On the flight home, Jared was preoccupied. Sara didn’t know why, but she suspected it had something to do with The Council and his father. Whatever it was, he wasn’t prepared to share it with her.
All she knew was that she loved him, and at last, it looked as if they might have a future together. She wished she understood the sad and distant look in his dark eyes. She had many unanswered questions, but one, which concerned her most, was why he’d changed his mind and given in to his feelings. This wasn’t the only thing bothering her, but she wasn’t sure how to approach the other subject.
Jared scanned through one of Sara’s books and burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” she frowned.
“This stupid book. You wouldn’t believe some of the myths they’ve come up with about our ceremonies and rites.” He gestured to the book. “Take, for example, this one here. They have no idea what they’re talking about. They’re pulling at straws, making things up to suit their needs. No wonder Granddad wanted to clarify things.”
“Jared, can I ask you a question?”
He locked eyes with her and kissed the back of her hand. “What, angel?” His eyes were glowing, a weak liquid gold around the edge of his irises.
“Um, Jared, eyes,” she whispered.
He frowned and cocked his head, which only intensified the glow. His eyes widened. “Oh!” He took a deep breath, hesitated and breathed out slowly. He opened his eyes again and smiled at her. “Better?”
Sara dipped her chin slightly. “Yes.” She could feel her cheeks warming. Despite how close they’d become each time he locked his dark eyes on her, she forgot about everything. She fought to unscramble her scattered brain and ask her burning question. “You need to work on restraining the thing with your eyes. I don’t think it would be easy to explain to an outsider,” she said, searching for the right word.
He softly laughed. “It’s easy to control when no one knows the secret. It’s not a secret to you, and my subconscious mind knows that. But, you’re right. I do need to work on restraining myself when I’m around you.” He leaned across and kissed her. “In more than one way,” he grinned. “I might have to start wearing special sunshades when I’m in public.” His last remark did it for Sara. Her mind went blank. He stared at her in anticipation.
She narrowed her eyes and softly smiled. “What?”
His eyebrows shot up. “You were going to ask me a question.”
“Oh! Yes.” Sara still wasn’t sure how to do this. In the end, she took the direct approach. “Why did you leave like that?” Jared cocked his head again. “What were you doing on the mountain before I got there?” she asked.
He chuckled.
“Unless,” Sara babbled on, “I’m not allowed to know.”
He hesitated, careful not to tell her too much. “I was trying to speak with my granddad. I needed to ask him something. I’d hoped to ask him before he passed, but,” he took a slow breath and swallowed hard, “he never came out of the coma so I could.”
“And did you ask him? I mean, were you able to speak to him?” she asked, dubiously. She wasn’t sure she believed in all their ways, but after what happened with the book and the odd dreams, her views were changing.
“Yes,” he said plainly. He hoped the discussion was closed, but her insatiable curiosity hadn’t been satisfied.
“What did you ask him? Was it… about me?”
“Yes,” Jared said, guardedly.
Sara was getting impatient. OK, if this keeps up, it’ll take me all the way to Dallas to find out what I wanna know. She swallowed hard, took a deep breath and hoped her trembling voice didn’t give her away. “Did you change your mind about us… because of what he… told you?”
“Yes.”
She forced her breath out. “Jared, you sound like you’re on the stand and I’m the prosecuting attorney. Can’t you answer with something other than, yes?” Sara thought she saw a faint smile. Was he enjoying her agitation?
“Yes,” he said and suppressed a smirk. Sara groaned and snorted. He laughed and turned in his seat. “I could say more if you’d stop beating around the bush. What do you wanna know?”
“Alright, if that’s the way you want it. I don’t wanna know.” She turned away and pouted. She was tired of his childish games. She wasn’t beating around the bush. At least, she didn’t think she was. She thought she’d been straightforward, considering her courage had turned to jelly.
“Don’t do that,” he smiled.
Even though Sara’s head was turned, she could hear the smile in his voice. He took her chin in his palm and softly kissed her. “Sara, angel, I can’t tell you everything,” he said, sincerely. “I’m doing the best I can. I know what you wanna know, and I know this is difficult for you. Yes, what my granddad said was what changed my mind about making love to you.”
She moved closer; he was almost whispering. “What did he say?”
“Even if we foresee a future event, it doesn’t mean it’ll always turn out that same way. He said I’d have to be patient and allow this to play out. Some things, he said, are predestined by choices we made in the Spirit World. No matter how much we want to, those are the things we can’t change.”
