Read Online Into the Fire by Ashelyn Drake - Free Book Online

burned me? She certainly bolted after it happened.
    “I feel bad for running off on you both times I saw you. I guess you can say I’m shy around new people.”
    “Fair enough. I’d say I’m sorry for staring at your rack, but I’m not one for lying.”
    Her head jolts back. “Excuse me?”
    “Relax.” I laugh. “It was supposed to be a joke.”
    “So you are sorry you were staring at me?”
    “I’m sorry I got caught. Does that count?” Okay, the jokes are not loosening her up at all. Girls usually find me funny.
    “Are you always like this?”
    “Like what?”
    She shakes her head. “Never mind. You feel like swimming? I kind of owe you.”
    “Don’t you have school? Or sick brother duty or something?” I hope I don’t sound like I’m trying to get rid of her, because I’m not.
    “Yeah, I have school. I come here every morning, though. It clears my head.”
    “Makes sense. I bet if I stayed here long enough, the sound of the falls would drown out all the crap in my mind.” Her face falls. What did I say? “Something bothering you?”
    “A lot. It’s just been…” She sighs. “I don’t even know where to start.”
    “Then don’t.”
    She tilts her head at me.
    “I’m not trying to be an insensitive prick, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
    “I wasn’t.”
    “Good, because I just meant that sometimes talking about things only reminds you of how bad they are. I don’t buy into all that ‘express your feelings’ bullshit. Some things you just need to forget.”
    Her breath catches in her throat. “What if that’s the problem? What if you don’t want to forget?” Her eyes are pleading with me, and I don’t have a clue what to say. “What if all you want is to hold on to what you have, but you know you’re going to lose it?”
    “Why would you lose it?” I stop, going over the little I know about her. What does she have to lose? “Is this about your brother? Is he really that sick?”
    “I should go. I’m sorry I dumped all this on you.”
    “I’m not sure I even understand what you said, so don’t sweat it.”
    She swims by me, and I reach for her arm. “Cara.” She stops and stares at my fingers, which are wrapped around her elbow. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
    “No. It’s okay.” She continues to stare at my hand. “It’s really okay.”
    I let go, and she seems disappointed. “Do you have to leave already? You did ask me to swim with you, you know, and ditching me all the time isn’t really small-town friendly.” I elbow her arm. Again she stares at the place where I touched her.
    “Okay, let’s swim,” she says.
    We start doing laps back and forth across the bottom of the falls, not getting too close to the water pounding down from above. “So, I know you have a brother. Any other siblings?”
    “No, only Jeremy. It’s just him, me, and my mom.”
    “Dad’s out of the picture?”
    “He died when I was six.”
    “Do you remember him?” I stop swimming and lean against the edge of the lagoon.
    She rests her arms on the ledge and lets her legs float out behind her. “Not much.”
    “Sometimes I wonder if that’s better. I have all these memories of my mom, but what good do they do me now?”
    “Believe me, not having the memories is worse.” Her eyes glisten with tears.
    “Maybe you’re right.”
    She looks at her watch. “I have to go or I’m going to be late.”
    I reach for her arm, gently tilting it toward me. Seven o’clock. “Yeah, I should go, too. I promised Henry Baker I’d have breakfast with him.”
    “You did?” Her voice is full of surprise, but in a good way.
    “Yeah. I met him yesterday at Monique’s.”
    “Mr. Baker’s nice. He’s been through a lot. Still, most people can’t tolerate him for more than a few minutes at a time.”
    “It helps when you’re downing a Western omelet and loads of coffee.”
    She smiles. “You’re not at all how I thought you’d be.”
    “I take it that’s a good