UNDER MY SKIN

seven. crazed fan

“Look! Grass!” Sam grinned, leaning forward between the two seats and pointing out the windshield.

“Sit down,” Kate put her hand on the older girl's head and pushed her back until she was on her seat. “Why are you so excited about the grass?”

“I saw a total of four trees in New York, I just missed all the green.”

“Weirdo,” Kate mumbled, a small smile on her lips. Though she held back from mentioning Central Park, which had trees and grass – but Sam hadn't gotten to see that.

Sam smiled contently as she settled into her seat and buckled her seatbelt. She wasn't that excited about the grass. She had seen the look on Kate's face as they went under the overpass. It had been where Kate had hidden that day, a fact Sam only found out a couple weeks after the storm.

Javi had noticed the look, too, “not gonna lie, I didn't think you'd come.” He glanced over at Kate, then he caught Sam's eye in the rearview mirror. “Kinda surprised you wanted to come along, too. Storms ain't really your thing.”

She bit back a smile, “Katie asked.” She shrugged, but that wasn't the entire reason. She was hoping to surprise a certain Tornado Wrangler.

She wasn't sure exactly where he was, but she figured since Javi chased, then maybe the Tornado Wranglers would be close by.

He nodded, because if he knew anything about Sam, she'd do just about anything for Kate. She always had.

He glanced at the system that was attached to the dash, “nice upgrade from the old van, right?” He hummed proudly.

“I wanna press buttons,” Sam mumbled, her eyes on the computer.

“Yeah, how are you paying for all of this?” Kate asked curiously, ignoring Sam's comment. But she did grab her hand when she reached forward, “are you five?”

“Yes,” Sam just smiled, making Kate shake her head a little.

Kate smiled as she settled into her seat, she was glad to see that Sam hadn't changed much. There were small differences, like the way her eyes didn't seem to glimmer with hope.

Or how she'd jump to answer her phone every time it buzzed, the Sam Kate remembered could never keep track of her phone. She hardly ever had it on her, usually leaving it on her nightstand or in the barn.

But one thing was the same, her sense of humor rivaled that of a teenage boy.

“I've got investors, ya know?” Javi answered Kate's question, an air of pride in his words as he straightened up a bit and pulled his shoulders back. “Storms are getting more erratic. Lot of new housing developments going up, so the developers, they want full-time weather data. So, anytime a new building goes up, I want a StormPAR radar right there letting the people know exactly what the storm's gonna do. I'm telling you, I really feel like we're gonna change the game.”

Kate just looked over at him, her lips tilted slightly in an impressed smile. Sam, on the other hand, looked slightly confused.

When he noticed, he shifted a bit self-consciously. "What?"

Kate laughed and turned towards the window. "No, it's just, um, business entrepreneur was not how I saw your future. I mean, we used to feel lucky if we could get you to wear pants."

“Yeah, spent way too many mornings arguing about why you needed to wear pants.” Sam mumbled.

He grinned,  "well, that hasn't completely changed.”

“What was it you used to say? Pants restricted your ability to think clearly or retain information.”

Javi chuckled, a wide smile pulling at his lips as he met her eyes in the mirror again, “something like that.”

It had started to feel like old times. Almost. 

They were missing three key components, but, damn, if Sam didn't feel like she had when she was twenty-one following her sister into some storm.

After all, Kate had been to nearly every rodeo Sam had competed in, when school clubs and classes didn't interfere. She was just supporting her sister's crazy dream, like Kate had always supported hers.

>>>>> • <<<<<

“Oh, they have the best fried apples here,” Sam nearly groaned at the memory of savory food as Javi pulled into the parking lot of a combination diner and gas station.

“You been here before?” Kate asked as they jumped out of the truck.

“I've been to every diner in Oklahoma,” she nodded as she stretched her arms over her head. “Probably every diner on this side of the mason-dixon.”

“Right,” Kate chuckled lightly. Her eyes scanned the parking lot just like Sam had been.

