by Anya Nowlan
That didn’t do anything to lighten his mood.
Seberra was abuzz with Fourth of July preparations. Comet could see the makings of a big fair being put up on a square he passed and citizens glitzing their stores and homes up with the good old red, white and blue. It only served to make his stomach twist harder. Flicking his gaze down, the tall, muscular shifter continued his hurried walk.
It took a bit of digging around, especially because he was trying to keep off the main roads to avoid getting spotted by Dash, but eventually Comet found a place that would rent him a car. He didn’t bother haggling and just gave the kid at the front desk his credit card – red, green and gold, sparkling like a Christmas ornament and issued by Arctic Savings Bank – not reacting to the look of perplexed curiosity the teenager was giving it.
It was a pretty common reaction. Seeing as there weren’t more than about a dozen of those unlimited cards in the world, one couldn’t expect to find people who were very familiar with them.
“It’ll work, trust me,” Comet said as the boy swiped it through the machine.
“You’re right, sir,” he said, a bit of awe in his voice as he handed back the card along with the keys to a car and the agreement Comet had signed.
“Thanks. I can drop the car off at any major city, right?” Comet said, taking the keys and twirling them around his finger.
He would have preferred grabbing a plane, but there was no way he was going to get on the Big Red – the airplanes the Frost brothers flew, designated by individual numbers and expected to touch down at most airports on private strips to keep them out of the eye of the general populace. He knew that if he did that, he’d have to listen to his younger brother, Ru, talk his ear off over the comms the whole flight, nagging him about how he had to seize the moment and not let life pass him by.
“That’s right, sir,” the teenager said, nodding his head. “Though you should stay in town for a day! We’re gonna have a hell of a fireworks display tomorrow from what I hear. One of those that get set off from a plane! The whole town’s buzzing about it.”
“I’m sure it’ll be great,” Comet mumbled, his brow creasing as he turned his back on the reception table and walked out of the squat little building by the small car park.
They couldn’t have had more than ten vehicles, and when Comet pushed the unlock button on the remote, a Ford truck beeped from the other end of the parking lot. Almost immediately, Comet could feel a tiny bit of stress falling off his shoulders as he tossed his bag in the passenger seat and hopped into the driver’s seat. He turned the engine on and, for a moment, collapsed against the seat, closing his eyes with his hands on the steering wheel.
He couldn’t escape the vision of Rina dancing behind his closed eyes. The way she had smiled and how her blond curls had hung around her sweet pink cheeks and brushed against her long neck that night they’d gone out partying.
They’d been just teenagers… and it had been the last time he’d seen her. The next morning, he’d gone on a flight with one of his brothers and just… never gone back to Rina.
It still ate him up inside. But the thought of going to her now, after not having seen her for so long, made him want to throw up. He couldn’t do that to her again. There was no way she’d want to see him after all that time, and the best he could hope for was a smack in the face and her yelling at him.
Which, admittedly, he deserved.
Those were different times, he told himself, rolling his eyes at the weak excuse he’d been using to soothe his conscience for years. And she deserves better than me.
The latter was definitely true, though.
Turning the engine on, Comet put the truck in gear and pulled out of the parking lot, feeling his whole body completely rigid. He had always been the fastest out of his brothers, not only when delivering orders but in everything – running, making decisions, including bad ones… Comet wasn’t sure whether this was a good or a bad one, but something told him that he had to get out of that town, and it would be for the best.
I need to go find my brothers later and kick every one of their goddamn asses.
There was no doubt in his mind that most of the ones that had gotten married over the last year were definitely to blame for him being dragged to Arizona and almost being shoved into meeting Rina again. Everyone in the Frost family seemed to be turning into a big damn romantic, and Comet wasn’t having any of it.
How could he go along with it when he’d already found his fated mate?
How could he when he’d already bucked up the one chance at happiness he was going to have?
Just get out of this town. Think about the consequences later.
Rina
“Now?” Rina asked, hiding a yawn behind her hand.
The party had gone on for what seemed like forever, and Rina was certain that by trying to coordinate with Kalina and Ray over the phone, she’d racked up the largest amount of texts ever sent by one person over the course of one day. Finally, they’d gotten in Jake’s car and started driving home – the stars were already out and night had fallen over the desert, making the temperatures drop.
“Now,” he confirmed, pulling the car up on the curb.
Excitement bubbled in Rina’s stomach as she unbuckled her belt and turned to look at Jake, whose face was shadowed by the darkness. His strong chin stood out and his lips were slightly downturned at the corners. Not exactly the look she was expecting on a man plotting to ask her to marry him.
That’s nonsense anyway. I bet that isn’t what he wants to talk about, Rina told herself, trying to push the anticipation out and focus on the moment.
“So what did you want to talk to me about?” she asked, noticing a bit of a stutter in her voice.
She always got it when she was nervous.
Dammit. Way to play it cool, Rina!
“It’s about tomorrow, actually,” Jake said, stretching his hand over the headrest of Rina’s seat. “I wanted to talk to you about the company.”
