Or if she should call him.
Which wasn’t really fair, because he had called her once, earlier in the day, to check on her and make sure she was okay. And then they had just talked. Not about anything in particular, just comfortable conversation, getting to know each other a little more.
That didn’t mean she didn’t want to talk to him again, though. She laughed at herself. She really was acting like a teenager when it came to Jay, and she wasn’t sure why.
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway drifted through the window and Angie held her breath, listening. She winced at the sound of his truck door slamming and knew that any peace and quiet she might have been enjoying was coming to end.
Her brother was home, and from the sound of the front door slamming as well, he wasn’t in a good mood.
Not that that surprised her, considering the mood he had been in last night. But it had been too late when she got home last night for anything more than a brief argument, stopped short when she slammed her bedroom door in his face. It was too much to hope there wouldn’t be a full interrogation now.
Her ears traced the sound of Dave’s heavy footsteps through the house. Through the dining room and into the kitchen, back through to the living room to the stairs and up. And finally to the hallway, stopping outside her door.
Dave leaned against the doorjamb, his dark eyes watching her. He didn’t bother coming in, just stood right outside the door and stared at her. His jaw was clenched tight, stress deepening the lines around his eyes and mouth. She was suddenly surprised to realize how attractive he was, with his large frame, square jaw, and deep-set eyes. And she wondered why he never really dated, at least that she knew of. Or why he never did more than hang out with his friends from work.
He used to, years ago. Going to this party or that, dating here and there. Nothing serious. But not lately. In fact, he hadn’t really done much socializing at all since he had come back from his deployment with the Reserves two years ago, and she didn’t know why she had never realized that before.
She studied him in the quiet that fell between them. And for a brief second, Angie thought he looked…older. More tired. She blinked and the thought disappeared, helped along by her pushing it from her mind.
She didn’t want to think of her brother as vulnerable, didn’t want to think about him with any kind of sympathy. Not when she knew the interrogation was getting ready to start.
“I want you to quit working at the bar.” His voice was flat, steady, and left no room for argument. It hadn’t been the first thing she expected to hear from him, but she still wasn’t surprised.
And she didn’t bother to answer, just shook her head and pretended to turn her attention back to the e-reader.
“Angela, that wasn’t a request. You’re quitting.”
“Or what? You’re going to lock me in my room?”
“It’s too dangerous. Last night proved that.”
“Oh please. Last night was a fluke. Todd was drunk. If you and your friends hadn’t overreacted, things would have been fine.” Angie inwardly winced as the words left her mouth. Why had she mentioned his friends? She had just given him the perfect opening to the conversation she least wanted to have.
“Speaking of my friends.” She didn’t miss the heavy sarcasm in the word. “Stay away from Jay. He’s no good for you.”
Angie pushed herself to a sitting position but stopped herself from completely standing. If she did, she’d just go over and slam the door in Dave’s face. And as much as she didn’t want a confrontation, she knew it was coming. The longer they put it off, the worse it would be.
“You have to stop telling me what to do, Dave. I’m not a little kid. I don’t need you to tell me what’s good for me.”
“Somebody needs to because you sure as hell can’t figure it out on your own!” He snapped his mouth shut, the shout still ringing in the room. He stared at her then shook his head. “Dammit, Angie, the man has a string of women in his wake. He can’t keep it in his pants, and once he has something, he moves on to the next one. Can’t you see I’m just trying to save you some heartache?”
A sharp pain twisted through her stomach at the words, like someone had just shoved a knife deep inside her gut. But she pushed it away, refusing to let Dave’s accusation color her judgment. Yes, she had known Jay dated a lot of different women, just from watching him bring a few of them to the bar. That didn’t mean he was using her.
Especially since she was the one who had thrown herself at him. But she wasn’t about to tell her brother that.
“Dave, it’s not up to you. This is my life, you need to let me live it.”
“Not when it’s so obvious that you can’t be trusted to make the right decisions.”
“Really? You can stand there and accuse me of that?” She pushed herself from the bed and closed the distance between them with a few angry steps. “How can you even say that? I’m twenty-four years old, Dave. I have a bachelor’s in Animal Sciences that I got on a full ride scholarship! I’m finishing my third year at Vet school, and I’m working and putting myself through it. And I’m doing it by myself, just like I did everything myself for eighteen months while you were gone! So don’t sit there and tell me I can’t be trusted to make the right decisions!”
Dave stepped back, shock at her outburst clear in his eyes. Shock, and something else. Surprise? Or hurt? No, she refused to think that anything she had said could hurt him.
He stared at her, then leaned forward the barest inch, just enough to make her step back. Anger tightened his face and laced his voice when he spoke. “You are still my sister and if I see you making a mistake, I will damn well tell you, and then do everything I can to make sure you don’t. And I’m telling you, Jay is a mistake. Now stay away from him.”
He turned on his heel and stormed away, his steps heavy on the stairs. The front door slammed and a minute later she heard his truck start, rubber squealing against the blacktop driveway as he left.
Angie didn’t move for a long minute. Her heart pounded in her chest and something sour rolled in her stomach. From their fight? She thought so. She couldn’t remember the last time they had shouted at each other like that, if they ever had.
