She rolled off his back like a limp noodle. “Good night, Ryan,” she mumbled, before rolling over and snoring with the rest.
Chapter 20
The wheels touched down and the CASA taxied to the Jump Shack. The weary jumpers tramped down the plane ramp a little before noon. Ryan pressed the pack of whimpering wolf pups to his chest like a sack of groceries.
Gunnar shuffled ahead of him. He stopped and turned, raising his phone. “Ryno, let’s get a photo.”
Ryan paused to smile and lift a whimpering pup.
“Good one.” Gunnar approved the photo and hauled his gear inside.
“Gunns, call the wildlife rescue people. Phone number is tacked to the wall in the Loft.”
“Okay.”
Ryan carried the pups inside, where several jumpers had sterile eyedroppers already torn from plastic bags. Someone appeared with a cup of warm milk mixed with water.
The guys set to work caring for the baby wolves. Everyone took photos with the pups and posted them online. It wasn’t long before the base phone rang. “O’Connor, go make yourself presentable. A TV reporter is on her way,” hollered Zombie.
“Great,” mumbled Ryan. He wished someone else would talk to her. Leaving the pups to the care of his fellow jumpers, he plodded to the locker room for a hot shower. The hot spray massaged his aching neck and shoulders and melted away the fire stink. He watched the black water swirl around his sore feet.
He thought of Tara and wondered what Aurora Crew was up to. She and Angela would have loved seeing the wolf pups. Too bad they were still up in Chinook. He wished he had her cell phone number.
He finished up and dressed in a T-shirt and cargo pants, and ran his fingers through damp, outgrown hair. One of these days he’d remember to cut it. As he moved past Zombie’s office, he noted the local TV crew had arrived. A woman in a tight red dress and black stilettos chatted with Gunnar. Her face lit up when she spied Ryan.
Gunnar pointed at him. “There’s your wolf man.”
“Hi Ryan! So, you’re the one who found the wolf pups?” gushed the attractive reporter, beaming perfect, white teeth at him. “I’m Seth Boone’s sister, Marissa. He introduced us at an end of fire season party last year.”
“Oh. Yes, I remember.” Ryan smiled, then froze as lights, cameras, and the cute reporter converged on him. Seth had tried hooking him up with his pretty sister. But Ryan never got around to asking her out.
“I’m with Channel 2, KVUU in Fairbanks. Boone texted me photos of you with the wolf pups. I’m here for a quick interview,” she said sweetly, brown eyes sparkling.
She hollered at Gunnar, holding two pups. “Please hand me one of those puppies.”
Ryan gave her an odd look. Puppies? Seriously?
Gunnar raised his brows in a bemused expression and offered her a wriggling, dark gray pup. She promptly handed it to Ryan and scooted in close with her microphone. Gunnar moved out of her vision and made faces at Ryan as the gorgeous reporter flirted.
Ryan relayed the story of finding the wolf pups. The reporter motioned at two women from Fairbanks Wildlife Rescue and introduced them. The camera stayed on Ryan as he rubbed the dark gray pup’s ears. He inserted water droplets into the insatiable mouth as he talked about finding them. When the reporter stepped over to the Wildlife Rescue people who would take over care for the baby wolves, the cameraman motioned Ryan over to hand one of them a wolf pup.
The televised display was awkward and annoying, but Ryan knew the importance of this for the public. Wolves were popular, and Alaskans loved their wolves, as did the rest of the country. This was obviously Marissa Boone’s golden moment, and Ryan wouldn’t deprive her of it.
He also knew it was good PR for the smokejumpers. He flicked his eyes at Zombie in the background, nodding approval. It didn’t hurt to score points with the boss.
When Marissa finished the interview, she was in no hurry to leave Ryan. His stomach gurgled protest and he hoped she heard it; he needed a graceful exit. “Excuse me. I have business to attend to. Thanks so much.” Before she could protest, he gave her a quick handshake and politely bowed out.
Ryan trotted to the mess hall and hurried inside. After collecting his food, he dropped to a table to inhale a steak, potato, and salad, with four pints of milk.
Gunnar showed up and set his tray on the table across from him. He swung his never-ending legs over the bench. “The ladies liked the wolf pups.”
Ryan glanced up. “What ladies?”
Gunnar leaned toward him with a dumb look. “Which ones do you think?”
“Aurora Crew?” Ryan asked hopefully.
“Affirmative. They’re here. Arrived from Chinook yesterday. They have today and tomorrow off before they’re dispatched to the Shackelford project fire.”
“No kidding.” Ryan straightened at this welcome information.
“I texted Angela the wolf pup pics.” Gunnar tapped his phone and held it up to Ryan.
“Yeah? What else did she say?” Ryan asked in a casual tone, blood pulsing through his veins. He pushed food around his plate, then chomped a roll, faking a devil-may-care attitude.
“Jon Silva has the hots for Tara. And she likes him.” Gunnar speared a piece of steak and pointed his fork at him. “If you like her, you better act on it.”
“What do you mean she likes him?” quipped Ryan as he stabbed a piece of his own steak and yanked it off with his teeth. He twirled his fork in the air while masticating his steak. “If I like her? Did she text in Algebra class?”
Ryan knew Silva had set his sights on Tara from the beginning. Twinges of jealousy poked him.
“Hot women don’t last long. Someone invariably scoops them up. That’s why I hooked up with Angela before we jumped fire.” Gunnar shot him a playful grin. “So
