Scorched

by Lee, M. A.

  When Jackson Cole had first invited me to go to the publishing company, I turned down the offer. I had no desire to sit in a stuffy office with people who liked to spin stories. That just wasn’t me. Sure, they had run a nice story on him when he branched out and brought Cole Security Forces to San Diego, but I had no desire to be interviewed or part of a story. I was ready to live a nice, calm civilian life now that I was officially out of the SEALS.

  No, my passion was the work I was now doing at Cole Security Forces. We work with small and even larger businesses and government agencies to provide protection and security detail when needed. When I had first joined the SEALs, all I wanted to do was protect my country. As a little boy, I would listen as my grandfather relieved stories from his days in the army. He taught me the importance of loving your country and saving those that needed it most. I joined the SEALs right out of high school and never regretted a day of it. When I was medically discharged, I thought my life was over. Never did I imagine myself working in a normal job setting. I was meant to get my hands dirty and see things most people should never dream of. Maybe I am a sick bastard, but it was my own version of a fairy tale dream.

  Anyway, when Jackson Cole offered me a job at Cole Security Forces, I couldn’t turn down the offer to protect the people in this city. I was still serving, just in a different manner.

  So, when I found myself invited to go to MLA Publishing, I just couldn’t say no, twice. It appeared, the company was looking for more Marketing as we expanded our reach outside of the New York Area. San Diego was already thriving with their new branch, and with more Marketing, we could potentially land more clients in bigger areas, too. From what I had been told on the car ride over, we were going to be featured at a charity event for fallen soldiers of war. We were to attend, show our support, and allow our pictures to be used for marketing and branding purposes. It seemed a little too flashy for me, but I went along with it anyway.

  Now, I was never more grateful for giving in. I wasn’t sure who the woman was who couldn’t take her eyes off of me, but I knew for a fact, that she could feel my eyes undressing her.

  When our eyes met, neither of us could turn away. All my senses seemed to shut off, I had no idea what Jackson was talking about as he stood us in front of the office. All I knew was for the first time in a very long time, someone had caught my attention.

  Chapter Five

  That evening,

  I poured a lavender bubble bath into our large claw tub and in the shared bathroom. Lighting a few candles, I delved myself into the warm water and closed my eyes, relishing in the calming and relaxing fragrances filling the air around me. My body was stressed from work and sometimes, a nice bath would be the perfect way to rejuvenate my system.

  A light knock was heard on the door, interrupting my tranquil moment.

  “Yes,” I sighed.

  “Can I come in?” Stacy asked.

  “Sure,” I said, sitting up and making sure the bubbles covered all of my necessary parts.

  Stacy walked into the room and leaned against the wall. “Sorry to interrupt, but I just checked my work email, and guess what?” she asked, her eyes glowing with excitement.

  “What?” I asked, not in the mood for her games.

  “The company was invited to a charity gala next Friday. We will be doing a feature on it in the magazine and several of the authors we publish will be in attendance as well. Those hot guys from today, they will be in attendance and… will be the new face of the cover,” she said.

  Stacy loved attending the lavish parties and galas that we were frequently invited to. Melanie had created a well-known name with MLA Publishing and she loved to feature the good that people in the community were doing. Several of our authors also liked to attend and donate books to silent auctions.

  “I already knew that,” I reminded her. “I was there when it was announced,” I add, trying to sound like I remembered all along.

  “Yes, but did you know that we would get to use those handsome faces in our Marketing? They are basically whoring themselves out for the greater cause,” she mused.

  “Great. That sounds fun,” I said, rolling my eyes at her.

  “Yeah, well I bet that hottie that was eye-fucking you earlier will be there,” she said, winking just before closing the door and leaving me alone again.

  My heart rate increased at the mention of the men from earlier attending the gala. Especially, one man in particular. To be honest, his face had been locked in my mind all day. I just couldn’t get him off my mind and it was very troubling. I didn’t need to be swooning over a man who I didn’t even know. I had a plan and a man wasn’t part of that.

  Sinking further into the tub, I tried to wash away the memories, but his eyes haunted me all night long.

  * * *

  The next day at work, the office was buzzing with excitement about the upcoming gala. Attending a company party happened almost monthly, so it wasn’t like this was something out of the ordinary. However, having SEALs in attendance definitely was new for me.

  An email had gone out that morning with a list of everyone who would be in attendance at the event. We each needed to ensure we mingled with all guests. I would more than likely be asked to write an article, so I needed to know the names of everyone. On that list was the group of men that Cole had brought to the offices, but I had no idea was the mysterious man who I had locked eyes with. Maybe I would never know.

  I spent the rest of my time working on a fun young adult novel that one of our authors had sent for editing. It may not be how most publishing companies handled business, but I loved how Melanie gave us free rein to pick what aspects of the job we wanted to do. I mean, I had a literary degree so I was fully capable of performing both editing and writing, but still, knowing I could do both was exciting to me. Satisfied, I headed off to complete a few more tasks and tried to forget about the man who I couldn’t seem to forget.