“What about it?” Rina asked, worry tinting her mood immediately. “Is there something wrong?”
“Well, not really. You know we’ve been working together for a few years now and I have fun with you, flying the planes and doing the shows,” Jake started, his voice even though he wouldn’t look her in the eye. “And I see you struggling to make the business blossom. I think it’s time you find someone else to take charge of it. That way, we could maybe get married as well, since you’d have more time to look after me.”
Rina stared at Jake in quiet shock and horror. What the hell was he saying? On the one hand, he was offering to marry her – offering, not asking! – and on the other, he was telling her that she needed to get rid of the fruit of her labors so he would consider having a future with her.
Rina felt like she’d suddenly entered some sort of alternative dimension where everything was upside down.
“Wait… what are you telling me… You want me to give up my company? Who could take care of it better than I can!?” she asked, trying her damn hardest to keep her voice level despite the little screech of hysteria that wanted to creep into her words.
“What do you mean, honey? Me, of course. I’ve got the business training and I already know how the whole thing works. I don’t see how it would be a problem for me to take the reins and make it bigger and better.”
Now, Rina’s mouth fell open. Jake had been flying for the company for a few years, yes, and she’d practically had to force him to accept pay because he had so much money from his family. He’d never seemed to think of her business as more than a silly little hobby, something to waste away her time and keep her busy.
Hearing that he thought he should run it was like thunder from clear blue skies. Not only was he constantly late for appointments, but he also tended to behave like the whole operation was wildly beneath him.
“Why… Why would you want to do that? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you take much interest in the business,” Rina said, feeling her heart p
ound in her chest and her hands get a bit clammy.
It felt odd, having to juggle the two extremes of an off-handed marriage proposal – her mother would have probably told her to grab it despite Jake being a complete jerk about it – and someone who she thought understood her ambitions telling her that she wasn’t good enough to build her dreams.
She could see the frown deepen on Jake’s features as she felt a mixture of anger and sadness bubble up within her. For a split-second, all she wanted to do was to scream at the top of her lungs at how ridiculous the whole day had been. In addition to being stuck at a party with people who didn’t like her and being too far to do anything about her oncoming fireworks show, now she was also getting chided and schooled about her life’s work by a man who couldn’t have been a bigger pompous ass.
“Well, I think you’ve had your fun with it, you know? Running a business like that really isn’t for a woman. You can stay on the payroll or something if you want, maybe deal with the taxes since you seem so good with those, but I think I should be the one booking shows and dealing with the day to day, you know?”
Jake quirked a brow at her like he expected her to agree with him wholeheartedly and throw herself into his arms in thanks for taking the horrible burden of her business off her shoulders.
“I don’t think that’ll work for me, Jake,” she said levelly, turning to sit straight in her seat.
“What do you mean? It’s the perfect setup. You can plan the wedding, I know how badly you want that, and you won’t have to worry your pretty little head about that silly business anymore. If you ask me, everybody wins.”
“I don’t,” she said softly before she could stop herself.
Right then, two cars sped past them, laughter and music streaming out of the open windows. Rina’s gaze tracked the vehicles until the taillights disappeared behind a bend. That was the kind of fun she would have wanted to have, instead of being stuck in a circle of rich pricks who couldn’t see past their own noses.
The fact that she’d been dating one of those people for several years and had actually hoped to marry him for the few good qualities she found in him suddenly hit her like a punch in the gut.
“You’re being silly and emotional,” Jake scoffed, turning the engine on again, disgust in his words.
“I don’t think I am,” Rina said, feeling something snap in her. “You don’t understand my business and you don’t understand me. I don’t want to be a kept woman, pampered and preened and held on a silk pillow. I want to be my own woman and I want a man who understands that.”
You had a man like that, a treacherous voice in her head told her, only making her more upset.
“Rina, calm down. You’re making a scene,” Jake said, looking at her again.
“I don’t care. I should have made a goddamn scene earlier, when you wouldn’t take me back to Seberra when I asked you to! Do you know how much work I’ll have to do tomorrow morning now because of this? I know you don’t care about whether that business lives or dies, sinks or swims, but it’s all I have and all I’ve wanted. Since I was a little girl my dream was to make people look up at the skies and see something wonderful, and you make it sound like… like it’s stupid.”
“It is a little bit stupid,” Jake said, sounding considerably more aggravated now. “You don’t need to work. I have enough money.”
“It’s not about the money,” Rina said, throwing the car door open and getting out, steaming with rage. “It’s about doing something with your life that you can be proud of and sharing your accomplishments with people who love you. And I don’t think you’re one of those people.”
Rina slammed the door shut, breathing hard. Her chest was rising and falling heavily and it took a conscious effort to not burst into tears then and there from the sudden influx of emotions. While she’d basically been offered what she had been asking for – a lifetime with Jake – it only took one little conversation for her to see that what she thought she’d wanted was definitely not what she needed.
Not by a long shot.
