The Forgeron Legacy

by J.D. Atchison

Mark had seen Emma pull into the small gravel parking lot of the hipster coffee shop he worked at. Through the large front window he watched as she slid out of the car, her dark hair tumbling around her face. Stray beams of sunlight would high light her hair, showing glints of red mixed in with the dark brown. For a second she stood by her car, looking out at nothing, lost in her thoughts.

  In that moment he could see her sadness and frustration. Mark frowned, not liking the look on her face. He was about to go out there and demand what was wrong when Amy walked up and grabbed Emma’s arm. It was like a mask slide into place, hiding how she felt, as Emma turned to smile at Amy before they walked inside.

  “Mark!” Emma called out, weaving her way through the after school crowd. “Hey! Can you believe how crowded it is in here?” She asked conversationally. She kept her eyes on his like she always did. Her intense, soul-bearing stare was something he had long since gotten used to.

  “It’s been busy. Not that you can tell from looking at the tip jar.” He said drily. It was common knowledge that students were the worst tippers but this crowd took that stereotype to the extreme.

  Emma made a sympathetic face. “Rough day?” She asked.

  “Not anymore.” He replied, giving her a wink. “Just give me a few minutes and I will have your drink ready for you.”

  “Thanks Mark! What would I do without you?” Emma asked, flashing him a grin.

  “I have no idea.” Mark said, shaking his head. He pointed to where Amy had found the last two available armchairs. “You should probably snag the one next to her before someone else tries to.”

  Emma flashed him another grin and darted off through the crowd, just barely beating someone else to the chair. He watched as she got settled in, tucking her feet up on the chair and chatting with Amy before he turned and started making her favorite drink. Five minutes later he was making his way through the crowd, Emma’s drink in his hand.

  “One frozen Mint Mocha Madness, for the lady.” He said grandly, presenting her with the drink.

  “Oooohhh good! I’ve been looking forward to this all day.” She took a sip of the drink and hummed appreciatively. “You make the best drinks, Mark.”

  Mark grinned. “I add a little extra flavoring just for you, but don’t tell anyone or they will be asking for it too.” He whispered.

  “It will be our little secret.” Emma assured him, a happy smile on her face.

  “I’m fine, by the way.” Amy interjected, leaning forward to catch their eyes. “I didn’t want anything to drink.”

  Emma and Mark stared at Amy blankly. Amy looked back and forth between them for a moment, then she leaned back in her chair and regally waved them on.

  “Continue.” She said airily, reaching over to pluck Emma’s drink from her hand.

  Emma rolled her eyes and Mark snorted before they turned back to each other.

  “Just to give you a heads up, Morgan is here.” Mark warned her.

  Emma pulled a face. “Where is she?”

  “In the back corner over there,” Mark nodded to a large group of teenagers that were the main source of noise in the small building. “Who’s that guy sitting next to her? I don’t recognize him.”

  The crowd shifted enough to give Emma a glance at Morgan and the guy in question. Jason nodded at her from across the room and Emma gave a small wave in response. Then Emma noticed the evil glare Morgan was aiming at her and she quickly looked away.

  “That’s Jason, he’s new here. Morgan has him in her sights to be her next victim. Or boyfriend. Whatever you want to call it.” She slouched in her chair, scowling over at Morgan’s group of friends.

  Mark raised his eyebrows in surprise.

  “Whoa, someone sounds a little bitter. What’s going on there?” He asked, sitting on the armrest of Emma’s chair.

  “Nothing, just more Morgan drama.” Emma replied with a shrug.

  Mark and Amy shared a glance, then Amy batted her eyelids and glanced down at the drink she was still holding, swirling her finger around the lid. Mark look down at the top of Emma’s head and sighed. Brushing her hair to one side he slid his hand onto the back of her neck, massaging the muscles on either side of her spine.

  “Mmm, that feels good.” Emma murmured in a sleepy voice, dropping her head forward.

  “Emma, is everything okay?” Mark asked in a deceptively casual voice, continuing the soothing massage.

  Under his fingers he felt her muscles tense although she didn’t move. Her voice when she answered was carefully neutral.

  “Of course, everything is fine.” She murmured.

  “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” He said softly.

  Emma tilted her head to the side a little, just enough to glance at him out of the corner of her eye and smile at him. “It’s stupid high school drama, nothing important. But I appreciate that you’re willing to stoop to the level of giving me a massage to find out what’s bothering me.”

  Mark laughed and stood up, dropping his hand from her neck. “That obvious?”

