“Uh-oh.” Kayla Gladney sipped her beer and squinted across the dim expanse of Boyton Ballroom’s central bar. “Breakup at three o’clock.”
“What? Where?” Willa leaned back on her barstool, then yelped as she started to topple.
Kayla made a grab for her, but Willa’s hottie husband moved quicker. Grady caught his wife by the waist, grinning as he glanced across the room to watch their friend—and his teammate—Tony, deep in conversation with a pretty brunette.
“Nah.” He kissed Willa on the cheek. “Just looks like they’re talking to me.”
“Nope, that’s a breakup.” Kayla tried to recall the brunette’s name. Brandi? No, Becky. Or was that Tony’s last girlfriend? They all sort of blended together.
“Tony’s been pretty into her,” Grady insisted. “I think this one’s going to work.”
Kayla cocked her head, regarding Grady over the rim of her pint glass. “Care to make a wager?”
He frowned. “Against my teammate?”
“Not against him, exactly.” Kayla’s gaze drifted back to where Brandi/Becky was pulling Tony in for a tight hug. Two pats on the back, right between his broad shoulders. Yep, they were dunzo.
Kayla turned back to Grady. “Just giving you a chance to put your money where your mouth is,” she said. “If you really think your buddy’s got it in him to keep a girlfriend for more than a few weeks.”
“They just hugged,” Willa offered hopefully. “That’s a good sign, right?”
Not even close.
But far be it from Kayla to kill her friend’s hopeful, newlywed dreams. A tiny pinch of envy nipped the edge of Kayla’s heart, but she pushed it back and focused on the not-so-happy couple across the room. “Anything’s possible,” she said, even though it wasn’t. Not with Tony. She loved the crap out of him—admired him, too—but the man had zero sticking power in relationships.
Grady sipped his beer as Tony said something that made the brunette laugh. Tony could make anyone laugh, even in the middle of a breakup.
Which this definitely was.
As his best friend, Kayla knew it.
“I’ll take the bet,” Grady said. “Loser buys the winner a shot of Fireball?”
“Deal.” She didn’t even like cinnamon whisky, though it was a fitting tribute to the unofficial end of fire season for the smokejumpers clustered around the barroom. “Wills, you want in on this?”
Willa shrugged. “Sure. They look happy together. I think they’ll make it.”
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Kayla drained the last of her beer and signaled the bartender for water. “I appreciate the optimism, but odds aren’t good.” She knew better than most how Tony’s relationships crashed and burned. “Okay, they’re headed this way. Anyone else want in on the bet?”
A couple other smokejumpers nodded and gave murmurs of assent. So that was four—no, five shots of Fireball. Kayla didn’t even want one, but she had no doubt they’d be lined up in front of her in three, two, one…
“Hey, guys.” Tony slapped palms with Grady, doing some sort of complicated handshake thing.
Turning to Kayla, Tony grinned and pulled her in for a hug. “There’s the woman of the hour. Congrats again on the book deal.”
“Thanks.” She hugged him back with one arm as she tugged down the hem of her Bart Simpson tee where it rode up under his exuberant embrace. “Watch it,” she murmured in his ear. “You don’t want the girlfriend getting jealous.”
Behind her, Willa chuckled. “You’re ex-lovers with stupid-hot chemistry. Of course Becca’s jealous.”
Tony either didn’t hear or chose to ignore Willa’s remark. “She knows we’re best friends.” He squeezed her tighter, then let her go. “Also, Becca and I just broke up,” he added, expression only mildly sheepish.
Of course.
Kayla did her best to look surprised but knew she was fooling no one. Especially not Tony, who flashed her a self-deprecating smile and ruffled her hair. She gave him a shove and turned to watch Becca head for the door. Kayla caught the woman’s eye and offered a sympathetic wave, then made the universal gesture for lifting a glass. Might as well share the Fireball.
“Want a drink?” Kayla mouthed to Becca across the crowded bar. It was the least she could do.
Becca waved back, then shook her head. “Uber,” she mouthed. With one quick glance at Tony, the man’s newest ex smiled and walked out the door.
So that was that.
“Seriously, Kay—congratulations!” Willa lifted her drink to clink it against hers, and Kayla raised her fresh glass of water. “I’m so proud of you with this book contract.”
“Pretty damn cool,” Grady added. “You get to pick the forests?”
Kayla nodded, chest swelling with pride. “Anyplace there’s been