Sadly, Sam had yet to spot that obnoxiously large red truck that she adored amongst the plethora of trucks and cars that were decked out with storm chasing gear as people in ponchos and rain boots milled about.

Sam trailed behind the two, her eyes still scanning the parking lot, as Javi led them towards a small group of men, all of them were dressed in blue collard shirts – except for one, he wore sunglasses, a ball cap, and a white button up that matched Javi’s.

“Bring it in, team,” Javi called out, getting the attention of the rest of the Storm PAR guys. Then he smiled at Kate.  “Alright. You guys have all heard me talk about Kate. How no one has better instincts. She’s the smartest person I know. She’s the best.” Kate shifted on her feet, looking down bashfully. “And you will never work with a more talented team than this one. Look, we got PhDs from NASA, FEMA, NOAA, NWS.”

“Oh, you’ve got the whole alphabet.” Kate mused, shifting on her feet.

“Only the best.” Javi shrugged, “Except for Scott, my partner here. He went to MIT instead of Muskogee State. But, uh, he makes up for it with his beautiful, amazing personality.” Scott then proceeded to smile, though it was more sarcastic than anything else. “And this is Sam,” Javi continued.

Sam just waved a little, stopping herself from making a comment about how Kate got a great introduction, and she didn’t. It was awkward enough, she didn’t want to make it worse.

“On that note, I’m gonna go grab a drink. Katie?”

“No, I’m good,” she told her, getting a nod before Sam turned and made her way towards the store. She made her way through the store, b-lining for the icee machine. She grinned like a five-year-old as she filled up a large cup with the blue raspberry flavor.

She took a sip as she made her way towards the counter, where she paid. Then just as she stepped out of the door, her phone buzzed and she pulled it from her pocket to see a notification from YouTube letting her know that the Tornado Wranglers were live.

A smile tugged at her as she clicked on the notification, but then loud – ear-splittingly so – music echoed and she turned just as honking reached her ears.

A wide smile tugged at her lips as she watched a familiar red truck roll into the lot, followed by a blue van and a camper. All three were decked out in chasing gear, though the truck was a bit more excessive, but she knew why. It had all terrain tires, a roll-cage framing it, what she knew were launchers on the sides, and storm chasing gear attached to the top.

It put all the other cars and trucks in the lot to shame.

She leaned back against the wall next to the door, watching as most of the people in the lot started freaking out and forming a crowd. She had seen it before, but this was different. They had an even bigger fanbase than they had before, so much so that anyone in the storm chasing business knew who they were.

She laughed when Boone leaned out the passenger side window, his camera in his hands as they passed the StormPAR team. And she could hear it on her phone as Boone said, “Hey, StormPAR, we’re live on YouTube! Say somethin’!”

“Blow me, Boone!”

“Hey, smile, man! Science is fun, right? Whoo!”

Sam turned her phone off and slid it into her pocket as the red truck pulled to a stop. She crossed the lot, sipping on her drink and heading back towards Kate – she wanted to introduce her to Tyler. People flocked towards them, all excitedly clamoring about as the driver side door opened.

Boone was quick to jump out before he rounded the truck, his camera at the ready and the driver’s door opened. Sam chuckled as Tyler stepped out, his hat on his head and sunglasses covering his eyes. She reached Kate’s side, still watching the cowboy, which Kate noticed.

“Hey, T! Tell the folks how ya feelin’?” Boone shouted over the screaming fans.

“I’m feelin’ pretty good, Boone. And if you feel it–”

The crowd shouted, “chase it!”

“I said, if you feel it–”

They shouted louder, “chase it!”

“Chase it!” It came a little late, but one of the StormPAR guys had shouted it, his hand cupped around his mouth, making Sam laugh.

Tyler finally stepped down and Boone moved next to him, holding the camera so they were both in frame, “Oh, it’s a beautiful day!”

“Beautiful day!”

Kate looked confused, her brows pinched but Sam just wore a smile, but it faded a little when she didn’t see Buck. She did, however, see a man climb out of the truck. He was pale and gangly, with thinning hair, glasses resting on his nose and a camera slung around his neck.

