Some Girls Don't (Outback Heat Book 2) by Amy Andrews Page A

the media area where at least a dozen vehicles from a handful of different media outlets were parked and equipment was being sorted. Selena got out of the vehicle the second they pulled up, hit first by the hot dry wind that whipped her hair back and then by the omnipresent smell of smoke. John, her cameraman, started unpacking the equipment from the back and Arnie, her sound guy said, “I’ll find out what the go is.”
    Selena just nodded as she took in the controlled chaos going on all around. A finger of fear stroked down her spine. She’d never covered a bushfire emergency before. Hell, she’d never been in a bushfire, although growing up in outback Australia the threat was always there.
    It hung in the air now along with the pervasive feeling of danger, thick as the stench of smoke. Just thinking about the monster wall of fire out there, heading their way, had her primal response to flee kicking in hard.
    Was Jarrod ever frightened in his line of work? Part of his job was to go in when everyone else was running away. To fight the fire, not flee from it. Do the opposite of what his survival instincts must be telling him to do. Where did someone get that kind of courage?
    How did he do it?
    She wished he was here so she could reassure herself that he was out of danger.
    She dialled Grandy’s. Jumbuck Springs was still a long way from the fire front, but she didn’t have any confirmed news on the wind direction and weather conditions and she wanted to check in to make sure her grandmother had an evacuation plan in place.
    “Grandy,” Selena said when she picked up on the third ring.
    “Selena. How lovely.”
    “I’m at Barabbery, covering the fire,” she said, skipping the pleasantries. “Everything’s okay there? Are you being kept up to date?”
    “Yes, yes. I’m watching the news for regular updates. Goodness, I’m more worried about you, now. You’re closer where you are.”
    “Don’t worry about us, they’re not going to let us in anywhere that’s dangerous. Just, please don’t be one of those oldies who want to stay to defend their homes if they advise you to evacuate.”
    Her grandmother laughed. “I may be old but I’m not senile, darlin’. They say move and I’ll be outta here. I already have a small box of items to go if it gets to that. But it’s not heading our way according to the news.”
    Selena didn’t need to tell her grandmother bushfires were notorious for changing direction, but relief that she was going to be sensible diluted the hot dread in her belly.
    “Just be guided by Jarrod, okay?” She’d never been so thankful for him and his close relationship with her grandmother in her life. Jarrod would look out for her and Grandy would listen to him.
    “Oh no, Jarrod’s somewhere near Abbotsville helping out with the fire. But Ethan and Marcus are checking in on me.”
    Oh God . The dread intensified as Selena looked out to the horizon at the wide wall of smoke. Of course he was. What on earth had made her think he’d be sitting idly around Jumbuck Springs when a fire was raging out of control in the area?
    Her pulse thudded hard in her chest and she shut her eyes against the urge to panic. It didn’t matter how often she told herself he was careful and good at his job, sometimes firemen died fighting these suckers. “Do you have his number?” she asked.
    Grandy gave her the number then hung up. Selena dialled again straight away, her fingers trembling.
    “We’re over there,” Arnie said as he approached, pointing to a spare patch of ground. “First debrief by the onsite coordinator in half an hour.”
    Selena nodded as the call went to an automatic voice mail message. She hung up, dread settling further into her bones as she tried again. Pick up. Pick up damn it, Jarrod . It went to voice mail again.
    Shit. “Jarrod. It’s Selena. I’m in Barabbery covering the fire. Grandy tells me you’re somewhere near Abbotsville … I … just be careful. Okay? And ring