On A Night Like This (Callaways #1)

started to say something and cut herself off. Something about missing his last call a few days before he died, wishing she could have had one more chance to do something, but she wouldn't say what. I pushed her, and she took off. She's hiding something, Sara. I know it."
    "Then she's a good place to start. When you talk to Jeanne tomorrow, be sure to tell her everything you just told me."
    "I could be reading into things." He glanced over at her, a question in his eyes.
    "You could be," she said.
    He frowned. "I was not looking for that answer."
    "Just being honest, Aiden. You're very close to the situation, and you're still grieving for your friend. You want there to be a reason for what happened, a reason that doesn't make you accountable. You're not so different from Vicky in that regard. You both want something or someone else to blame. It might have just been a tragic accident. Your job is inherently dangerous. Every time you jump a fire, you're putting your life on the line."
    "I just want to make sure I didn't put Kyle's life on the line. But you're very smart, Sara. You have the ability to look at an entire situation instead of just a few pieces. You must be a good lawyer."
    "I am good," she said without hesitation.
    He laughed. "Now, who's the cocky one?"
    "I'm just stating a fact. I'm really good with academic type problems and that's what the law is. There are precedents for anything and research and investigation are some of my stronger skills. I just wish sometimes that I'd chosen a different area of law, something a little more exciting, more meaningful."
    "Is it too late to change?"
    "It would take me way off track, and I've worked so hard to get to where I am. You have no idea how many hours I've put in. I don't do anything else but work. Just taking this weekend off was a huge accomplishment. I had to work extra hours all last week."
    "It sounds like a grueling grind."
    "It is, and I've been running for a long time. After my mom died my sophomore year in college, I had to focus on something that would take my mind off the pain. That was school. My classes were my life. My grades were an obsession. Law school was more of the same. I thought I could take a break when I finally got a job, but that was a crazy thought. There were more goals in front of me, and if someone gives me a test, I have to pass. It's ingrained in me." She paused. "I am talking way too much."
    "Don't stop. It sounds like those thoughts have been trying to get out of your head for a while."
    "They have been, but I keep pushing them back in. I have a great job, and I make good money. I can afford to live by myself in Manhattan which is a phenomenal accomplishment but…"
    "But it's not enough. There's a little something called life that you seem to be missing out on."
    "I keep telling myself I'm going to have that life when I make partner."
    "After that there will be another goal, another mountain to climb. And for what? Is it really for you, Sara? Or are you still hoping to impress your dad?"
    "I'll admit I'd like to see some respect in his eyes just once in my life, but that isn't solely what drives me. I want to succeed for myself."
    "You already have succeeded. You just told me that," Aiden said. "You've got a great job, money, a place to live. If you want to make a change, then you should do it."
    "That's easier said than done. People don't walk away from my firm. It's one of the best in the country. I couldn't do better. And my resume would take a hit if I left."
    "All practical considerations," he conceded. "But while every job has its dull days, you should love some of what you do. Otherwise, why do it?"
    "Do you love your job?" she asked.
    He didn't answer right away, then said. "I used to."
    His profile was hard, his gaze turned toward the road, but she suspected his mind was somewhere else. "Did that change because of Kyle's death?"
    "Partly. But like you, I've had to consider the toll the job is taking on my life. The fire season demands total commitment. There's no time for anything or anyone else. It's also physically demanding. We jump into areas that no one else can get to. We have to live off whatever we can carry in our packs, sometimes for days at a time, battling hot and monstrous fires that are beyond your imagination."
    Despite the negativity of his words, she could hear the passion in his voice. "But you like the magnificence of the challenge."
    "I do," he admitted. "I like the adrenaline rush, pushing myself