  Emma made a noise of dissatisfaction when he stepped away and rolled her neck from one side to the other, stretching out the recently massaged muscles.

  “A little.” She said with a grin, rubbing the side of her neck with her right hand. “You only do it when you’re trying to get me to tell you something.”

  Mark shook his head, looking down at his feet and hooking his thumbs in his pockets. Looking up at her from beneath his eyebrows he gave her a crooked grin. “I’m going to have to think of a new way to get you to talk to me.”

  Emma wrinkled her nose. “Why? This way works so well. I get a massage and you get to feel like you tricked me into talking.” A mischievous smile pulled at her lips as she looked up at him, settling back in her chair and draping her arms along the armrests.

  Mark smiled and rolled his eyes. “As much fun as it is to be your personal masseuse I have a job to get back to.”

  Emma gave him a pouty look. “You shouldn’t tease a girl with massages like that, it’s not very nice.” She said.

  “True,” He agreed, nodding his head. “But at least I brought you coffee.”

  Emma leaned back in the deep leather armchair and considered this for a second, her expression thoughtful. Then she gave him a big smile and nodded. “You’re forgiven.” She said cheerfully.

  “Thanks, princess.” Mark said sardonically, kicking her foot but he was smiling as he turned to walk away.

  Emma watched Mark as he walked away, not that it would be possible to lose sight of him. He was so tall that he stood head and shoulders above everyone else in the crowded room. She had asked him how tall he was once but all he had said was “Tall.” He always did stuff like that, giving vague answers instead of real ones.

  Emma watched him at the cash register ringing up a customer. His long sleeve kept slipping over his hand and he made a motion like he was about to push the sleeve up but he stopped himself before he did. She didn’t know why he always wore such baggy clothes. He would look great in a fitted t-shirt. Or anything that was even remotely close to being the right size for him.

  Shaking her head at the strangeness of her friend Emma turned back to Amy to say something when the door to the coffee shop opened. Wind swirled into the room and Emma froze, a chill running down her spine. She felt something, like a silent pulse that she felt through a sixth sense she didn’t know she had. Around her everyone kept talking and laughing, no else seemed to have felt it but Emma had the eerie feeling that something big had just happened.

  Just then a man rushed into the coffee shop. Curly brown hair tossed from the wind, his pale blue eyes scanned the room as if he was searching for someone. The man looked like he had just been tossed out of a tornado. His clothes were in complete disarray, rumpled and smudged with a few tears on the elbows of his jacket.

  Emma felt a momentary pang of sympathy for the poor man. Deep circles were underneath his eyes like he hadn’t slept in day
s and he looked just, haggard. His pale blue eyes fixed somewhere across the room and before she could blink he was pushing his way through the crowd. When she lost sight of him in the crowd Emma mentally shrugged and focused on Amy again, dismissing the man from her mind.

  Over at the coffee counter Mark had just handed a client their debit card back when the door opened and the rush of energy flooded into the room. Immediately glancing in Emma’s direction he saw Emma’s reaction, then he scanned the room to see if anyone else had felt the strange pulse.

  The only other person in the room showing any sign of noticing anything was the guy Emma had mentioned was with Morgan, Jason. Jason was staring at Emma, watching her. There was something about him, something suspicious. A stranger who showed up out of nowhere and was cozying up to Emma and Morgan the same day that a large energy flare occurred for the first time in seventeen years. Mark didn’t think it was just coincidence.

  “Mark!” An unfamiliar voice hissed at him.

  Mark blinked, turning to face the voice. Leaning over the counter was a rumpled man with curly brown hair that looked to be in his mid-thirties. His eyes stared at Mark with such intensity that Mark had to fight the urge to step back.

  “May I help you?” Mark asked. Looking down he tugged at the cuff of one sleeve, adjusting it around his wrist before glancing up at the man from beneath his lowered brows.

  The man’s eyes darted around the room as his hands flitted restlessly around his body. He wouldn’t stop fidgeting. In the few seconds Mark watched him the man tugged at his collar, pulled at his shirt, checked his watch, and scratched at the back of his hand. At Mark’s question the man made an effort to restrain himself, settling for tapping his fingers rapidly on the counter.

  “My name is Tyler, Tyler White.” He spoke quickly and quietly, nervously glancing over his shoulder.

  The name struck a cord with Mark, he had heard it somewhere before. Mark narrowed his eyes at Tyler.

  “Your name sounds familiar. Have we met?”

