“Maybe… but no one needs to know that—especially Ty.”
“Good point”, he agreed.
Billows of smoke erupted from the rooftop of the small theater, obscuring the dark, naked sky; liberating itself from the blaze below. Flames licked at the roof and front entry, the heat so intense, Olivia feared she’d singe her eyebrows if she stood closer.
Upon arrival, Ty and Randall had already fastened the hose to the nearby fire hydrant. Water spewed from the opening, drenching the apex of the abandoned brick building with a liquid antidote. Chief Handler was busy calling out orders for Grant, Jimmy, Mark, and Jarrod to carefully access the building from the rear, where there didn’t appear to be any visible flames at the moment.
The theater had closed its doors over the summer. The owner of the one room auditorium was no longer capable of sustaining profits with the economy in shambles. The islanders’ needed to spend their extra cash on groceries for their families; fuel to transport them to and from work—not on a second-run movie, a large popcorn, and a thirty-two ounce Coca Cola.
Most likely the building was empty, but Chief wanted them to make a quick sweep of the interior to ensure there weren’t any potential victims inside.
“I want you in and out in a jiffy, you hear?” he instructed.
Unable to be heard through their masks and breathing apparatuses, the four brave firemen nodded and then turned to enter through the rear door.
The risks firemen took never ceased to amaze her. It took a special breed of man to willingly step into a raging incinerator, venturing into a structure that rivaled a hot, flaming hell for the sole purpose of saving lives.
Crouching low, Grant and the other three men quickly meandered through the auditorium. They’d already searched backstage and a small portion of the theater when Grant gave the signal to retreat. The lobby was completely engulfed and the searing flames had already begun devouring much of the seats in front of them.
Over the roar of the flames, he heard a sound that would terrify the bravest of firemen. It began as a subtle creak and then transformed into a loud, angry moan.
“Womack, get outta there!” he heard Chief Handler yell over the radio.
Leaping onto the stage, Grant shouted through his mask at the three men beside him. “Roof’s about to collapse! Get the hell out!” Pushing the men in front of him, he followed behind.
Olivia waited toward the rear entrance, making sure to keep a safe distance. She’d already captured hundreds of pictures since her arrival and once she’d heard the Chief give the order for Grant and the other men to exit the building, she’d placed her camera on the tripod and activated the time-lapse feature. No way could she keep a steady hand or concentrate when four people she cared about were surging toward safety.
FLASH.
The thundering sound of the weakened roof collapsing near the front of the building enveloped her in a paralyzing panic. In her peripheral vision, she could see the flash of her camera flicker in five second intervals, but somehow time seemed to proceed in slow motion.
FLASH.
She could see the look of uncertainty in Chief Handler’s expression as he shouted into his radio for them to run, but the sound was muffled by her labored breaths and raging pulse.
FLASH.
The earth vibrated under her feet as the large wood beams fell to the ground. She covered her mouth in horror.
FLASH.
Suddenly, a silhouette burst through the murky black smoke, followed by three more. Olivia let go of a breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding as the men raced toward her.
FLASH.
The last man to exit the inferno removed his hat and breathing mask…
Grant.
FLASH.
His bright white smile contrasted vividly against the black soot around the edges of his face. Instead of her heart rate returning to normal, it seemed to skip a beat and then rapidly flutter. Olivia rubbed her breastbone with the heel of her hand, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions assaulting her. She’d been terrified for the four men and was relieved that they’d all made it out safely.
But it was more than that.
The thought of anything happening to Grant made her weak in the knees—weak in the heart. Because suddenly it became quite clear that he was beginning to mean more to her than a fun flirty fling and as scary as that admission was, she embraced it.
CHAPTER 12
Winterfest was a longtime tradition of Butler Island. It was a community celebration, held the first weekend in December, signifying the beginning of the holiday season. The festivities began with the Christmas parade down First Street, followed by the annual Christmas cookie bake-off, and finally ended with the carnival.
Ty took her every year growing up and this year was no exception. They began their afternoon together as spectators for the parade. It hadn’t changed much in the last ten years: she recognized some of the same floats, same costumes—even the convertible Miss Winterfest rode in was the same.
Gesturing toward the blue convertible, Ty said, “I remember when you were Miss Winterfest. Gosh, it seems like just yesterday…”
“I know. Weird, isn’t it? Nine years…”
Ty nodded. “I came every year; it just wasn’t the same without you.”
“You’re not gonna get all mushy and sentimental on me, are you?”
Chuckling, he replied, “Nah, I know better!”
After the parade they wound their way through the booths positioned along the boardwalk. They sampled dozens of Christmas cookies for the annual bake-off and when their veins were surging with adrenaline and excess sugar, they trekked toward the carnival.
The horizon teetered on the edge of darkness as they climbed aboard the Himalaya. The ride was a childhood favorite—she loved the blaring music, the dancing lights, the swift acceleration. The lap bar came down and after the ride attendant personally checked that it was locked into position, he scurried to his controls.
