“You asked Boone for a backup husband a while back, didn’t you?”
Avery groaned. “And then Fulsom said I have to have one whether I want to or not. Boone Rudman, tell me you didn’t put out an ad for a husband for me.”
“You knew I had to,” he said defensively, “but I haven’t started going through responses yet. I was letting them pile up.”
“Well, I have,” Renata said. “I found you the perfect backup husband. His name is Gabe Reller, and his cab just pulled into the parking lot. Let’s go. We’ll meet him at the bunkhouse.”
Disbelief flooded Avery. “You got me a backup husband? You can’t be serious,” she hissed at Renata. “You’re supposed to be a friend.”
“I am a friend. Fulsom will kick you off the show if you don’t have one. Wouldn’t you rather I pick him out than Boone?”
“I suppose so.”
“I’m good at picking out backups,” Boone put in.
Renata ignored him. There was nothing for it but to follow everyone else to the parking area. What kind of man had Renata picked out for her? Who would want the job?
“Gabe is a scientist. Something to do with climate change, which is what caught my eye. Seems really nice. Maybe you’ll like him.” Renata marched on, everyone else trailing her.
Avery stalked past her toward the bunkhouse, burning for the chance to tell this interloper where he could get off.
When she arrived there, however, Elizabeth was already squaring off with the stranger, a muscular blond man wearing what looked to Avery like high-end hiking gear. She had one hand on her hip, the other wagging in the man’s face, but when she caught sight of Avery, she cut off mid-sentence. Both of them watched her approach, Elizabeth warily, the man with a speculative look in his eyes.
“You the guy who thinks he’s hot shit enough to be my backup husband?” Avery asked him.
To her surprise, Elizabeth laughed. The man scowled.
“I’m—”
“Gabe Reller. I know. What I don’t know is why you’re barging in here where you’re not wanted.” She crossed her arms, hoping to look intimidating.
“That’s exactly what I asked him,” Elizabeth said crisply.
“That’s rich. You barged in where you’re not wanted, too,” Jess called out from behind her camera.
“Pipe down!” Renata barked at her.
“Sorry!”
Gabe smiled ruefully. “Barging in where I’m not wanted seems to be my specialty,” he admitted. “I’m here because I’m dying to check out Base Camp for myself and see if I can help in some way. A friend turned me on to the show, and I’ve been watching it avidly ever since.”
Elizabeth snorted. “Don’t trust him, Avery. Anyone can tell he’s one of those guys who thinks everything’s about him. Believe me, I know his type—I work with men like him all the time.”
Avery glanced at the crew ringing them. They were loving this.
“What makes you think you can help?” she asked Gabe.
“Don’t encourage him,” Elizabeth said.
What was her problem? Renata had said he was a climate scientist. Had they crossed paths before? “Do you know him or something?” Avery demanded.
“I know his type,” she snapped. “Do-gooders who don’t believe in mixing politics with science.”
“Maybe that’s because mixing the two can be dangerous,” he countered.
Was there such thing as rival wildfire scientists? Avery wasn’t sure, but Gabe and Elizabeth were glaring at each other like lifelong enemies.
“Aren’t you happy Gabe is here?” Avery asked Elizabeth. “You came to steal Walker from me. You should be glad I have a backup husband.”
“Exactly what I was telling her before you came,” Gabe said smugly.
Elizabeth blinked. “You know what? You’re right. I don’t care what you do. Invite him to stay. Marry him if you want to.”
“Maybe I will.” Avery looked over Gabe frankly. Anyone who could rile up Elizabeth was okay in her books. “I could do worse, I guess.”
“Thanks a lot,” Gabe said dryly.
“Whatever.” Elizabeth stepped into the bunkhouse and shut the door behind her.
“You sure got on her bad side fast,” Avery said.
“Guess it’s a good thing I’m not here to marry her. Now what do we do?” he added. “Like I said, I watch Base Camp. I know you want to marry Walker Norton, and I understand you probably aren’t too pleased to see me, but will you at least show me around before you kick me out?”
She supposed she could do that. She liked Gabe’s forthrightness. They could use some of that around here. “We have to travel in groups,” she informed him. “Someone was sneaking around the place last night.” She turned to Boone. “Should we give Gabe a tour?”
“What’s going on out here?” Walker came out of the bunkhouse, and Avery wondered if Elizabeth had said something about Gabe’s arrival. Maybe Walker needed a reminder why it would be worth the discomfort of standing up to Sue in order to save their relationship.
“This is my backup husband, Gabe Reller,” she told him. “I’m about to give him a tour of the place.” She took Gabe’s arm. “What would you like to see first?”
Jealousy ripped through Walker when Avery took Gabe’s arm. He wanted to knock Gabe aside. Tell him to get the hell off the property—away from his woman.
But Avery wasn’t his woman, and it was all his fault.
He forced himself to keep quiet as they walked away. Felt for the door handle behind him and stumbled back inside.
“Did you get a load of Romeo and Juliet out there?” Elizabeth asked. She was holding a cup of tea, gazing out a back window, through which Walker could see Avery, Gabe and the others heading for the greenhouses.
“Yeah,” he made himself say, wincing at the roughness of his voice. “You must be happy. Your competition is distracted.”
“I always thought she’d marry you in the end,” Elizabeth said absently.
“What?” Walker straightened with surprise.
Elizabeth came to herself and turned sharply away from the window, nearly spilling her tea.
“You thought she’d marry me?” he pressed. “But you said—”
“I was making a joke.” She took a sip from her
