by Leigh Bale
Connie turned toward the table. “Jared, would you please get Megan a drink?”
“Sure,” came his hesitant reply. His gaze shifted to her flushed face, and he jerked one shoulder. “What would you like?”
“Something diet,” Megan said.
He brushed past her as he reached inside the cooler chest. He rattled around in the ice for a moment before pulling out a diet cola. After he popped the tab, he handed the can over with a smile. They drew together close enough to chat without including everyone else in their conversation.
“It looks like we both got ambushed,” he said.
A warm, fluid feeling washed over her. He would have had to be blind not to realize that Connie had paired them up for the evening. Obviously he hadn’t been in on the surprise either, but Megan didn’t know if he resented it or not. And her face heated with embarrassment.
“You didn’t know there would be other people here tonight, either?” she asked to confirm.
He shook his head, an uncomfortable smile curving the corners of his handsome mouth. “Nope. I thought I would be their only guest. I think we got played by a couple of masterminds.”
She took a sip of her soda, the carbonation burning her throat as she swallowed. “Yeah, some matchmakers. But I fear it’s mostly Connie’s doing. She’s not pleased until everyone is happily married off. She just doesn’t understand the word no. I’m so sorry about this.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”
And she knew it wasn’t Jared’s fault, either. She just wasn’t ready to start dating again. Especially not someone who worked in such a dangerous profession. Nor was she prepared to bring a man into her small family. Even having Jared fix the swing in her backyard had upset little June. Megan knew it wasn’t because June didn’t like him, but because he wasn’t the girl’s father. Caleb was young and loving toward everyone, but Megan didn’t want to push June too fast. The girl wasn’t ready for another daddy in her life. Neither was Megan ready for another husband. It was that simple.
Or was it? Megan sighed. Maybe she should at least try to find happiness with another man. And yet, she couldn’t seem to let go of Blaine. They’d been college sweethearts, and she’d loved her husband for so long that she didn’t know how to stop now that he was gone. Honestly, the thought of dating another man made her feel disloyal to the love she’d shared with him.
“I figure we have two choices this evening,” Jared said in a soft voice. “We can leave right now, or we can stick it out and try to have some fun.”
“There’s a third option,” Megan said, trying not to sound too angry.
He quirked one brow. “And what’s that?”
“We could strangle Connie and Tim and then flee to South America.”
Jared laughed, a rich baritone that seemed to soothe her jangled nerves. “I’m afraid the cops would catch us for sure. Are you okay with spending some serious time in jail?”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve got children waiting at home. We better stick with option number two.”
“I’m game if you are.”
“Okay,” she conceded, trying to be a good sport. But it wasn’t easy.
She stooped down and petted Connie’s dog. An old basset hound named Sam.
“My kids keep asking me for a dog,” she said.
“Yeah, Caleb told me. Are you going to get them one?”
She shook her head. “Maybe someday. Right now, we’re never at home. And the poor animal couldn’t come with us to the restaurant. It would violate the health codes. But Caleb keeps asking anyway.”
“I’ve been thinking about getting a dog myself.”
She crinkled her nose. “Really? They are lots of hard work. I keep telling Caleb that, but he won’t listen. He informed me the other day that kids are supposed to have a dog. That he needs to learn responsibility. And what better way to do that than by taking care of a new puppy?”
Jared chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure Caleb and June will grow up normal and well-adjusted even without a dog.”
“I hope so.” She laughed, trying to sound happy. But inside, she was screaming. She already liked this man too much. Spending more time as his date tonight would only make matters worse. But it looked as if she didn’t have a choice right now. Not unless she wanted to be rude.
“Would you like some chips and salsa?” he asked, indicating the colorful bowls Connie had set out for her guests.
“Sure.”
He accompanied her over to the table nearby. His voice was deep and warm. He bumped against her arm and the feel of his fingers against her bare skin made her entire body thrum with reaction. Megan glanced up in time to see Tessa playfully swat Sean on the shoulder. He said something that made her laugh. In response, Sean gave her a hug and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Tessa snuggled in close against his chest. They were engaged to be married in December and seemed so natural and happy together. And Megan envied the love they shared.
“They’re a cute couple, aren’t they?” Jared said, noticing her gaze.
“Yes, they are. They deserve to be happy.”
“They definitely do. Where are your kids tonight?” Jared asked.
“Home with a babysitter.”
“It must be nice to have a night off.”
“It is,” she said.
She looked up, meeting his eyes. He stood close enough for her to feel his warmth. To catch his scent. She stared at him, mesmerized. Frozen in time. For several quiet moments, nothing existed in the world except him. An insane notion, considering they were standing in Connie’s backyard and surrounded by lots of other people. Then, Megan came to her senses and stepped away.
But she was still speechless. Think! What should she say? Something to appear ordinary and unaffected. To regain her composure and fight off this emotional assault.
“How long have you been here in Minoa?” she asked.
There. That was good. Something normal and logical.
“Not quite a month. This is my first job as a fire management officer.” He picked up a tortilla chip, scooped up some salsa and popped it into his mouth.
