Flash Point, page 16
“Thanks a lot, Kelly.” She flipped her pencil over and started erasing the stray line.
“Doing your homework like a good little schoolgirl?”
Sarah didn’t even look up. “Duh.” Maybe Kelly would just go away. For whatever reason, she hated Sarah and picked on her relentlessly. Probably because she was the smallest person in class. There were third graders taller than Sarah. She looked around, pretending to search for her mom. No teachers in sight, though she could probably run to the office if she needed to. Kelly would beat her there, though. She had longer legs and was a fast runner.
“You gonna cry because your mom’s late again?” She laughed.
Risking a glance, Sarah found Kelly staring at her. She stared back. If Kelly started something, Sarah was going to make sure she got suspended for it.
Kelly flipped up the edge of Sarah’s notebook, but it didn’t go anywhere. “See you tomorrow, schoolgirl.” She sauntered off then tossed back over her shoulder, “If you’re not still sitting here in the morning.” Laughing, she ran to join a group of her friends.
Now she could get to her book. She picked it up but didn’t open it to her bookmark yet. She’d count cars first. What would it be today? Ten? That should be enough. Mom would be here before the ten cars went by. This wasn’t a busy street.
She counted twelve cars, just in case she’d gotten confused and lost count. When minutes passed without another car in sight, she opened her book. The smell of thin paper and ink carried her away, and she began reading about the blizzard that trapped Laura’s family and the town of DeSmet.
The sounds faded away as the bus closed its doors and pulled away. A different cement bench than she had sat on after school so many days, but she was still waiting for someone who forgot her.
A familiar stride caught her eye. Joe. Without thinking she stood, unreasonable happiness and relief nearly started the tears again. Get a grip. What to tell him? She waved, trying not to seem too anxious, and he noticed her, veering in her direction.
“Hey, Sarah. You’re still here.” Dark circles rimmed his eyes. Had he had a busy shift last night? Had he gotten much sleep?
“Yeah. Have you seen Heather or Kyle? I was hoping I could get a ride home.”
“They left about five minutes ago. Do you need a ride?”
“Yeah.” She tried for a casual tone. “Ryan brought me this morning, but he seems to have gone somewhere, and I don’t feel like waiting around.” She swallowed a lump and hoped he didn’t notice.
His gaze didn’t waiver. “Let’s go. I’ll get you home.”
Her relief was all out of proportion, but she couldn’t help but feel like Joe had rescued her. She smiled at him. “Thanks.”
Joe would have offered to take Sarah to lunch, but she looked so worn out on the ride home, her eyes closed as her head rested against the seat, that he thought she needed a nap more than anything. Luckily, he’d left his Bible under his seat and had gone back to get it. He was just coming out of the worship center when he saw Sarah sitting there, like some vision his imagination had conjured up. But the way she had folded in on herself and the almost-haunted expression she wore, made him wonder what was really going on with her.
Had she ended things with Ryan? That would explain Ryan’s snarkiness this morning during sound check. But would he be that petty to leave her at church when he’d been her ride? Who knew?
As he pulled into the slot in front of her house, he remembered what had happened last Sunday. “Hand me your keys. I’m going to check the house first, okay?”
She looked at him and blinked, opening her mouth then shutting it. Wordlessly, she handed over her keys.
He got out of the truck and strode up the steps to her door. He unlocked her door and stepped inside, doing a sweep of the house and the garage. Nothing looked out of place. Just in case, he’d bring Shadow over to keep an eye on her while she slept.
Back outside, he opened the truck door on her side. “Everything looks fine, but I’ll bring Shadow over to keep you company so you can get some rest. You look like you’re coming down with something.”
She nodded, taking his hand as she crawled out of the truck. “My throat has been hurting all morning. Might just be all the stress of the past week. A nap should be just the thing.” She let go of his hand and walked into her condo, moving more slowly than he’d ever seen her.
Something was definitely not right.
Chapter Seventeen
Sarah glanced at her ringing phone on the kitchen counter where she was making potato salad to take to Kyle’s Fourth of July barbecue. Ryan again. That made—what—five times? She hit Silence with her knuckle, the only part of her hand that was clean. She was sure the voice mail would be the same too. Hearing it again wouldn’t change anything. While she was glad he was apologetic—she’d listened to the voice mail he’d left yesterday about an hour after she’d gotten home—she didn’t think it was right to end things with him over the phone. And she didn’t want to see him.
Today was the Fourth, and she was going to spend it with friends and enjoy herself. She’d tried to nap yesterday and managed to sleep about twenty minutes. Hoping that a bit of research would allow her to rest, she spent some time in front of her computer using different search terms in Google, trying to find what was out there on OC artifacts. After a while, her eyes had glazed over as she clicked on the links. Nothing seemed to stick in her brain, and she was having trouble concentrating. She ended up just copying the info from the sites into a file. She’d print them all out later and highlight them. The regional library might know more too, but she wasn’t sure what she was even looking for.
When her head had started hurting again, she pushed away from her desk. With a hot cup of Lemon Zinger tea and Liz Tolsma’s Snow on the Tulips she stretched out on the couch. She sipped as she read. Eventually, she dragged herself to bed.
