Page 90 of The Long Way Home
You’re still her, Sunny.
I blink, my chest tightening as he confirms and throws all my intrusive thoughts at me.
“This has nothing to do with him,” I say quietly.
Ben shakes his head, disbelief etched across his face. “If I have to be honest, then so do you.”
“It’s not about anyone else, Ben. I don’t know how many times I have to say that to you for it to get through that thick skull of yours.” I sling the duffel over my shoulder, feeling the weight of every decision I’ve made. “It’s about me. I’m done settling for less than I deserve. I don’t want someone totolerateme. I want someone who actually wants me. And you’re not willing to give me that.”
His face hardens as he tosses, “You’re being overly dramatic. You’ll regret this.”
I pause in the doorway, every nerve screaming. “No. I’ve already spent too long regretting staying.”
I look back over my shoulder, eyes locked on his. “The lease is in my name, Ben. It was my house before you moved in. I need you to move out. You can have the place for a week to get your shit together.”
I shut the door behind me, and I don’t look back.
Chapter Twenty-one
RHETT
Thick smoke stacks rise above the house in steady waves as we pull up. Connor jumps out of the engine before it’s fully stopped, securing his helmet and gear in practiced motion. I follow, strapping my pack tight across my shoulders. Flames move behind the shattered front windows, casting a deep orange glow across the porch.
“Confirmed no one’s inside?” I shout to the captain as we pass.
He nods, wiping sweat from his face. “Neighbors said the family’s out of town. We’re going on defensive unless something changes.”
The fire cracks and pops as we reach the side. Heat presses against us through our gear. Connor hands me the nozzle. I grip it, shift my stance and move forward with him toward the porch. The wood underneath flexes with each step, creaking under our combined weight.
The roofline at the front edge is warping. Shingles are beginning to fall, and the corner looks ready to drop.
Connor taps my shoulder twice. “Left side—watch it.”
I turn in time to see the siding give out. A wave of heat hits me hard in the chest. I lower myself to one knee, plant my boots, and open the line. The spray pushes back against my grip. Steam shoots up as the water hits the flames.
“Two more feet!” Connor calls from behind.
We move forward together, dragging the hose. Heat closes in, as I breathe slowly through the mask. I keep my eyes on the movement of the flames ahead. The line keeps steady as I adjust the spray and keep pressure on the source.
Inside, the frame of the house groans as the fire eats through the walls. I measure each step forward. Debris shifts under my boots. The ceiling flakes apart and drops in pieces. I stay low and keep the line moving.
Ten minutes grind past before the pressure shifts. The flames slow as water spreads across the floor. The structure still threatens to collapse, but the worst of the fire has dropped.
“Pull back!” someone shouts.
I retreat in steady steps. My arms ache. Sweat soaks my shirt under the turnout. I keep the line steady until Connor shuts the valve. Once we are done, we step outside. Burned wood and soaked insulation choke the air. My gear drags heavier with every breath.
Connor pulls his helmet off and leans against the engine. “That one was tight.”
I nod, adjusting the straps across my chest. “Could’ve gotten worse in a matter of minutes.”
Back at the station, I peel off my turnout gear. My shirt underneath is soaked, clinging to my skin. I roll my shoulders back, my muscles tight from the weight and heat. Connor dropshis gloves into his locker with a heavy thud and winces as he rubs at his shoulder.
“I’m starving,” he mutters. “Let’s get a beer after shift. Burgers too. Grease, salt—the works.”
“Yeah,” I say, hanging up my gear. “Could eat a whole plate of fries myself.”
He yanks open his locker and shoves stuff around until he finds whatever the hell he was searching for. “Text Anderson. He’s been buried under spreadsheets all week. Probably needs it more than we do.”
