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all of Glacier Creek. Locals collected in the dining area for food that was pub-style, but better than average. Hugh Ferguson, the captain who’d retired from the base to give way for Russ, ran the bar and served pretty much anything so long as it was beer. Along with the mining town paraphernalia decorating the walls were gems like “Forget the truck, ride the firefighter” signs. This was meant to be a haven for the hotshots. They all came here to play pool and watch the game and talk shop.
    But since breaking up with Tori, Vin hadn’t felt as welcome as he once had.
    Tori’s smile at a table of patrons fell away to a neutral, “Hi Vin,” as she looked up and saw him. She wore a tight low-cut top over tight jeans tucked into cowboy boots, accentuating her rocking sweet bod. It was all part of the hustle for tips, same as the quick smiles and flirty banter and excellent service. He didn’t begrudge her for playing the game to win. That was her job and his came with its own drawbacks.
    Still, it was one more reason he had never felt secure in her or their marriage.
    Maybe he wasn’t capable of feeling secure. It was probably true, since he couldn’t think of a time when he hadn’t expected a woman to eventually leave him or a job to fall through or a vehicle to break down. He’d read something once about self-fulfilling prophecies, that if he expected something, especially if it was bad, he would unconsciously make it happen.
    Transience was the message that was consistently delivered to him, though. He hadn’t made Jacqui change her mind about moving.
    Had he? There was a part of him that had been wishing she wasn’t moving away. Why?
    He gave his head a shake. He wasn’t here to psychoanalyze why or how he was homeless again . He was cooling off and figuring out a new game plan.
    He went to where some of the crew were playing pool, exchanged greetings and took up a stool next to Hugh’s son, Liam.
    Liam had cleared rookie training a few years ago, then spent the last couple of years fighting fires in Australia, exercising a desire that Vin saw in a lot of young men. Liam wanted to make his own mark, rather than follow in his father’s footsteps.
    Granted, Vin hadn’t wanted to be a grocery buyer like his own father, but having lost his old man before he got to know him, he didn’t chafe at the idea of turning out like the man who’d made him. Vin always wanted to point out what an arrogant move it was to thumb your nose at your dad and bugger off so you could “find” yourself.
    Of course, he was just in that frame of mood tonight. Surly and critical. He would have been more comfortable sitting down with Ace Clark, one of the smokejumpers who’d been with the station for a few seasons now, but had gone with Sam into the park for a few days.
    Both Liam and Ace were good for sarcastic jabs that would lighten his mood, but Liam had grown up here in Glacier Creek. Ace was more like Vin. He came from foster care, not that they’d had any heart-to-hearts about it, but silent understanding went a long way. Ace wouldn’t commiserate that life was unfair or try to solve Vin’s problem. He’d say, “That sucks,” and would fully expect Vin to do what he would do, pick himself up and move on.
    Tori brought him a beer, he asked for a burger, and she ran him a tab without asking so they didn’t have that “Do I tip my ex?” awkwardness. He would add twenty percent when she rang it through on his credit card and they would get through this evening barely exchanging more than what they’d already said.
    Except she was an in-your-face reminder that he’d already lost a house to a woman. Fuck, he was mad. What did a guy have to do?
    “Did I hear Jacqui is coming back?” Liam asked.
    Vin snorted. “Gotta love the smoke-eater grapevine. Yeah. I picked her up at the airport this morning. She got her job back this afternoon.”
    Liam paused in raising his beer to his lips. “I meant I’d heard she was