Seth stumbled back at the force of the explosion. Heat seared his face. He fought to regain momentum. Vision blurred and eyes stinging, he pressed on through a swirl of smoke toward the burning car. Nora. Felicia. He flashed back to his service years. Images of all the carnage he’d seen assaulted him; the men and women he had not been able to save.
Not this time.
He reached Nora first. She was crumpled on her side. Strands of blood-dampened hair darkened her forehead. Putting his cheek close to her mouth, he felt for breathing. What if... The words echoed through his veins until he shut them down. Medics could not afford those thoughts and, right now, that was his job. He replaced the what-if with “What do I need to do for her?” A faint warm stirring of precious air and the flutter of a pulse at her neck told him her heart and lungs were still functioning. A gush of gratitude left him breathless. She was alive and hanging on, at least for the moment.
He ran to Felicia next. She, too, had been blown off her feet, but she’d been at ground zero when the detonation occurred. The blast had left her blackened and bleeding, one arm extended, the other pinned underneath her. To his horror, he detected no breath, no pulse. He was reaching for his phone when the door of the house opened and Olivia ran out. She stopped so suddenly he could hear her shoes skid on the welcome mat. Frozen in shock, she stared at her fallen daughter.
“Call for help,” Seth commanded, easing Felicia onto her back so he could start chest compressions.
Suddenly, Olivia sucked in a breath and began to wail, the shrill keening cutting through the desert morning. “No! Not my daughter!” She took a tottering step forward but Seth called out again, louder.
“Go back in the house and call for help now,” he insisted.
His tone snapped her out of the panic. She closed her mouth and spun away. The call was probably redundant as the explosion had already brought two neighbors outside and they’d no doubt phoned for help. Never assume, he’d learned long ago. Better multiple callers than everyone figuring the others had done it.
Another car screeched to a stop and Zane got out, mouth slack, eyes wide. “What happened?”
Seth didn’t know how Zane had arrived so quickly and right now he didn’t care. “Make sure Nora is still breathing,” he said. “Watch for the ambulance.” From his peripheral vision, he saw Zane check Nora’s wrist and breathing before he fetched a blanket from his car and tucked it around her. The neighbors arrived at a sprint, bringing another blanket.
“How’s Felicia?” Zane called from Nora’s side, but Seth had no extra energy to spend on conversation. Felicia could be moments from death. He’d experienced that same scenario more times than he cared to remember. As he performed CPR, he prayed he would see clues that she was reviving, but her body did not show any signs of recovery. After a full cycle of compressions, he stopped to check for a pulse.
“Come on,” he muttered. “Don’t give up, Felicia.” His fingers found only still flesh with no flutter of a beat to give him hope.
Olivia ran from the house and fell to her knees at Seth’s side, wailing so loudly Seth’s ears rang. She pawed at his arm, mumbling incoherently.
The two neighbors stayed with Nora, and Zane came over. “Mrs. Tennison,” he said, “it’s gonna be okay. Seth was an army medic, Felicia told me. He knows what to do. He’ll save her.”
Don’t make promises, Seth wanted to say. Felicia’s survival was anything but certain.
Olivia didn’t acknowledge Zane’s comment. She grabbed Felicia’s limp arm, sobbing.
“Mrs. Tennison.” Seth tried between rescue breaths. “You’ve got to step back now.”
Olivia ignored him too. Tears streamed from her unfocused eyes and she continued to moan and paw at Felicia.
Zane caught Seth’s look and grasped her arm. “We have to let him help her, okay?” He half led, half dragged her away toward the two neighbors.
Relieved to have some distance between Felicia and her mother’s terror, Seth timed his prayers to the steady rhythm of his actions. Compressions, breaths, pulse checks, repeat. In between, he called to the neighbor to get the first-aid kit from his truck and apply pressure to the deep wound on Felicia’s neck and her damaged fingers. He continued without interruption. It seemed as though time slowed to a crawl, just as it’d done in combat situations when he’d waited with the fallen for transport. Finally, at long last, a neighbor said, “They’re here.”
Olivia’s cries mixed with the sirens from the ambulance emergency vehicles. In his peripheral vision, Seth saw Jude run on scene with a firefighter and several medics, but his words faded into the background noise. All Seth could do was continue his efforts until the medics were in place. He turned to see that Nora was also receiving attention from another medic.
When the EMTs took over chest compressions and placed a valve bag over Felicia’s mouth, Seth went to Nora and evaluated her as best he could while keeping out of the way. No obvious external bleeding, steady respirations. But he knew anything and everything could be going wrong inside. Nora...why would someone do this to you and Felicia?
