Chapter Seventeen #4
“Ever the journalist,” he said. “Well, Pops intended for it to be about saving the fireflies, using them as a symbol of all of nature, basically saving the planet.”
“That’s a pretty big mission for one foundation.”
“We’re still working out the details.”
Mel closed her eyes. “Your niece said something. ‘A single firefly cannot subdue the darkness, but thousands can kindle magic.’” She opened her eyes. “Was she talking about fireflies, or something else?”
“I don’t know what she was trying to tell me. It could be literal, talking about our fireflies up here, all flashing in unison,” Daniel said. “Or it could be philosophical, in that we can’t make much progress alone, but if we work together, we can change the world.”
“Huh. I wonder about that all the time. I mean, I’ve spent my career trying to make a difference. Sometimes it feels like I’m all alone out there. Do you think that your foundation can save the planet? Some days I think we’ve gone beyond the tipping point as far as the environment is concerned.”
Daniel thought of his dreams and swallowed. Yes. We have.
She flinched as if she heard his thought. “You’ve seen it, haven’t you?” she said.
He stood. “I’m starved. How about some barbecue?” He walked to the front of the cabin, but her fingers snagged his shirt sleeve.
“‘There are many paths to follow,’” she said. “‘Nothing is fixed.’”
Daniel closed his eyes. He wished she hadn’t remembered that part of the vision.
“Look, if you can save me.” Her voice shook. “Maybe you can—”
Daniel was on his knees beside her before she could finish. “No ifs. You’ll be safe on the mountain.”
“You can’t lie to an empath,” she said. “I felt that little spike of guilt.”
“I’m not…” He looked into her eyes and saw the humor behind them. “Better and better. A human lie detector. All right then. You will be as safe as I can make you on the mountain. How’s that?”
“Do you realize, Mr. Woodruff, that you are holding my hands?”
Daniel looked down. His hands were in hers. He tried to pull away, but she clung to his fingers.
“I’m shielding. It seems to work,” she said, flashing that megawatt smile.
He was touching her, and he hadn’t braced for it, but he wasn’t having a vision.
Mel took his hand and turned it over in hers, tracing the lines on his palm as if she saw something there.
The sensation sent heat down his spine and weakened his muscles. It was a good thing he was already on his knees. Mel seemed intent on caressing his hand as if it were a whole new sensory experience.
Then she brought it to her mouth and kissed the palm. Without thinking, he stood and pulled her up and into his arms, capturing her mouth and sliding his hands into her short, choppy hair. For a time, that was all there was: his mouth exploring hers, her lips opening to his.
“You still smell like honey and meadow grass,” he said. “But now you taste like maple syrup.”
“Waffles.” She laughed and buried her face in his neck, her words tickling his ear. “You taste like salsa and coffee.”
“Huevos rancheros.” He slipped his hands up her back over her top and she quivered as his fingers bumped over her ribs. Sliding one hand into her hair to hold her in place, he pulled her into another devouring kiss.
She pulled away and gasped, then laughed. “You’re all scrunched up. Maybe we should sit…or lie down?” Her eyes twinkled with mirth.
Of course, Mel would laugh. He was stooping a bit, trying to match his height to hers.
“Or I could just pick you up—” The little jet gave a bounce sending both of them staggering and he grabbed her arms. With a squeak of surprise, Mel, her wide eyes, and the cabin full of sunlight winked out.
Mel looked from Nick’s pained expression to Grace’s tear-streaked face. The three stood tensely in the kitchen of the main house.
She shoved a cell phone toward Nick and swiped at the tears on her face. “Call him and tell him to come home.”
Mel’s fuchsia suitcase was packed and waiting at the bottom of the stairs. She grabbed it, opening the door awkwardly with her backpack in one hand and her suitcase in the other, trying not to start crying again when she heard Grace’s anxious voice.
“When are you going to come home, Mel?”
“Didn’t Daniel tell you? My home is the road.”
Wait. Stop!
Before she reached her Mini, everything flickered and vanished.
“Crap. I’m…I’m sorry. That scared me a bit.” Mel stepped back. “I dropped my shield. I’m not… I’m not used to keeping it…” She took a deep breath that almost turned into a laugh. “Whew.”
Daniel blinked. “Damn.”
“I didn’t notice right away that you were…” she said. “Can we try that again? You don’t have to pick me up. We can just…share a seat.”
Leaning over with his hands on his knees, Daniel shook his head, trying to clear it, and huffed out a breath. He felt as if he had been punched in the gut.
Damn. Was that the way it would all end? Mel running out the door in tears? Heartbroken? Running away from the mountain? From him? Why?
He felt the churn of emotions and the pang of loss before he could clamp down on it and will it away.
“Are you all right?” Mel asked.
He rubbed his eyes. “Yeah.”
“Did you see something?”
“No. Nothing important. I need to visit the facilities. Why don’t you go ahead and have some of that barbecue?”
“I…” Mel began.
He saw her confused and frustrated expression. But she would pick up on what he was feeling, and he needed to get it under control, somehow.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Not your problem.” Daniel clutched at his stomach and headed for the restroom. “I think I’m still a bit jet-lagged.”