Page 128 of Lethal Danger

“Oh, great. I wondered when it would turn into that. An ‘us’ and ‘them,’ and I’m not in the ‘us’ anymore, right?” The truth of her own accusation pierced Jazz’s heart.

Nev shook her head, the anger in her eyes softening. “It’s not like that. I just mean he wouldn’t want to marry someone he doesn’t agree with on the most important things, and you shouldn’t want that either.”

“Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t want, Nevaeh.” Jazz brushed past her to the bed. She crouched beside it and pulled her suitcase out from underneath, flopping it onto the bedspread.

“What are you doing?” Surprise laced Nev’s voice, but Jazz didn’t look at her as she stalked to the dresser along the wall.

“What does it look like? I’m going back to my apartment. Where I should’ve gone a long time ago.”

“Jazz, don’t do that. The danger to you might not be over yet.”

“Sure it is. Haven’t you heard? They arrested Gary. He was probably trying to kill me because he thought I knew he knocked off Aunt Joan and sabotaged the fair.”

“You don’t know that. And you don’t sound like you believe it.”

Jazz shot a glare in Nev’s direction. “I do know that it doesn’t matter. We’re not on the same side anymore. So it’s past time for me to go back to my own place.”

“I can’t believe you’re doing all this because of a guy.” Nev’s voice tightened, stretched with emotion. “You don’t get it. He is leaving.” She emphasized the last word as if Jazz were an idiot. “He told me himself he’s going to Idaho as soon as the fair is done.”

Jazz gritted her teeth as she threw her clothes into the suitcase.

“He just said that yesterday, Jazz. Knowing you hasn’t changed him at all. It hasn’t changed that he’s leaving you.”

…leaving you. A prick of pain stabbed Jazz’s heart as Nev’s last two words echoed in her ears. She kept packing. Held her voice level as if she wasn’t fazed at all. “I know he’s leaving when the fair ends. I told you that before. If he still wants to go when it’s over, I’ll go with him.”

“Jazz.” The pain in the one word nearly drew Jazz’s gaze to Nevaeh. “You wouldn’t. We’ve always dreamed of living in the same town. Being together all the time.”

Jazz closed her eyes, pressing her fists into the stack of T-shirts she placed in the open suitcase. That had been their lifelong dream. A dream put on hold only because of her dad’s plans for Jazz’s life, the military service she was supposed to do, then his unexpected illness that led her into a different kind of service for him.

When he’d passed and Jazz came to the Twin Cities, even getting to reunite with Flash thanks to the job at Phoenix K-9, she and Nev had finally been able to start living their dream. And it had been a wonderful dream. Until she woke up.

“You wouldn’t really leave me, would you?” Nev’s question, her pained whisper, surged tears to Jazz’s eyes.

Jazz turned toward her friend, the person who’d been the most like family she’d ever had until now. “You already left me, Nev.” A tear escaped and coursed down her cheek, the wet drop clinging to her chin. “For Branson.”

Nev opened her mouth, her eyes glinting like she was going to protest, switch back to fight mode.

Jazz lifted a hand and spoke to stop her. “No, Nev. I am happy for you, but it’s changed everything.” She bit her lip to hide its quiver as Nev met her gaze, dark eyes melting into softness as moisture filled them, too. “I only want to find someone like you did. Someone to love me. And I think I have found him. Can’t you please just be happy for me?”

Barks from the front of the house made her start. Flash and Alvarez.

“Hey, boys.” Branson’s deep voice carried easily to the bedroom, and there wasn’t another peep from the dogs who both loved the man. He must be returning from his early morning workout. “Nevaeh? You here?”

Jazz watched her friend, hoping she’d say something. Say she supported Jazz with Hawthorne. That she understood and wanted Jazz to be happy. That she loved Jazz just as much whether she was a Christian or not. And that she’d always love Jazz and support her no matter what decisions she made and who she chose to spend her life with.

But Nevaeh didn’t say any of those things. She pressed her lips together, swiped away the moisture on her cheeks, and walked out.

Jazz stared at the empty doorway, barely hearing the sounds of the happy couple greeting each other as she reeled from the rejection. Her best friend. Her sister by choice. And she’d sent a message without words that she was done with Jazz.

Swaying, Jazz turned in time to sink to the bed next to her suitcase. Her chest stung, right where Nev had torn out a chunk of her heart.

Flash rushed in, his tail wagging as he jogged around the bed to Jazz and rubbed his wet chin on her lap.

“Just you and me again.” But as she spoke and gently rubbed Flash’s ears, hope slowly returned. She had Uncle Pierce and Hawthorne. Two men who had shown they cared about her. One her real family and the other the man who’d hopefully want to become her family someday.

She smiled as the ache in her chest dulled. Getting to her feet, she went to the dresser to grab the rest of her things. “Come on, Flash. We need to get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.”

The screen of Hawthorne’s smartphone lit, catching his eye.

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