Free Fighting the Flames by Leslie Johnson Page B

really his, but she kind of liked it. She liked the idea of being Ryan’s; of hearing the way his voice became adamant when he claimed her. They entered the building and the sights overwhelmed Jessie.
    Endless rows of tables filled with trinkets, knickknacks, jewelry, handmade scarves, gloves, hats, and aprons, sports memorabilia, household items, and every other thing imaginable lined the walls. Another row of tables was set up in the middle of the building so that it effectively divided the space in two. Ryan and Jess walked down one side, stopping occasionally to take a closer look at something, and then walked up the other side.
    Jessie stopped at one table and picked up a large wooden plaque that looked as if it had been hand painted with a picture of a two-story white house. It was sunset so the background was a vibrant swirl of pinks, reds, yellows, and oranges. It was so pretty and would look wonderful hanging in her bedroom. “How much?” she asked the portly man behind the table.
    “Thirty-five dollars,” the man answered.
    Jessie hesitated. She really liked it, but it was a little more than she wanted to spend. If she knew she was going to get the job at the paper, she wouldn’t think twice about it.
    “We’ll take it,” Ryan said as he came up and stood beside her. He handed the man two twenty-bills. “Keep the change.”
    “Ryan.” She turned to face him. “I can’t let you buy this for me.”
    “Consider it a housewarming gift from one friend to another.” He winked, then proceeded to walk further ahead, stopping at a table a few feet away.
    Jessie thanked the vendor and hugged the picture to her chest. Smiling, she walked toward Ryan. “Thank you.”
    He glanced at her over his shoulder and winked. “You’re welcome.”
    They continued through the two buildings and by the time they made it outside, it was nearly noon. The morning had flown by, and things were going well. Jessie had been doing good keeping her hands and lips to herself—although it had been hard not to hug and kiss Ryan after he’d bought her the plaque. She was pleased that he hadn’t tried anything either. And even though she didn’t want to admit it, she was also a little disappointed he hadn’t tried anything. Her stomach growled. “I’m starving,” she said.
    “There’s a small food stand that sells hotdogs, burgers, and fries. Or we can get out of here and go somewhere else.”
    “Here’s fine.” She followed Ryan toward the foot stand. They each placed an order, Ryan paid despite her objections, and they found a table. It was a round, plastic table with matching plastic chairs. Not the most comfortable chairs in the world, but the table had an umbrella over it, providing them with much needed protection from the sun.
    Jessie finished her food and sat back in her chair. She studied Ryan with curiosity. “Can I ask you a question?” It was something that had been weighing on her mind ever since she’d told him about Derrick.
    He crumpled up his napkin and tossed it on his plate. “Sure.” He leaned back in his chair with a sexy, confident ease that caused the woman two tables away to stare. Jessie shot her a cautionary look.
    “Why did you go to the beach that summer?”
    Ryan’s demeanor quickly went from relaxed to tense. He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table. “This isn’t something I can talk about, Jess. Not here anyway.”
    That sounded ominous. “Okay.” She nodded and stood. “Let’s get out of here then.”
    *****
    Jessie and Ryan lay side by side on her bed, on top of the covers, fully clothed, and admired the plaque Ryan had hung on the wall for her. She was right. It did look perfect in her room. On the drive home, Ryan promised he would answer her question once they got there. They’d been lying in her bed for close to half an hour, and he still hadn’t said anything about it. Jessie wanted to ask again, but didn’t want to push the issue.
    “It was a woman,” he said