Free Firefly Run by Trish Milburn Page B

way overrated."
    Shelly gradually relaxed as they ate and talked about the various citizens of Bobcat Ridge. She was glad the grim, determined, unyielding man Reed had been when he arrived had softened a bit. It was almost like old times—except for the large hole where Troy had always been.
    "You talk to your mom anymore today?" Reed asked.
    "Yeah, a couple of times. Still no change, but they did get a little encouragement from one of the tests."
    "That’s good."
    "Yeah. So, how are your parents?"
    "Fine. Doing a lot of traveling, so I don’t see them as often as I used to. I saw Grace a couple of weeks ago. She said they’re adding twenty acres to the preserve."
    "That’s great. I really need to call her." She hadn’t called Grace or any of her other friends at the Sally Morrison Wildlife Preserve in a long time, she didn’t even know how long. And they’d been a big part of her life at her first naturalist job out of college. It just seemed that the longer she waited, the harder it got to call. And everything from her life in Texas seemed tainted with bad memories. Even the preserve, which she’d loved with a passion, held memories of Troy. She’d been leading a tour he’d brought his young niece on when she met him. She still remembered how the sight of him had taken her breath away.
    But maybe now that she’d had time away and she was dealing okay with Reed, she could begin to rekindle those ties.
    "I’ve been really bad at keeping in touch. I haven’t even talked to Troy’s parents in a couple of months. It always feels like we’re tiptoeing around something, you know?"
    "Yeah. I feel the same way. I go by once in a while, but I don’t stay long. They seem to be getting along okay, but there’s something about the way Troy’s mom looks at me, like she’s seeing him."
    Shelly sighed. "I guess everyone gets through grief at a different pace."
    Reed rose abruptly and cleared the table. "Want to watch a movie?" he asked as he nodded toward the video collection provided for guests beneath the TV. He’d had enough talk of Troy, and she wasn’t going to push him.
    "I should go home. I’m tired."
    "Shelly, you live about thirty seconds from here. It’s not like you have to drive."
    She relented and followed him to the couch. He selected a copy of Legends of the Fall .
    "This okay?" he asked.
    "Brad Pitt with long hair? Any day."
    "Too bad there’s not a Woody Allen movie."
    "You like Woody Allen?" she asked in disbelief.
    "No, but at least you wouldn’t drool over him."
    When Reed sat beside her, she realized the couch was more of a loveseat. Those tangled hints of interest and confusion blossomed again, making her acutely aware of his warmth next to her. But she couldn’t move to the chair without looking suspicious.
    Instead, she sat with her back rigid and her legs pressed tightly together so her thigh didn’t brush his. But as the movie progressed, her eyes grew droopy and she relaxed. Her leg leaned against Reed’s, but she was too tired to move it. Maybe she’d rest, just a little.
    ****
     
     
     
    CHAPTER SIX
    Reed let the movie play on, though he was no longer following the story. His entire body was tensed to the point of popping like a rubber band pulled too tight. First, Shelly had finally relaxed enough that her leg leaned against his. Then, she’d fallen asleep, and her head had slipped to rest on his shoulder. As if that wasn’t enough, she now snuggled against him searching for warmth or a more comfortable position.
    When she moaned in her sleep, he bit his lip. Was she dreaming she was in Troy’s arms again? A flash of jealousy flooded his already warm body, and he hated himself for it. He’d never truly coveted Shelly while Troy was alive, but it still seemed like a stab in the back for him to hold her, his best friend’s widow, and think of doing more.
    He desperately needed to disentangle himself but didn’t want to wake her. She needed to rest more than he needed to be