Providence

Chapter Four The Ring

The next weeks proved to be fairly mundane. I hadn’t seen Jared or Mr. Dawson, and Ryan’s propositions had tapered off. Beth had been noticeably absent from our room. I hadn’t even been sequestered for a ballgame.

I didn’t leave campus for further theory-testing walks, and I tried not to venture off campus in general. My feelings were conflicted at any given second between being desperate to see Jared again and cringing at thoughts of any chance run-ins. I committed to pushing him from my mind, even if I had to do it a thousand times a day.

At study group, Ryan and I took our normal spots to work together on his latest academic crisis. Kim passed the time by shooting rubber bands at Josh while Beth and the new girl, Nicole, compared notes.

Josh caught one of Kim’s rubber missiles in mid-air and yawned. “So, when are we going out again?”

Kim shrugged. “I don’t know. When do you want to go?”

“I don’t think Nina’s up to it,” Beth hinted. The entire group stared at me with a mixture of pitiful and expectant expressions that I was desperate to deflect.

“Of course I’m up for it,” I said, aiming for a casual tone.

In truth, going out again with the same people to the same place made me anxious that we were just asking for a repeat, and I wasn’t ready to see Jared again. In the same moment, I worried that he wouldn’t show.

“Are you sure?” Beth asked, leaning forward in her chair.

“Why don’t we go tomorrow?” Josh asked Ryan.

“I’m there,” Ryan said, nudging me.

“On a Tuesday? How much fun can a Tuesday night be?” I groaned.

“As fun as we make it,” Ryan said.

On our way back to Andrews, I grumbled to Beth about going out on a school night. She didn’t seem fazed by the prospect, so I left it alone. When we lumbered into our room, my cell phone buzzed.

“Hi, Mom,” I yawned.

“You sound tired, Nina. Are you getting enough sleep?” she asked.

“I am. It’s just been a long day,” I said, peeling back my comforter.

“Well, I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to tell you that Thomas called me today. He wanted to apologize about not returning your call. Did you call him, dear?”

“Er…yes. I did.” I hadn’t anticipated Thomas calling my mother.

“Well? What did you call him about?”

I decided that sticking as close to the truth as possible would be the best option. “Well, I was in dad’s office a few weeks ago and came across some unsigned papers. I didn’t want to worry you with it, so I called Mr. Rosen.”

“You were in Dad’s office? Why?”

“I guess I just miss him.”

“Oh,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”

“It’s okay, Mom. It was something I needed to do on my own.”

“You don’t worry about those papers, Dear. They’re nothing you need to concern yourself with. Thomas has copies of all of your father’s papers in his office; they’ve already been taken care of. I wasn’t….ready to move them just yet.”

“I understand,” I said, thinking of the letter opener I’d taken. She obviously hadn’t noticed, yet. I wondered if she went into Jack’s office at all. “Did Daddy ever discuss an urgent properties deal with you?”

My mother pondered that for a moment. “A properties deal? Your father didn’t deal with properties, Nina.”

“Oh. Okay.” I tried to make my voice sound idle to end the conversation.

“I’ll let Thomas know that I’ve talked to you.” She seemed to accept my explanation, but was obviously unconvinced.

“That’s fine, Mom. I’m going to bed, now.”

I clicked my phone shut and noticed Beth staring at me. “What?”

“You didn’t tell her about the Dawson guy, did you?” Beth said, towel and toiletries in hand.

“I can’t put that on her right now.”

I clicked my fingernails together, waiting for Beth to return. Mr. Rosen chose to call my mother instead of me. The thought flooded my mind with the disturbing words Mr. Dawson spoke, which in turn morphed into thoughts of my father being swindled posthumously. In that instant, I became angry beyond words and scrambled to my feet. Beth wouldn’t return fast enough; the only comfort would be a distraction. Without a second thought, I grabbed my keys and bolted out the door.