  Tyler shook his head once, sharply. “The fact you’ve heard my name is…well, it means I’ve come to the right place. Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”

  Mark looked back at Emma, making sure she was where he had left her. She was still sitting in the armchair, talking to Amy. She wasn’t going to leave anytime soon. He nodded for Tyler to follow him then turned and walked to one of the backrooms, the only room in the building that slightly muffled the noise of the crowd. Mark stood by the door to the room and waited for Tyler to go inside, following him in.

  “Are you sure we won’t be overheard?” Tyler pressed. His gaze constantly darted from one place to the next as he shifted back and forth on his feet, like he was restraining himself from bolting.

  Mark nodded. “I’m sure.”

  Tyler began to pace back and forth from one side of the small room to the other, wringing his hands. Lips pressed together he muttered to himself. “I suppose this will have to do. No other options…”

  Mark’s brow furrowed in confusion. He was about to speak when Tyler suddenly rushed towards him and grabbed both of his arms.

  Mark tried to jerk back in surprise but the scruffy looking man was stronger than he looked.

  “I found them!” Tyler whispered urgently. “I didn’t even know what I was looking for, but I found them!”

  Mark leaned back from him, grasping Tyler’s upper arms in his own hands to ease him back a bit but Tyler didn’t budge. His washed out blue eyes stared into Mark’s without blinking.

  “Found what?” Mark asked, trying to lean back himself.

  “The Whitesmith Journals!”

  Mark stilled, carefully studying the deranged man in front of him. “Those are just a legend.” He said, shaking his head slowly from side to side. His eyes narrowed as he stared down at Tyler. “They don’t exist.”

  Tyler shook his head urgently, crowding closer to Mark, his eyes shining with conviction. “No, they’re real! The legends are finally coming true.”

  Mark froze. “What legends?” He demanded.

  “The…”

  The sound of someone opening the door cut Tyler off. The blood drained out of his face and he leapt away from the doorway, cowering in the far corner of the room.

  “They found me!” He exclaimed in a strangled whisper.

  The door to the room creaked open and Emma stuck her head into the room.

  “Oh, sorry.” Emma apologized, pushing her dark hair out of her face as she looked at Mark. “I was just...”

  Emma’s voice trailed off, an uncomfortable expression crossing her face when she saw who Mark was talking to. Mark looked over his shoulder at Tyler to see what the crazy man was doing. But Tyler was just staring at Emma, jaw dropped and eyes so wide they bugged out from his head slightly. Mark and Emma exchanged a confused look before Tyler’s hoarse voice caught their attention.

  “It’s her!” He whispered in awe, staring at Emma.

  Emma’s grip on the door handle tightened slightly. “Mark?” She said hesitantly, looking to him for a clue as to what was going on.

  “What do you mean, ‘It’s her’?” Mark shifted to put himself in Tyler’s line of sight but Tyler just leaned to stare around him.

  “The one who will turn the tide.” Tyler whispered. Awe shone in his eyes as he stared at Emma, who was becoming increasingly red in the face.

  “Turn the tide? What tide?” Mark demanded, stepping closer to Tyler.

  Tyler finally looked up at Mark. “The battle, who will rule next, the fate of our whole world, it’s up to her.”

  “The fate of our world?” Emma echoed, confusion written all over her face.

  “It’s already beginning. Didn’t you feel it?” Tyler asked them both.

  Emma’s eyes grew wide. She quickly stepped into the room and shut the door. “Was that the strange energy that I felt when you opened the door?” She asked excitedly.

  Tyler nodded solemnly. “That was the Guardian.” He murmured. “Important things are about to happen and you will be at the center of all of it.”

  Tyler’s gaze sharpened on Emma. Then his head tilted to the side as he stared at her quizzically.

  “Not right.” He muttered, shaking his head and absently chewing on his fingernails. “Something’s not right. She doesn’t see.”

  His eyes opened wide in revelation and he smiled gleefully. “That’s it!” He exclaimed. Mark and Emma exchanged another concerned look as Tyler dug through his pockets, searching for something.

  “Where is it?!?” He exclaimed to himself. “Must be here somewhere. I know it’s here…Ahhh!” Tyler opened the palm of his hand and grinned triumphantly. “Perfect!”

  Emma leaned towards him, curiosity prodding her to see what he was holding. She shifted a step closer, then another. She was just a few feet away from him now but she still couldn’t see what he was holding in his hand. Just a little closer…

  “Em.” Mark growled, warning her back.

