Page 10 of Betrayed

“Nope. I’m good.” Jenna waved the idea away. She was, after all, sitting there in cutoff jean shorts and a baggy t-shirt.

Logan was stuck. Focus on the game. It’s fine.

So he tried. Yoda would be disappointed.

Pretend like she’s not there. AJ made his blood run hotter than hellfire.

Megan served for the cops. The ball went straight to AJ. She passed it to Ty who hit it over the net to Zara. The volley continued until Logan was able to jump and spike it down right on AJ’s head.

“Ha!”

“Jerk.”

“Oh, come on AJ. It’s a beach ball. You’re fine. Should have used your head.”

She snarled at him.

“Didn’t take a long enough nap at work today?”

Will shoved Logan to his new spot as their team rotated for serving. At least AJ wasn’t right in front of him now.

The game continued and the insults flew. Wise cracks abounded—cops were better than firefighters and vice versa.

Eventually, Logan and AJ ended up back in their starting spots across from one another.

She came to the net. “You’re going down, Jackson.”

He met her there. “To Chinatown? I could go for some Chinese food.”

“You know what cops and firefighters have in common?” she asked. “They all grow up wanting to be firefighters.”

He rolled his eyes.

Will and Zara laughed.

AJ knew Logan never dreamed of being a firefighter, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of laughing at her ridiculous joke.

“You know why God made cops?” he asked.

She glared at him.

“To give firefighters heroes. Today proved that.”

She shoved him. “That little boy would have died if I hadn’t seen him outside.”

“And you both would have died if I hadn’t pulled you out.”

“I’d have been fine.”

“You keep telling yourself that.”

She grabbed the net. “I have to. It’s not like you ever told me.”

“I’m sure Daryl told you all you wanted to hear.”

“Let go of the past.” She released the net.

“Hard to when it flaunts itself in front of me day after day.”

“I flaunt nothing.”

Every muscle in Logan’s body tensed to the point of snapping. “You’re here, aren’t you? Every time I turn around.”

“Why do you have to be such a selfish jerk?”

“I’m the selfish one? Seems like you’re the one who—”

“Knock it off,” Will yelled. “Play the game or get out of the pool.”

Logan smacked the water, splashing AJ. “Fine by me. I’m out.”

He was done. He didn’t care that it was nearly eight miles to walk home or that it was over ninety degrees even at six o’clock. He needed to get away from AJ.