My BMW weaved in and out of traffic just a bit over the speed limit. I figured if I could somehow get lost, trying to find my way back would be an excellent distraction. I drove until the buildings were less familiar and then I stopped paying attention to the street signs. When I was no longer in Providence, I slowed down to make a u-turn to start the challenge of finding my way home. I veered off a bit to the shoulder before making the turn, and then my car bobbled over an unseen object as I pulled my steering wheel in the opposite direction.

“Damn it!”

I peered into my rearview mirror, searching for what I’d run over to decide whether I should pull over to assess any damages. In the next moment I saw the reflective twisted metal and sighed.

I pulled over to the side of the road and came to an abrupt stop. Realizing the situation I’d gotten myself into, I let my forehead fall hard onto the steering wheel with a thud.

A flat tire on the side of an unknown road in the middle of the night was definitely a distraction.

I shoved open my door and walked around to look at the front passenger-side tire. Seeing the rubber pooled on the ground, I raked my fingers through my hair.

Fog blurred the street lights so my vision was limited. In quick strides I ducked back into my car to call Beth. At the same time that I remembered I had left my purse behind, it dawned on me that I’d also failed to bring my phone.

“Nina! You idiot!”

Logic overrode panic. The sun would rise in a few hours and I could flag someone down to use their phone. I turned the heater on high and let the dry air fill the cab. When it was too hot to breathe I flipped back the ignition and turned off the car. Just moments later, I tugged my coat tighter around me. It was going to be a very long couple of hours before sunrise; it didn’t take long at all for the stifling heat in the car to fade to mildly warm and then to an uncomfortable chill soon after.

Three quick raps on my window sent me an inch off my seat. I whipped around to see a man in a puffy blue coat standing just inches away. My hand flew up to the lock as he leaned down to look in.

“It’s a little late for that, don’t you think? I could have carjacked you by now,” Jared said, grimacing at my pitiful efforts.

I couldn’t speak, the fear sent adrenaline racing throughout my body and I experienced a dozen different emotions before I settled on relief.

“Open the trunk so I can get your spare,” he said.

I reached for the button and the trunk sprung open with a pop. Scrambling out of my car, I watched while he pulled out a jack and quickly assembled it, and then pulled out the spare tire, carrying it to his make-shift workspace. I’d always seen people rolling tires around, but Jared lifted it out of my trunk as if it were a grocery bag.

He worked feverishly — as if he were being timed — pumping the jack, unscrewing the lug nuts and yanking off the flattened carcass of the old tire to immediately replace it with the spare. He repeated the process in reverse, tightening the lug nuts and spinning the tire. Once he finished lowering the car, he lobbed the flattened tire into my trunk, followed by the jack and tire iron.

“Go home, Nina,” he growled. He slammed the trunk shut and then wiped the grease from his hands onto his jeans.

“Jared….”

“Just go home,” he said, avoiding my eyes. He turned his back on me, disappearing into the fog.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

I shook my head and scrambled around the front of my car, staring at the new tire to make sure I hadn’t imagined everything I’d just seen. My new, perfectly capable tire was fitted flawlessly to my car. I looked to the fog where Jared had disappeared and puffed. It was no longer an indefinite prospect that Jared was always waiting in the wings. I didn’t know why or how he was doing it, but he was watching over me.

During the ride home my mind raced with theories and explanations. There was no way for him to explain it away. Jared had basically admitted to following me. Maybe that was why he was so irritated; I’d managed to get myself in yet another situation that he would have to make clear that he was nearby. I should have been panicking — anyone else would have repeated the word stalker over and over in her head — but I only felt an overwhelming sense of calm. Beyond the calm I was even more shocked to discover that I was flattered.

Something else became clear to me: I had absolutely no common sense concerning Jared Ryel. I had become an irrational, ridiculous, sobbing fool and incredibly, he was still in my life. I didn’t care if he was a stalker or a miracle. The thought that he was always near me — that he could have been watching me at that very moment — sent euphoric shivers down my spine.