  * * *

  Sometimes in life, we have to go through turmoil, in order to appreciate what we are given. For me, I felt like I had been through more than my fair share of turmoil. For someone, not even thirty-years-old, I had lost a parent and that was beyond devastating. Thankfully, I had found a way to salvage my heart when my boyfriend died, because I wasn’t really given any other choice. His mom had shut down, like her life had ended, too. I had tried so many times to reach out to her and the rest of his family, but they had moved away.

  I had somehow found a way to busy myself with tasks, which had rolled into adulthood. When I was busy with work, I didn’t have to think about that raging fire that took away Wade. I didn’t have to remember all of our belongings and memories left in ashes. And, I didn’t have to remember how painful it was for my parents when I had to move away. I could no longer live in a town that constantly reminded me of Wade. None of that mattered when my mind went into work mode and the world around me was long forgotten.

  Right now, I have never been more grateful for my busy life. The anniversary of my Wade’s death was in two weeks and I never did well during that time. My mom would be even more distant than ever and I would usually spend time alone. After the Gala was over, I would take some much needed time to head home and visit Wade’s gravesite.

  The week was going to be one of my busiest times as I would juggle additional roles at work as I prepared for the gala for the upcoming weekend. I just needed to get through the next week and then I could take the time necessary to mourn my old life and the life that could have been.

  Chapter Six

  With death comes new life. For me, the new life wasn’t necessarily any better than death. For the most part, I was shut off from the rest of the world. Other than my friends, I didn’t really associate with anyone. Sure, guys asked me out when I went out with my friends and a couple of people at work had tried to set me up on blind dates, but I could never find a reason to date. For some reason, it felt like I was cheating on Wade. I know it sounds silly because he is gone, but still, my heart
may never get over losing him.

  On the night of the Gala, I walked into the large ballroom at a lavish hotel in downtown San Diego. My silver gown seemed to glitter against the lights flashing all around me. In my purse, I had my trusty recorder ready to go for any interviews. Stacy was at my side, a wide grin plastered across her face as she took in all of our hard work. I knew she complained about the amount of work we were given, but I was happy to do it.

  A band played ahead of us and couples were out on the dance floor, swaying to the music. A bar was to our right and I felt an urge to get a much needed alcoholic beverage.

  “Hey, let’s get a drink. We earned it,” I say, winking at Stacy.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” she says.

  We walk through the crowds, saying hello to a few of the guests we recognize from other events and some of our co-workers. Once we slide up to the bar, we wait for the bartender to notice us.

  “What can I get you ladies?” the man asks, his blue eyes sparkling.

  “Your sweetest red wine,” I say.

  “Vodka tonic,” Stacy says, her mouth wide open as she practically drools over the bartender.

  I laugh at her and for the first time all week, I realize I am smiling. I go to stop myself, but before I can, I feel an arm bump into me.

  Turning, I lock eyes with the man who I had seen at the office the week before. He is dashing in a black suit and red tie.

  “I’m so sorry,” he apologies, as I notice his drink has spilled on the floor around us. Thankfully, it didn’t hit my new pumps.

  “It’s ok,” I say.

  “Hey, don’t I know you?” he asks me, recognition clouding his features.

  “Not really. I work at MLA Publishing and you came in the other day,” I say.

  I don’t want him to know that I haven’t been able to forget about him or that thoughts of him bring old, haunted memories to the surface. Even now, I feel guilty for talking to him.

  Nodding, I can tell that he remembers now. “Yes, how could I forget?” he asks.

  “Your wine,” the bartender interrupts us and I am instantly relieved for the distraction. Taking my wine, I quickly take a sip.

  Stacy watches us with amusement before announcing, “So, where are the rest of the hot SEALS you had with you?”

  I roll my eyes and can feel a blush heating my cheeks. Stacy doesn’t have a filer.

  Thankfully, the man chuckles as he takes a sip of his own drink. It smells like bourbon, which is one of my favorite dark liquors.

  “They are here, somewhere,” he chuckles. To be honest, I am not big on parties and fancy events like this,” he adds, his eyes staring at me.

  I can feel the intensity of his stare as I try to look away, but it’s no use.

  “Oh, so you are probably uncomfortable being on a magazine cover, too,” I ask, feeling my cheeks blush.

  “A little. But, the story idea sounds nice and it would mean a lot to Jackson, so I don’t mind too much,” he finishes.

  “That’s nice,” I reply, unsure of what to say. I am terrible with small talk.

  “What’s your name?” Stacy asks him, clearly ignoring how uncomfortable I am.

  “I’m Ryder Rollings,” he says, extending his hand for us to shake.

  When I place my hand in his, a spark of electricity shoots through me and my eyes instantly lock with his again. The moment was beyond surreal and I know he felt it, too.

  “I am Stacy and this is Meghan,” Stacy introduces us, and all I want to do is get out of there fast.

  “Meghan, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Ryder says, his deep voice causing heat to warm my entire body.

  “Would you like to…” before he can finish, I cut him off.

  “I’m sorry, I have to go,” I say, picking up my dress and running toward the entrance.