  Emma turned to look back at him and in a flash Tyler had sidestepped behind her, slamming the object into the back of her neck. Emma felt a pop in her mind, a flash of sensation that was pain, but not really pain. She cried out, her knees buckling as Tyler crowed, “Now you will see!”

  Mark bellowed in rage. Leaping forward he caught Emma with one arm, shoving Tyler back with the other. Emma sagged against his chest and stared in stunned shock, watching as her best friend seemed to change before her eyes. It was like he grew bigger, his hair was rougher and his teeth were sharper as he bared them in a snarl at Tyler.

  He was so angry she could practically see the sparks shooting from his eyes as he pinned Tyler to the wall with his other hand. Tyler giggled uncontrollably, his crazed eyes rolling around in his head as he muttered to himself in a singsong voice…

  “Who is blind but still can see, will find the map within the tree, stay the course, reverse the sands, fix the wrongs...”

  “Shut up!
” Mark yelled, grabbing the front of Tyler’s shirt and shaking him like a rag.

  Abruptly Tyler stopped giggling. “Keep her safe!” He spoke to Mark. “Alteria depends on her!”

  Tyler yanked out of Mark’s grip and bolted from the room.

  Mark growled in annoyance, staring at the door Tyler had disappeared through. Tension radiated through his body as he fought the urge to chase after him. Slowly sinking to the ground Mark pulled Emma onto his lap, wrapping her in a hug. She sat there, eyes wide as she listened to his heart pounding in his chest. Finally Mark grunted, blowing out a breath of air as the tension eased out of his body. He looked down at Emma and tugged a strand of her hair to get her to look up at him.

  “You okay?” He asked.

  Emma gave him a weak smile. “Yeah.” She murmured. “I think so anyways.”

  Emma struggled to stand up and Mark assisted her, pushing himself to his feet as well.

  “What was that?” Emma asked Mark, rubbing the back of her neck.

  Mark shrugged. “I have no idea, but if you ever see him again I want you to stay away from him.”

  “I kind of thought he was interesting.” Emma commented.

  Mark gaped at her. “He attacked you! And he was just saying gibberish.” Mark replied harshly.

  Emma smiled ruefully, rubbing the back of her neck. “Yes, but it was interesting gibberish.”

  Mark grunted. “Do you know what he pressed against your neck?” He asked, looking down at her.

  Emma held her hand out between them and slowly opened her fingers to reveal a small metal disk lying on her palm. Strange symbols were etched into the dull metal but besides that there was nothing remarkable about it.

  Emma shrugged. “I’m not exactly sure what it is.”

  Mark scowled. “You should throw it away.”

  “Throw it away? Why would I do that?” Surprise laced Emma’s voice. She quickly closed her fingers around the metal disk and shoved it in her pocket.

  “Because he’s crazy. You don’t know what that thing is.” Mark argued.

  “Whatever he was going to do with it has been done. What if he did do something and this thing is the key to reversing it?” Emma argued back.

  Mark threw his hands up in the air. “Fine. Keep it.” He said, scowling at her.

  Emma crossed her arms and looked down her nose at Mark. “I will.”

  Mark was about to snap a reply when the door to the backroom opened. “Emma?” Amy’s voice drifted over to them. “What are you two doing back here? And who was that guy?” Amy stuck her head in the room, her blue eyes looking at them curiously.

  “No one.” Mark snapped.

  Amy’s eyebrows raised in surprise and she gave a low whistle at Mark’s angry response. Mark watched Emma chew on her lower lip distractedly, unconsciously pushing back the bangs that stubbornly insisted on falling into her eyes every few seconds. She was so innocent, unable to comprehend the idea of hurting anyone or that anyone would want to hurt her. Mark wanted her to remain that way as long as possible.

  Emma looked up and saw him staring at her. She made a face at him and grinned, her smile so infectious he found it difficult not to smile back. When she turned to walk back into the main room with Amy, Mark’s resolve grew, he would keep her safe no matter what the cost. But in order to do that he needed more information.

  Back in the main room Emma and Amy began to walk back to their chairs but Amy saw a friend and ran over to talk to them. Emma shrugged and sat down by herself. Leaning back in the armchair she was sitting she placed her mocha on the side table next to her and ran her index finger up and down the seam of the cup as she thought about the strange conversation she had walked in on. She didn’t even notice that Jason had walked up and was standing right next to her.

  “You look deep in thought.”

  Emma jerked in surprise, nearly knocking over her recently recovered drink. She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating a mile a minute. She slowly turned, tilting her head to glance up at Jason.