He felt suddenly enraged, angrier than he’d ever been in his life.
Nora was loaded onto a stretcher with full spinal injury precautions and sped away. Felicia was transported a moment later. He knew the prognosis was dire. Car bombs were meant to maim and kill, and whoever had set this one intended just that.
One of the neighbors guided Olivia to an officer’s squad car before they drove off to the hospital.
Zane stood with his hands jammed into his pockets. “She gonna make it?” he whispered.
Seth presumed he was talking about Felicia. “I don’t know.” His weak arm was shaking and his chest was tight with adrenaline and anger.
Jude’s radio buzzed as he approached them, his face pale under his perpetual tan. Seth realized this was no impartial case, no matter what Jude wanted everyone to think. Nora was his sister and he’d just arrived to find her injured by an explosion. He wished Nora could see the emotion that Jude was trying hard to conceal at the moment. “You two okay?”
“Yes,” Seth said. He hoped Jude would not press about his trembling arm. He did not need any pity.
Zane waved off Jude’s concern. “I’m totally fine.”
“What happened?” Jude demanded.
Seth tried to put it all in a concise report. He finished with, “It was a device under the car. Wish I’d seen it a moment sooner. Could have been wired to detonate when Felicia reached for the handle, or it might have been triggered remotely by a cell phone.”
“Was it meant for Felicia or Nora?” Zane said. He’d wiped a smear of black across his chin. “Or maybe Olivia? It is her car.” He groaned. “None of it makes sense to me. Stuff like this doesn’t happen in Furnace Falls.”
It does now. Seth’s logical brain finally wrested control from his frazzled nerves. “Why were you here, Zane?”
Zane blinked. “Me?”
“Yeah. You were on scene moments after the explosion.”
Jude waited for the explanation along with Seth.
Zane’s brow furrowed. “Are you implying I had something to do with this?”
“Not implying, he’s asking.” Jude said.
“You can see why I’d take offense,” Zane snapped.
“And you can see why that doesn’t matter,” Seth snapped back. Jude sent him a startled glance. He breathed out and modulated his tone. “We’re talking about a bomb, Zane. Anyone close could have done it.” Seth handed his own phone to Jude. “You’re not above questioning because you’re a friend of Felicia’s and neither am I.”
Zane glared for a moment and then sighed. “You’re right. I see how it looks, that I just happened to be Johnny-on-the-spot. Felicia and I had a phone conversation last night and she asked me to meet her here this morning.” He held out his phone to Jude. “Do you want to see my call history? Or you can check for a detonation trigger on my phone if you want.”
Jude took both phones and scrolled quickly through both before he returned the devices. “I see the call that came in from Felicia’s number. Why did she want to meet you?”
“I don’t know.”
Jude and Seth both stared at him.
He squirmed. “I mean, I might have a suspicion.”
Jude stayed silent and it was all Seth could do not to shout, Spill it, already.
“She, uh, I think she believes my brother was behind the ATV attack. She asked me all kinds of questions about him.”
Kai. It jibed with what Felicia shared on the phone earlier. The brother sent away to boarding school for bad behavior. Was he angry? Looking to ruin Zane’s life?
“But you don’t think Kai’s responsible?” Jude pressed Zane. “Why not?”
Zane’s gaze raked the crystal-blue sky. “I guess I don’t want to.”
“What does that mean?” Seth said.
Zane folded his arms across his chest, looking from Seth to Jude. “Would you want to believe the worst? If it was your sibling?”
Jude squared off with him. “I would want to make sure my kin didn’t hurt anyone, if I had a way to stop it.”
Zane shook his head. “This has to be a mistake. Kai isn’t like that. He got into trouble, but there were always valid reasons. We were close. He went through a lot. My dad’s death, anger problems. I know my brother and he’s not a killer. And, anyway, why would he come back now and try to hurt Felicia or Nora? What’d be the point?”
It was a good question since both women had been gone from the area for a decade.
Jude was silent for a moment. “I don’t know what Kai’s motive would be. But there are a few indicators that someone could have been watching your place. The binoculars, the ATV attack. Likely it was someone who knew the terrain.” Jude glanced at a firefighter hosing down the burning vehicle. “This car didn’t explode itself and your brother worked for a demolition company, correct?”
Zane nodded, brow furrowed.
“When was the last time you saw him?” Jude asked.