“That’s Tyler Owens,” Javi explained, clearly unimpressed with the cowboy and the crowd that had flocked to him. “Calls himself a Tornado Wrangler.”

“What does that even mean?” Kate asked and Sam chuckled, she’d asked Tyler the very same question the first he'd told her. “And what’s with you?” Kate asked, looking over at Sam, who had yet to look away from the cowboy.

“It’s gonna be a good day,” she shrugged, then the door of the camper opened and Dani stepped out, waving t-shirts around.

“Hey, tornado nerds! Who wants a t-shirt?”

“I’ll be back,” Sam rushed out, handing Kate her icee before jogging across the parking lot towards the camper as Dexter stepped out behind the woman as people clamard about for merch.

“Okay, we got mugs! Whatever you put in here, it’s gonna make it taste better.” He held one up, before exchanging it for some cash.

“Hey, Dani!” Sam pushed through the crowd, a wide smile on her face.

“Sam! What are you doin’ here?” She asked, pulling the girl into a hug for a quick second.

“Here to buy a shirt, of course.” She held out a couple of twenties and Dani took them before handing her a shirt. “Thank you,” she mumbled, then a bark caught her attention, and her eyes grew wide. “Buck!”

The dog stood in the door of the camper, his tail wagging – he loved the attention about as much as Tyler did.

“Come on, boy,” Sam patted her thigh and he jumped down before rushing towards her. He licked her hand and barked happily as she scratched behind his ears. “Hey, D, I’m gonna talk Buck for a walk, let him stretch his legs.”

“Okay!” Both Dani and Dexter shouted back, both focused on moving the merch.

“Let’s go, Buck.” Sam clicked her tongue and he followed her through the crowd, staying close to her feet as she crossed the parking lot. Then she pulled the shirt she had bought over her head, not caring that it was a couple sizes too big.

“Did you steal a dog?” Kate asked, her eyebrow raised as she passed her drink back.

“His name’s Buck,” she grinned as she came to a stop at her side. Buck sat next to her, his head against her thigh she patted the top of his head.

“Sam, what-” Javi’s brows pinched as he watched Sam look back over at the cowboy, who looked over. He seemed to stop for a moment when their eyes met, but she grinned as she grabbed the tail of her shirt and pulled his down, making sure he saw what she was wearing.

A smile pulled at Tyler’s lips before he raised his hand and tipped his hat in her direction, to which she saluted, her own smile wide.

“You two know each other?” Kate asked, looking from the cowboy to her sister, who had bent down and was playing with the chocolate lab.

Javi’s brows pinched, the divot between them deepening as he looked down at Sam. He wasn’t sure why, but it didn’t sit right with him, her knowing the cowboy that had been an absolute nuisance for weeks.

“Yeah, we know each other,” she nodded. “Ain’t that right, Buck.” She laughed when the dog licked her cheek.

Javi shook it off, he could ask questions later. He had a job to focus on, “alright, let’s get ahead of his bunch.”

“I’m gonna take Buck for a walk,” Sam stood up and with a whistle, the dog followed her towards the grassy area.

Tyler watched her go, wanting more than anything to make his way towards her, but the crowd seemed never ending as he took pictures and autographed things. 

Sam smiled as she watched the dog run after she had thrown a stick, then he picked it up and brought it back to her. “You’re such a good boy,” she kissed his forehead as she ran her hand down his back. “The best boy,” she told him as she sat in the grass, not caring that it was a little damp, especially when he laid in her lap and rolled. She laughed and rubbed his belly, which he loved.

Kate neared them, a tablet in her hands and her eyes on the sky, “come on, Kate. You got this.” She mumbled as she turned, her eyes taking everything in.

Sam looked up when she stopped at her side, “you don’t need this.” she reached up and took the tablet from Kate’s hands. “Just breathe.”

Kate smiled down at her sister, who was still rubbing Buck’s belly. And the dog’s head lulled to the side, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

Kate took a few steps away from the girl and the dog, taking a breath as she examined the sky.

“You stole my dog.”

