She shivered. Between the snow, the cooler, and the danger of coming face to face with the man who broke her heart, Harper didn’t think she could get any colder.
“Come here before you turn into a ice pop.” Linc wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in to him.
She resisted for a second, but the heat coming off of him was too comforting. Harper tried to hold herself stiffly against him, but when he shoved her head against his chest, she gave up the struggle and let herself be held.
“You’re not going to start crying, are you?” Linc asked.
Harper sighed. “No, I think I can control myself.”
“Good. It’s going to be okay, you know?”
“Really? Do you have some magic fireman crystal ball?”
“It’s more like one of those magic eight balls.”
This time she laughed a little. It sounded foreign to her ears.
“What does your magic eight ball say?”
“That you’re going to be just fine. You’re strong and smart and look really, really good in a bikini. You’re not meant for a life of misery and hiding in beer coolers.”
“That’s an oddly specific magic eight ball you have.”
Linc gripped her shoulders and made her look at him. “You’re going to be good. You’re a fighter. That counts, especially when life sucks.”
“Thanks, Linc.” The small smile felt good.
“And if that asshole out there doesn’t figure out what an amazing catch you are, you just come by the fire station and —”
Harper clapped her hand over his mouth. “Don’t ruin this touching moment by being gross.”
“I was just going to tell you I’ll let you slide down my pole,” he said through her fingers.
This time the laugh was real. “And the moment is over.”
Linc grinned.
They froze when the door swung open. “That’s great, Georgia Rae, I’m just going to grab —”
Luke stopped mid-sentence in the door of the cooler. His eyes going from confused to fury in the span of a heartbeat. Harper struggled to free herself from Linc’s grip, but he only pushed her behind him.
“Garrison.” Linc said, his tone cooler than the chilled air.
“Well you don’t waste any time, do you?” Harper saw Luke’s jaw twitch when she peeked around Linc’s back.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Linc said evenly.
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Harper felt the sick change to fury in her gut. She made a move to sidestep Linc, but he was already halfway across the cooler. Luke met him in the middle and Harper shrieked when the first blow landed.
Georgia Rae, Mr. Scotts, Sheila, and Peggy Ann stood in the doorway, mouths agape.
“Call Ty,” Harper yelled, grabbing at a thrashing arm and a jacket. “Stop it! Both of you.”
She wedged herself between them, Luke at her front and Linc at her back.
“You ever touch her again and I’ll —”
Harper slapped her hands against Luke’s chest. “Shut up! Just shut up!” She shoved him back with all her strength. “You have no say anymore in who does and doesn’t touch me. I don’t belong to you anymore.” Her voice broke and she hated herself for it.
Luke gripped her wrists and brought his gaze to her face. Tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks and time stopped.
His lip was cut, his eyes wild. He hadn’t shaved in days. She could see the hurt, the anger. But he wasn’t hers to love or heal. He was the man who discarded her.
She wrenched her hands free.
“Harp.” It was hurt now in his tone.
“No,” she whispered, staring at his chest.
He made a move toward her and she stepped back, holding up her hands.
“She said no,” Linc said, pulling her back.
“Stay the fuck out of this, Reed.” Luke shoved Linc and they tangled again, crashing into a rack of six-packs.
Two tumbled to the floor and shattered as Harper jumped out of the way. Linc shoved Luke up against the rack. “Why do you have to be such an asshole?”
Luke’s fist caught him on the jaw and Harper yelped. “Someone help!”
A crowd had gathered in front of the cooler. Every door was wide open so the spectators could get a better look.
“Damn, that was the lager they just broke,” someone sighed as another six-pack fell to its frothy death.
Harper flinched as Linc’s fist plowed into Luke’s middle. They were going to pound each other into oblivion. Harper grabbed Linc’s arm as he pulled it back to hit Luke again. Her body felt weightless as she was carried through the air by the momentum of Linc’s blow.
Luke threw another punch and Harper felt the breeze of it brush her face. He was too angry. She wasn’t going to be able to stop him.