Dave was her brother, the only close family she really had. They had picked up the pieces together after their father took off, almost ten years ago. In a lot of ways, Dave had almost been like a father to her, getting her through those rough high school years, worrying about her dating, giving her a shoulder to cry on when the guy she wanted to go to prom with asked someone else instead.
Then he had left, called to active duty for eighteen months, and Angie had been alone againâbut she was older, more than capable of handling everything herself. Part of her worried that Dave felt guilty for leaving her, which made no sense to her even though she knew her brother well enough to understand why he’d feel that way.
And when he came back, he tried to act like nothing had changed. But she knew. She could tell. He wasn’t quite the same. A little quieter, a little more reservedâand entirely too quick to assume responsibility for everything and everyone else. Too worried, too protective. It was almost like he felt he had to be, to make up for the time he’d been gone. But even then, they were still close, still leaned on each other. They were still a family, arguments and all.
She didn’t like the thought that anything could come between them, not after everything they’d been through. She walked back to the bed and sat on the edge, her hand pressed against her middle.
Was that why he’d said all those things about Jay? Was he just being overly protective again? Worrying too much? Or was it something more? Was it something he knew that she didn’t?
She pressed her hand more tightly against her stomach and took a deep breath, trying to calm the sour twisting that was slowly rising inside her. And she wondered if the awful twisting feeling in her stomach was from the fight with Daveâor from the awful things he had said about Jay.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“What the hell? Are you trying to fucking kill me?”
Jay lowered the axe, pulling down a piece of damaged drywall with it. He turned his head to the side and spit the blackened mucus from his mouth then looked over his shoulder at Mikey. She was standing just behind him, her mask hanging loose around her neck, her brows lowered in a frown as she stared at him.
“What?”
“You damn near took my head off with the axe. Get your head on straight and watch what you’re doing.” She stepped around him and moved deeper into the room, kicking at the pile of burnt debris littering the floor. Jay blinked, not quite sure he heard her right.
“Really? You’re really going to go there with me? After all your shit last year with Nick?”
Mike looked over her shoulder at him, a small grin tilting the corners of her mouth. The look was completely at odds with her sweat and soot-stained face. “Of course. Why would you expect anything different from me?”
Jay grunted, not knowing what to say. Of course he shouldn’t expect anything different. Why would he? He shook his head and swung the axe, listening as it hit the wall with a solid thunk. He pulled down, tearing away more of the wall.
“So what’s going on with you two?”
Jay swung the axe again then let it drop to his side. “With what two?”
“Don’t play dumb, Jay. You know exactly who I’m talking about.”
Yeah, he did. That didn’t mean he wanted to discuss it, not even with Mikey. And especially not here on the fire ground, where any number of people might overhear. “Nothing’s going on.”
Mike swore behind him, the words harsh and disbelieving. A second later and she was standing next to him, leaning one shoulder against the wall and staring at him with those clear blue eyes that always saw too much. Gone was any trace of a smile, any sign of humor. This was Michaela being serious, something he wanted to avoid at all costs.
“Is it getting serious between you two?”
“What?” He frowned then shook his head, thought about giving her a short little laugh to go along with his look of disbelief. Jay swallowed back the laugh, nearly choking, and shook his head again. “Serious? Me? Of course not.”
Which is what he knew Mike was expecting him to say. He could see that much in her eyes. He could also see her unspoken words, the ones where she called him a liar. Yeah, he heard that loud and clear even without her saying it. He turned his head to the side and spit again, not quite able to meet her stare.
“You know I’m calling bullshit, right?”
“Yeah, whatever Mikey.”
“Hey, don’t get an attitude with me. Best friend, remember? I’m not the one who has a problem with it. And I told you before, I like Angie.”
“And now you’re wondering how long before I screw her over, right?” Jay took a step to the side, half-expecting Mike to slug him for the words he already regretted saying. No, Mike wouldn’t expect him to do that, no matter what everyone else might think.
But she didn’t say anything, just stood there with her arms crossed, looking both lethal and thoughtful in the dirty turnout gear and bottle. She uncrossed her arm and dragged her wrist across her forehead, leaving a smear of soot and grime on her face. To her creditâand his surpriseâshe ignored the comment completely and walked over to the other side of the room, tearing at the wall in the corner.
“Nick and I are going out for dinner and a movie tomorrow night. Why don’t you guys join us?”
He almost said yes. The idea of going on a date, hanging with friends who would accept them and not judge, was more tempting than he imagined. But he shook his head, giving Mike a small smile as he did.
“We already made plans.” His grin grew a little wider as he thought about where he was taking her. Mike raised her brows, no doubt thinking he had something else entirely in mind.
“Is that so?”
“Shut up. That’s not what I meant.” He leaned to the side and looked out the door through the thinning haze to make sure nobody else was around. “I’m taking her to the carnival.”
“Really?” Mike laughed then quickly stopped, clearing her throat when he shot her a dirty look.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing. Honest. It’s actually kind of sweet. I wouldn’t have expected that from you.”
