Page 17 of Raging Fires

“Sleeping?” Jake shrugged. “Who knows what she thought, but it definitely wasn’t sexual. This is a woman whose entire decorating scheme is Amish with a dash of doilies. Seriously, she’s never even been in a liquor store.”

“I have one of those aunts,” Neil smiled. “She makes her husband buy the rum for her Bundt cakes.”

“Hey, I don’t mean to break in,” the blond behind the Morans broke in. No surprise there; this was the ‘boundary-challenged’ woman who had brought all the wedding stuff. “But I’m going to have to run to the ladies’ soon.” She leaned around Neil to shake Jake’s hand. “Congrats on bagging this one.” She gave Kelli a long up and down look. “She is stunning. I mean, not to say you don’t look good—you’re both straight snacks. But she is a full-on meal, if you know what I mean.”

“Don’t worry, no one ever knows what Claire means.” Neil told Jake out the side of his mouth.

“But she does have good hearing, Moran.” Claire fixed him with a stare and Neil, big as he was, looked at the ground like a scolded child.

“Thanks for the decorations,” Jake lied, unsure what else to say.

“I mean, when Steph told me that you two were getting married a second time—I just couldn’t help myself. That is commitment. I wouldn’t remarry my ex for all the rhinestones in a Swarovski factory. And I love me some sparkle. It really says something about how you feel.”

“It says something all right.” Kelli muttered. “Possibly about my mental state.” Jake didn’t want to smile but he’d never been able to resist her sarcastic streak.

“I had a wedding in my most recent play and all the props were just there—I couldn’t help myself,” the blond finished.

“Claire has notoriously bad self-control,” the linebacker next to her threw in. “Especially if you’re lucky enough to get a few drinks in her.”

“I’d pretend to be mad, but Pete’s too right.” Claire laughed, wiggling her glass back and forth in the air. The bar hadn’t even opened yet, but somehow this woman had managed to finagle a drink. He’d barely met her, but Jake figured this was on brand. “Cheers!” Claire made a big show of miming knocking her glass in a cheers with Kelli’s empty hand while she tried to slyly reach toward Jake with her other arm.

“Did you just pat my ass?” Jake’s eyes widened and he turned to Pete. “Sorry, man, but I swear your girl just tried to cop a feel.”

Claire widened her eyes like a secret signal at the linebacker.

“Oh, uh, that was me.” Pete slapped Jake on the butt—quite a bit harder than the smooth swipe Claire had done. “Because, um… we’re football players—and that’s just what we do?”

“Maybe on the field. What the hell is going on here?” Jake looked from Pete to Claire suspiciously.

“Polish wedding tradition?” Pete shrugged.

“Try again, big guy.” Jake felt his now-empty pocket. “Hey! Your girl stole my phone!”

Chapter Ten

“You stole his phone?” Kelli had no idea what was with this woman. She was stuck between wanting to laugh and wanting to put Claire in the zip-ties they kept behind the bar in case a fight broke out.

Claire sighed. “I wanted to get one of your phones for a playlist,” She admitted. “I thought it’d be a nice surprise. For the reception. It’d be boring just to ask.”

“Maybe—but it’d be a hell of a lot more sane.” Kelli shook her head.

“Sanity is overrated.” Claire declared. “I would’ve just played my favorites, but I’m guessing neither one of you is into experimental jazz or big band swing?”

Jake and Kelli shared a quick look of horror.

“Yeah. Thought not.” Claire wrapped her fingers around the phone and nodded. “Don’t worry. I got you. I may not listen to popular music myself, but I can put together a playlist that’d make a professional DJ weep.”

“Not sure if that’s a good thing.” Jake whispered to Kelli.

“Maybe she meant tears of joy?” Kelli shrugged.

Claire had already made her way to the sound system on the stage, Cherneski running interference for her. Kelli and Jake looked at each other, then at Stephanie and Neil.

“Don’t worry,” Stephanie assured them. “She’ll bring it back. She’s just... a free spirit.”

“Yeah, free with my property,” Jake said under his breath.

“Call me; let’s get together for coffee,” Stephanie said, patting Kelli’s arm. “Here, why don’t I take that dog? I’ll give her back to Howard.” She and Moran moved away.