A Slow Burning Fire

by J. F. Jenkins

  Bryce reached into the fish food bucket and tossed a handful into the water. He took a moment to watch the frenzy created afterward as the fish fought one another to eat the pellets. Then he faced her and offered her the bucket. She also reached in for a handful and threw it into the water.

  “I signed a contract to film the first film in a potential new fantasy series. If the movie is received well, obviously the rest of them will be made, too,” he said. “Filming begins in Vancouver starting in September. I'm a little nervous about it, to be honest. The project sounds amazing, but it's unlike anything I've ever done before.”

  “That's how I feel about the upcoming album,” she confessed. “Change isn't easy.”

  He gazed down at her. “Change I can handle, but the unknown is what worries me. What's life without a little adventure, though? The nausea that comes along with doing something beyond your limits turns into an awesome adrenaline rush.”

  “What if it fails?”

  “Then it does,” he said, throwing some more pellets into the water. “Pretty sure the world won't end, and there will always be more chances. Besides, you'll still have me.” He winked. “Which is way better than anything else.”

  She nudged him playfully. “You're such a dork sometimes!”

  “You like it when I get cocky. Admit it.” He nudged her back.

  She gave him a harder shove. His footing stumbled before he tripped over the food bucket and fell backward into the shallow end of the pond. Gasping, Arial leaned closer to make sure he was okay and hadn't hurt himself in the process. A second later, his head pushed out of the water, and he sputtered everywhere.

  Bryce slicked back his hair and carefully picked himself up out of the water. “It's a good thing you don't own piranhas or I'd be toast!” He stumbled and reached out to grab her. “Can you help me out here?”

  “I don't think so. You're just going to pull me in there with you!” Arial stepped back.

  They made eye contact, and his gaze was all too serious. “I promise, I won't drag you into the pond. It's slippery, and I need something sturdy. Please?”

  With some hesitation, Arial let him take her hand so he could steady himself on her. She prepared herself for being tossed into the water, but Bryce was a gentleman and true to his word.

  “See?” he said. “You're not in the pond.” He gave a coy smile. “But I do want to give you a big hug.”

  She gasped and stepped away, but she wasn't fast enough to escape his arms. He wrapped them around her, and the mixture of the cold water and his warm body heat made it all worthwhile. How could she complain about being so close to him? Even if he did smell kind of like a fish.

  Arial let herself linger in his arms for only a brief moment before pulling away. “So gross! Now I have to go shower and change.”

  “Somethin' tells me you'll live,” he said, smirking. “But shower does sound like a good idea. I'll catch you tomorrow, okay?”

  “All right,” she said. With a wave, she watched him trot across her yard to the Henderlites’ house. Her heart beat faster as she did so, and she couldn't seem to push aside the flushing of her cheeks. How was it that he was so good at making her want him without even trying? She might as well have been one of his teenage fan club members. How embarrassing. At least he didn't know, but that was becoming part of her problem. He needed to.

  But how am I going to tell him? she wondered as she made her way back into the house. She tried her best to not track a big mess inside, but unless she stripped into her underwear in the doorway, it would be inevitable. Her parents wouldn’t care, but there was the off chance one of her siblings would walk by. The nearest bathroom was twenty-some feet away. Arial was fast, but not that fast.

  Carefully, she tiptoed across the floor to keep the mess contained. She stepped into the bathroom and immediately turned on the shower, cranking it as hot as she could stand. Should I just come right out and say it already? Waiting on him is hard. Not to mention confusing. He gave off a lot of mixed signals. Ever since they'd gone to town, he'd been a bit bolder in his affections. Any chance he could, he seemed to grab her hand or touch her in some way. Yet the emotional guards were still up. She could sense he had something he wanted to say, but for some reason he held back.

  Somehow she'd have to encourage him to step out of his shell. I have to tell him how I feel. That I'm just as confused and scared as he is, but we shouldn't hinder this anymore. We can't let fear rule our relationship, or we'll never know the answer to that 'what if' of whether or not we'd be able to make it last. Now I just have to figure out how to go about telling him.

  A smile formed on her face as she washed her hair. She knew Bryce well enough to understand just what he'd need to feel secure and not run away from her. A safe atmosphere was key, and there was no place safer than the farm for either of them. There was privacy and peace. The thought of exploring her relationship with him to the fullest had her feeling warm all over. Her stomach, while churning with nerves, also had a smooth silky feeling inside. Being with Bryce was right. They were right for one another. Now all she needed was a plan for how she would tell him.

  If there was one thing she knew about Bryce, it was how much he enjoyed the simple things. No wonder he loved being out in the countryside with her so much. She could see it all over him. The way he smiled, the way he walked, and the way he treated others. It all was so much lighter than anything she'd experienced back in Los Angeles, and that was saying a lot. She didn't think it was possible for him to be any nicer. Without the jading of the city looming over them both, it must have been easier to be genuinely happy. No one was around to question or criticize it.

  Simplicity. That would be key to her plans, and with that as her backbone, she began to think up their perfect date. Now all she had to do was make sure she didn't lose any of her nerve, or it would all be for nothing.