“What did you do before this assignment?”
“I was the superintendent of a hotshot crew in Arizona. Tim and I used to work together back in the day. We’ve been friends for a long time, so I was happy to accept this job,” he said.
She wasn’t surprised. The world of wildfire fighting could be quite small. “So, I guess you’re pretty good at fighting wildfires.”
He shrugged. “I like to think so, but I’m cautious, too. I don’t take any unnecessary risks that might endanger my crew. Their safety always comes first with me.”
Blaine had been cautious, too, but it hadn’t stopped a firestorm from rolling right over the top of him with very little notice. When the forest supervisor had brought her the news of her husband’s death, he’d told her that Blaine hadn’t suffered much. Which Megan knew was code for he’d died in a fiery inferno that had killed him very fast.
Tears burned the backs of her eyes, and she looked away so Jared wouldn’t see. Shaking her head, she tried not to think about that now.
“Did you know my husband?” she asked.
“What was his name again?”
“Blaine Rocklin. Before coming to Nevada, he worked on a hotshot crew in Colorado. But over the years, he worked on quite a few fires in Arizona and Idaho.”
Jared shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I ever met him.”
At the mention of Blaine, warning bells jangled inside her head, and she stepped farther away. Jared was exactly the kind of man she’d vowed never to love. And yet, a sudden jolt of longing speared her. She felt so comfortable being with him. It was kind of nice to be a couple again. To feel as if she belonged. Especially wh
en Jared was so easy to talk to. But knowing what he did for a living, she told herself it would never work. She had to think about her kids. To think about their future. No more sitting at home worrying that she might receive a dreaded phone call. Or the Forest Service supervisor might show up on her doorstep to bring her the horrifying news that the man she loved was badly hurt or killed in the line of duty. Nope, her heart couldn’t take that risk. Not ever again.
* * *
“Time for charades. Each couple is going to be a team,” Connie called to the group after they’d finished eating their steaks and fresh strawberry pie.
Jared blinked, his mind racing. Couples meant he’d be with Megan again. There wasn’t any way he could politely get out of it. But charades? He’d never played games with his ex-wife before. In college, she’d been fun-loving and he’d enjoyed being with her, but after they’d married, Sharon had changed. She’d come from a wealthy family. In school, she’d let her hair down and done whatever she wanted. But once they were married, it seemed that earning money was the most important thing to her. She’d never approved of his decision to work for the Forest Service. He didn’t earn enough, nor did he receive the kind of attention in his career that she thought he deserved. And yet, he’d loved his work. And she’d come to resent him for it.
Now Jared glanced at Megan, trying to read her body language. She sat beside him at the picnic table, her eyes wide and luminous. Nothing to indicate she minded teaming up with him in a game of charades. And yet, he saw a twinge of reservation in her. The tense set of her slender shoulders. The way she wouldn’t quite meet his eyes.
She was as wary of him as he was of her.
She tucked a loose strand of hair back behind her ear, then smoothed a hand over the front of her flower-print scarf. Feminine and lovely. Even wearing faded blue jeans, she looked dainty. He thought of the way she ran her business, raised her two children and dealt with the day-to-day problems of life. She was a real girlie girl with a lot of spunk he admired. But seeing her again had punched him in the chest. He wanted so much to be good friends with her, but wasn’t sure he dared. She didn’t appear to be interested in romance, and neither was he, but he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea.
“Come on, gather around.” Connie waved to get everyone’s attention.
They left the picnic table and assembled on the patio. As the group sat in the yard chairs, Megan perched herself along the lip of blocks edging the cold fire pit. Not knowing what else to do, Jared sat beside her and waited.
Connie produced a hat and an egg timer. She handed each person eight slips of paper and a pencil, then explained the rules to the game. “Write down your ideas and we’ll put them inside the hat. The team that guesses the most words wins a nice prize—dinner and a movie in Reno.”
The group oohed and ahed as they nodded their understanding. Jared glanced over at Sean and Tessa. They sat close together, with Sean’s arm lying casually across Tessa’s shoulders. Brian and Gayle were cuddled up much the same. But Jared wasn’t fooled by their easy manners. Competition would undoubtedly be fierce tonight. And he’d be happy to lose. He wanted the prize to go to another couple.
“What if we draw our own words?” Brian asked.
“Then, you’ll have an advantage, but it’ll still be difficult to act them out,” Connie said.
Jared took his pieces of paper, trying to think of words to jot down. Megan shifted beside him on the stone hearth, and he realized she must be as nervous as he was. For the rest of the couples, winning the prize would be fun and something to look forward to. For Megan and Jared, it was a conundrum. If they won, they’d have to make arrangements to drive into Reno and share another date together. It was good incentive for him to lose on purpose, but he knew that wouldn’t be much fun for Megan. And for some odd reason, he hated the thought of disappointing her.
“Are you up for this?” he asked her in a low voice.
“Sure.” Her voice wobbled, and he thought she was trying hard to be agreeable, just like him.
“It’s difficult to think up words,” Gayle said.
