Page 48 of Burning Escape

When they reached height, the spotter opened the hatch, and Logan sat in the doorway, his feet dangling out in the air, his yellow static line hooked in. Tori waited behind him, taking in the landscape. Smoke rose from a stand of trees, an orange glow running along the ground. She spotted the drop zone and nearest water source. If need be, they could make it to the small lake over to the east. But the fire didn’t look too bad. Not yet.

Their spotter, Mark, clapped Logan on the back and sent him off. Tori quickly followed. The last time she’d jumped, she’d snagged a tree. That wasn’t going to happen today.

She spun as she fell, wind coming through her mesh face mask, almost taking her breath away with the first rush of adrenaline.

Whoosh.

Her chute opened and silence reigned. This was the part she loved. Hovering between heaven and earth. A new sense of awe bubbled inside.

Lord, You are amazing. Protect us.

And be with Orion too.

Tori relished the moments in the air. As soon as she set down, it was time to work. She gathered her chute and helped Logan unpack the equipment. Once the others joined them, they set up a temporary camp and got to work.

Tori and Cadee worked on the fire line, digging up the brush down to the mineral soil, stealing the fire’s fuel.

“That was a nice landing,” Cadee said. “You’d never know it’s your first year.”

“Thanks.” Tori broke up the ground with the grub hoe end of her Pulaski.

Cadee glanced over. “You okay?”

“I feel bad for Orion. He should be here.” And yes, part of it was that shewantedhim here. He was sweet and safe in the best of ways.

Which made him more dangerous than jumping out of airplanes and fighting fires.

“You two seem to have gotten a lot closer. Not that it’s surprising, especially with all you went through.”

Tori paused. “He has a way of growing on a person.”

Cadee laughed. “Oh, it’s so much more than that. The boy isfine. And he seems to care about you. A lot.”

“Maybe, but I’m not sure he should. I have a horrible track record with men.”

“That’s why the sheriff had to talk to you? Something about an ex?”

“Apparently someone wants to make my life miserable. Chances are it’s my ex. Probably hired that jerk at the saloon to drug and kidnap me. He’d have easy access to drugs.”

“One bad ex doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue something with Orion now. We already know he’s one of the good ones.”

“If only it were one bad ex. But it’s like I attract the worst. Even at the Refuge, Jeremiah cornered me and thought he could do whatever he wanted. And I’m sick of guys like that. I don’t really need a man in my life. Especially now that…”

“What?” Cadee stopped digging and looked at her.

“It’s all kinda new, but…I have God now. I pushed Him away for so long, convinced trusting Him made me weak. But I know what the people at the Refuge were talking about. The saving grace. And I don’t want to give Him up.”

“You don’t have to give up your faith for a relationship. A good relationship, whether that’s with Orion or anyone else, should help you grow in your faith, encourage you and challenge you. If Orion shares your faith, why not move forward?”

Good question. But the answer bubbled up to the surface and was out of her mouth before she could stop it. “Maybe I don’t trust myself. Not after the stupid stuff I did with guys in school or Razor. Orion deserves better.” The guy hadn’t even danced before the night they met. He was wholesome and…good.

And she most definitely wasn’t.

She came with baggage. And a stalker. Orion was already grounded and missing out on fulfilling his legacy because he’d saved her and tried to take Wayne Osborne down. Basically because of her.

“I don’t think you understand grace quite yet. You’re God’s child, Tori. He lavishes love on you. He’s not disappointed in you, and this stalker is not something you deserve. It’s evil and darkness. But God’s grace will prevail.”

Through many dangers, toils, and snares,

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