“After my mother’s funeral five years ago. The lawyer contacted us while we were staying at the farmhouse. It...surprised him that the farm was left to me. Surprised me, too, honestly. I thought it was all mortgaged to the hilt, but my mom had managed to right the ship.” He shook his head. “Pretty amazing since she wasn’t known for spectacular decision-making.”
“So Kai was left out of the will?” Seth said. Substantial revenge motive.
“No, he got some money. A nice-size check.”
“But he wanted the farm, maybe,” Jude said.
“He didn’t say. He left the next day and I haven’t heard from him since.” Zane sagged. “Look, maybe there’s another enemy at work here. Hurting Nora and Felicia doesn’t have anything to do with my property. And, like I said, my brother’s not a bad guy. Certainly not a mad bomber.”
Jude arched a brow. “Do you even know your brother anymore?”
The anger kindled to life again in Zane. “Probably about as well as you know your sister.” He flung the taunt out.
The barb hit home. Seth saw Jude’s expression harden to marble.
As much as Seth wanted to help nail whoever had planted the bomb, he ached to get to Nora. He could stand it no longer. “I’m leaving,” he blurted.
Jude and Zane looked at him.
“I’ll share anything I can later. Right now, I have to get to the hospital and see how they are.”
Zane nodded, his gaze drifting to the smoldering car. “Me too. Felicia doesn’t deserve this. I need to be there, no matter how things turn out.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.
No matter how things turn out... What would the news be when Seth arrived? Would he be told by a grim-faced doctor that he hadn’t done enough? That Felicia and Nora hadn’t made it? He thought of Nora’s eyes, the courage that pulsed there.
Jude turned without another word and strode to his officers. Seth climbed into his truck, forcing his trembling hand to grip the wheel. In a fog, he drove to the hospital. Was Jude starting to believe that Kai might be responsible? But Zane had a point that outwardly the violence didn’t seem to benefit anyone. On the way, he phoned his sister and she promised to alert the Dukes. Perhaps with their ears to the ground they might pick up a thread about what had happened. And they’d want to support Jude as he navigated the situation with his estranged sister.
His pulse still thrummed with a combination of anger and disbelief. He had to stop himself from running through the parking lot and into the waiting room area. It was decorated with fake holly and garish red Christmas bells that jarred his senses.
Olivia sat in a chair, her fingers twisted together. Fear aged her with shadows. A police officer occupied the seat next to her, gently asking questions and recording her answers in a notebook. Her grief struck Seth like a blow. He’d been there for what had to be the worst moment of her life, and he’d been unable to offer even a word of comfort. Sitting was impossible so he silently paced, waiting as others arrived. Zane was first, then Jude, then a lady with her flyaway hair clipped back who hobbled a bit as she entered on Levi’s arm. Nora’s mother, Kitty.
Olivia shot to her feet when she saw her. “What are you doing here? Get out. Your daughter is responsible for what happened.”
Kitty recoiled and Jude stepped forward as if to protect her. “Nora didn’t hurt Felicia, Mrs. Tennison.”
Olivia’s face shone with hatred. “She might as well have. She ruined Felicia’s future back in high school. Her stupid choices took away my daughter’s scholarship. Then she convinced Felicia to run away with her. Now she’s gotten Felicia involved with something bad that might cost her life.”
“I know you’re upset...” Kitty started.
“Upset?” Olivia spat. “My daughter could die and it should have been yours that got blown up. Nora deserves it, not Felicia.” Seth directed her away with his body while Jude shielded his mother from the verbal assault. The officer on duty hustled over, took Olivia firmly by the forearm and walked her to the far side of the waiting room.
“Thank you,” Kitty whispered to Seth. Her face was ashen, her lips bloodless. “I didn’t realize she hated my daughter so much.”
“Grief and fear sometimes twist things,” Seth offered. He, too, was surprised at the outburst. Her words kept reverberating in his mind, especially how she said it should have been Nora that got blown up. Exactly how did Olivia mean that?
“How...how are they?” Kitty said, breaking into his thoughts.
“Still waiting for word,” Seth said gently.
As if on cue, the doctor appeared and introduced herself. She looked at the gathered group. “Family of Nora Duke?”
Jude and Kitty stepped forward. Jude gestured to Seth. “You’re in this too.”
Gratefully, Seth followed them to the corner where they settled Kitty into a chair. She wrapped her arms around herself as if expecting a blow. Jude gripped her shoulder.
“Your daughter is going to be okay,” the doctor said. “Mild concussion and two bruised ribs. The scalp wound required a couple of stitches.”
