Jane's Gift (Lone Pine Lake 1)

“Want to go and check on Christian?” Mindy hit the gas, speeding down the road.

“We’d get in the way, don’t you think?” Jane shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Mindy shrugged, turned the car onto the main road. “We could at least see what’s happening. Not like a lot of people will be out this morning. It’s still pretty early.”

“I don’t know…” She didn’t want to be in the way, to be one of those girlfriends who chased her boyfriend everywhere, even hung around while he worked.

But he’d told her he loved her. The words had spilled from

him so quietly, his voice sincere, the look in his eyes intense. She’d been surprised, thrilled, and, of course, she’d told him she loved him in return.

She did. She loved Christian. She already couldn’t imagine her life without him.

His job scared her, though. He put himself at such risk, each and every day. After everything that had happened to her, she longed to feel safe. And though she loved how much Chris made her feel protected, he wasn’t protected. No, there were no guarantees on his job. And she hated that.

“Okay, let’s go,” she finally said, her voice low, her worry high.

Mindy drove toward the tiny town center, practically flying down the road, since it was pretty much empty. Jane clutched the handle on the inside of the door, nervousness making her feet use an imaginary chicken brake on the floorboard. Mindy started to laugh when she caught a glimpse of Jane’s panicked expression.

“Please. I’m going ten miles over the speed limit. Calm down.”

“You’re speeding, Mindy. And freaking me out. We’ll get there when we get there. There’s no hurry.”

“Sorry. I guess I’m too eager to watch big macho firemen work those long hoses in their sexy yellow coats.” Mindy laughed and Jane rolled her eyes. “Come on, not much excitement happens for me anymore. I have to get my thrills where I can.”

Anxiety coursed through Jane’s veins, making her weak, nervous. Scared. They were getting closer to the church and she could already smell the smoke, see it billowing in a thick plume toward the sky. It was dark, almost black, and she even spotted orange, flickering flames. She knew it had to be bad. The call had come two hours ago and it had been bad then. How much longer would this building burn?

Panic swept through her, its icy fingers lingering in her mind. Memories—ones she’d never uncovered before now—came of her house burning. She was trapped, blinded by the smoke, unable to breathe. She’d somehow snuck out the back of the house and dropped to the ground.

Jane jerked in her seat, brought back to reality by Mindy slowing the car to a complete stop. Two sheriff patrol cars blocked them from going any farther. Jane averted her eyes, unable to look at the fire while Mindy talked to the deputies. One of them was Mike Vargas, yet another local boy who never left.

It was hard to leave this town, Jane realized. And now she had even more of a reason to stay.

She hoped her reason was safe. She wished he would call her and reassure her overreacting heart.

…

“We ready to clean up?” Chris called as he helped put away the fire hose.

“Yeah, I think so.” Eric came to stand next to him, both of them gazing at the now completely demolished church. “This is heartbreaking, man.”

“I know.” Even though Chris had no real connection to the church—he wasn’t what one would consider a spiritual man and he wasn’t a local, so he couldn’t quite wrap his head around just how tragic this loss was to the town—but he could appreciate a beautifully built, incredibly old and monumental building. And that’s exactly what Saint Elizabeth’s Catholic Church had been.

Joshua Powers, the arson specialist, approached, a grim look on his face as he greeted them. “One of you want to walk through this with me?”

“I’ll go,” Chris volunteered. He was tired and he needed to check in with Jane, but he was the captain and thought it best he go with Josh before he called her. The both of them headed toward the still smoldering building, walking up to where the arching double doors had once been. “You think it’s arson?”

“No, I heard a special service was held last night, and they lit lots of candles. I’m thinking a few of them didn’t get put out and that started the blaze. Once I get a look around, though, I’ll know for sure.”

He felt terrible, so sad that the building had burned to the ground. But he’d known from the moment he arrived on scene that the structure had been beyond hopeless. Beyond saving.

Residents had come to watch, many of them parishioners of the church, and he’d noticed more than one openly weeping. He’d hated that, the sadness, the open loss expressed. It didn’t help that he wasn’t at his best, exhausted from the previous night with Jane. His mind not as focused as normal on the task before him. Too distracted by the amazing woman in his life, reliving the things they’d revealed to each other just hours before.

Like the fact they were in love with each other. He couldn’t believe it, but he was even more seriously considering buying her that engagement ring…

Would she accept it? Would she agree to be his wife? Hell, he hoped so. One minute he didn’t doubt it for a second and the next he was plagued with worry, wondering what the hell he was thinking. Why would he move so quickly? Why would he tie himself down so quickly?

It was because he was in love with a woman who accepted him, flaws and all. Who took care of him when he needed it and backed off when he didn’t. A woman who had a loving family he wanted for his own. A family who, for the most part, also accepted him as is.