Page 26 of Forever Fascinating

It was X-Ray’s discussion that had left her reeling.

He’d caught her after the reception just as she was getting ready to walk out of the building, towards her rental car. Part of her was fully prepared to have to kick him and run, that maybe he would end up being some weird, stalker bozo that was a friend… but only until he got possessive.

“Hey… I was hoping we’d have a chance to talk, friend,” he’d said quietly, standing in the hallway with his hands in his pockets. “I saw you and Vapor – and I’m worried.”

“I’m fine and we are just friends.”

“Come off it, Jana,” he smiled, easing the tone of his words. “We’ve been writing each other for six months and I think we are better friends than that. You’ve shown zero interest and when you both walked in the room, it was like watching two magnets find each other…”

“X-Ray…” she said, feeling guilty, because he was a good man.

“And I’m so happy for you,” he interrupted, smiling. “I really am, because I would enjoy seeing my friend falling for one of my coworkers – and it actually work out.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “I gotta confess that I worry because I’ve seen a lot of attitudes and dealt with Vapor the last few months. I just don’t want you to end up hurt or cast aside. Plus, I need to talk to you…”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” he hedged. “I don’t want to step on toes, but Emily…”

“She’s a sweetheart,” Jana began nervously, realizing she’d thrown the two together. “I think she should start writing you, too and…”

“Emily’s sweet,” he began. “I was more concerned that I was losing my friend and pen pal…”

“Oh no,” Jana said, smiling and feeling tears sting her eyes. “I just didn’t want to hurt you by talking to… Vapor.”

“That’s kinda why I’m here waiting,” he replied. “I didn’t want to hurt my friend either by talking to Emily.”

“You aren’t,” she replied openly, looking at him. “I think it’s wonderful and as friends we are going to share things sometimes that feel uncomfortable, but I want us to be able to talk… a year from now – or ten years from now – my friend.”

“I want the same.”

“We’re good?”

“We are the best,” X-Ray said gently, smiling at her. “And I know it’s none of my business, but take things slow with Vapor and just get to know the guy. Okay? If you need me to throttle him, just say the word and I’ll do so on the other side of the globe.”

Jana laughed, wiping her eyes, and beaming at him.

“You’re the best,” she smiled. “You know that?

“Bestfriend,” he corrected, grinning.

“Now, it’s my turn to mentor you…” Jana replied. “Be good to Emily. She’s super sweet and has a big heart.”

The conversation replayed in the back of her mind, as she tried to focus on driving down the road and following the directions on her phone.

She was listening to Matthew, but also her mind was swirling with so many things because everyone kept cautioning her about him, but no one said ‘why’… they just kept telling her to go slow with things.

“So then,” Jana began quietly, smiling as they pulled into a parking lot. “You’re okay with batting cages and Skee-ball?”

“It’s perfect,” he flashed a smile at her.

She nodded, supremely glad that she hadn’t made reservations for someplace romantic after all. She thought about dragging him to a restaurant for something fancy, but instead needed something lighthearted.

Jana desperately needed this to be fun, enjoyable, and wanted to think about him smiling or laughing when she was gone. If she couldn’t see Matthew, talk to him, or could only email… a part of her wished to give him moments he could cling to, look back on when things got hard for him overseas.

She knew Jace had a few rough spots while there in Ghazni, and she had been the one to answer the phone when he called sobbing that one of the other airmen had been shot down in front of him.

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