Goose bumps cascaded down his spine. She was going to be okay. Seth realized he’d been holding his breath.
Kitty reached out a trembling hand and Jude grabbed it. “Thank you,” he said to the doctor. “What about Felicia?”
The doctor looked at them. “You’re not family, I assume, but since you’re the chief, I’ll tell you it’s touch and go. We’re giving her all the support we can.”
Seth’s stomach clenched. He knew that kind of medical speak. Felicia’s survival odds were slim.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Zane look at the floor. How must he feel that his high school love was gravely injured, possibly at the hands of his brother?
“Can we see Nora?” Jude asked.
The doctor nodded. “Keep the visit short and don’t upset her. There’s going to be plenty of psychological trauma to deal with in addition to the physical.”
Especially if Felicia died.
After Jude and Kitty went in, Seth paced some more and spoke to his sister Mara and Levi when they arrived. They were both shocked and angered. Levi’s arm was slung tight around Mara’s shoulders as if he could keep the bad news from affecting her.
Mara looked close to tears, uncommon for his practical and unflappable sister. When Jude emerged with Kitty, Mara hugged her tight. “I’m so sorry, Aunt Kitty.” Didn’t matter that there was no direct bloodline, Kitty was an aunt to everyone. “Let us take you home, okay?”
Jude looked grateful as he kissed his mother on the cheek. “I’ll check in with you later, Mom.”
When they left, Zane walked over. “I heard Nora’s okay. I’m so glad. And Felicia...” He gulped, paused and started again. “Can I see her?”
“No one except family sees her until she awakens and we can get a statement.” Jude softened his tone. “I’m sorry, Zane, but I’ve got more questions. Can you meet me at the station in an hour?”
He shrugged. “Sure. I’m going to cooperate fully.”
Jude watched Zane trudge away before he turned to Seth and extended a palm. “Thank you, for helping Felicia and my sister.”
Seth returned the handshake, grateful that the tremor in his biceps had mostly stopped. “I hope it was enough. Do you think it’s Kai?”
“I don’t know, but I can promise you that the guilty person is going to pay.”
Seth felt the same current of ferocity radiating through his own heart. Someone had almost killed Nora, and Felicia was still critical. It could just as easily have been Nora who was touch and go. The image of her lying hurt and helpless would forever be seared in his memory. Why did he feel like it was his duty to protect her? Part of that instant connection he’d felt from the first moment he’d “met” her on Zoom? There was something about Nora that nestled in his heart and made him think he couldn’t live without her.
Get a grip, Seth. It’s only post-traumatic stress.
Jude cleared his throat. “My sister didn’t want us in her room. I can understand it, I guess. This isn’t anyone’s idea of a family reunion. I still don’t agree with what she’s done in the past, but I don’t want her to be alone. She’s distraught about Felicia, hurting physically. I cleared it with the doc so you could... I mean, if there’s any way you can...”
“You don’t need to ask, Jude.” And it was true. Seth wanted nothing more at that moment than to be with Nora, to comfort her and, in doing so, comfort himself. He didn’t understand the urge, but it was beating an undeniable rhythm inside him. “I’m going in right now.”
Jude blew out a breath. “Thanks. I have to get back to the scene. I’ll have a cop stationed here until she’s released, and one posted at Felicia’s room as well. After that, we’ll restructure the security.”
Security, he thought, landing hard back into reality. The boom of the explosion replayed in his mind... Nora and Felicia thrown to the ground like discarded rag dolls.
All his life he’d been the peacekeeper, a conflict resolver, but if someone tried to injure Nora again, they would face a kind of wrath they’d never known before. The unaccustomed anger rolled through him again. Puzzling.
With a final nod to Jude, he walked down the hallway toward Nora’s room.
Nora felt herself drifting in a comfortable haze until her brain snatched her back.
Felicia. Terror chewed her nerves. Her memory coughed up only a frightening image of her friend pinwheeling backward and slamming into the ground before Nora’s recollections were snuffed out by the force of the explosion. She knew Felicia’s condition was grave by the way Jude had tiptoed around the issue.
“Where’s Felicia? What happened to her? Please tell me.” She’d practically begged him for answers when he’d come in her room before.
Jude had held up a soothing palm.
“Felicia’s okay. She’s on another floor. Let’s focus on you.”
Her? The empathy must be a byproduct of police training, but for a quick second he’d almost looked like the big brother she’d worshipped all those years ago. Had he been hiding a grimmer truth? Maybe Felicia was dead and he was reluctant to tell her. She couldn’t separate her own confusion and the awkwardness of their forced reunion. Her brother was back in her life front and center, thanks to the explosion.