The next night, a knock at the door prompted Beth to grab her purse. When I swung open the door, Kim, Josh, Ryan, Tucker, Chad, Lisa, and Carrie were all standing in the hall.

“We held hands so they wouldn’t get lost,” Kim quipped.

“That’s nice,” I said, turning to grab my keys and wallet. “We’re not all going to fit in the Beemer.”

“I’m taking my jeep,” Chad said.

“Sweet!” Beth chirped.

When I followed Beth through the door of the pub, I felt my body tense. I didn’t relax until I finished scanning the room and saw that Jared was nowhere to be found. With my relaxation was also discontent, but Ryan’s arm around my shoulders provided an immediate diversion. We took a table and Ryan fed quarters into the jukebox. Within an hour we were all on the wooden floor dancing to disco.

“Next time, I’m bringing a CD!” Kim yelled over the Bee Gees.

When we returned to our table, a slow song crooned from the juke box and Chad asked Beth to dance. She was beaming, and I watched him pull her gently by her hand to the dance floor. I felt the corners of my mouth turn up as I watched them, not being able to keep myself from the bittersweet memory of Jared’s arms around me in the same space just a few weeks before.

“C’mon. Dance with me,” Ryan asked, pulling at my hand.

I might have said no if he hadn’t already had me half way to my feet. It had become a full time job to keep him from getting the wrong idea about our friendship. I followed him to the dance floor and he secured his hands behind my back.

“Oh, cheer up. It’s not that bad,” Ryan smiled.

“You’ve been drinking; I’m concentrating on not tripping over your two left feet.”

“I’ll catch you,” he said, too close to my face.

“Great, then we’d both fall,” I grinned.

Ryan hugged me to him. “I don’t mind falling to catch you.”

I relaxed my chin on Ryan’s shoulder until the song ended. He seemed to want to keep dancing but the next song was upbeat. He hesitated and then let me go, leading me back to the table by my hand.

We tabbed out after last call, and Lisa and Carrie decided to take a cab to someone’s apartment for an after party. Beth decided to ride with Chad once again and my heart leapt for her when I saw him lead her by the hand to his Jeep.

We quickly crossed against the light to the parking lot and Kim and Ryan giggled while I fumbled for my keys.

I cursed as my keys tumbled to the ground into a pot hole. I reached down to get them, but a dirty hand beat me there. Kim and Ryan were silent as I slowly stood to face the raggedy man in front of me.

“Thank you,” I said, holding my hand out for my keys. I noticed there were three other men with him, emerging from the shadows of the alley.

“You’re welcome,” he rasped. He had an unkempt brown beard and his black eyes were abnormally deep-set. Upon first glance he appeared homeless, but his fingernails were too clean and his face wasn’t nearly worn enough. Even growing up on the East Side, I had seen my share of the destitute on the docks with my father.

“I don’t suppose you could spare some change for my trouble?”

“Er….sure,” I said, looking at Kim and Ryan before I dug into my wallet. I handed him a ten dollar bill and he glanced over to my BMW.

“I’m sure the key to this car is worth more than that,” he insisted.

I reached into my wallet and handed him a twenty. “There. Please give me my keys,” I said, holding out my hand.

He stared at me for a long moment, prompting Ryan to walk over to us. “She gave you some money. Give her back her keys.”

The man looked Ryan over and then peered back at me. “I don’t think that’s quite enough.”

My eyes narrowed. “How much do you want?”

“How much do you have in your wallet?”

“What?”

“And I’d like that pretty green ring on your finger, too, baby doll,” he nodded.

“You’re not getting her ring,” Ryan said, stepping in between us.

“Benson?” the bearded man called behind him. One of the men behind him nodded and signaled the others to move forward.

“Ryan….” I whispered as he side-stepped to hide me behind him.

“Aw, look, Grahm. She’s got a little bodyguard.”

“Shut up, Stu,” the bearded man growled.

“Give me the ring…and the money. And you can go,” he said, spitting on the ground.

“I don’t think so, Grahm,” Ryan shifted as he assessed the other men.

