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“You know, if you wanted me to take you out for dinner, you could have just asked,” Brian joked.
Beth walked up and cleared her throat. “Do you really think this is a good time to joke? How insensitive,” she muttered.
Brian couldn’t believe his ears. Did the Amazon just call him insensitive? He had been trying to make a good impression all day long, but it seemed like he was batting a thousand today–and not in a good way. He tried to diffuse the situation.
“Trust me, I’m a sensitive guy. It just comes out in a unique way when I try to save the life of a woman I just met.”
“Jessica, are you okay?” Clay asked. Jessica picked up her head and gave Clay a nod and a small smile. Brian wanted to ask what about him? He got rid of the fire. As if he knew what Brian was thinking Clay turned toward him and smiled.
“Beth, I’m sure that Brian was trying to lighten the mood,” Jessica said as she turned to the Shell. “We are happy the Shell is safe. Brian, you can go along, thank you.”
“You can go along?” Clay leaned next to Brian and whispered, “I don’t think I’ve heard that one in a while applied to a grown man.”
“Hey ageless, you can stop whispering. “No secrets here,” Beth said to the momentarily shocked Clay. “If you want to be as inconsiderate as your friend, you can both go!”
Jessica went to Beth and pulled her into a hug. “Hey, we are okay,” Jessica said as she rubbed Beth’s back. Then Beth began to cry.
“Oh Jess, I was so silly. Like lights? I can’t believe that I didn’t get it. You could have been hurt and it would have been all my fault,” Beth sobbed.
This wasn't a position that Brian was used to. Here he was standing in front of two distressed women and one of them blamed him for being mean to the first one. Never in his life could he ever recall a woman saying that he was insensitive. It might not be charitable to say, but he knew this was all because of Jessica. She made him want to skip the rules and play just a little bit. She also made him want to make sure she was okay. Brian felt a deep sense of responsibility for her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he needed to protect her from harm. For once, Brian wasn't sure what to do. His heart was still racing but he had decided to attribute that to the situation, not the woman.
Jessica pulled back from the hug she was in with Beth.
“Guess what, I brought your cat bag,” Jessica said with a smile.
Beth’s eyes lit up. “I thought I lost it. I didn’t want to ruin the trip or make us late getting more, but you found it.”
“Yes, so you can go up and do a little knitting. I think there is even a square pattern in the bag.”
Beth grabbed Jessica again and then turned to face the evil duo. Brian was sure that was what she was calling them now. He was just hoping he was the leader.
“You like to knit?” Clay asked. Beth looked down at Clay.
“I do,” she said defensively.
“There is a craft shop that is open late tonight. I can show you where it is. It’s not far.”
Everyone could see that Beth wanted to go. Beth turned to Jessica.
“You better go, Beth. You might find some ridiculously expensive yarn for a scarf.”
“Yes! Let’s go,” Beth said waving goodbye to Jessica and Brian.
The bystanders who saw the smoke were starting to leave, and still Brian had no idea what to say to Jessica. He had made assumptions about her, he had lectured her, but he hadn't given her a chance. It was true. It was hard for him to be around a woman who hadn't just fallen at his feet. How long had it been since that hadn't happened? He should give her an apology, at the very least.
“In the spirit of starting over, I'd like to say I'm sorry. And I’d also like to say that I just met Clay and I don't like him.”
“Everybody likes Clay,” she teased.
“Oh, really? How many of those every bodies are male?”
Jessica looked as though she was really thinking about it. When she clapped her hands in front of her, then smiled at him, he almost lost the question he had asked.
“I don't know, because I think most of the people who stay around Clay are women. So, I'm right. Everybody likes Clay.”
Brian grunted.
“Besides, I think Beth can take him. What is he, five foot nine?” Jessica joked.