And her mother...
The woman was so much smaller than she remembered, more delicate and tremulous as she’d reached out to touch Nora’s arm. When had her mother’s fingers become slightly crooked, the joints swollen? Nora had wanted so badly in that moment to extend her own hand and meet her mother halfway, but she’d been paralyzed. Her mother’s touch... What did it mean? How should she feel? The trauma and heartache were too much to bear. All she could do was clamp her lips together to keep from outright bawling as the pain assaulted her physically and mentally. Her body felt as though she’d been tumbled down a rocky slope, every tiny movement awakening a new ripple of discomfort. A headache slammed both temples in spite of the medicine the doctor had ordered. Even with her nerves blaring, she wanted to get out of bed and run to every room in the hospital, shrieking aloud until she found her friend. But what if she was not there to be found? Cold prickles erupted along her spine.
“Oh, God,” she started. “Please...”
But her broken prayer only choked off in a swirl of panic. Why would He help her now when she had resolutely rejected Him after her flight from Furnace Falls? She didn’t want Him anyway. She didn’t want anyone. Her heart’s desire was to wake up from this nightmare and flee to Colorado.
There was a soft knock at the door and Seth stuck his head in. Her emotions ran riot. As much as she told herself she didn’t want connections with anyone in Furnace Falls, her spirit leapt to see him standing on the threshold. Sweet Seth, with his lopsided smile and bottle-green eyes. If she could have jumped out of bed and wrapped him in a hug, she would have.
Thank you, Seth, she wanted to say, for your courage and compassion and for coming in here to check on me when I feel so completely alone. Instead, she felt her insides go all to pieces and she began to cry big hot tears that she could not stop. Mortifying.
He moved to her and clasped her palms between his own, stroking gently and murmuring words she couldn’t decipher. One of his hands trembled a little, not with emotion, she realized but the muscles acting out against his wishes. She’d seen it before, but hadn’t remarked on it, knowing he wouldn’t appreciate it. After a few moments, she realized he was praying. Prayer was the last thing she wanted from him or anybody.
“Don’t...” she choked out, pulling away. “I don’t need to pray.”
He looked at her, the smile still warm and gentle. “No problem. I’ll just slip outside to do it.”
Always thinking of her feelings... Who was this man really and how had he become entwined in her world? It was disorienting. “No, I mean I don’t, but if you want to pray, here’s fine.”
“Are you sure? The last thing I want to do is add to your discomfort right now.”
She nodded. “I’m sure.”
“All right.” He handed her a tissue and bowed his head again. This time she didn’t stop him. She listened as he poured out his fear, his uncertainty, and his obvious affection for her in a tender prayer.
Affection? How had that cropped up? Frighteningly, she felt the echoing fondness in her own heart. She wanted to stop him, but she found she could not. Instead she watched the crown of his curly hair, the way his generous lips moved as he prayed, the earnest entreaty in his voice; most of all, the calm that seemed to envelop him.
When he was finished, she realized some of his peace had overflowed to her. She hadn’t felt that way since before her family had fractured and she’d chosen a side and taken that first step down a ruinous road. When he opened his eyes, they were the softer hue, like sunlight shining through new leaves.
“I stopped praying,” she blurted.
“When?”
“After my father moved out when I was a freshman. I stayed with Jude and my mom until the end of high school, but it was terrible. She’d accused him of cheating and stealing my college money and gambling it away, but I couldn’t believe it.”
Why were the words pouring from her mouth? She didn’t know, but she couldn’t stop them. “On graduation day, I showed up at his apartment to invite him to come to the ceremony. His...” She stifled a cough. “His girlfriend answered the door. She wasn’t much older than Jude. Their kitchen table was covered with betting sheets. It was laid out there, proof positive that my dad was everything I’d refused to believe.”
“That had to hurt.”
“Like nothing else. I felt like he’d died so I...” She considered. “I guess I figured if I’d lost my real dad I wasn’t going to have a Heavenly one either.”
He nodded. “That’s painful, to lose them both.” There was no judgment in his face, only empathy. It made her long to hug him close. Stop this right now. You don’t want Seth to get any closer than he already has. Stop talking. She gulped and jammed a tissue to her eyes to keep him from seeing her inner confusion.
“Felicia,” she said at last. “They won’t tell me any details. How is she?”
“She’s holding her own.”
“Seth,” she demanded, clutching the blankets. “I’m strong and I need you to tell me the truth. Is she really alive?”