“Not for me.” Brian folded his slips of paper and tossed them into the hat before showing a smug smile.
A few more minutes, and everyone finished writing out their words. Gayle giggled in anticipation.
“Tim and I are the oldest, so we’ll go first,” Connie said.
“That means Sean and Tessa are last. They’re the youngest,” Tim quipped with a laugh.
Megan didn’t say anything. Neither did Jared. He just pasted a smile on his face and nodded. What else could he do? But he couldn’t help feeling protective of Megan. Conflicting emotions thrummed inside him. He’d be a callous heel if he didn’t consider her feelings, but he wasn’t interested in a movie and dinner in Reno. No way, no how.
After stirring the slips of paper, Connie held out the hat to Tim. He reached inside and opened their first word, showing it to his wife. They whispered among themselves for a few seconds, then began. Connie held her hands together, as though she were reading a book. Then, they all laughed at the way portly Tim tried to act like a wriggling worm. It didn’t take long for everyone to guess the word bookworm.
The group fell into a routine, with each couple demonstrating funny actions and the rest of the teams trying to guess the words. Within a few minutes, they were all snorting, chuckling, shouting out answers and having a great time. Finally, it was Jared and Megan’s turn.
They stood as Connie held out the hat. Jared jutted his chin, indicating that Megan should draw their word. She did so and unfolded the scrap of paper for them both to see at once.
Milk fat.
Megan groaned. “This one is hard.”
The other couples snickered.
Jared leaned near and whispered for her ears alone. “You want to take the word milk, and I’ll take fat?”
Megan nodded, a long strand of her hair tickling his nose. He took a deep inhale, breathing in her delicate scent of springtime, sweet and warm.
Standing in the open, Megan signaled that she was ready to begin by lifting one finger.
“First word,” Tessa said.
Megan nodded and held up her hands, as though she were pouring a glass of milk. Jared watched her every move, understanding perfectly. But she had to convey her actions to the other couples, too.
“Pour,” Tim shouted.
“Glass,” Gayle said.
“Drink,” Sean said.
Moving quickly, Megan shook her head each time, then switched her tactics. Crouching down, she moved her hands as if she were milking a cow. The entire group laughed, including Jared. He watched her with amazement. She was beautiful and fun and wonderful.
“Cow,” Connie said.
“Squeeze,” Tessa said.
“Udders,” Tim said.
The group roared. Megan narrowed her eyes on Tim and shook her head, but she was giggling, too. This game was definitely an interesting way for Jared to get to know his coworkers.
“Milk,” Brian finally said.
Megan clapped her hands and nodded before stepping back. It was Jared’s turn. He held out two fingers.
“Second word,” Tessa said.
Jared nodded, then bent his knees, puffed out his cheeks, and held out his arms as though he had an enormous belly.
“Fat!” Tim yelled.
Jared nodded. Obviously Tim was good at this game.
“Milk fat,” Connie called.
“Yes,” both Jared and Megan cried simultaneously.
They made a good team. She bumped against him in laughter, and he wrapped his arm around her, giving her a light hug. It was a spontaneous gesture he didn’t think about until it was too late.
She hugged him back, her eyes meeting his. They were having fun together, and there was no denying
the attraction. But that evaporated in a flash. The realization of what she’d done dawned in Megan’s expressive eyes. They both jerked back in surprise and turned away. The tips of Jared’s ears felt hot with embarrassment.
A few moments later, Jared joined her at the hearth, standing instead of sitting. He couldn’t help liking this woman. The way she tried so hard to be kind. Her sense of humor, in spite of being forced into a blind date with him. But he’d promised himself he wouldn’t get sucked into a relationship for a very long time, if ever. And now, he was in trouble. Because tonight had given him a glimpse of what it could be like with a woman like Megan. And he pitied her husband for dying. For not being able to be here with her anymore.
They didn’t speak much for the rest of the evening, which went by in a haze. Brian and Gayle won the prize. And honestly, Jared was beyond relieved. It took all the pressure off.
Darkness covered the yard, with a gentle breeze blowing in the scent of lilacs. And when Megan walked outside with the rest of the guests to go home, her truck wouldn’t start. Knowing Jared and Tim would take care of the problem, Sean and Brian took their sweethearts home. Jared and Tim checked the engine to Megan’s truck, but it was almost impossible to see anything in the dark. Tim got a couple of flashlights out of his garage, but it didn’t help much. Megan’s frustration showed in her desolate expression.
“First my washing machine, now my truck. I can’t believe this is happening now. The last thing I need is car trouble. I seem to be having a bit of bad breaks lately,” she said with a wan smile.
“Why don’t I plan to open the restaurant tomorrow for you?” Connie offered. “Then you won’t have to worry about it. I don’t want you and the kids walking over there alone so early in the morning.”
Standing in the graveled driveway, Megan gave the woman a squeeze of gratitude. “I’d sure appreciate that. Thank you. I’ll make it up to you with some time off later in the week. I promise.”
“It’s no problem,” Connie reassured her.
“Jared, since you’re headed that way, would you mind giving Megan a ride home?” Tim asked.