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Clint nodded. “I thought so too. I saw her in that crash. She’s something.”

“Yes,” he agreed simply.

“You’d better go rescue her before Taylor drowns her in drool.”

Connor glanced back and Taylor was indeed leaning into her space, grinning like a mad man. A bolt of jealously rolled through him, and Connor was surprised at the reaction. And the need to get Taylor away from Olivia. He strode back to the chairs.

“Taylor, aren’t you supposed to be watching the meat?”

Taylor waved a hand. “It’s not going anywhere.”

“But you are,” Connor said, standing in front of him.

Taylor glanced up, then gave a second, longer look, before bolting out of the chair. “Sure, Chief!”

Connor sank down beside Olivia, and she gave him a thankful look. “I thought I was going to have to get rude,” she whispered. “Thank you for coming back when you did.”

Connor grinned. “No problem!”

They sat and chatted for a good while. Connor loved this part of station life, and Olivia seemed to be enjoying herself. There was an excitement in the air, because it was the first full day of the competition. Manu arrived, looking refreshed after his short nap. He gave Taylor a dark look, because he was sitting down and not actively ‘watching’ the smoker temperature. Manu immediately added a log to the hotbox and stoked the coals.

Connor glanced at his watch, then Olivia. “Let’s walk a little before I head to the judging tent.”

He offered Olivia a hand up and he was pleased when she took it. He looked around the group. “We’ll be back in a while, guys.”

He didn’t let go of her hand as they walked out of the pavilion and across the short patch of grass. Only when they were safely on the pavement did he let her go. “Let’s go wander the animal pens.”

“Sounds good to me.”

They walked lazily along, enjoying the day. It was creeping into the eighties, though, and the hot dry air as well as the swirling heat from the smokers made them thirsty. Connor stopped long enough to get them each a big shaken lemonade, then they strolled on. The park was filling with people. Tomorrow there was going to be a rodeo, and they were going to announce the winners of the BBQ fest.

“I can’t believe how big this is,” Olivia murmured. “I mean, I’ve heard of Lockhart before, but I never realized what a production it was.”

“Well,” Connor said, swirling his cup to mix the sugar on the bottom, “this is only the first year. We’ve had smaller festivals, but nothing this size. It used to take place in Austin. But they kind of outgrew the location, and we were ready to take over the reins, so to speak. It’s been fantastic for the economy.”

“Oh, I bet,” Olivia agreed. “Seems like my friend has been here before. He talked about it a while ago. He’s been trying to get out and date and the woman took him to a restaurant here.”

“Ah, yeah,” Connor said, wondering who the guy was to her. “We have a lot of old school BBQ joints down here. It’s a huge tourist attraction.”

He paused as his radio squawked. Tilting it up, he listened to the call. “Chief, I have a sixty-three-year-old male complaining of tightness in the chest at your location. I’ve dispatched Team 6 as well.”

“Where, exactly, at my location, Dispatch?”

“North end of the midway. Slap Yo Mama BBQ.”

Olivia snorted at the name and turned in the opposite direction they were headed. He wasn’t surprised she knew which way to go. “Ten-four.”

They took off at a jog, but Olivia pulled up. “You go ahead,” she said, a hand going to her ribs. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Connor took off in a jog. He knew his medics would probably beat him there, but he still got there as expediently as possible.

He found the man because of the crowd that was gathering outside the tent. “Keep moving, people,” he yelled, making shooing motions.

The patient was in a chair behind the grill. The overweight man was pale, his arms dangling at his sides as he panted for breath. An older woman stood to the side, wringing her hands as she waited for help. Connor knelt beside the man, resting a hand on his wrist to take a pulse. “I’m Chief Kelly. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“Tightness, here,” the man gasped, a hand going to his chest.

“Okay. We’re going to take good care of you.”