“Ryan….” I warned, and then looked at the ring leader. “Listen, this is everything I have on me….” I said, shoving at him several large bills and more fives and ones. “This is everything in my wallet. Take it.”

“And the ring,” Grahm said in an obstinate tone.

I looked at Kim’s horrified expression and then back at the thief. “I… I can’t give you my ring. My father gave it to me and he passed away recently.”

“That’s a very sad story,” he mocked. “Give me the ring.”

I hid my shaking hand behind me, and looked around for someone, anyone that could help. “I won’t,” I swallowed. “I’m sorry.”

Grahm looked away momentarily to follow my line of sight and Ryan took the opportunity to attack.

Kim ran around the car. “No!”

A scuffle ensued, with the other three jumping on Ryan. They were in a huddle, punching and kicking Ryan mercilessly.

I took a step toward the cluster. “STOP IT!”

Ryan let out a muffled cry and stopped fighting. My hands flew to my mouth as I saw that Stu held a knife dripping with blood.

“STOP IT, PLEASE!” I said.

The men were chuckling to each other; the brutality had ended with one last kick to Ryan’s ribs. I stared in horror as he lay broken on the wet pavement. Just as he attempted to pull himself up to all fours, Stu used his boot to press Ryan’s cheek back into the pavement.

“Agh!” Ryan groaned.

“I didn’t tell you to get up yet, did I?” Stu said.

The attention turned to my hand. I balled it into a fist; I wouldn’t give up my father’s ring. Grahm seemed to notice my decision and they all took a step forward, preparing to take it from me. Four sets of malevolent eyes shifted in unison as a familiar voice growled from behind me.

“I think it’s time you gentlemen moved on.”

Jared strolled past me, and the air escaped from my lungs with overwhelming relief.

“Jared,” I said.

He shot me a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You don’t have to give them your ring.”

“The hell she’s not. You want some of what this boy got?” Stu warned.

Grahm eyed Jared suspiciously. “You’re Ryel’s boy, aren’t you?”

My blood ran cold as I looked down at Ryan’s limp body. He was still breathing, but in small, shallow gasps. I looked at Jared, terrified of what would happen to him.

“Gentlemen, you can either leave now, with the money the lady has offered, or you can stay, without further use of your arms and legs. It’s your choice. Either way, the ring won’t be leaving her finger tonight.” Jared’s voice began polite, but as his offer ended it became low and frightening.

Grahm chuckled as he lowered his head. Once his laughter ended, his eyes darted up, peering at Jared from under his brow. “Then I guess we’ll just have to cut her hand off.”

I froze.

Jared turned to me, his eyes steely-blue, and then he looked back at the men as he took a step towards them.

“See?” Jared sighed. “Now you’re just pissing me off.”

“I’m sick of this,” Benson said.

“Benson, wait!” Grahm ordered.

Two of the men rushed Jared and just as a scream grew in my throat, I saw Jared pull one of them off his back and throw him across the lot — an incredible distance, at least thirty yards — against the stone wall of the alley. The man’s body flew into some trashcans with a loud crash. Benson flew back after Jared punched him in the face, and I recoiled when blood exploded from his nose. Stu ran at Jared with his knife, but Jared lithely dodged out of the way and caught the man’s arm as he jabbed the knife at him. Jared pulled Stu’s arm to the side and quickly rammed his fist into his elbow from behind, hyper extending it until it snapped. Jared punched him again, this time in the face, and the man fell to the ground.

Grahm attempted to turn and run, but with amazing speed Jared reached out and grabbed his overcoat, stopping him in his tracks. The man whirled around and pushed Jared back against my car.

My hands flew up to my mouth.

Jared quickly spun to elbow Grahm in the side of his face. The bearded man plummeted to the ground; the blow causing him to thrash about in stifled groans.

When I gawked down at him, I noticed that his jaw appeared askew. He held it against his face with his hands, and moaned in agony.