The sadness slipped back into his voice. “We might prolong them, but, they eventually catch up with us. Sometimes, when we resist and try to steer things in the direction we want them to go, we often end up doing more damage than good. We make things harder on us, and the other person involved. Like me, fighting my feelings for you.”
Sara frowned. “And he said you shouldn’t fight them?”
“He said I shouldn’t try to change things, or push things in a different direction because I wasn’t happy with the outcome. So, I’m gonna be very careful and love you as I know you should be loved. The way you deserve to be loved, devil be damned.”
Sara fought it, but her smile broke through. “I see.”
“I think I should warn you.”
“Warn me?” she frowned again.
“I only know one way to love – all the way.” He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek, lay his book down and closed his eyes.
It was Sara’s cue, this interrogation session was over. For the time being, it was enough for her. Maybe she didn’t need to know what he’d asked his grandfather about, and better still, maybe she honestly didn’t want to know. She watched while sleep overtook him, and his face relaxed. She touched his cheek and closed her eyes too.
~ ~ ~
Though Sara hadn’t planned it, Jared had been right, she was tired. She’d been exceptionally tired lately. The next thing she knew she was being gently shaken awake. “Put your seatbelt on, angel, we’re about to land.” He lightly touched his lips to her cheek.
She yawned, stretched and fastened herself in. It actually wasn’t necessary. The pilot had been well seasoned. She’d barely felt it when the plane’s wheels touched the runway.
She glanced at the time on her phone; it was 7:30 in Dallas. The sun would be dropping behind the mountains, back in Arizona. Sara wondered what her new extended family was doing.
~ ~ ~
It had taken them another thirty minutes to get processed, and find their luggage. Steve and Carl were waiting at the terminal. “Sorry to hear about your granddad,” Steve said. He patted Jared’s shoulder and gave Sara a hug. Her eyes widened. She glanced warily at Jared, expecting him to say something. He didn’t seem bothered. She was thrilled. Steve was a close friend to her. She didn’t want to lose his friendship.
“Yeah, man, me too,” Carl said and greeted them likewise.
Jared swallowed hard. “Thanks.”
Steve looked from Sara to Jared and back at Sara. A wry grin spread across his mouth. “You’re looking more settled, than the last time I saw you.”
Sara blushed crimson.
Jared cleared his throat and smiled. “We both are.” Even with his dark skin, his cheeks still showed some color. “Thanks for bringing my car.”
“No problem, man.” Steve fished in his jeans for the keys. “Not all of us can ride around in style. It was nice while it lasted.”
He smirked and pushed the keys back. “Keep your glory a while longer. Sara and I will ride in the back.” He kissed her left hand, deliberately flashing her ring in Steve’s face.
His eyes widened. “Holy shit! Man, you work fast! Congrats – when’s the big day?”
Carl shook Jared’s hand and laughed. “I knew you were gonna do it. I just didn’t know when.”
Poor Lucy. Steve arched an eyebrow. “Have you, um - does Luce know?”
“No, I guess we’ll tell her tonight – if she notices,” Sara said. “As soon as she finds out, it’s a matter of time before my mother will know.” And I’m not looking forward to that.
“We haven’t set a date,” Jared said. “When we do, we’ll let you know. Let’s get going. I’ve got something to do tonight.”
Steve smiled knowingly. “I’ll say!”
Sara tucked her head into Jared’s shoulder, but it didn’t hide the red glow on her cheeks.
Steve popped the trunk. Sara crawled in the back seat and waited for Jared while he returned the baggage cart. When they were alone, Steve turned in his seat. “Barring the circumstances, did you have a nice trip?”
“Yes,” she smiled.
“Did you like Arizona?” Carl asked.
“Yes,” Sara said and smiled again. She was beginning to sound like Jared.
“And?” Steve prompted.
She arched an eyebrow. “And what?”
Steve groaned. “And, you’re not gonna tell us anything else, you little tease. Are you?”
Sara pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Nope!”
Steve turned, disappointed. “I think Jared’s having a bad influence on you.”
Jared got back in the car. Carl and Sara were still laughing. He frowned. “Did I miss something?”
“No, you didn’t, and we’ll never know what it is you didn’t miss,” Steve said. Everyone laughed but Jared. He looked at Sara and glanced out the window. “Steve, can we go now?”
