Page 77 of Raging Fires

“You interviewed her?”

“Yes. Neil managed to get me a meeting with her father, and he agreed to some interviews. I’ve talked to her several times. I really like Gabrielle. Considering how sheltered she’s been, she’s surprisingly normal. I think she’s feeling more and more stifled by her lifestyle. She moved back the wedding date another six months last week.” Stephanie shrugged. “But that’s enough about my work. Tell me what’s going on with you. You look all glow-y.”

Kelli laughed. “That’s a word?”

“It should be. That’s exactly how you look. I take it things are going better with you and Jake?”

“Yes.” Kelli could feel a slight blush blossoming in her cheeks. “You could say that. We’re getting along so well it’s kind of scary.”

“Scary?”

“Yeah—scary like what if it all falls apart suddenly? And what’s going to happen when the year is up?” Kelli sighed. “Jake doesn’t worry about things like that, but I can’t help it. I think I may be falling in love with him all over again. He’s so sweet, really, no matter how much he tries to hide it. And funny. And sexy.” Kelli smiled to herself. “It’s like we were before. Better, even.

“Jake’s not doing the things he did back then; he’s been reliable and steady. He hasn’t been acting like he’s God’s gift to the world. But how can I be sure he’ll continue to be that way? I’m afraid it will all come crashing down like it did before. I can’t bear the thought of feeling that way again. So lost and miserable. It’s so great when something’s filling up your life like that, but then if it stops, it’s horrible. I’m afraid that this time it will just destroy me.”

“Are you sure it’s going to stop?” Stephanie asked.

“No. But I know he’ll be leaving when his contract’s up if he can get a starting job somewhere.”

“Yeah.” Stephanie nodded. “They’re all so competitive. But that doesn’t mean you’ll have to split up.”

“I don’t know how he feels about me or whether he’d even want me to go with him. But I can’t do that. Not now. Before I was free to go anywhere, but now there’s the Blue. I can’t just shut it down or sell it. And what if this is just all about the sex? Because it’s really, really good. But that will die down after a while. I guess,” she added doubtfully.

“I don’t know.” Stephanie grinned. “If it does, Neil and I haven’t reached that point yet.”

Kelli laughed. At that moment Neil appeared in the doorway. Kelli and Stephanie glanced at each other and began to laugh harder.

“I think I’m missing something here,” Neil said.

Jake came up behind him. “Probably better not to ask.”

Neil shrugged. “I came to see you if ladies were up for a game.” He grinned and rubbed his hands together like a cartoon villain. “I got a new one in this week.”

“Madden Football?” Kelli asked apprehensively.

“No.” Neil laughed. “Board games.”

“Neil’s a board game nerd,” Stephanie explained to Kelli. “He’s the luckiest human alive when it comes to dice, but his strategy is always attack.”

“Sounds familiar,” Kelli said, standing up.

“You guys will probably have to roll to see which one gets to be the biggest baddest guy on the board,” Stephanie said.

Jake raised his hands as if surrendering. “Hey, I’ve never even played one of these.”

“I don’t always have to be the biggest baddest guy,” Neil protested. “Sometimes I’m the king.”

Stephanie sent Kelli a ‘See?’ look.

Neil laughed and reached out to take Stephanie’s hand and pull her to his side. He waggled his eyebrows at her. “There’s a seductress in this one.”

“You wish,” Stephanie retorted. “I want to be an archer.”

“What if there’s not an archer?”

“There’s always an archer. Or a thief. Thief’s fun.”

Jake took Kelli’s hand, their fingers interlacing, and they followed the other couple, still bickering amiably.