  The tears are already starting to pour down my cheeks and I need to get out of there before anyone else sees what a disaster I am.

  Stacy is shouting for me to stop, but I can’t. I continue to run until I am outside on the busy streets of the city. The loud traffic and chatter of people walking all around me seem to drown out my own thoughts.

  Suddenly, I feel a hand grab my arm and spin me around.

  “Meg,” Stacy begins, but she stops when she sees my distraught face.

  Pulling me in for a hug, she allows me to sob all over her crimson red dress.

  “I’m so sorry,” I whimper.

  “What happened?” she asks, still holding me close.

  I take a moment to collect myself and pull out of her embrace. “Honestly, I have no idea. Ryder made me think of Wade and it was just too much,” I admit.

  Stacy nods in understanding. “Meg, I know how difficult it was for you to lose Wade and I especially know how hard this week is going to be. But, Wade wouldn’t want you to stop living. He would want you to move on. From everything you told me about him, he would have wanted more for you,” she says.

  I know that what she is saying is true, but it doesn’t make it any more difficult to accept. I don’t know how it is possible, but somehow, Ryder just made me feel things I hadn’t felt in years. And the worst part was, I wasn’t sure if I ever felt that same spark with Wade.

  Chapter Seven

  What in the hell just happened?

  I had asked myself the same question a million times after Meghan ran off. We seemed to be having a nice conversation and then, like lightning had struck, she rushed away.

  I followed after her, now looking back, I wish I hadn’t.

  When I found her on the street, sobbing in her friend’s arms, I knew that whatever was wrong with her, didn’t have anything to do with me.

  Normally, any girl that showed any sign of drama had me running for the hills. I hated that shit. But, there was something about Meghan that told me this wasn’t drama-- the pain I saw in her face and through her tears, well, that ran deep.

  She must have experienced something tragic in her life-- something I could relate to myself. In my line of work, I had seen more times than I care to admit, the pained faces of someone who had lost a loved one. I had seen it in the widows who knew their husbands would never come home and the mothers who had lost a child in battle. When I looked at Meghan, I understood that her heart was filled with loss.

  I knew it was wrong, but I had to find out who or what had hurt Meghan. It might not be any of my business, but hey, when did that ever stop me before? I was a fixer, it’s just what I did.

  Hell, if she would let me, maybe I could fix whatever she needed. Something had come over me and there was no turning back now.

  Chapter Eight

  In life, we have to grow from our pain. Well, right now, I wasn’t growing, I was wollering in my own self-pity. After making a huge fool out of myself at the gala, I had tried to keep a low profile at work. Thankfully, no one other than Kristen saw my dramatic exit, but still, I was mortified by my behavior.

  Not only had I looked insane, but I had probably made Ryder feel terrible. I just hoped he didn’t think he did anything wrong to warrant such a heinous outburst from me. My only hope was that I never had to see him again.

  * * *

  Fear took over on Monday morning when I was called into Melanie’s office.

  Knocking on her glass door, I spotted Melanie behind her desk, rapidly tapping away on her computer keyboard. Looking up, she offered a sweet smile as she waved me inside.

  Walking in, I took in the modern decor that gave her office a comfortable vibe. Her door was always open and she treated us all fairly. She was the best boss anyone could ever ask for.

  “Good morning, Meghan,” she greeted me.

  I sat down in one of the gray leather chairs facing her desk and smiled. “Morning.”

  “How did you enjoy the gala this weekend? I was so busy, I barely had any time to talk to everyone,” she said.

  “It was beautiful,” I stated. For some reason, I was nervous. Crossing my legs, I began to play with the bo
ttom of my pencil skirt. Had Melanie seen me run out like a fool? Was she going to fire me for embarrassing the company? I was starting to sweat as I waited for her to continue.

  “I’m so glad you liked it. Anyway, what I called you in here for today was I think you would be perfect to work on the article about the SEALS joining Jackson Security Forces,” she beamed.

  My heart did a flip in my chest as my stomach dropped. “Really?” I asked.

  “You sound surprised,” she laughed. “Your last feature was incredible and our magazine sales went up by twenty percent. I also have noticed more of our authors have requested you to work on their novels,” she finished.

  “Wow, I am at a loss for words. I am so honored,” I say, feeling accomplished, but also nervous about taking on such incredible tasks.

  “I know I don’t run my publishing company like most others, but I think that’s what makes it fun,” she states, her smile only growing wider.

  “No, I enjoy being given different opportunities at the company. I would love to work on the article. Who would I be working with?” I ask.

  “That’s the fun part; me,” she gushes.

  I had been waiting for an opportunity to work one-on-one with Melanie since I was first hired. Not only was she the owner and CEO of this company, but she also worked right alongside the rest of us. This could really boost my career and place at this company.

  “I don’t know what to say! Yes, this is amazing,” I say, my voice rising with excitement.

  It had been a long time since I felt this happy, so I was going to run with it. We talked for a few more minutes and Melanie showed me her outline and schedule for the article. Eager to get to work, I rushed back to my desk and began working. Everything else was long forgotten.