She shook her head, still not looking at him. “I’m not sure that’s possible.”
“But you agreed to have coffee with me,” he pointed out.
“So we could put this thing to bed finally and forever.”
Every word was like a blow to his heart. Not what he had hoped for but certainly what he had feared.
“I’m kind of hoping that instead you’ll give us another chance.”
Randi finally raised her eyes to look at him.
“You have absolutely got to be kidding. Another chance? Not in this lifetime.” The look in her eyes was equal parts of anger and pain. “You trashed our relationship, trashed my career and now you want another chance? You must really be crazy.”
“Not crazy.” He swallowed. “Desperate. Please, Randi. I took one look at you tonight and saw—“
“A chance to get laid while you’re here?” she snapped.
Was that what she thought? He suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He obviously had been an even bigger ass than he remembered.
“You know you’re a lot more to me than that,” he told her in a soft voice. “You’ve always been a lot more.”
“But not enough to encourage me in what I wanted to do,” she reminded him.
He rubbed his hand over his face, frustrated. This was not going well at all.
“I was an ass. I get it. And I really wish I could go back and have a do over.” Yes, please.
But Randi shook her head. “No do overs, Noah. It’s done. Finished. Jeff had mentioned you’d be here for a couple of weeks and he wanted to give me a heads up. He said he didn’t want me blindsided when you showed up at his party. I told him I’m good.”
He studied her carefully. “and are you? Good, I mean?”
Her lips twisted in a tight smile. “I am. I love my job. I loved being a firefighter and being an arson investigator is incredible. And look.” She waved a hand over herself. “Still in one piece.”
He shook his head. “I can’t help how I feel—felt,” he corrected himself. “It’s still a dangerous job. I’m just glad you haven’t been injured.” He leaned forward across the table. “I still care a lot about you.”
“Well, those days are gone. I’m doing great, thank you very much.” She sipped at her coffee again. “I understand you’re here for a couple of weeks, right?”
He nodded. “Chasing a story. A big one.”
And maybe during those two weeks he could find a way to change how she felt about him, because one thing was damn sure now. He wanted—no, needed—her in his life, however he had to do it.
“Well, good luck with it.” She glanced at her watch. “We’d better get back to Jimbo’s If we’re gone to long people will talk.”
“Come on,” he laughed. “That crowd is so big they probably don’t even miss us.”
“Even so.” She gave him a long, hard look. “I hate that it didn’t work out between us, but there’s no going back. I hope you remember that because we’re bound to run into each other while you’re here.”
“I hear what you’re saying,” he told her. That didn’t mean he was giving up, though.
“Tell me about the story that brought you here?” she asked. “It’s got to be something big for you to male a special trip. Besides, those are the only kind you do now, right?”
He grinned. “Been following me, Randi?”
“If you follow the news it’s kind of hard to miss your byline. You’ve been very successful.” She cocked her head. “But that’s what you wanted, right?”
“Doesn’t everyone want to be successful?”
“At whatever they choose to do, yes.” She paused. “And it’s their choice, right?”
Okay, he wasn’t going there. Not right now. “I’ve been very lucky,” was all he said.
“So what’s on your plate now?”
“Some big shot making his money on the wrong side of the law. And people are getting hurt,” he added. “I’d love to tell you more, but—“
“But you’d have to kill me, right?” She actually smiled at him. “No problem. I’ll wait for the story to break.” She gave him one long, last look and slid out of he booth. “Ready?”
“Yes.” No.
He dropped a couple of bills on the table and stood up. He didn’t want to leave but it was obvious tis conversation was over, at least for now. As they walked back to Jimbo’s his mind was going in a dozen different directions. This assignment was definitely going to take up a lot of his time. No matter. He was still going to make time to work on Project Randi. And this time he’d do his best not to fuck it all up.
Chapter 3
Randi leaned back in her desk chair and rubbed her eyes. She’d been studying articles on her computer screen for the better part of two hours and her eyes were burning as if she’d washed them in accelerant. These apartment complex fired were driving her nuts. The one three nights ago had been the third one in five weeks. Just far enough apart they might not trigger suspicion, except Randi was suspicious of everything.
The first one five weeks ago occurred at Cedar Hills apartment, a medium-to-low rent complex of six buildings that catered mostly to single parents and people working entry level jobs. One entire building had been destroyed, combusting so rapidly that it was unsalvageable before the firefighters even got there. The tenants had received a relocation stipend and moved on to find other places to live. The building was still roped off with Danger: Do Not Enter signs placed every few feet. The stench of fire still hung like a miasma over the entire area. Randi heard that