Jared pulled my car keys from the ground beside him and noticed a worn, black wallet next to them. He picked it up and it unfolded automatically to reveal a large metallic object.

“Agh…this is not good,” Jared said, rubbing his forehead.

“What? What is that? Is that his?” I tried to get a better look as Jared stuffed it into his jacket pocket.

Breathing heavily, Jared took a few steps closer to me. “Are you okay?”

“Am I…? Are you okay?”

Jared nodded but I could see blood oozing from a small cut on his cheek bone, just below his eye.

“You’re bleeding,” I whispered.

Jared wiped the cut and glanced down at the blood smeared across the back of his hand. “It’s not bad. I have to get you out of here before the police show up.”

“Ryan’s going to need a doctor,” I said, rushing down to Ryan’s side. He was still breathing, but he’d been beaten badly.

“Ryan? Can you hear me?” I asked, but he didn’t respond.

Jared nodded, and then effortlessly lifted Ryan into his arms to put him in the back seat of my car. Kim ran around to jump into the back and covered him with her coat.

“He doesn’t look good, Nigh,” Kim said, cradling him in her arms.

Jared opened the passenger side door. “Get in, Nina, I’ll drive.”

We flew through the darkness; making every red light a blurry afterthought. I wrapped my arms around my chest, finding it hard to breathe.

Jared rested his hand on my forearm. “Are you hanging in there?”

“I’m just worried about Ryan,” I whispered, peeking back momentarily at my friend. Jared’s hand gripped tighter.

“Everything’s going to be okay, Nina. Ryan’s going to pull through.”

“You shouldn’t have…you could have been killed, Jared.”

Jared raised an eyebrow, looking at me as if I were overreacting.

“It was necessary.” His hand left my arm and gripped the steering wheel. “They’re lucky I spared them their lives after he—,” he paused, seeing my expression. “You don’t need to worry…I won’t let anyone hurt you. Least of all me.”

When the scowl didn’t leave my face, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong with me, Jared. You’re bleeding, Ryan is…,” I turned around, “Ryan? Can you hear me?” I touched his battered face gently with my finger tips.

I could see Jared in my peripheral vision, his entire body tensed as if I was touching a live grenade.

“We need to get to the hospital!” Kim begged, holding her fingers to his wrist.

“Hang on, Ryan. We’re almost there,” I said, wincing when he did.

I had to turn back around to wipe my tears; I didn’t want him to see me cry. Jared tucked my hair behind my ear, and with his warm thumb wiped the moisture away. I didn’t notice that I was turning my ring mindlessly around my finger until Jared gently squeezed my hand.

“You don’t have to do that. It’s going to be okay, I promise.”

Ryan was whisked away to surgery and Kim, Jared and I were directed to the ICU waiting room. Jared sat beside me, brushing my bangs back from my eyes.

Kim sat on the adjacent couch, her knees shaking up and down. She bit her nails, staring straight ahead. “I called Beth half an hour ago! When are they going to get here?”

I couldn’t look at her; Ryan’s blood was smeared on her shirt and jacket.

Beth, Josh and Chad filed into the waiting room, wide-eyed and breathless. Beth crashed into me, hugging me until I thought my ribs would break.

“Oh my God, Nina!! Are you okay? Is Kim okay?”

“We’re okay,” I whispered.

Beth put her hands to her mouth when she noticed the blood on Kim’s clothing and shook her head. “Ryan?”

“He’s still in surgery,” Kim said. “He has some broken ribs, and they think the knife may have punctured his spleen. They’ll remove it if they can’t get the bleeding stopped.”

My eyes welled up with tears.

“Whoa,” Josh sighed, rubbing his forehead in disbelief.

Beth hugged me as we both cried. She walked over to Kim and sat down. When Kim only offered a weak smile, Beth pulled her into her arms.

Jared put his arm around me and led me back to the couch. Kim rehashed the account to the others until Josh interrupted.

“Why didn’t you just give him the damn ring, Nina?” he asked in an accusatory tone.