  “Hey Jason, I didn’t hear you walk up.” She said casually, leaning forward to quickly grab her drink to steady it. She eyed him curiously, wondering what he was doing over here instead of at the back of the shop with Morgan.

  Jason chuckled. “I can see that. Do you always jump so high when someone comes up behind you?”

  “Only when I’m not expecting them.” Emma said, scanning the coffee shop for any sign of disapproving countenance. She looked back at Jason and he raised an eyebrow at her. “So yeah, almost every time.” She conceded. Leaning back she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a dark look. “You should really stop sneaking up on me like that.”

  “That easily scared, huh?” Jason teased.

  “Not scared, startled. There’s a difference. I don’t get scared.” Emma corrected him.

  A shadow appeared in the corner of her eye and Emma flinched away. The boy who was walking past her chair gave her a strange look but continued to walk past.

  “Of course.” Jason said dryly, looking back and forth between Emma and the other boy. “So what happened at lunch?” Jason asked, snagging an unoccupied stool from a nearby table and moving it so he could sit in front of her.

  Emma gave him a confused look. “What do you mean?”

  “We were supposed to have lunch together. Remember?” Jason prodded.

  Emma looked down at her lap at her hands that were folded together. “Oh yeah, I must have forgotten. Sorry about that.” Emma lied, wincing at how lame that sounded even in her own ears.

  Jason looked down at her skeptically. “Really? Because I thought I saw you staring at me.”

  Emma looked up, her eyebrows raised in surprise. “Was I?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. “That’s weird, I don’t remember seeing you.”

  Jason’s gaze narrowed on her face, then he shrugged and leaned back on the stool. “Okay, well if you do ever want to talk or come over and eat lunch with us…you can.”

  Emma blinked, surprised at his offer but his attention wasn’t on her anymore. Jason was staring somewhere behind her, he hardly looked like he was even paying attention to their conversation. Emma smiled a little at the idea of how Morgan would react if Emma just sat down at their table for lunch one day.

  “I don’t think my sister would like that.” She replied, taking a sip of her mocha.

  “Your sister?” Jason sounded so confused Emma almost laughed.

  “Morgan.” Emma told him. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at her, then looked over to where Morgan sat, then back at her.

  “Really?” He asked. When Emma nodded he was quiet for a moment, then he shrugged and threw Emma a charming smile.

  “Isn’t annoying each other what siblings do?” Jason asked teasingly.

  “Yeah, that’s more of a one direction thing with us.” Emma said distractedly. She was scanning the coffee shop wondering where Amy had run off to. When Jason shot her a questioning look Emma explained grudgingly. “I learned a while ago it’s not worth the hassle to annoy her.”

  “You’re right, you’re probably out of your league taking on Morgan.”

  That startled a laugh out of Emma. “Scare me and then insult me, I see Morgan has been rubbing off on you.” Emma leaned back in the armchair as Jason slowly grinned.

  “I thought you said that you don’t get scared.” Jason reminded her.

  “I don’t, but I wasn’t scared for me. You almost made me spill my coffee, I was scared for you.” Emma replied.

  Jason laughed. He propped a foot up on the stool and leaned an arm on it, looking down at Emma with his deep blue eyes. “Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you almost spill your drink.”

  “Thank you.” Emma said, giving him a gracious nod.

  There was a slight pause as they sat there in silence. Emma looked at Jason and could immediately see what it was that appealed to Morgan. He was just wearing a plain dark
jacket, white shirt, and dark blue jeans but he seemed so completely sure of himself that anyone could tell he did what he wanted, when he wanted. Which of course, made him an irresistible challenge to Morgan. Emma on the other hand was a little more wary of him.

  Jason stretched a leg out to nudge her foot with his. Emma raised her eyebrows at the motion, looking at him inquisitively.

  “Why are you sitting over here by yourself?” Jason asked, his head slightly tilted to the side. He watched her carefully, like she was a puzzle he was trying to figure out. Emma shifted uncomfortably, crossing her legs as she took a drink of her mocha.

  “I’m not by myself.” She said lightly. “My friend would just rather talk to other people.” She nodded her head over at Amy who was making the rounds through the crowd, talking to one person and whispering with the next. Jason looked over at her and raised his eyebrows, nodding thoughtfully. “Mark also comes over and talks to me when he has time.” She added. Emma looked over at the counter, trying to see Mark but he was hidden behind a line of customers.

  “Is Mark the guy that I saw talking to you earlier?” Jason asked casually. He propped both feet up on the stool and leaned forward towards Emma.

