Page 25 of Fire Dancer
She dropped the overly careful tone. “Nash promised to show a friend around the back roads of Sedona, but I need his help on the repair. So we need someone to show his friend around.”
That didn’t sound so bad.
Then it hit me. Nash wasn’t exactly a gregarious,I’m off to meet my dozens of friendskind of guy. In fact, I only knew of one friend of his.
“What friend?” I growled.
Abby looked up from cutting apple slices.
“Ingo,” Erin admitted, rushing right into, “Please!”
I’d never told my sisters about how serious Ingo and I had been, way back when, and I hadn’t talked to them about my conflicting feelings now either. But my sisters could read me like a book — one they’d already read cover to cover many times, likeBlack Beauty— or, more recently,Fifty Shades of Grey.
I shook my head. “Nope. Can’t do it.”
Won’t do itwas closer to the truth, but hey. The less time Ingo and I spent together, the better.
“Please, Pippa. I need you to do this.”
I balled my hands so tightly, my fingernails cut into my palms.
“It’s just for a few hours,” she went on.
Plenty of time for my body to betray me. And as for Ingo… He liked to give the impression of zen-like master of self-control, but I knew better.
“I don’t have time. I’m behind in the shop…”
I looked at Abby, who shook her head in a vehement,Whatever it is, I don’t have the time for itmotion.
Which was totally legit. Abby worked long days at the metal shop, stopping only for a quick lunch and to pick up Claire from school. Even after that, the two of them headed back to the shop for another few hours until dinnertime.
“Please, Pippa,” Erin pleaded. “If the basket’s not fixed, we’ll have to cancel the guests who booked for tomorrow.”
Subtext: money neither she nor the balloon company could afford to lose.
“What time were you supposed to meet Ingo?” I asked.
“Four.”
I made a quick calculation. “You could make it to Phoenix and back and still have a couple hours for the repairs.”
“If we break every speed limit, yes.” She waited a beat, then went on. “But if we’re down in Phoenix anyway, we could run some other errands. And Nash and I could finally try that pizza place everyone is talking about.”
Aha. Now her ulterior motives were clear.
I sighed. My sister’s courtship with Nash had consisted of meeting at work, hating each other for a while, fighting off acriminal warlock and a ruthless vampire, and surviving several near-death experiences. A sure formula for a happily-ever-after.
My thoughts strayed to Ingo, but I yanked them back. Not going there.
I was happy for Erin — really, really happy — and for Nash. They’d both needed someone to put a little spark into their lives.
Sparks. I chuckled at my own pun. Both were dragon shifters, and boy, did they spark. Not just in the flames they could spit — only slightly jealous, I swear — but also when their mojo got up and demanded a little bow chick a wow wow. And believe me, a dragon shifter’s mojo got upa lot.
Again…only slightly jealous.
Anyway, I truly wished them the best, and they definitely deserved a mini date, even if it was just pizza between errands. But the last time Ingo and I had gone exploring in a Jeep, we’d ended upexploringin the back seat. And that was one trip down memory lane I really didn’t want to take.
“Just tell Ingo you have to reschedule,” I said.