  Chapter Thirteen

  In a few short minutes, Bryce would be arriving at the house to pick up Arial. For the first time in months, she agonized over whether or not she looked absolutely perfect. It'd been even longer since a guy was the reason for it. Normally, she made sure her appearance was up to standard for the paparazzi. If she ever got caught not wearing makeup in public, it had better happen for a good reason. Keeping up a good image for the world to see was important. There were few people who cared to see a star as anything less than glamorous, unfortunately.

  The last guy she had gotten beautified for had been at least a year ago. An ex-boyfriend she was going out to meet after a long time of not seeing him — a date where he dumped her because she wouldn't give him her virginity. He didn't feel like the relationship was progressing enough, and if he was going to wait for five months for any kind of physical contact from a woman, he reasoned it needed to be good. When she told him she wasn't ready, he laughed. All it did was feed on her insecurity.

  Being a virgin in Hollywood was like a disease, one she didn't know whether she wanted to be cured of. Her manager subtly hinted that some producers did not care for her lack of experience. Despite her ability to play the role of the hussy on Three Wishes, there were some things that couldn't be taught without firsthand knowledge. Throwing it all away for work was an even more stupid reason to hook up with some random guy. Love was important to her.

  Love was something everyone wanted, right? So why did it seem so strange for her to desire it, too? A lot of her Hollywood acquaintances thought it a nice dream, but no one encouraged her to actively pursue it. Better to be in a relationship, attached, than it was to find one true love. That kind of thing only existed in fairytales.

  Maybe I am in the wrong business after all, she thought. Too much of her integrity was being pushed by the “normal,” and she didn't know how much more of it she wanted to bend. Not to say everyone in the business was cold-hearted and cruel, without morals or values. But it was easy to let some things slide. There was the occasional actor who had entitlement issues, and so many were led by their fickle emotions.r />
  You can find that anywhere, though, she reflected. It wasn't uncommon for human behavior. Actors had a lot to battle in terms of the self-esteem department. They all suffered from the same insecurity issues as the rest of the world, but under a microscope for the rest of the world to see. The pressure to be perfect and happy was high. It was easy to click with individuals and fly into a romance in order to mask that insecurity. She'd certainly done it a couple of times. Thankfully, she stopped anything from going beyond her comfort zone for the simple desire of wanting to belong.

  With Bryce, she didn't feel like she needed to do anything to fit or belong. That was part of the appeal of spending time with him. The microscope would still be there when they returned, and the world would analyze their every move. When she was with him, however, she knew she wouldn't have to worry about fitting into a certain mold. The emotions shared between the two of them wouldn't be fickle or fake. Most importantly, he would respect her, right? She knew Bryce wasn't anywhere near as innocent as she. While Arial was almost positive that the only lover he'd had was Katie, there was no way to be certain. She would have to trust her instincts on that one and hope that someday he would tell her more details. Not too many, but it was important for her to understand where he was coming from all the same. As long as he didn't push her, she would figure out a way to not let her jealousy take control of her. She hated the idea of him being with another woman, but it was impossible to erase the past. They would have to move forward together, and she wanted him to heal. Respect would be key on both of their parts.

  “Ugh, I'm thinking we're going to get married someday, and we haven't even gone on a date yet.” Arial shook her head and finished putting on the last of her makeup. She kept it simple. He wouldn't like her with anything flashy on. Still, there was that one pesky pimple on her cheek and the dark circles under her eyes from not sleeping the night before. She'd been too anxious to sleep and was awake all night planning the right words to propose her date idea to him. The perfect menu was set and so was the perfect place. All she had to do was say the words and make it happen. Then would come the hardest part of all: confessing everything.

  There was a knock on her door, and Tiffany poked her head inside. “Bryce is here.” She paused. “You're getting fancy for going to town. Are you going on a date?”

  “No,” Arial said.

  “But you look like you should be.”

  “The idea is to make it one by the end of the day.” Arial faced her sister and winked.

  Tiffany gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. “Is he going to ask you?”

  “No.”

  “You're brave!” her sister marveled. “I don't think I could ever ask out a boy. It's too scary to even think about.” She paused again. “Do you mean by the end of the night you're going to make a date? You're not going to do anything with him, are you? I mean, anything, um, that you shouldn't. Because Mama said a lady doesn't even kiss on a first date.”

  Arial rolled her eyes. “We've already kissed for work. I just meant it might be a date in that we're going to have dinner and talk. Nothing more.” Bryce made her swoon in ways she'd never known before, but even that wasn't enough to give her the courage to go all the way on a first date.

  Arial shook her head. Just thinking about such a special moment between her and Bryce brought a smile to her face. Especially since she knew he would be more than okay with making sure it happened on their wedding night.

  “He's important to me,” she said softly. “And that makes it worth the risk. He needs to know, and he's been through so much lately. It would be unfair of me to hold back out of ancient rules that a guy needs to be the one to make the first move. I wonder if he's just as scared as I am.”

  “Probably,” Tiffany said. “It's sweet either way. I've been wondering which one of you was gonna cave first.

  Arial snorted. “I'll be right down. Tell him it should only be another minute.”