“Sweet?” Great. That wasn’t exactly the result he had been aiming for. “Is it too silly? Maybe I shouldâ”
“Jay, stop. I think it’s a good idea. You guys will have fun.”
“Are you sure? I haven’t told her yet, so it’s not too lateâ”
“Man, you really do like her, don’t you?”
It wasn’t so much a question as it was a statement but it still caught him off-guard. If not the words, then definitely the way she said itâlike it was a sure thing, not even up for debate. He shouldn’t be surprised, though. It was nothing less than what he would have expected from Mike. Maybe that was the issue: because it was Mike, and he wouldn’t lie to her.
And because she was right. He did like Angie. More than he expected. She wasn’t like the other women he’d dated. That in itself was a whole other problem. In the past, he dated women closer to his own age, even a little older. Women who weren’t looking for relationships. Women who were completely comfortable with what he had to offerâwhich was a few nights of fun and not much else.
Angie was younger, by six yearsâsomething he tried not to think too hard about. Was she looking for a relationship? He couldn’t say, but he was pretty damn sure that she wasn’t the kind of woman who was fine with just a few nights of pleasure. And oddly enough, that was fine with him because he suddenly wanted more. He was done with the casual encounter thing, done with the dating scene, done with all of it.
But with Angie? Yeah, he liked her. Liked being with her. Loved her smile and laughter and the way she made him feel. And he loved her sense of family loyalty, even if her ass of a brother didn’t deserve it.
Which wasn’t fair. He and Dave used to be close, used to be friends. Yeah, that had definitely changed. And while Jay could understand Dave’s feelings, at least a little bit, he still thought the man was overreacting.
“Yo. Earth to Jay.” Mike’s voice was right next to his ear and he turned, startled, just as she nudged him. He stumbled into the wall and automatically brought his hand up to catch himself. The wall crumbled and his hand shot through, throwing him off-balance even more.
“Dammit.” He jerked his arm back and gave Mike a dirty look. “What the hell did you do that for?”
“Me? How was I supposed to know you’d lose your balance? Besides, that’s what you get for zoning out so much.” She pulled some more of the wall down then looked behind it, searching for more extension before looking at him over her shoulder. “What were you thinking about?”
“Do you think Dave is overreacting? Or am I really that big of a dick?”
Mike stared at him for a few seconds then let out a long sigh. She lowered her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, then shook her head. “Lord save me from stupid men.”
“What? I think that’s a valid question.”
“And you really want the answer?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Okay.” She paused, watching him, her expression suddenly too serious. “Yes. To both questions. Dave is overreacting and you can be a dick. Happy?”
“No.”
“Then you shouldn’t have asked.” She stepped forward and gave his shoulder a small push before smiling. “Listen, Jay. You’ve had your moments. So have I. You remember all the shit I gave Nick last year? Nobody’s perfect. Do I think you’re going to be a dick with Angie? No. You’re different with her. Moreâ¦I don’t know. Relaxed. More yourself. I think you guys make a cute couple.”
“So you think he’s overreacting? Or do you think he has a point?”
Mike watched him for a long minute, her clear gaze too serious, too intense. Then she shook her head a
nd swung the axe once more, hitting high on the wall and tearing down a chunk of drywall. Once, twice. Once more. Jay swallowed back his disappointment, certain that her silence meant she thought that Dave was right, that whatever was going on between Angie and him didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of working out.
And dammit, that pissed him off. Hell, he’d be the first to admit that his history wasn’t the greatest. Yeah, he had a reputation for not settling down. A reputation for playing the field, for dating too many women. But not at once. Fuck no, never that. He’d been on the receiving end of that shit and would never even think about doing that to someone else.
And he never used women. Never treated them bad. So why the hell was Mikey so silent? And why did he feel like her silence was so damned accusing?
“Yes and no.”
“What?”
Mike dropped the axe to her side and gave Jay a sideways look, the corner of her mouth tilting ever so slightly. “I said yes and no. Yeah, I think Dave is overreacting and no, I don’t think he has a point.”
She rested her shoulder against the wall, still watching himâtoo carefully, studying him too much. “Angie’s his little sister. He’s going to be protective, that’s to be expected. But there’s something else going on with him.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“No, really. He hasn’t been himself. Haven’t you noticed that?”
Jay barely stopped himself from snortingâor from saying something out loud that would end being overheard even out on the street. “No, I haven’t noticed. I’ve been a little busy avoiding getting into a fight with him.”
“Don’t be an ass, Jay. Something’s been going on even before you and Angie started seeing each other. I can’t be the only one who’s noticed.”
Jay shrugged, not wanting to think too much about Dave. Yeah, definitely not Dave. But maybe Mike had a point. Maybe, if he stopped to really think, he might agree that something else was going on with Dave.
But he wasn’t going to admit it, not even to Mike. And he damn sure wasn’t going to accept that as an excuse for the shit Dave was pulling now. Yeah, Angie was his sister. And yeah, maybe it crossed some imaginary blurred line that Jay was dating her now. But that still wasn’t an excuse for Dave’s shit. At least, not a valid one, not in Jay’s mind.
Playing With Fire (Firehouse Fourteen Book 2) Page 9