Chapter 4
Oz
I usually make it a rule to bring two men with me when I chase storms. When it comes to watching a storm shift and move, there’s safety in numbers. But the thought of being alone with little Jori Raynes is too intoxicating.
I’ve wanted her since we were in high school. She’s gorgeous in an uncomplicated way, with her big, brown eyes and curly hair. And those curves… Jesus. She’s the kind of a woman that men fight wars over. A modern-day Helen of Troy. Best of all? She has absolutely no idea, so she doesn’t abuse her power.
After spending time with actresses on movie sets, Jori’s a breath of fresh air. I’m tempted to suggest we fly to Cancun instead of North Carolina, where I’ve predicted the worst of the weather will be. We could skip the storms and spend a few days tangled in the sheets somewhere with an ocean view. But she’s far too sensible to be tempted by an idiot like me.
On the plane, I try to make small talk, but she clutches the arms of her seat like she’s afraid she’ll be sucked out of the airplane if she lets go.
“Nervous flyer?” I ask.
She scowls at me. “I’m fine.”
I gently rub her back, and to my surprise, she allows it. “How’s your ankle?”
Her scowl deepens. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought up her fall yesterday . It’s clearly a sore subject.
“It’s tender to the touch,” she says, “but otherwise fine.”
I keep rubbing circles around her back, over and over, hoping that it’s soothing her. I’m dying to talk about something—anything—but I’m afraid I’ll just stick my foot in my mouth.
Finally, she breaks the silence. “Why aren’t you Colby’s friend anymore?”
“Colby’s still my best friend. He always will be.” Though it’s been a decade since the two of us have been friendly, my words are one hundred percent true.
“You two haven’t been friends in years!” she protests.
I smile sadly. “I’ll always be his friend. Even if he wants nothing to do with me.”
She shakes her head. “He never talks about that day, you know. About what came between you. I don’t even know what happened.”
I sigh, remembering it all so clearly. “It was dumb,” I admit. “We trespassed onto private property to cross a railroad trestle bridge. It was like playing Russian Roulette with a train. It was exciting… until a train came along, and we almost lost our lives.” I shudder at the memory of the train barreling toward us.
Her eyes meet mine. “Someone ended up in a wheelchair, right?”
I nod, feeling guilty. “When the train came, we had no choice but to jump off the bridge. Colby dislocated his shoulder. Derrick landed badly and broke both of his legs. He can walk again now, but it was a long recovery. When the cops arrived on the scene, they transported both Colby and Derrick to the hospital. I was uninjured, so they took me to jail for trespassing. I was ordered to complete five hundred hours of community service.
She frowns. “It doesn’t sound like it was your fault, though. They voluntarily crossed the bridge with you.”
I shrug. “Colby was tired of doing daredevil stuff by that point, but he had a hard time saying no. I knew he just wanted to finish his degree and get a good meteorology job. He needed to cut me loose for a while. I understood, but I figured we’d work things out eventually.”
“But you never did.”
I run a hand through my hair, regretting that I let so many years slip by. “The problem is that our field isn’t a big one, and we constantly cross paths. We’re up for the same jobs. The same rewards. At some point, I guess Colby started to think of me as an enemy. Or at least a rival. I wish I could fix things between us, but I’m not sure how.”
“Instead of goading him about his lack of field experience, you could maybe try having a conversation?” Marjorie suggests gently.
My lips quirk at the corners. “You’re wise beyond your years, madam.”
She laughs. “Indeed.”
“So, what about you? Are you content being Colby’s manager? Or is there something else you’d like to do?”
Her cheeks flush a pretty shade of pink. “I like working with Colby.”
There’s obviously something else she’d like to do. Intrigued, I lean toward her. “Let’s say you weren’t working with Colby. What would you want to do?”
“I’ve always kind of wanted to go into politics,” she admits.
“I’d vote for you,” I tell her honestly. “What kind of office do you want to hold?”
She bites her lower lip as if unsure whether to tell me. If she keeps drawing attention to her lips like that, I won’t be able to resist kissing them.
“Tell me,” I say encouragingly.
“Did you ever see Dante’s Peak ?” she asks.
“That’s the one with the volcano?”
“Yep,” she says. “I’ve always dreamed of being like the mayor in that movie. Minus the deadbeat ex-husband and the active volcano.”
I nod slowly. “I could see you as a small-town mayor, absolutely.”
“Thank you,” she says, dipping her head shyly. “But it’s just a pipe dream. Colby needs me, and if he continues to work for a televised news station, we’ll have to live in a city.”
“He could hire someone else,” I point out. “It doesn’t have to be you.”
“Maybe,” she says, chewing on her lip again. Jesus. She has got to quit doing that…
I decide to drop the issue for now and pretend to take a nap for the rest of the plane ride. Even with my eyes closed, I can’t get the image of Jori’s deliciously kissable lips out of my mind.