Page 28 of Forever Fickle

“It’s beautiful…” she whispered, stunned.

“Yeah… more than I ever could have imagined, too,” Jace replied from beside her – and Karen turned slightly to look at him, realizing what he’d said and what he was referring to.

“Don’t start, Jace. Don’t hurt me,” she said faintly, not even aware of what she was saying as she stared into his beautiful eyes, seeing the real him for the first time.

“Don’t hurt me either,” he begged softly, his eyes holding hers. “Let’s not rush into this, take it one step at a time, because I can’t stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Thinking about you.”

“We should take things slowly… like really slowly,” she began, realizing that she was actually giving him the chance he’d requested – and could see it in his face.

“And talk,” Jace interjected. “We need to talk, reach out, give each other a chance, and just try to do this.”

“We work together. This is a very bad idea,” she countered, frowning.

“And I’ll be gone in a few days – but I don’t want to stop any of this. I want to continue to build on whatever this is because I’m coming back.”

“You are?”

“Nothing could keep me away,” he smiled shyly.

“This is crazy.”

“Maybe…”

“Maybe this is just a strange dream, or you are playing a prank on me,” Karen began and then hesitated, looking at him in alarm. “Are you teasing me? Is this a joke? Is someone recording this?”

“It’s no joke. I feel like I’ve been sprinkled with pixie dust since the moment I laid eyes on you at the airport,” Jace uttered softly.

“Pixie dust?” she said confused.

“Like I was lost… and just found the most beautiful little pixie in the whole world before me. Just call me one of your many ‘lost boys’, my lovely Tinkerbell.”

“Oh goodness,” Karen laughed nervously. “Now you are waxing poetic over there and all moony-eyed. There is not a trail of lost boys, I can assure you of that.”

“I feel it,” he chuckled. “Let me tell you, this is new for me, too. I’m done with the stupid games, playing around, and mean everything I’ve said so far. I really feel like this is different - and I like it.”

“Jace, this is craziness…” she choked out nervously, trying to pull her hand away from his. “Temporary insanity? I don’t know, but this isn’t normal and the moment the chase is over? You’ll be done with me. That’s how people end up getting hurt… not because of silly promises made in a weak moment, but because whatever you’re feeling will fade away before either of us know it.”

“I can’t say anything to make you believe differently, can I?” he began quietly, looking almost afraid and disappointed as he looked away from her. “I need time – and that’s the one thing I have so very little of right now.”

“Which is why you need to stop even bothering before either of us gets our feelings hurt. I don’t relish the idea of having my heart broken by some guy… especially if I might run into you again, in the future.”

“Oh, you’ll definitely run into me again – but it won’t be because of a broken heart. Give me the next few days… please.”

“This is a huge mistake.”

“Then I’ll take the blame,” Jace countered bluntly. “Give me a few days to at least try to become a friend and show you who I am on the inside. When I get ready to fly out, you can decide if we will continue our friendship… or whatever you need to label this as.”

“That’s barely 3 more days…”

“Three-and-a-half if you’ll have breakfast with me on Sunday after church,” Jace smiled softly. “I’ll need a ride to the airport Monday morning, and I’d much rather have your company than Armadillo or Firefly’s.”

Karen stared at him, surprised and touched by his offer. He was asking for her time for the next few days – and then she could choose to continue their friendship or let it lapse the moment he was gone.

“If this is going to be a friendship, then it needs to be friendly… not romantic,” she hedged, feeling nervous about even possibly agreeing to this farce between them.

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