Hot as Sin (Hot Shots: Men of Fire #2)(45)
Author: Bella Andre

“She came looking for you last night,” he replied, and then she heard him tell someone, “Yes, I’m talking with her right now.”

“Oh my God, April,” Dianna said, coming on the line. “Are you okay?”

Dianna’s concern brought tears to her eyes. She felt like a little kid all over again, desperate for her big sister to come find her and take her away from her horrible life.

“I think so. I was abducted by some guy in the hospital parking lot and I managed to escape to a state park. The signs say Tigiwon on them.” Sniffling, she admitted, “I was so scared. But I knew you’d try to find me.”

“Thank God you’re okay. I’m coming to get you.”

Dianna sounded incredibly shaken up and April could hardly believe this was her ever-poised sister on the other end of the line.

“Go to the ranger station and wait for me. And April?”

April wiped away her own tears and cleared her throat. “Yes?”

“I love you.”

Her tears started anew. “I love you, too.”

She hung up the phone and was heading back out into the parking lot when she was struck with the bad feeling of being watched. But when she stopped and looked all around her, she didn’t see or hear anything more suspicious than a group of children riding their bikes while their parents lounged on folding chairs and drank beer.

It looked like nothing more than a perfect summer afternoon, but as she quickly followed the arrow to the ranger’s office, the hair on the back of her neck wouldn’t stop standing straight up.

Stop freaking out, she told herself. You did it. You escaped. You’re safe.

Dianna was coming, and this time, April was perfectly happy to let her sister take care of everything. At fourteen, she’d fought her sister with all her might, partly, she now realized, because fighting was all she knew. But right this second, she longed for comfort. For safety. For a warm bed and a glass of warm milk.

For so long, she’d raged against Dianna for treating her like a baby. Funny how a little coddling no longer seemed like such a bad thing.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“SHE’S SAFE,” Dianna told Sam and Peter as she hung up the phone.

She couldn’t remember ever feeling happier as Sam pulled her into his arms. It felt so good to hug him. Not in a state of fear, but, finally, with joy.

“I’m so glad she’s okay,” he said softly in her ear before releasing her.

She slid one hand down to lace her fingers through his, suddenly feeling like new beginnings might be possible for everyone.

“How far is the campground?”

Peter pulled a map out of a nearby bookshelf, opened it up. “It’s somewhat complicated by the downed trees all over the area.”

Dianna felt her chest tighten at the thought of not being able to get to April right away.

Sam leaned over the map. “I’m sure we’ll have no problem following your directions.” He didn’t look at her, but she knew he was saying the calming words for her benefit.

Peter highlighted the various trails with a pen. “As the crow flies, it’s approximately ten miles. The first chunk of miles will be the hardest.” And then he smiled. “I do have some good news for you, though. I keep a dirt bike stashed on the last few miles of trail. After you hike to it, the bike should cut hours off your time.”

She couldn’t stop herself from throwing her arms around Peter this time, and even though he was stiff and uncomfortable, she didn’t care. She was so happy that April was okay she saw no reason to contain her joy. Yes, she knew they’d still need to have April sit down with the police and describe the creep who’d grabbed her, but right now that felt like a small detail.

Hiking quickly across the Farm to their tent and gear, after Sam filled his pack with water, food, and first-aid supplies, they set off toward the campgrounds. Although April sounded fine on the phone, Dianna knew it was best to be prepared for the worst. Still, just thinking of having to use the first-aid kit really freaked her out.

“I would have packed the first-aid kit anyway,” Sam told her, reading her mind like he had so many times before.

“I know,” she said. “This situation with April could have been so much worse.”

Sam reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Just like you’ve said, she’s a tough kid. I’m not surprised she got herself to safety.” He raised an eyebrow. “I’ll bet you would have done the same thing in her situation. You two actually do sound quite a bit alike.”

She bit her lip. Was he right? Were she and April really that similar? Dianna would have never used the word “tough” to describe herself, but maybe that was because she’d spent so long making sure everything looked perfect on the outside and rarely let anyone look at what she was hiding on the inside.

Sam’s hand was warm and dry in hers and it felt strangely right to walk through the Farm and onto the trail beside him. Almost as if they were a couple.

“So—”

He paused and she wondered what he was having such a hard time saying.

“What’s your schedule like? Do you get much time off?”

She hid her grin. It was so cute, watching him fish around for information without trying to look like he was fishing.

Trying to act like his question was no big deal—when the truth was that it was a huge deal that he clearly wanted to spend more time with her outside of their quest for April—she shrugged. “Working on TV is pretty similar to working fires. We’re really, really busy for a few months, and then we get nice long breaks.” She couldn’t resist adding, “Plus, if there’s a town I want to spend some time in, I can usually convince my producer to set a week’s worth of shows there.”

She left her obvious follow-up intent of, “Like, say, Lake Tahoe,”unspoken.

“Good to know,” he said, before surprising her with, “By the way, your river rafting and hiking skills have far exceeded my expectations.”

Dianna had to laugh at herself. She was glowing all over, unable to stop smiling at his praise. One would have thought she’d never heard a compliment before.

“Thank you, Sam, that means a lot to me. Although I suppose it helps that your expectations were pretty darn low to start with.”

Instead of laughing with her, Sam shot her a very serious, almost chastened, glance. “Back in the hospital, in the motel room, I behaved like an ass. I made a lot of assumptions about you, your job, what you were capable of. I was wrong.”