Sam turned, a wide smile on her lips as she looked up at Tyler, “he likes me more.”

He chuckled as he squatted down, “damn, it’s good to see you.”

“Yeah, you too.” She hummed. “But be quiet, she’s tryin’ to focus.” She nodded towards Kate and he looked up at the other blonde, almost like he didn’t even know she was there.

The two watched as Kate bent down and pulled the fuzz from a dandelion. Sam watched in awe as she opened her hand, the fuzz floated in the air, a few spinning.

Sam didn’t know what it meant, but she had always been a little awestruck when Kate did her thing.

“I’ll be right back,” Tyler placed his hand on the small of Sam’s back for a moment and she nodded, then he pushed himself up as she went back to playing with the dog. “You know,” he started as he neared the other blonde. “I used to do that, too. Compare wind direction to cloud moment. Get ya a feel for the shear.” Kate just ignored him. “Yep. Sometimes the old ways are better than the new.”

Still Kate said nothing, then Sam laughed, her eyes closed as Buck licked her cheek. And Kate watched as Tyler glanced over at them, a smile on his lips.

Tyler shifted on his feet a little because, god, he was jealous of his dog.

He hadn’t even gotten a chance to greet Sam properly, and he wouldn’t with all the fans around. If anyone saw them kissing and snapped a picture, it would just add fuel to the fire. There was already a rumor that he had a secret girlfriend, there had been pictures of him and the blonde over the years but Sam’s face was never really clear.

It was just that, a rumor, because they weren’t together. Not really.

“So, where you comin’ in from?” He asked, because he was curious about the new face among the StormPAR crew – it also distracted him from the fact that Sam’s ex, Javi, was in fact the Javi he knew. There was no other explanation.

“New York.”

“Well, you’re a long way from home, city girl.” He mused. If Javi brought someone in from New York then he was really grasping at straws, at least Tyler assumed so. “So you like workin’ for StormPAR?”

Before she could answer, Sam neared them, Buck at her side, “you ask a lot of questions.” She smirked as she looked up at the cowboy. “So nosey.”

He rolled his eyes, his arm winding around her waist, then he tugged her into his side. She smiled up at him, and Kate glanced between the two, a small smile tugging at her lips, “so, you two-”

“Tyler,” the gangly man rushed over, cutting Kate off. “Do we know which storm we’re going after yet?”

“Well, why don’t we ask…” he trailed off, nodding towards Kate.

“Kate,” she filled in.

“Hi, Kate. I’m Tyler.” He introduced himself. “And this is just a guess here, but you know Sam, right?” He tugged her closer to him, his hand drifting a little lower. Sam quickly looked around, making sure no one was paying them any attention, but she only saw two sets of eyes on them – Scott and Javi.

And the latter didn’t exactly look happy as Tyler’s fingers dipped into her back pocket.

“And I’m Ben,” the English man held his hand out to Kate, who shook it, then he offered his hand to Sam, who did the same. “I’m a reporter, doing a piece on American storm chasing. Tyler’s letting me ride along.”

“Yeah, Ben just had to promise to write nothing but good stuff about me.”

“Good luck with that,” Sam hummed. “Oh, if you really want people to read it, include Buck. He's the real star.” She motioned to the dog. “Oh! And Boone, he’s a fantastic cameraman. Has to make this one look good, and he does it so effortlessly.”

“Okay, enough outta you.” Tyler bumped her with his hip before she could continue. “Don’t listen to her,” he turned towards Ben. “She’s crazy. Ya know, one of them crazed fans. Look at her shirt.”

“Oh, yes, very crazed.” She nodded, a playful note in her tone. “That reminds me, gotta go find Boone. Maybe I could convince him to do it in the bathroom.” She patted Tyler’s chest as she stepped away from him. “Come on, Kate. Got a cameraman to find.” She looped her arm around Kate’s elbow and started away from the two men. “Later, cowboy.”

“Hang on,” Tyler stopped them, chuckling a little at the smirk that rested on Sam’s lips – he wanted to kiss it away… and then some. “Kate, here, didn’t say which way we were goin’ yet. Now, from what I gather, west, we double our chances. East, well, it’s high risk, high reward.”