The softness of his gaze did not completely hide an underlying gleam of steel.
“I would not lie to you, Nora. Felicia is alive. I promise you, she’s in a room on the third floor, being taken care of right now.”
She knew it was the truth. A great gush of relief whooshed out of her. The news was all she could hope for. “Was it a bomb?”
“Looks that way.”
“Like the letter. Who would do that? Kai?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out.”
She shook her head. “All I want now is to make sure Felicia’s will recover and take that donkey back to Colorado. Whoever the bomber is...” She shrugged. “Maybe we’ll never know.”
“Yes, we will,” Seth said, a spark rippling across his face. “Jude’s going to investigate and I’m going to help you tend to Bubbles and keep you safe until he finds out who did this.”
The words were spoken softly but undergirded with iron.
“No, Seth. That’s not your job.”
Then he smiled. “Package deal. While you’re on the ranch, you get a slightly banged-up ranch hand for an assistant. Didn’t you know that?”
Emotion ballooned inside her. “Why?” she demanded. “Why am I your personal assignment?”
He was serious now, the teasing tone gone. “Because you need help.”
Help. That was it. A pin pricked her swelling feelings and she deflated inside. She was a project. Good, she thought. Now it’s clear where I stand. Seth was a good guy, but he wasn’t her guy. Why had she conceived of anything else?
He grimaced. “I’m sorry. Did that sound—”
“No, I get it. Girl almost gets blown up. She obviously needs something.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that’s the only reason I’m—”
She waved a hand and swallowed her pride. “I appreciate the help, even though I wish I didn’t need it. But you’re right. I do.”
He still looked uncertain. “Tanya used to tell me I could write a book on all the wrong things to say.” He shoved his hand under his leg and she realized he was trying to hide the tremor.
Now she looked closer and saw that his hair was darkened with smoke, and there was a slight spasm in his right leg as well. She’d been so busy focusing on herself, she hadn’t considered that he’d dived into danger to save them. Empathy overrode her logic. “Were you hurt, Seth?”
“Nah,” he said, jaunty. “My muscles just like to remind me that they are, in fact, the boss of me.” They were back to the easy kidding rhythm.
The nurse came in. “I’m sorry. I need a few moments to care for Ms. Duke.”
Seth excused himself and Nora felt a flutter of panic. Ridiculous. No one was going to sneak in and kill her. Were they?
“Are you leaving?” Had she really said that aloud? She was going to pieces now, surely.
“Nope,” Seth said at the door. “Can’t get rid of me that easily.”
“Um, okay,” she said, trying not to sound relieved.
The truth was, by the time the treatments were done, her nerves were screaming in pain and she was exhausted. She’d tried to pry information out of the nurse about Felicia’s condition but she’d been every bit as tight-lipped as Jude. After the nurse, the police officer stationed at the door introduced his shift replacement and discussed the schedule with her. She listened intently, willing her headache away, as a plan formed in her mind. She had to see her friend.
When Seth returned, he was carrying a stalk of prickly purple thistles shoved in an empty water bottle.
She couldn’t hold back a giggle. “You brought me thistles?”
“The gift shop was closed, but there’s a nice patch of these babies in the lot outside which don’t seem to know it’s winter. The purple looks nice, right? I’ve seen donkeys chomp down these things like cotton candy, so I figure they must be awesome plants.”
She looked again at the fluffy lavender puffs surrounded by intricate rings of spines. They were kind of pretty, now that she took a close look.
“Remind me of you,” he said quietly.
She blinked. “Weeds make you think of me?”
His face went dusky. “Not weeds.” He gingerly fingered one of the blossoms. “A flower on the inside, surrounded by a serious protective layer.”
She felt her own face glow, unsure whether she was happy or chagrined at the comparison. Seth made her feel off balance all the time.
He looked uncertain again, as if he was not sure he should have spoken his thoughts aloud. “Anyway,” he said, settling into the chair, “you look tired. Why don’t you get some rest and I’ll hang out for a while to see if you need anything when you wake up?”
“All right,” she said. She would not tell him about the plan she’d worked out. It could wait. For the moment, she was grateful that he’d be there watching over her while she slept. Thank You, she silently whispered, for Seth.
It wasn’t really a prayer at all, she thought. She was not about to fall on her knees to the Lord or anything, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt to express gratitude in a way that might help her process, like Seth had done.
When the pseudo prayer was complete, she refocused on the plan she’d concocted. She had to know, had to see Felicia for herself. She closed her eyes and waited for her moment.