  “Yeah…you noticed him?” Emma asked, surprised. She took another sip of her mocha, watching him over the top of the cup. Something shifted in his expression, his eyes became slightly more distant, a little more careful. He took a moment to reply.

  “I noticed when you walked in and he just happened to be talking to you at the time.” Jason explained, shifting back slightly. Emma narrowed her eyes at his response but she nodded, accepting the answer.

  “Okay.” She murmured, watching the tension ease from him when she didn’t press him further. Emma scanned the room, keeping track of Amy and Mark but also just seeing who was there. Across the room Morgan and her friends were shooting death glares at Emma, clearly unhappy Jason was talking to her. Emma smiled and waved at them, receiving a haughty head toss from Morgan in return. “I don’t think Morgan likes you being over here.” She commented, her lips twisting in a wry smile.

  Jason looked over at Morgan and saw the dirty looks she was aiming at Emma. “I just don’t think she likes me talking to you period.” Jason’s brow furrowed in confusion as he looked back and forth between Morgan and Emma. “So what is the deal with you two? Why does she hate you so much?”

  “She doesn’t hate me.” Emma said lightly. “She just can’t stand me.”

  “That’s much better,” Jason said drily, “I have no idea how I mistook that for hatred.”

  “It’s a common mistake.” Emma reassured him. She paused for a moment, staring pensively at her adopted sister who was whispering to one of the other blondes. Karly, or Kimber, whatever her name was. “As for why, there isn’t really a reason. She just always has, ever since we were kids.”

  “When did your parents adopt you?” Jason asked abruptly, shifting forward again.

  Emma’s gaze shot back to him, startled by the question. He was watching her intently, open curiosity in his face.

  “You don’t mind asking the personal questions, do you?” Emma said teasingly but she on the inside she felt frozen, her entire body opposed to the idea of talking to him about this.

  “I didn’t know it was a personal question.” Jason replied. His voice had softened, like he was trying not to startle her. Emma appreciated the attempt but it was a little late for that.

  “I guess it probably wouldn’t be if the circumstances weren’t what they are.” Emma murmured. She looked over at Morgan again but Morgan had rejoined the conversation with her friends, restraining herself to only the occasional death glare in Emma’s direction.

  “So what were the circumstances?” Jason prodded.

  Emma’s expression grew distant as she remembered the last night she had seen her parents. By now she only remembered bits and pieces of that night, the fear in her mother’s green eyes, and her father’s strong arms as he carried her inside the Wellworth’s house. What she remembered most was the overwhelming feeling that something was not right. When her father had tried to hand her to Steve, Emma had burst into tears and refused to let go of him.

  Maybe a part of her knew that would be the last time she would see her parents. The last thing she remembered were her parents walking away, her father’s arm around her mother as she looked back at Emma with tears in her eyes. It was a whole year before the police found her parents car at the bottom of a ravine and declared them dead.

  “Emma?”

  Emma was jerked back to reality by Jason’s face in front of hers. He was no longer on the stool but kneeling in front of her, a worried look on his face. She attempted a reassuring smile but from the way he narrowed his eyes at her she didn’t think he bought it. Jason placed a hand on her knee and it was as if a jolt went through her entire system.

  Not in the romantic, butterflies-in-the-stomach kind of way. It was more like touching a live electric fence around a cattle pasture. Jason’s eyes widened in shock and he snatched his hand away while Emma sat there, stunned. For a moment they stared at each other, frozen in shock. Emma’s pulse pounded in her ears. Snapping her jaw closed she took a deep breath, trying to control her frantically beating heart.

  “It’s actually a boring story.” She rushed to tell him before he could say anything. Emma glanced at her watch and gave Jason an apologetic look. “I’m really sorry but I need to go, I have a job interview at five.” She quickly stood up and grabbed her purse. “Oh, you should probably talk to Morgan. She has been trying to get your attention for a while now.”

  Jason stood with her, obviously confused by the sudden end to their conversation and what had happened. He turned to look at Morgan who immediately waved him over with an urgent expression. “Will you at least call me…” Jason said as he turned back to face Emma but she was already walking out the door.

  Jason looked confused at her abrupt exit. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow then.” He muttered to himself.

  Jason stood there for a moment, staring at the door Emma had just disappeared through. Then Morgan caught his eye again and waved him over, more insistently this time. Jason hesitated, looking back at the door Emma had disappeared through. With a sigh he turned and walked back to Morgan.

  CHAPTER FOUR