“What are you saying?” Jake asked. “Get back in the car, Rina. We’re both tired and we don’t have time for this… foolishness.”
“Fuck you, Jake. I don’t need your help or your condescension,” Rina snapped, brushing her hair out of her face and turning her back to the car, starting to walk down the lonely road.
There was a moment of silence behind her until she heard Jake kick the car into gear.
“You’ll come crawling back,” he yelled at her. “Women like you always do when they learn their place in life.”
She could almost see the sneer on his face as the powerful car roared past her, speeding down the tarmac. It was only when she saw the car start to disappear behind the bend that she realized that she’d left her purse, her jacket and her phone in the back seat.
“Wait! My phone!” she screamed, raising her hands up, but it was too late.
Well, that, and she was pretty damn sure Jake wouldn’t have turned around even if he’d heard her.
“Oh my god… this night can’t get any worse,” she murmured out loud, stopping for a moment and looking up at the heavens.
The skies were clear and lit with endless stars like a Christmas tree. There weren’t any major cities too close to where she was so the desert was gorgeous at night, the Milky Way snaking over it and making her remember the nights she’d spent staring up at those very stars with a man she’d once known.
He’d taught her about constellations and weather patterns, all things she hadn’t had much use for when she was younger but had found to be invaluable when she’d gotten older and started her fireworks business.
Despite the bile in her throat and the twisting in her stomach from watching her relationship crumble to pieces and the man she thought she loved turn into an asshole of the greatest proportions all in the span of a couple of minutes, Rina smiled at the memory. Her and Comet, side by side, lying on a ragged old picnic cloth, talking the night away and staring up at the skies…
But the smile died on her lips and Rina closed her eyes. As much as the memory was pleasant, what had come after had been anything but.
Maybe you should just give up on men. That seems like a better option considering your luck with them. Isn’t it the definition of insanity to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result?
She shook her head and sighed, putting her hands on her arms and moving them up and down quickly. It was cold outside, and it was becoming inherently clear now that she was not exactly prepared for the kind of situation she’d gotten herself into.
Better make the best of it, Rina thought, squaring her chin and looking to either side of the road, trying to determine which way would take her to civilization faster.
She decided on the direction they’d been heading towards and started walking. In the back of her mind, countless thoughts fought for prominence. Starting from her asshole boyf–… ex, to the upcoming show, and most surprisingly, to Comet, who seemed to be the one monopolizing most of her consciousness.
Maybe it was because she’d never felt cold around him, and she could have done with a little bit of heat just then.
Comet
The sun had gone down a while ago and he’d just kept driving. The road felt good and smooth under the powerful wheels of the large truck and despite everything going his way now, Comet couldn’t help but feel completely wound up.
He’d been trying to relax into the seat for the better part of an hour, but his body was taut as a guitar chord, as if it were getting ready for something. He couldn’t make any sense of it, and frankly, he didn’t bother trying.
I still have deliveries this weekend, he mused, finding solace in thinking of something other than Rina for a change. But if Dash wanted to play this game then he better be well prepared to do those runs on his own.
The window was rolled down on the driver’s side and Comet had leaned an elbow on the door, his cheek resting on his palm. The wi
nd whipped past him, mussing up his hair a little as he kept going, not entirely sure where he was headed. It didn’t seem all that important, really. He needed to put some distance between himself and Seberra. The further he got, the better it would be, right?
Generic rock was blasting out of the speakers as the long range headlights lit up a good swatch of the road, straight and boring as hell with some mountains towering in the distance. He figured if he kept going long enough, he’d hit Phoenix at one point and could catch a flight out of Arizona from there.
That should be far enough, right?
He snorted to himself, not entirely sure if he believed that. All those years flying around the globe, and he still didn’t feel like he’d put enough ground between himself and Rina. She kept calling to him like a siren in the night, even though Comet was pretty damn sure that he was the last man on earth she wanted to deal with. But that was just how life worked, wasn’t it?
You make one mistake and you pay for it all your life.
I deserve that, he decided, an understanding he’d come to time and time again over the years.
Though he couldn’t see anything on the road yet, Comet frowned slightly to himself. Something caught his ear and he turned the music down, muting it completely. Over the roar of the engine, he could hear loud laughter and a woman’s voice coming from up ahead. She sounded pissed and scared at the same time.
It took another second for Comet to realize why the voice sounded so familiar.
Rina.
His heart skipped at least a few beats and, for a second, it felt like it might stop in his chest altogether. Without thinking, Comet stepped on the gas and the truck jerked forward with the sudden acceleration. It only took a few moments for the beam of his headlights to catch the silhouette of a car parked on the curb, the doors thrown open.
Rina’s voice came through clearer and Comet’s mouth went dry and his hands clammy as he slammed the brakes, pulling up right in front of the parked car. He jumped out of the truck in time to see a couple of assholes chasing the form of a woman deeper into the desert, shooting those dumb bottle rockets and little firework packets at her. They kept missing by an inch here or there, other shots swinging wider, but it was mostly because of her expert dodging rather than their shoddy aim.
