Page 106 of Rocky Mountain Devil

Where did she fit in?

God? This place doesn’t feel like home anymore. That’s not really a complaint, by the way, more like a comment, but… Okay, it’s a complaint. I’mmadI don’t feel the way I used to about church. I don’t think that’s fair, do you?

“Laurel?”

Shit.

Very funny,she muttered to God.You had him hidden around a corner to send out as an attack dog if I got cheeky, right?

“I’m glad to see you,” Jeff offered, leaning on the wall next to the project she was dillydallying over. “I’m finished with the youth group. You want to get a drink and chat for a while?”

“Not really.” Laurel grabbed a random piece of paper off her pile and held it against the board, trying to look as if what she was doing was absolutely vital.

“The café downtown is open for another half hour,” he teased, poking the snowflake out of her grasp with a finger. “Pie and hot chocolate.”

Really?

She turned slowly to allow herself to control a flash of temper—the temper she seemed to only develop aroundhim. Although, maybe he wasn’t being stupid and annoying—no use jumping to conclusions. “Is there a group going?”

He smiled enticingly. “Just us.”

Or…maybe hewasstill being stupid and annoying. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you alone. I have a boyfriend—why is that so hard to understand?”

“Laurel.” He shook his head. “When are you going to stop pretending?”

She looked him over carefully for more clues because he wasn’t making any sense. “You think I’mpretendingto go out with Rafe?”

“No, I think you’re dating him, but he’s obviously just a temporary rebellion.”

Something clattered to the floor. She glanced down, shocked to discover the stapler lying on its side, sprung open, on top of the snowflake that had fluttered to the ground earlier.

Rebellion. Rafe was herrebellion? She could hardy wait to tell him.

But in the meantime, she had to deal with Jeff. Politely.

Notice I’m still trying the polite thing. Maybe you could suggesthedo the same.

“There is nothing temporary about my relationship with Rafe.He’snever told me we needed to stop seeing each other.He’snever left without a word for a month.”

Maybe not as polite as she’d hoped. Oh well.

Jeff stared at her, a frown creasing his forehead. “When are you going to forgive me for that? I’ve explained it was a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding or not, you called it off between us, left town, and when you returned, you got together with someone else who you thought would help your career. It wasn’t about caring for me, it wasn’t about doing what you were ‘called’ to do.”

Maybe she’d feel pity for him if she weren’t so tangled up with other emotions.

“I’ve confessed I was wrong. And I was even more clear about why things didn’t work out between me and Jessica.” He folded his arms, looking at her sternly. “You seem to think you’re the only one who’s suffered in this situation. There was a lot of emotional baggage that I’ve had to deal with—”

She snorted.

Nope. He lost her the instant he tried the sympathy route. She had zero for him.

“I can see how that must have been so terrible to think you’d be part of a family who could help launch you to the top.”Huh. Laurel wondered if Jessica had called off the engagement.

“This isn’t you,” Jeff said. “So bitter, and so cold. You need to forgive and forget, and move on.”

No, she needed to keep control of her temper before she hit him with something blunt. “I’m not God. You can confess your sins to him, and I’m sure he’ll accept. But me? I’m not that awesome. I can forgive you, to a certain extent, but I can’t forget.