Free A Hero for Tonight by Roni Adams Page A

it empty, and he pushed to his feet to get another. “It definitely has a kick to it,” he coughed out.
    “Maybe we should send some to the Bills. If they had more kick today, they might have won,” Dave grumbled.
    A couple hours later, Shane pushed up from one of the matching leather recliners Karen had bought her husband for Christmas one year specifically for him and Shane. The rec room was their “man cave,” as she called it. Normally, they enjoyed watching football here, but tonight they’d simply been sitting and relaxing while half listening to the women talk about their Christmas lists. “I can barely move after all that chili, Karen, but I gotta get some sleep.”
    Krista stood up. “I need to get going, too.”
    “You didn’t walk over, did you?” Shane didn’t remember seeing her car in the driveway.
    “No, we were out shopping and came back here,” Karen answered. “Dave will run her home.”
    Shane looked back at his buddy half-asleep in his chair. He shook his head. “I have to go out in the rain to get home anyway; no point in all of us getting wet.”
    “I won’t argue there, pal.” Dave grinned and lifted his arms to rest behind his head.
    Shane tossed him a wry look, then watched as Karen hugged Krista.
    “Thanks for your help and the bread. Black Friday, three a.m., right?”
    Krista nodded. “Yep, I’ll be in the driveway.”
    Shane walked into the hall and picked up his coat and Krista’s before returning to the doorway of the rec room. “There isn’t a sale big enough to get me out of bed at that hour to go to the mall.”
    He held Krista’s coat out for her. For half a second, he almost held it up for her to slip into, but jerked his hand back, hoping no one else noticed his gesture. Things were weird between them, and he didn’t like it. Better to get her home and away from him so he could think straight again.
    Karen kissed his cheek. “Thanks for coming over. I know you were tired.”
    Shane hugged his friend briefly. “The chili revived me; thanks for dinner. I feel great now.”
    She smiled. “Liar. Thanks for running Kris home. As always, you’re my hero.”
    Dave groaned out loud. “Yeah, you’re my hero, too. If I could move, I’d come kiss your hand.”
    “Trust me, the term hero is way overused on me.”
    At the door, he turned to Krista. “Wait here on the porch. I’ll go get the car and bring it over.”
    She shook her head. “I’m going to get drenched whether I run across the yard to the car or run out here to the car. I’ll just come with you.”
    He wasn’t about to argue. “Suit yourself.”
    Within seconds, they were on his front porch. Shane pushed open the door. “Don’t trip on my gear.”
    Krista sidestepped the pile; the odor emitting from the dark green sea bag stung her nose. “Wow. That’s ripe.”
    Shane grabbed his keys. “Yeah, I know. I’ll run it through the machine in the morning.”
    “Does the smell come out in the wash?”
    He glanced back. “What difference does it make? I’ll be wearing it next drill, and we all smell the same. Ready?”
    Krista nodded and went back out the door with him. They ran to his car, and were soaked to the skin by the time they were inside.
    She wrapped her arms around her middle and shivered. “Definitely a November night, that’s for sure. I’d rather have snow than this.”
    He glanced at her bare legs. “Most folks know enough to put jeans on this time of year.”
    “It was in the seventies earlier today.”
    She waited for him to get the car started, but when he turned the key nothing happened. He cussed and tried it a few more times. Nothing.
    “What’s wrong?”
    He fiddled with the key. “It was acting up before I left on Friday, but when I got back to the unit this afternoon, it started right up. I figured it was fine.”
    He sat back. “I’ll get Dave to take you home. I’ll deal with this in the morning.”
    Krista turned toward the house next door. “Lights are off