“This isn’t Nina’s fault,” Jared grimaced, squeezing me closer to his side.

“Her father gave her that ring, Josh,” Beth added.

“It’s just a ring,” he murmured.

Jared looked into my eyes with an understanding expression; he didn’t want me to feel worse than I already did. I didn’t expect anyone to understand my attachment to the ring anymore than I expected them to understand my relationship with my father.

“How did you get away?” Beth asked.

I felt Jared shift uncomfortably beside me when Kim spoke, “Jared took all four of them on. He was amazing. Apparently he’s taught his little sister everything she knows.”

All eyes darted to Jared, who leaned forward and clasped his hands together. “I’m in the security business.”

“Where? In Iraq?” Josh sneered.

“Nah,” Jared said, downplaying Kim’s explanation.

I knew better. I had just glimpsed into a fraction of Jared’s secret.

I jerked against Jared’s shoulder when he whispered that Ryan was being wheeled into Intensive Care from recovery. “It’s okay, you’re safe,” he whispered, pressing his lips to the top of my hair.

“Oh,” I said, wiping my eyes. “I must have dozed off for a second.”

“More like an hour,” Kim said with heavy eyes.

Jared squeezed me to him. “You didn’t miss anything; you needed to rest.”

“What time is it?” I yawned.

“Seven thirty,” Beth said, looking as exhausted as I felt.

The nurses pushed the stretcher down the hall with a barely-coherent Ryan attached to monitors and tubes. I ran into the hallway and grabbed his hand, walking with them.

“I’m so sorry.” My voice broke before I could attempt a braver tone.

Ryan mumbled something inaudible and I felt my face compress. “It’s okay, you don’t have to talk.” I choked at how familiar those words sounded. “We’ll be right down the hall, okay?” I kissed his hand and he smiled, reaching his shaky fingers to brush my cheek with the back of his fingertips. I held his hand to my face for a moment, kissed it, then let go as they passed through the double doors.

The doors shut in my face, and I brought my hand to my mouth to stifle the cries. Beth came up behind me and Kim joined us, followed by Josh and Chad. We all huddled in the middle of the hall as we hugged and cried.

I had been nestled in Jared’s warm arms for twenty minutes when a nurse came out.

“He’s resting now. If you would like to freshen up and come back later, he may be ready for visitors then.”

“But…how is he?” I asked.

“It’s still early, but he’s young and healthy. I’d say he’s going to recover quite nicely,” she smiled.

We shared a collective sigh as she wheeled around and disappeared behind the double doors.

“I’m going to head home. Call me when he wakes up,” Chad said.

“Can I catch a ride with you?” Kim asked. With that, Beth, Kim, Chad and Josh all stood up.

“You’re staying?” Beth asked.

I nodded and stood up to hug her.

“I’ll stay with her,” Jared said.

Beth smiled through her fatigue before Chad led her out by the hand.

“You’re exhausted,” Jared said. “I should take you home.”

I shook my head. “I can’t leave him here alone. I almost got him killed.”

Jared’s faced twisted when he spoke. “He almost got himself killed.”

“He tried to keep them from attacking me!” I said, offended.

“Fat lot of good it did him,” Jared said dismissively, rolling his eyes.

“I know, Jared. If you hadn’t shown up, Ryan would have bled out and I would have been left handed for the rest of my life, however brief.”

Anger played out across his face and he stood up, stopping just inches from me. “It’s not funny, Nina. You were in serious danger. Ryan should have diffused the situation instead of escalating it. He watches too much television. It’s the ones that try to impress the girl who end up.…”

“He didn’t do that to impress me!”

“His feelings for you clouded his judgment. He tried to be a hero….and here you are, feeling guilty.”

“You’re jealous?” I said, incredulous.

Jared’s rigid posture in the car replayed in my head. I was too worried to think about it at the time, but it made sense. He had mistaken my actions for intimacy. He thought Ryan and I were more than friends.

