Even though she had an air of “don’t touch me” vibrating around her like an invisible electric fence, he tried a smile. It took a few moments, but eventually she smiled back. Actually, it was more of a twitch of her lips, but he could read recognition on her face. Her eyes remained cool and wary, as if she was hiding behind a pane of thick, frosted glass.

“Seriously, who is that?” Josh asked again. “Someone you know?”

“I used to.”

He didn’t know this grownup, frosty Evie. The Evie he remembered was a bubbly, dreamy girl. Young enough so she still read Harry Potter nonstop and did her homework on the kitchen table. She seemed very different now, but then again, it had been thirteen years. People changed.

Harry PotterChief Littleton nudged him toward the stage, and he pulled his attention back to the business at hand. The city council meeting had been called to order, and it was time for them to do their thing. He and Josh followed the chief onstage.

“This is a big moment for us,” the chief began. “I’ve been fighting for this for several years. Here in Jupiter Point, with our urban-wilderness interface, we’re sitting ducks for a wildfire. Every summer we get a few that come close. Last year the ranger station even burned down—we all remember that. Finally the bigwigs agreed with me, and we got ourselves a brand-new interagency hotshot crew based out of here. Some of you probably remember Sean Marcus; he’s the superintendent of this new crew. That means he’s in charge. He sure has come a long way, huh?”

Sean kept his face stony to hide the wince. Thanks a lot, Chief.

Thanks a lot, Chief.“Since he left Jupiter Point, Sean has racked up an unbelievable record as a smoke-jumper and hotshot. He’s a brilliant and respected leader, he’s saved many lives and homes, and word has it he requested this assignment. Let’s give him a big welcome home, hey?”

The crowd responded with generous applause. Sean finally cracked a smile and saluted the townspeople. He scanned the faces near the front, looking for Evie, but he froze when his gaze encountered the last person he wanted to see.

Brad White. Right in the front row. The guy had brass balls—he was grinning at Sean as if they were old friends. That cocky smirk made Sean want to deck him all over again, the same way he had that night.

In thirteen years, Brad had grown more polished, and his shock of sandy hair had been ruthlessly cut into what Sean thought of as “news anchor hair.” He wore a tan business suit and a royal-blue silk tie. To Sean, he looked like a kid trying on his father’s suit.

At least the i***t still had a bump on his nose from where Sean had broken it that night.

He stared the jerk down until finally he turned away and said something to the guy next to him.

Josh hissed in his ear, “Go, Magneto. It’s your turn to speak. Make it sing, baby.”

Collecting himself, Sean took a step forward. “Hi, I’m Sean Marcus, and it’s good to be back in Jupiter Point.” He paused until the applause died down. “My job is to put together the best crew I can hire, get us geared up, set up at the new Jupiter Point Fire and Rescue compound—what used to be the old Army base--and do it all by the time fire season comes around in May.”

He paused again for a wave of claps and whistles. Brad had a big false smile plastered on his face as if it were glued there.

“The completed crew will contain twenty firefighters. We’ll be bringing in mostly fire service veterans, but we’re also interested in locals who have their red cards—that’s a prerequisite for wildland firefighting. We may be hiring some local ground support from time to time as well. Local knowledge is always helpful. If you know anything about how hotshots work, you know we’ll be traveling wherever they need us. Most of the time, you won’t even know we’re here. And hopefully, when you do notice us, you’ll be glad we’re here. Any questions?”

gladA young man in a baseball cap got to his feet. “You said you’re hiring locals?”

“Yup. I’ll be setting up interviews in the next couple of weeks. Call this number.” He handed his card to someone in the front row, who passed it on. “Keep in mind, the hotshot training is extremely tough. You have to be in peak physical condition. You have to pass some pretty harsh tests. And I’m known for demanding the best from my crew.”

“Oh yeah.” Josh’s heartfelt agreement drew laughter from the crowd.

“When it’s a matter of life or death, you don’t want to be a step slower than the fire just because you slacked off on your endurance training.”

A perky blonde in a red tank top asked the next question. “Will you hotshots be living here year-round? Do you have families?”

Sean bit back a smile. Like all firefighters, hotshots tended to get a lot of attention from girls. “This is Josh Marshall, crew captain. Josh, do you want to take this question?”

“Sure. What’s your name?”

“Serena.”

“Well, Serena, some hotshots have families that they leave behind to go fight fires all summer. Others of us are still single.”

“Really?” She batted her eyelashes at him. Sean could sense Josh plotting how to get her number after the meeting. “What about him?” She pointed to Sean. “Is he single?”

Josh snorted. “Yes, Sean is single, but to be totally honest, he’s a pain in the—”

Sean elbowed him in the ribs to make him shut up. He spotted Evie a few rows back. Her full lips were pressed together as if she was trying to hold back a laugh. Her eyes brimmed with amusement. Now that was the Evie he remembered. Teasing, fun, bright.

Was it hard for her to be this close to Brad White? Had he ever faced up to his actions? Apologized? Done time?

Time to wrap things up. “We’re going to be very busy over the next few weeks, but my door is always open if you have questions about the hotshots, fire safety, or how to apply. Thank you.”

He and Josh left the stage. Josh left to find the men’s room. Sean waited in the auditorium, willingly subjecting himself to more city council meeting agenda items so he could steal glances at Evie. Leaning against the wall, he ate up every detail. The graceful arch of her neck, the strand of hair that kept escaping her ponytail, the way her lush breasts pressed against her simple ivory blouse.

Evie was one sexy woman, but she didn’t seem aware of that fact at all.

It was a slight shock when he heard Brad White’s name announced. Judging by the way the crowd applauded him, he still had the charm that had worked on everyone except Sean.

“Thank you, neighbors, right back at you!” Brad applauded the crowd. What a fake. “I know you’ll all be happy to hear that the campaign is going great, and chances are good that Jupiter Point will have its first hometown representative in Sacramento!”

What a fakeBig cheers answered that.

What the f**k? Was Brad White seriously running for office? Didn’t anyone here know what he’d done?

What the fuckSean looked at Evie. All the color in her face had leeched away.

He glanced at the girl sitting next to her, the redhead he vaguely remembered as Evie’s best friend. She was clapping for Brad too. Either she didn’t know or it didn’t matter to her.

Disgusted, Sean pushed off the wall to head for the exit when Brad’s next words stopped him cold.

“You all know and love Evie McGraw. As the new president of the Jupiter Point Business Coalition, and definitely the best-looking one,” more laughter, “she’s here tonight to make an important announcement on behalf of my campaign. Evie?”

As Sean watched, incredulous, Evie rose to her feet.

What the hell? Was she working with Brad? Had she completely forgotten what Brad did that night?

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