Fire and Ice: Rekindled (The Fire and Ice Series Book 2) by Kiara Delaney Read Free Book Online

and a hard spot.

 
    Whether I pressed on towards Reno, or turned my car around
and headed back to Chambers, I would still be taking a huge risk, despite Jim's
reassurances. This was the definition of a catch twenty-two.

 
    As my mind spun in a hundred different directions, I took in
a shaky breath, picked up my phone and hit the speed dial with nervous
anticipation. "Yellow?" Jim casually answered on the second ring.

 
    With a hint of trepidation, I quickly blurted out, "Is
that offer still on the table?"

 
    ******

 
    Hailey

 
    I'd been told, well basically ordered , by Jim to take some time off from the bar until I started feeling
better. I highly doubted that would come anytime soon, and the brief time away,
coupled with the spring break from school, was beginning to leave me feeling
restless and without purpose. My classes would be starting back up next week,
and I couldn't hide out from my responsibilities at the bar forever. It was
nearing two weeks since I had had any human contact, save for a few phone calls
from Georgia, Gail, and Jordan's mom to check in on me...which I thought was
ironic. Shouldn't I have been the one
calling his parents to see how they were doing?

 
    Reflecting on the whole of the situation, I guess we're all
going through the same loss; some of us are just coping with it better than
others. Nevertheless, I was starting to feel lost in my own company and craving
interaction with others. I'd been in nothing but pajamas for so long, holes
were beginning to wear through my slippers. Besides, our checking account was
dwindling, and the modest insurance policy Jordan had taken out would only go
so far. Wallowing in my own misery was proving to be dismal, and it was high
time I returned to work and tried to bring some semblance of normalcy back into
my life.

 
    Tomorrow is Saturday; exactly two weeks since Jordan
was...since the last time I had seen him alive, as he kissed me chastely on the
cheek before he walked out the door to head over to the bar. Ten forty a.m., to
be exact. As he scurried towards the door, I yelled out to him, "Want a
cup of coffee before you head out?"

 
    Without looking back at me, he yelled over his shoulder,
"No time, babe!" He slammed the door behind himself and honked the
car horn twice as he sped off to work, leaving me rooted to my spot in the
kitchen, clutching the coffee pot. Little did I know he was absolutely right, and
truer words had never been spoken...there would be no more time with him.

 
    The next time I heard his name, it was on a whisper of the
lips of a stout police officer with balding hair, and kind eyes. His partner
stood a step behind him and was almost a complete counterpart of him, a younger
man, maybe in his mid thirties, with a buzz cut. I could sense the solidarity
between them. They mirrored each other's concern-filled look, each of them
struggling to maintain eye contact with me, as the older officer said, "Mrs.
Carson?" Bewildered, I simply nodded. "Is Jordan Carson your husband,
ma'am?" he continued.

 
    I'd watched scenes like this on TV...where the pair of
officers, be it civil or military, coupled onto the clueless wife's porch to
deliver news that was never any good, and with weary eyes, would offer up their
services and heartfelt condolences.

 
    Dread filled my senses. A lump formed in my throat, and
tears began to gather in my eyes, as panic rose in my chest. My voice coming
out small and raspy, I beseeched the officers, asking, "Where is he?"
The knowing look that passed between them confirmed my suspicion of impending
doom. Balling my fists at my side, I demanded, "Where is
he ?" completely disregarding their forlorn features.

 
    The obviously senior, older police officer shuffled his feet
nervously as he toyed with his uniform issued cap, before stammering out,
"Ma'am, your husband was involved in an altercation at his place of
work."

 
    I was boring a hole into his eyes, silently pleading with
him