Page 63 of Wild Fires
It had been a sucky thing to learn so young, but I was glad I did. I was tough. And if I wasn't, I would be spiraling into complete depression right now.
Ryan loved me, but he didn't want to be with me.
He loved me.
I couldn’t believe it. I didn't even remember the last time someone told me they loved me, and even though he was trying to run away from it all, it still gave me hope.
My emotions were all over the place.
Mine, my raven reminded me.
Yes he is, I thought. And while his rejection hurt like a sonofabitch, I wasn't ready to entirely give up on us. Hearing him say those three powerful words changed everything. “I love you too, Ryan,” I whispered.
“What was that?” Jennifer asked.
I pursed my lips and shook my head. “Nothing.”
“Are you going to be here long?”
“No, I'm just finishing up.”
“It's been a while. How are you doing?”
“I'm okay, I guess.”
“I heard about the incident at Old Lady Pierce's house the other day. They're saying you saved Guffy.”
I snorted. “Not everyone appreciates my unique gift.”
“The horror show of watching you burn alive only to be reborn as your raven?”
“Yup, that one.”
“Then screw them. You're a true hero, Gracie.”
“Thanks,” I mumbled. It was kind of hard to feel like a hero when the only person in the entire world whose opinion mattered to me was completely freaked out by it.
“Would you like to go out sometime, or come over and talk? I know Mama and Daddy would love to see you. It's been a long time. You haven't come to the annual Montgomery Flock reunion even once since your parents died.”
I shrugged. “That was a long time ago. Another lifetime really. Besides, I'm usually too busy with work.”
She glanced up at the board, and I wished we'd covered it or something.
“Ryan's working with you on the fires?” she asked.
“He is. Apparently, he went to school for forensic science and brings a fresh perspective to the case. Clarence has us working together on it.”
“So that's why he's been so preoccupied lately. To be honest, I thought maybe he had finally found himself a woman.”
I nearly choked at her words.
“Well, not just any woman, but a good one. He deserves that. What am I telling you that for, right? I mean you work with him too. You know. He's definitely one of the good guys. Works way too much. I guess you two have that in common, huh?”
“I guess so,” I said, trying not to freak out on her.
The mere thought of him with “a good one" was pissing my bird off. Those carnal emotions were coursing through me, fueled by my raven spirit.
In my head, some poor woman, probably blonde and skinny, the perfect debutante type, everything I was not, was getting her eyes pecked out for even popping into my imagination with Ryan.