The distinct sound of a lone guitar, followed by the heavy thud of a drum…
The ride accelerated with such force it threw her body against her brother as The Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black blasted from the speakers. A rush of cold air collided against her face and laughter fled her lips as she raised her hands above her head.
Grant stood behind the metal barrier, mesmerized. Olivia appeared to be having the time of her life: her hands in the air, an unmistakable expression of content and bliss adorned to her beautiful face.
He wondered if she knew how spellbinding she was?—wondered if she suspected he was beginning to fall for her…
Probably best to keep that bit of information to yourself, Womack.
Olivia glanced at Ty as the ride came to a halt. “You okay?” she asked.
“Why do you ask?” he countered as he released his white-knuckled grip on the lap bar.
“Oh, I don’t know. I guess because you’re face is ten shades of green right now.”
Ty felt his cheeks. “That obvious, huh? I guess I can’t hang like I used to—I’m getting old!”
“C’mon, let’s go get you a drink.”
Grant observed as they exited the ride and advanced toward him. “Hey—geez, bro, you look like shit! You feel alright?” he asked Ty.
“Never better”, he sarcastically remarked.
“Oh, look”—Olivia interrupted— “bumper cars!” She pointed directly across from where they all stood. “C’mon, Ty, let’s ride real quick and then you can get a drink.”
Rubbing his stomach, he shook his head. “No can do. I’m gonna have to sit this one out. You go ahead—Grant can go with you.”
Olivia turned to look at Grant. She lifted an eyebrow, assessing her competition. “I don’t know; I don’t think he can handle me.”
Grant crossed his arms over his broad chest and smirked. He could recognize a challenge brewing. “Oh, I think I can manage you just fine.”
“Okay, care to make a friendly wager then?”
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“Name your terms.”
“Whoever crashes into the other first, wins; loser pays for the winner’s cotton candy.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal.”
They left Ty sitting on a nearby bench and then rushed toward the bumper cars. Patiently they waited as the current round ended.
Standing behind her, Grant leaned forward until his mouth was inches from her ear. “Don’t worry”, he whispered, “I’ll take it easy on you.”
Olivia glanced over her shoulder. “Take it easy on me? Sugar, you won’t even be able to keep up, let alone take it easy on me.”
“Is that right?”
“Most definitely…”
Moments later, they were ushered inside. Olivia sprinted toward the hot pink number seven car while Grant chose the green number two. With his body buckled and a firm grip on the steering wheel, he took a gander at Olivia. Gnawing on her bottom lip, she stared back with a bold determination in her eyes—clearly she had her “game face” on.
The buzzer rang, delivering the tiny vehicles the power to move. His eyes were transfixed on Olivia. She was on the opposite side of the arena, steadily—and quite aggressively—crashing into anyone within her vicinity. Over the screeching and the hammering clash of cars colliding, he could hear her laughter. God, she had the most infectious laugh—the kind that reverberated throughout his entire body. Hearing it made him smile.
BAM!
Olivia slammed into the side of Grant’s green car at full speed.
His head thrashed like a whip. When he looked back, she was smiling like she’d won the lottery and then her delicate features took on a predator-like expression.
BAM!
So she’d won the bet—that didn’t mean she was going to take it easy on him. She followed closely behind his car, determined to get in another good strike before the buzzer rang again.
The girl was persistent; he had to admit. He saw firsthand why so many of the people in town referred to her as “daredevil”: her feminine and flawless exterior betrayed by her fearless and aggressive nature. The sight sent lust surging through his veins—which was quickly obliterated by a thundering crash as she smacked into him again.
The cars lost power as the buzzer rang. Grant shook his head in disbelief as he exited his car and advanced toward her. He offered his hand, assisting her out of her pink hot rod.
“Don’t look so surprised, Womack”, she said as she smiled.
“You cheated”, he proclaimed.
“What? You can’t cheat in bumper cars! That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard!”
After exiting the ride, they headed toward Ty.
“Who won the bet?” Ty called out as they approached.
“Who do you think…”
Ty glanced at his best friend. “You let a girl beat you?”
“She’s not just a girl—she’s daredevil”, he explained. “Besides, she cheated.”
“There you go throwin’ that word around again. Do you mind explaining how I ‘cheated’ at bumper cars?” she asked as she crossed her arms.
“You were laughing so hard. It was… distracting.”
“Nice try, Womack, but you still owe me a bag of cotton candy.”
Grant raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, I’m a man of my word. I’ll be right back.”
Olivia lowered herself on the bench beside Ty. “Can you believe him?” She asked in disbelief. “So, feeling better?”
Ty leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Worse. It probably wasn’t the best idea to ride the Himalaya after I wolfed down about two-dozen Christmas cookies.”
“Well, I’d have to agree with you on that one!”
“Listen, I’m thinking about heading home.”
“Oh… alright—”
“You guys are leaving?” Grant asked as he returned with a large bag of Christmas-colored cotton candy.