Jared turned Sara’s face and stared into her eyes. He grinned, closed his eyes and kissed her. Sara knew the reason he’d closed his eyes. Kissing her made his eyes glow. Judging from the amount of passion he’d been putting into his kisses, they would be dark crimson by now.
He kissed the side of her neck and put his lips close to her ear. “You’re even more dangerous now than before,” he breathed in his deep, seductive voice. Sara’s insides fluttered. He sat up and placed her head on his shoulder. He sighed and leaned his head against hers. Sara dozed off, listening to the strong, steady sound of his heart.
~ ~ ~
She woke and lifted her head. A bright light shone on her face, despite Jared shielding her eyes with his hand. He kissed her forehead. “Where are we?” she asked and yawned.
“Almost to Kilgore, Texas.”
“Why are we stopping?” She was anxious to get to her new home; Wisteria Hall.
“Steve and Carl needed to go to the little boy’s room. Do you want anything?”
“What are you having?”
“Dr Pepper, of course, it’s a Raging Storm thing,” he grinned.
Sara contemplated her answer. What she genuinely wanted would have to wait until they got home. She sighed. “It might be a Raging Storm thing, but I’d rather have a Coke, and maybe some salted peanuts, to go in it.”
Jared eyed her suspiciously. “I’ll get you the Coke and the peanuts, but you’re not putting them in your drink,” he said in a stern voice.
“Why? I’ve always done it.”
“Not anymore.” He kissed her. “It would be too easy for you to choke on them, and I won’t risk losing you.”
Sara forced her breath out and groaned.
Jared grinned and kissed her forehead. “Do you wanna come in with me?”
“Yeah.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door handle. “I’ll use the restroom while you get the drinks. If I can’t put my peanuts in my Coke, get me a pack of Crunchy Cheetos instead.”
~ ~ ~
Aware she hadn’t brushed her teeth since they left Arizona, Sara wet her index finger and used it for a toothbrush. She looked at her reflection and gasped. She brushed through her hair and sprayed on an extra touch of perfume. Jared was lounged against the outside doorframe, waiting for her. He put an arm around her waist, and they went back to the car. Steve and Carl were waiting for them.
Steve glanced in the rearview mirror. “Jared, do me a favor?”
He took a sip of his Dr Pepper and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “What’s that?”
“If you two are gonna go back to sleep, put some tape over Sara’s mouth.”
“Why?” he frowned.
“So I don’t have to listen to her snore.”
She narrowed her eyes and punched Steve in the arm, hard. “Ow!” he winced. Carl and Jared laughed.
“I do not snore!” she enunciated.
Steve rubbed his arm. “OK, OK!” he grinned. “Then we must’ve picked up a grizzly in Dallas.”
“Steve,” Jared said, dryly.
“Yeah, man?”
“Drive!”
He pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded. “Right!” He pulled back onto the Interstate. They drove in silence as they drank their sodas and ate their snacks. “Oh, I almost forgot,” Steve said, excitedly. “You got the schedule for the gig.”
Jared arched an eyebrow. “How do you know?”
“He kinda, sorta, opened the letter when he saw who it was from,” Carl said.
Steve glared at him. “Traitor! I had a good lie all lined out too!”
Jared’s attention piqued. “What did it say?”
Steve opened the glovebox and handed him an official looking envelope with HMC’s logo on the front of it. He turned on the map light above him and read through the letter. “Shit!”
Sara’s eyes widened. “What is it?”
“We have to be there tomorrow morning for a rehearsal and a sound check.”
“What? Tomorrow morning! I’m not ready for that, Jared!”
“Easy, Sara. They don’t want us there until eleven. We’ll still have time to work on our songs.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m not ready! I’ll throw up, Jared!”
He smiled. “Sara, you’re gonna do fine,” he smiled. “You’re not gonna faint. You’re not gonna throw up, and you’re not gonna forget the lyrics either. Trust me. You don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re good.”
Sara glared at him. “You’re biased!”
Jared laughed. “Yes, but I know talent when I hear it,” he laughed.
She groaned, slid to the other side of the car and stared out the window at the blur of lights as they flew past them. As they approached Shreveport, Jared phoned Gary again to let him know they were back. He said he and his cousin, Donna would meet him there. Jared also phoned ahead and gave Cassie instructions to entertain his guests until he and Sara got there. Jared hadn’t mentioned anything to Sara about Donna coming.