Page 92 of The Fire

“You know, Christmas story? With the hair and the pocket watch? No?” He waved a hand through the air when we both continued to look at him blankly. “Whatever. The point is, you and Jamie are so busy giving each other what you think the other one wants, you’re both sacrificing the things that are most important to you. You need totalk.”

“We talk all the time.”

Ash’s lips twisted in sympathy. “Talk harder.”

Talk harder.Tryharder. Do better. Don’t walk away.

I scrubbed a hand over my face as certain things came sharply into focus. Jamie talking about his mom leaving. “Why would she stay?” Jamie talking about me having so many options out there, so many places I could be successful… not because he didn’t want me, but because he thought he wasn’t enough.

“I wanted a sign that I should stay,” I whispered. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Parker.” Cal leaned forward and clapped a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. “You reallyare.I mean, you were living with him and sleeping beside him. You’re wearing a t-shirt right this minute that has Jamie Burke’s name on the back.”

“I am?” I craned my neck to look behind me.

“You are,” Cal confirmed. “And he came into the bakery yesterday, so jealous his hair was practically on fire, and thentold youhe loved you. Are you waiting for sky writing? For a parade of Oompa-Loompas to come dancing through the door and sing you a song?”

Ash snorted, but his smile was sympathetic. “You ever notice that we spend our time looking for a deeper meaning in thebadthings that happen, but when things are going well, we hardly notice it at all? Like, you spill your coffee or burn your toast, and you’re convinced that it’s gonna be a bad day, right? But how often do you say, ‘Look at that perfectly cooked toast! Today’s gonna be amazing!’” Ash shrugged. “Secret to being happy is seeing the signs in the good stuff, I think.”

Cal gave Ash another one of those sappy looks, like he couldn’t quite believe anyone that amazing could be real, but this time it didn’t bother me at all since I was pretty sure I was giving Ash that same look myself.

“Wow. That’s… wow,” I repeated. “Damn, Ash. They teach you this stuff in the navy?”

Ash blushed. “Finish your food, Parker. Apologizing’s gonna be easier on a full stomach.”

“You sure? It might be easier with a little more whiskey.”

Ash shook his head and I sighed. “Jamie and I know each othersowell, but… I’m thinking maybe that’s kind of a blessing and a curse. We both made assumptions. We didn’t communicate.”

“Nope. You really didn’t,” Cal said, studying his fingernails with no sympathy whatsoever.

“But that’s something that happens to the best of us,” Ash said pointedly, batting his long eyelashes at his fiancé. “Isn’t that right, Caelan?”

“What? Oh, come on. That was one time, before I really even knew you,” Cal said. But he wasblushing, which cemented Ash’s superhero status, as far as I was concerned.

“And what about that other time last summer?” Ash asked, grinning.

“Alright, fine.” Cal blew out a breath. “Happens to the best of us,” he told me grudgingly. “The important thing is what you do to fix it.”

“How’dyoufix it?” I demanded.

Cal grinned. “Pretty sure I gave Ash a…”

“Discussion,” Ash interrupted, giving Cal a quelling look. “A lovely, lovely discussion.”

“A discussion, huh?” I snorted.

“Yep. In the woods, if I recall correctly.” Cal grinned at Ash. “I’m very good at… discussions.”

Ash smirked. “Youare,baby. Very good.”

“I need to talk to Jamie,” I said, pushing my chair back to stand.

“Hallelujah,” Cal said, smacking his palm on the table. “Yes, you do.Now.”

“I’ll even drive you,” Ash offered. “And walk home.”

My phone rang from the kitchen counter and I leaped up to grab it, hoping that somehow it would be Jamie.