Melt For Him(21)

Megan froze. She’d had no idea. But then, why would she? “He did?”

“We were both on duty when the call came in. The parents were at a work dinner and just a sitter was there, but she was maybe twelve and had fallen asleep on the couch. Neighbors called 911 when they smelled the smoke.”

Megan clasped her hand over her mouth, then released it. “Oh my God. That’s so scary.”

“Becker went up through all the smoke. Saved those little kids.”

Megan felt a stinging in the back of her eyes. “Wow. That’s intense.”

“Anyway, so once the kids were safe, I went back in and snagged the dog and the cat. They were both hiding out under the kitchen table. Scared little creatures.”

“That’s amazing. I mean, you just do something amazing. Going into a burning house and not even thinking twice.”

“Let me tell you, there’s no one I’d rather have getting my back than Becker. That man is a rock. All the more incredible, considering…”

“Considering what?”

Travis brushed off the question. “Nothing,” he said crisply.

“Travis, what were you going to say?” she pressed, wanting to know more about Becker, even though he’d tried to push her away at the end of their chat at the firehouse.

“He’s just seen some bad shit, okay? And by the way, I already told him to stay away from you.”

Her jaw dropped. “What?”

He pointed to his eyes. “I have two eyes. I saw you chatting the other day at the coffee shop. I’d trust him with my life, but he’s no good for you, so don’t get any ideas.”

She willed herself to give nothing away, to not reveal that he had indeed picked up on mutual attraction. “One. Nothing is going to happen. Two. Why on earth would you say that?”

“He’s not in a good space. He had a rough go of it in Chicago. He’d never be able to give you what you need. Just trust me on this,” Travis said.

“That’s just fine,” she replied as matter-of-factly as she could, trying to make it seem like there was no reason for him to be concerned anyway. “Besides, I’m not interested in a relationship with anyone right now. I’m not even going to be in town for long,” she said, speaking the full truth. There was another side to the truth, though; she already liked Becker and she knew that spending more time with him would lead to her wanting more of a relationship, and that would simply be no good for her heart.

“What’s the story, Miss Megan? You really going to Portland?”

“Yes,” she said. Now was as good a time as any to tell him about the job she’d landed, so she shared the details. As she finished, she added, “And that means I’m only in town for as long as the shoot and then I’ll be on my way again.”

Travis’s expression turned wistful as he sighed. “I’m happy for you. But I wish you were staying. Not going to lie. I hate that you’re leaving again so soon.”

“I know you do, but this is a big deal for me.”

“I get it. It’s just good to have you back. I like having you around. Call me crazy for liking my sister,” he said and flashed a half-sad, half-happy smile.

“Crazy,” she said as if it were a nickname. Then she let go of the teasing. “Thanks for coming to get me in L.A.” She was grateful for her big brother. They were a team; always had been, always would be. He’d looked out for her when they were younger, and he was the first person she called when she decided it was finally time to get away from the toxic relationship with Jason. Travis had responded instantly, heading down to L.A. the next day to help her.

“Of course. That guy was a douche. I’m glad he wasn’t there when I picked you up or I would have strangled him. You heard from him at all?”

“No. I honestly don’t even think he knows I’m gone. Or he doesn’t care,” Megan said, then felt a hitch in her throat. She hadn’t shed many tears over Jason lately. She’d shed them all while they were together for those two long years, and he’d been ghosting in and out of moments in her life, existing on another plane of reality—his own heightened reality. Recalling the emptiness that had been her time with him brought so many latent emotions to the surface. Add in her already-keyed-up response to the story of the fire, and her eyes were wet again.

“Hey,” Travis said softly and switched sides to join Megan. He wrapped an arm around his little sister. “It’s okay.”

She leaned into his shoulder, tucking her face against his navy-blue T-shirt as a few rebel tears fell. “Sorry,” she muttered. “It’s not even that I miss him. It was just such a crap relationship.”