And today she wasn’t going to deal with it. Today she was putting work, trashed condos, burned-down buildings, and Ryan all out of her mind. Her throat wasn’t hurting, and her headache was gone. She was going to spend the day with friends and enjoy the food and fireworks.
She packed the potato salad in a cooler with an ice pack. Shadow got up from where he’d been at her feet and headed for the door. A knock sounded. Shadow whined at the door. Must be Joe.
She unlocked the door and opened it. Joe stood there, a dark-blue T-shirt hugging his muscles in all the right places, sunglasses perched on his head. She was glad she’d thrown on a maxi dress and heeled sandals and taken some time with her hair and makeup.
“You look great. Are you feeling better?” He stepped through the door and tousled Shadow’s ears.
“Yeah, I must have just needed the rest.”
“Sarah?” The male voice came from behind Joe. Ryan.
Her heart pounded. This is what her procrastination got her. Awkward situations.
Joe narrowed his gaze at Ryan, who looked between her and Joe with a frown.
“You didn’t answer any of my calls, so I came over in person.” Ryan hovered in the doorway. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Um, hi. Come on in.” Because being polite was important no matter how awkward the situation. What would Emily Post recommend in this situation? Probably to never let this situation develop.
Joe grabbed Shadow’s leash. “I’m going to take him for a walk around the complex. I’ll be back in a few minutes, and we can head over to Kyle’s.” He raised his eyebrows at Sarah, and she nodded. He shot Ryan an unreadable look as he headed out the door.
Ryan glanced over his shoulder at a retreating Joe. “What’s going on? You’re not answering my calls, so I think you’re sick. And then I find Joe here and you’re headed out somewhere.”
She gave him a tight smile. “Look—”
“Is this about Sunday? I’m sorry. I’ve said it about a million times now to your voice mail and in texts. I’m not used to taking anyone home, and I just completely forgot.”
“I understand. It was no big deal.” It was, but it wasn’t why she was breaking up with him, and she didn’t want to get off on that rabbit trail when it wouldn’t even matter. “I just don’t think this is working out. We’re too different.”
Ryan shoved his hands in his pockets, jangling his keys. “It’s not like you to be so moody. That’s why I don’t like to date singers or musicians. But you seemed different, above all that. That’s why I asked you out.” He gave her his movie-star grin. “You intrigued me.”
She twisted her fingers together and took a step back.
“Ryan—”
“Sarah, you’re just mad because of Sunday. I apologized for that, okay? Frankly, I’m a little disappointed with you. I thought you were more mature than this. I didn’t think you were the type of girl to pull this, if-I-don’t-like-everything-you-do-I’m-breaking-up-with-you thing.”
Okay. She expected him to be upset. She didn’t expect him to be mean.
“You don’t want to discuss anything, you dodge my calls. You just want to be right. That’s sin, Sarah. You need to make the effort to make this right with me. We need to talk and if you don’t want to do it now, then tell me when.” He glanced out the front door. “Some time when you don’t have other plans.” He practically spit the last word.
This was exactly why she’d been putting off talking to him. She knew he’d try to talk her out of it. “It doesn’t have to be any big deal, Ryan. It just didn’t work out between us. You’re the limelight guy, and I’d rather stay home and read a book. Not everyone is a good fit. That’s what dating is supposed to help you figure out.” If he didn’t walk away from the conversation feeling like he was the winner, then the consequences weren’t going to be pretty. Sadness enveloped her soul. Relationships were hard work. But they shouldn’t be filled with dread and stress. Not when she had a choice. She could do this. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
“So you waited until after I announced it to the whole choir that we were together to decide that we weren’t a good fit.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were going to do that. And I did enjoy being with you. I just don’t see it working out long term.” She swallowed and hoped he didn’t continue to argue with her.
He met her gaze, and she didn’t look away. Something tight and broken flickered in his eyes.
His vulnerability triggered her sympathy. He wasn’t a bad guy; he just wasn’t the right guy for her. Joe’s face flashed through her mind, and she pushed it away. One problem at a time. An overwhelming sense of rightness came over her, something that was outside of herself. She almost felt lighthearted, and for once, confident she could stand her ground.
“Are you sure?” He reached for her.
She flinched back a step instinctively.
Confusion, hurt, and something else filled his eyes. He gave her a hard look and spun, slamming the screen door on his way out. A moment later the Mustang roared and squealed out of the parking lot.
She squeezed her shaking hands together. Well, for better or worse, that was over. Now she could wait and see what the fallout would be. She couldn’t control that, but she could rest in the confidence that she had done the right thing. Finally.
The jingle of Shadow’s collar pulled her gaze out the screen door. Joe and Shadow came up the steps. She mentally switched gears. Joe. The barbecue. Her friends. She wouldn’t have to think about Ryan.
His soft brown gaze sought hers. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Glad that’s over with.”
He reached for her and rubbed her arm.
She was acutely aware of the fact that she leaned into his touch instead of jumping away from it.