  Her sister disappeared from the doorway, leaving Arial alone. Taking in a deep breath, Arial gave herself a last once-over in the mirror. “Here goes nothin'.”

  She walked down the stairs with an extra bounce in her step. The moment her gaze settled on Bryce, her heart started to pound. She didn't know if it was because of how nervous she was, or simply because he seemed to have that kind of effect on her. He offered his arm to her and escorted her out the front door and to the Henderlites’ car.

  “Running errands with you is always so much more fun than going on my own,” he said.

  She shrugged. “I tend to make everything a lot more interesting.”

  “If only you knew…”

  “Oh?”

  He shook his head and got the door for her before going around to the driver's side. As soon as they were buckled in, he started the car and off they went. Going to town wasn't a long drive, but she enjoyed every moment she shared with him. His soft singing along to the radio with the wind blowing through the open windows made her feel like a teenager all over again. Or rather, the teenager she never got to be.

  Bryce parked the car on Main Street and once more got her car door before she could even reach for the handle. He'd always been a gentleman, but this was new even for him. For a brief moment, their gazes met and they shared a small smile. His attention wavered quickly, however, and when she followed where he was looking, she noticed the large banners hanging between two businesses.

  “What's Glory Days?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  She smiled, admiring the simple black banner decorated with a colorful assortment of balloons. “The annual town fair. It happens every summer. I forgot that was starting next week.”

  “Town fair? Places still do those?”

  “Yes.” She laughed. “I seem to remember going to one with you once upon a time.”

  “That was a county fair, and that was on the outskirts of town in Nowheresville and…” He looked around him. “Okay, never mind. This place is more in the middle of nowhere than the last one. I suppose it would have a fair.”

  Arial folded her arms in front of her and raised an eyebrow. “You’re talking an awful lot like a city boy now.”

  He held his hands in front of him defensively. “I didn't mean it to come out like that!”

  “Mm-hmm.” She winked at him, grabbing hold of his hand. “Relax, Bryce. It's exciting for me, too. I haven't been to a town fair in a long time. The last time I was home for one, I can't say I got to enjoy much of it anyway. I spent a lot of time lurking in the shadows.”

  “How mysterious.”

  “Hush, I had just gotten into a nasty fight with Nadine. This was about when I was sixteen. I was kind of a temperamental teenager.”

  He laughed. “Kind of?”

  Arial gave his arm a firm smack. “I'll admit there was a moment I had a severe lapse in judgment and acted like one of those entitled child stars. I felt like I deserved more than being here, so I sulked the whole time. When I was little, I remember it being something I enjoyed so much. Now I feel all kinds of awful that I looked on it in such a negative way.”

  Bryce nodded, his gaze going back to the colorful balloons surrounding the banner. “Good thing that was only a stage. You grew out of it, and now you can go back to making good memories again. Because we are going to this shindig and havin' a good ol' time. I'm gonna win you a giant teddy bear and everything.”

  “Not quite that fancy, but I accept your challenge,” she said.

  They made their way down Main Street. Each shop they passed had an advertisement for the fair and some kind of sale happening for that week. On the windows of the music store was a sign that especially caught her eye.

  “’Talent show. Sign up inside and show us what you got,’” she read aloud.

  “Hmm?” Bryce's eyebrows rose. “Talent show? You should totally do it. Sing one of your own songs, or something.”

  “No way. That would be an unfair advantage.” She pointed down toward the bottom of the bright pink poster. “There are going
to be judges and cash prizes. It wouldn't be right.”

  With a shrug, Bryce brushed past her and entered the store. She followed after him and stopped in the doorway when she saw him writing on the sign-up sheet.

  “Um, what are you doing?” she demanded.

  “Putting our names down,” he said. “We can do a duet. It'll be fun.”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  His gaze locked onto hers. His eyes were more green than olive, more piercing than usual. “Why not? When was the last time either of us performed just because we wanted to? Just because we loved to be on stage. It's been since high school for me. What about you? Do you even remember what that feels like?”

  Arial averted her gaze, no longer able to handle the way it made her so warm inside her stomach. She stared at her name next to his on the paper, at how right they looked together even in writing, and the bubbles began to replace the warmth. They'd never sung together before in public.

  “It would be fun,” she whispered. “But it wouldn't be fair to everyone else.”

  “Then I'll just write down that we're going to be special celebrity guests,” he said and jotted a quick note next to their names. “I'll call whoever is running the contest and we'll set something up.”

  “That'll attract a lot of attention,” she pointed out.

  He sighed. “I know, but it might be a good thing. After all, I can't hide forever, and the buzz could help the town. It wouldn't be hard to drop off the radar again after doing one show.”

  For a moment, she raked her lower lip between her teeth as she mulled over the idea. “This is kind of crazy.” She shook her head. “Okay, we'll do it. We can make a thing of it. I just hope it doesn't come back to bite me.”

  “I think it'll help with the animosity, but just say the word and you can scratch it out.” He held the pen out toward her.

  “You're right, we should do this.” The wild pounding of fear inside her chest told her otherwise. One thing she’d learned many times was that if she had never taken risks, she would have missed out on some of the most rewarding experiences of her life. This could be another one.