"Well, go for the reward,” Kate told him.

“Yeah, wouldn’t want Ben, here, to think you’re borin’.”

“No, boring is not usually a problem for me, baby,” he smirked as her cheeks flushed at the innuendo that only she got.

Kate glanced between the two before she spoke up, “the two cells to the west are fighting over the same inflow. They’ll choke each other out. This one to the east has the sky all to herself. Moisture, wind shear, instability. All the things you need to give Ben a good show.”

She turned and Sam followed, only to have Tyler grab her wrist and lightly yank her towards him, “what are you doin’? I got a cameraman to track down and so little time.”

“Ben, give us a minute, will you?”

“Oh, yeah, sure.” he nodded before walking away, leaving the two alone with Buck, who laid at their feet.

“What are you doin’ here? And with StormPAR?”

“Wanted to see you. Also helpin’ out an old friend.”

“Javi? Your ex-boyfriend?” He asked, his hands on her hips and she smiled a little at the jealousy in his tone. She quickly glanced around, making sure no one saw before she leaned in and pecked his lips.

“For your information, I’m here for Kate. Kate’s here for Javi.” She told him, her hand on his cheek, then she slowly brushed her thumb over his skin. “I like this jealous thing though, kinda hot. But you keep actin’ like that and people are gonna get the wrong idea.”

A smile tugged as he lips as he pulled her in closer, “and what idea is that?”

“Sam!” Kate shouted, turning back towards the two, who were considerably closer than they had been before.

“I gotta go.” She told him as she took a step back. “Catch ya later. Bye, Buck.” She waved, then she made her way towards Kate, who looked a little confused.

“What’s the deal with you two?” Kate asked as Sam looped her arm around hers.

“Me and Ty? We go way back. He’s my best friend.”

“Just a friend?”

“Yep.” She nodded as they neared Javi and the others.

“Talk to us.”

“We want the cells to the west,” Kate told him, making Sam laugh as she handed over the tablet.

“He’s gonna be pissed. I have never loved you more,” she leaned over and kissed the side of Kate’s head, making the younger girl smile.

“The one to the east has much better numbers,” Scott argued.

“Conditions don’t feel right.” Kate shook her head, making him scowl. “Cap is too strong, it’ll never break.”

“You’re gonna learn real quick that that little tablet doesn’t see what Kate sees,” Sam told him, patting his shoulder as she made her way past him. He just glared at her, already annoyed.

“You heard her,” Javi handed the tablet to Scott. “Let’s move. Alright, let’s move, fellas!” He clapped his hands, getting everyone's attention and they all climbed into their cars.

“See ya when you get-”

“Can you come with us?” Kate asked, a slightly panicked look in her eyes. “I know this isn’t your thing, but… I really need you.”

“Always,” she nodded, getting a smile from Kate as they started towards Javi’s truck.

“You gotta take off the shirt,” Javi told her, he didn’t seem happy that she wore a shirt with Tyler’s face on it.

“But I like it,” she smiled down at the silly little shirt. “See how big his head is? It’s accurate, why do you think he needs that big ass hat? Gotta put the ego somewhere.”

“Yeah, just friends.” Kate mumbled as they climbed into the truck.

She wasn’t convinced.

“You’re friends with that asshole?” Javi asked, his nose scrunched in disbelief. Like the idea was just too mind boggling to comprehend.

Sam leaned forward and smacked the back of his head, “only I can be mean to him.”

“Yeah, it’s how she flirts,” Kate mused, smirking as she watched Sam wave as the passed Tyler on the way out of the parking lot.

“It’s not flirtin'.” It most definitely was flirting. “I’m mean to all my friends, it’s my love language.”

“She learned that from the guys on the rodeo circuit,” Kate added.

“Very true. But it's not flirting.”

NOVA SPEAKS

this my favorite book, especially out of my twisters books! i adore sam and tyler with my whole heart! and i love all the relationships sam has with everyone!