Joe glanced over at Sarah as they rode in his truck over to Kyle’s. She hadn’t volunteered any more info, but Joe and Shadow had lingered around the corner of her condo, just out of sight but able to hear most of the conversation. He wasn’t proud of eavesdropping, but he was concerned about Sarah and not thrilled to leave her alone with Ryan. He wanted to be in earshot if she needed him.
His first instinct had been to tell Ryan to step off. But then he realized that Sarah needed to do this. For her own sake, she needed to end things with Ryan or make things up with him and continue that relationship. As much as he loved helping, some things she needed to do for herself. So she could realize how strong she really was.
Joe’s heart was already too far involved, beyond what was wise. And if she’d chosen Ryan, then he would have had to walk away. If she couldn’t make up her mind about what she wanted, she wasn’t ready for a relationship, at least not one with him. He’d played enough of those games and had the scars on his heart to prove it.
But the farther they got from her house, the more the tension seemed to slide off her shoulders.
She let out a big sigh. “I guess you weren’t planning on all of that today. Sorry I made us late.”
“It’s a barbecue. Nobody’s late. I’m glad I could be there for you. Are you okay with how everything ended up?” He had to be sure.
“Yeah. It’s my own fault, really. I hate conflict, and I kept putting off talking to Ryan. If I had been strong enough, I would have said no to begin with. I let him steamroll over me. Anyhow—” she shook her head “—maybe I’ll get better at this conflict thing. I survived.” She smiled. “And now that Mark has me in charge of the office, I have a feeling I’ll have to learn to navigate conflict a lot better than just avoiding it.”
But she’d done it. And he was proud of her, not only because it left him free to pursue her, but because he knew how it felt to do something hard, something you’re scared of, and come out the other side.
“Nobody likes conflict. But I’ve taken enough leadership and management courses that I’d be happy to be your sounding board whenever you need it.”
She turned her full smile on him, and his heart tumbled like it fell off a three-story ladder. She had no idea. This might be the best Fourth ever.
The little niggle in his mind that when she met Scott she might be enamored of him dissipated. If she could resist the charms of someone like Ryan who went out of his way to be charming, she’d not fall for Scott who didn’t go out of his way to attract either Joe’s or Kyle’s girls. Not that it hadn’t stopped previous girlfriends from throwing themselves at him. But that was a story best left in the past and not dwelled on today.
He pulled in Kyle’s driveway and saw that Scott’s classic Corvette was already in the driveway. Based on the other cars parked along the curb, they were probably the last to arrive.
He helped Sarah out of the truck, holding her hand longer than necessary, but she didn’t pull away.
The door was open, and they walked on in. Voices came from the kitchen, but from the entryway he could see through to the back patio where Kyle was messing around with the barbecue.
He handed Sarah the cooler of potato salad. “I’m going to rescue the grill before Kyle blows us all up.”
She laughed and moved through the tiled entry toward the kitchen. He slid open the patio door then turned to look at her. She seemed lighter. As she gave Heather a hug, she looked over at him and smiled.
He winked at her then headed out to the patio.
“What was that all about?” Scott appeared from behind Kyle and grabbed his hand, wrapping him in a bear hug.
“Good to see you, man.” Joe slapped Scott’s back. He looked good, tired but good.
Scott tilted his head toward the kitchen. “Who’s that?”
Joe stilled, trying to see if there was anything behind Scott’s question. But he saw no interest in Scott’s eyes, just simple curiosity. “That’s Sarah. She’s a friend of Heather’s.”
Scott raised his eyebrows. “And?”
Joe shrugged.
Scott slapped him on the shoulder and grinned.
Sarah stood in the kitchen with Heather and Melissa Ellis. They were pretending to put the finishing touches on the food, but mostly they were sneaking peeks out to the patio where the guys were grilling. They couldn’t hear what they were saying, but laughter and the relaxed body language gave proof to the fact that the three of them were long-time friends.
“So that’s Scott? The navy pilot?” Melissa leaned over the counter. “He come up often?”
Heather nudged her. “Not often enough. But he’s not too far away. He’s in China Lake. They’re like the three musketeers. They’ve been friends since the fourth grade.”
“We have one of our field offices down there.” She turned to Sarah. “I work for a defense contractor.”
Heather huffed. “That’s an understatement. She practically runs the place.”
Melissa shook her head and went back to stirring the dip.
Heather turned to Sarah. “How’s your throat? And did you ever hear from Ryan?”
Sarah looked around. “Anyone else coming to this shindig? I thought we were going to be the last ones, being so late.”
Heather smiled. “I see what you’re doing. And I’m not going to let you get away with it. Everyone else had other plans, but Cait and Grayson are supposed to stop by for a bit. And Kim decided she’d rather do something with her friends than hang out here with her brother. Imagine that.”
Sarah laughed. “Kyle and Kim actually have a pretty good relationship considering they live in the same house.”
“As long as Kyle doesn’t find out how much his little sister spends on clothes, they get along just fine.” Heather wiped her hands on a towel. “Now spill. You’ve stalled long enough.”
“My throat’s fine, thanks.” Sarah scanned the kitchen, wanting to keep her hands busy. She weighed how much more she should say. She didn’t know Melissa that well. “Ryan came by after I hadn’t returned any of his calls or texts.”
Heather raised her eyebrows.
