“Every time we leave for a fire, there’s a chance one or all of us might be injured or worse. Returning as a complete unit means a lot.” He handed me the camera. “Nice pics.”

“Thanks.”

He rested his chin on my hair. “Jojo is going to be happy.”

“Thanks. She texted me today. She wants to see what I’ve got.”

“So you’re going to show them to her now?” His eyebrows pulled in. “Does this mean you’re done?”

“I guess we’ll find out.”

Tyler was watching his friends wrestle and joke in the kitchen, but he looked unhappy. “Ellie?”

I heard him call my name, but I was at the bottom of a barrel full of water, warm and unwilling to move. The sound of the guys in the kitchen faded away, and all I could hear was the sound of my own heart and the steady rhythm of Tyler’s breath. I sank deeper into myself, comfortable under the blanket and against Tyler’s arm.

“Shut the fuck up!” Tyler hissed. He jerked, and I blinked, seeing a blurry Watts jump over whatever Tyler had thrown at him.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “Wow. How long was I out?”

“Three hours,” Jubal said with a smile. “Tyler didn’t move a muscle the whole time so he didn’t wake you up.”

“Did you get dinner?” I asked, looking up at him.

“I brought him a sandwich,” Watts said, throwing the small square pillow back at Tyler. “He’ll live.”

Tyler caught it and held it to his chest, pouting.

“What’s up with you?” I asked.

Watts jutted out his lip. “He’s pissed we woke you up.”

“Knock it off,” Jubal said, handing me a glass of ice water.

“Thanks,” I said.

Smitty turned up the television, and Taco fished for his ringing cell phone, standing up to take the call in the office.

Tyler stood. “We should probably get those shots to Jojo and you home, huh?”

“Yeah. I should probably call José.”

“I’ll take you,” he said immediately.

Jubal watched us with amusement, although I wasn’t sure why. The rest of Tyler’s crew seemed to be going about their business, while still keeping an ear open to whatever I might say.

“Uh, sure,” I said. “Thanks.”

All nineteen hotshots, from Fish to Pup, gave me a bear hug before I left, all asking me to come back soon. Chief made a rare appearance outside of his office to tell me goodbye, and then Tyler walked me to his truck, patiently keeping pace with my sloth-like speed.

“Fuck,” Tyler said under his breath. “I should have started the truck so it was warm.”

“It’s fine. Really, no big deal. I think I’ve proven myself by now not to be high maintenance.”

“That you have.” He opened my door but paused when he noticed me staring. “What?”

“What are you doing?”