Jared rolled his eyes. “If I were jealous, it wouldn’t be for that. I’m used to seeing you with someone else. It’s just a matter of enduring it, now.”

My eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What do you mean you’re used to it?”

Jared didn’t answer right away. He heaved an exasperated sigh and his jaws tensed.

“I just meant from before. I’ve had to see you with him before.”

“With Ryan?”

“Yes. At the pub, remember?” Jared eyes wandered everywhere but into mine.

“I remember,” I said, still unconvinced.

He took my hand and worry shadowed his face. “I’m glad you’re okay. For a moment I thought I wouldn’t get there in time.”

“Was your judgment clouded?” I said acerbically, still incensed that he had snubbed Ryan’s bravery.

“Something like that,” he glowered, looking away from me.

“You’re not going to tell me the truth, are you?” I pulled my hand from his and crossed my arms.

Jared’s head snapped back, and his eyes glared into mine. “And what truth would that be?”

“You know what I’m talking about. You took down four men — on your own — like they were little girls. The incomparable sense of timing you seem to have, the knowing where I am all the time….”

“I don’t know where you are all the time…and my sense of timing tonight was almost nonexistent.”

“Are you going to be honest with me or not?” I stood there for a moment, and when Jared seemed to deliberate, I walked back to the couch.

Jared sighed in resignation and then sat beside me. “I wanted to kiss you the other night. I knew that you were upset. I wanted to comfort you and I ended up just hurting you more.” He winced. “That wasn’t my intention, Nina. I would’ve given anything to lean into that kiss. It’s just…complicated.”

“You knew that I was upset?”

He looked down and sighed.

“Jared?” He looked up at me. “What do you want from me?” I asked, exasperated.

He didn’t look up. “I want you to be safe. I want you to be happy. I’m figuring out the rest.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

His head snapped up. “Okay?” he said, searching my eyes.

“Okay,” I shrugged.

Jared’s face was just a short distance from mine, so close that I could feel his warm breath gently blowing against my cheek. He stared at my lips, but I didn’t dare move for fear he would pull back and I would have to suffer humiliation all over again. I took in a breath and he looked into my eyes. He leaned closer to me an infinitesimal amount, and his phone buzzed. We both heaved out a sigh and he leaned back to retrieve his phone.

“Ryel,” he snapped. I heard a quick chattering on the line, and then he clicked his phone closed, shaking his head. “I have to go.”

“It’s okay,” I smiled.

He kissed my forehead, and the warmth of his lips blazed into my skin.

“See you around,” he said, walking to the doorway.

“Jared?” I blurted out, scrambling to my feet. He turned to face me and I smiled. “Thank you. Thank you so much. For everything.”

Jared’s eyes grew soft and he took a few steps toward me. The warmth of his hands sunk into my shoulders, and his jaw tensed as a flood of emotion scrolled across his face. His eyebrows pulled in before he gingerly pulled me to him and pressed his soft lips against mine. He ran his hands up my neck to my face where he held my cheeks in each of his hands. My surroundings vanished; the only thing I could focus on was the breathtaking heat against my mouth. An entire lifetime could have passed and still the kiss ended too soon. He pulled me tighter to his chest and then wheeled around, disappearing down the hall.

I walked a few paces backwards and fell against the seat. The gravity of the situation pressed down on me with renewed strength. The danger, my fear, and the confusion about what I’d seen — what Jared was capable of — were swimming around in my mind. I should have been insane with anxiety but I felt the same sense of calm I’d felt on the side of the road the night before last. Ryan was going to be all right, my hand was still firmly attached to my wrist, and Jack’s gift was safely around my finger.

I felt a twinge of shame as I realized none of those things were the reason for my frame of mind. My lips still tingled from the warmth of Jared’s kiss.

I melted into the sofa, turning my head to press my cheek against the cushion for support. I was so fatigued it felt like work just to breathe.

My heavy eyes rose to the wall of windows along the waiting room. Cynthia’s heels were quickly clicking down the hall.