“Think so—there’s a bottle of Pepto-Bismol at home with my name all over it!” Ty informed him.
“Olivia, if you want to stick around for a while I can take you home later”, Grant offered. They were just beginning to have fun—he wasn’t quite ready to end the evening yet.
“That alright with you, Ty?” she asked.
Rising to his feet, he nodded and then slapped Grant on the shoulder. “Anything happens to her and I’ll feed you my fist for breakfast. Are we clear?” he asked, half joking—half not.
“Crystal.” Grant waited until Ty was out of earshot. “And then there were two…”
In no hurry, they decided to take a stroll. It was nice to be out in the open, not having to hide that they were spending time together. It was okay if someone happened to start a rumor that they’d spotted them together; Ty knew they were hanging out tonight—they just had to be careful with PDA (public displays of affection).
“Thanks again for the cotton candy.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So, still think I cheated?” she inquired.
Grant revealed one of those bone-melting smiles he’d perfected over the years. “You don’t play fair”, he explained.
“Oh, that’s right: you think I was purposely distractin’ you.”
“Damn straight—everything you do distracts me…”
Olivia turned to face him and pressed her bottom lip against her teeth. “Well, today’s your lucky day”, she said as she gestured toward the row of carnival games up ahead. “Feel like redeeming yourself?”
“You’re on.”
They landed at a game that required a good eye and a steady hand—two things he was sure he didn’t possess simultaneously. Clutching a rifle, they were supposed to shoot rubber pellets at multiple moving targets. Each target was worth a set amount of points; the more you accumulated, the bigger the prize.
“So what do I get when I win?” she asked confidently.
“We can figure out the details later.”
He watched as Olivia picked up the rifle and got into position.
“I hope you’re ready to get your ass kicked again, Womack.”
“Bring it on, darlin’.”
He fully expected for her to randomly eject several rounds of rubber pellets without even coming close to any of the targets.
Wrong again.
As soon as the game attendant blew the whistle, Olivia fired her weapon like a sharp shooter. She aimed with the kind of precision that could only be carried off by someone who was comfortable handling a firearm. And when their sixty seconds of target practice was through, she’d won again.
“Remind me to never piss you off”, Grant commented wryly.
Olivia turned and exposed a playful scowl.
“Alright, ma’am, what’ll it be?” the attendant asked.
Olivia smiled and pointed to a stuffed teddy bear hanging behind him. “I think I’ll take that bear behind you—the one that’s dressed like an angel.” The man picked up the bear and tossed it toward her. “Thanks.”
Silence lurked between them as they started to walk away. Finally, Grant spoke. “My ego’s a little bruised.”
“Aw, poor baby.”
“It’s okay, you can make it up to me later”, he suggested with a wry grin.
“Really? What exactly did you have in mind?”
Reaching for her hand, Grant slipped behind one of the game booths where they could have some privacy. Alone for the first time since they’d been interrupted by the theater fire, he pressed her up against the rear of the booth. “This”, he whispered as he cupped her face. He aligned their mouths, but this kiss wasn’t like all the others.
Although desire and need pulsed through his body, he remained in control. It was unhurried, attentive, tender. The kind of kiss a man only unleashed when he wanted to convey how deeply he cared.
“Sorry about that”, he uttered as he pulled away. “I couldn’t help myself.”
Olivia lightly brushed her fingertips across her tingling lips before resting the palm of her hand agai
nst his solid chest. “It’s okay. You were beat by a girl twice in one night; obviously I questioned your masculinity”, she playfully explained.
Grant smiled in spite of himself. He loved her quick wit; it kept him on his toes. Most girls would’ve been clingy or downright boring by now.
But not her.
After they left the carnival they sat in the driveway in his truck, their mouths mating, their hands wandering. He’d never felt this way about anyone before. He wanted more than anything to take her back to his bed and spend the rest of the night making love to her.
But he couldn’t.
He’d told her she had to set the pace and if she wasn’t ready to take that leap with him, he certainly wasn’t going to push. He was eager to hear her say she wanted him—eager to watch her come again.
Until then, he’d settle for this: making out like two love-crazed teenagers in the front seat of his truck.
Oh, how life was good…
CHAPTER 13
“What time did you get in last night?” Ty asked as he carried his bowl to the bar.
Olivia stood at the stove, carefully spooning her cheese grits into her bowl. “Um, just before midnight.”
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yeah, it was fun”, she uttered, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
There was a momentary pause, and then…
“Was Grant on his best behavior?”
Olivia froze and then quickly recovered by turning around, taking a seat at the bar. “Yes”, she answered cautiously. “Why do you ask?”
Because I’ve seen the way he looks at you… “No reason—just wanted to make sure.”
After the awkward conversation with Ty at breakfast, Olivia settled into her darkroom to check on her enlargements. Yesterday, before the Winterfest Parade, she’d enlarged some of the photographs taken the night of the theater fire and had left them to dry. Carefully, she unclipped the black and white prints and flipped through them.
Picture Perfect (Butler Island) Page 11