A Slow Burning Fire Read online

  “We should find a side entrance,” she suggested, tugging on his arm. “Did you even think about them wanting to talk to us?”

  He nodded, following her casually to the other side of the street. There were more cars parked over there, fewer people, and a few large rides closer to the front that they could sneak around to get in. “I did, and all this week, I've been working on setting up a safe atmosphere for us as well as preparing just what I'm going to say. To be honest, I was kind of hoping for a little more media to be here. This is kind of disappointing.”

  “Why? You know the townspeople here don't like all of the attention that comes with the paparazzi,” she said. Her eyes narrowed, and she was stunned. Did he not care about what everyone else needed? Gloriana was a small town that wanted to stay small.

  Bryce's gaze lowered for a moment before shifting to meet hers. “They don't, but also notice how most of them are from the local news stations. Not a whole lot happens out this way, and that's fine, to a point. But talking with the people, hearing some of the gossip, I've noticed that this world is struggling. A little extra boost is what I was hoping for. Small town, yes, but I don't want to see it change into a ghost town.”

  She held his gaze for a long time, wanting to trust him, to believe in him. She did not doubt his story, but she wasn't sure she was as convinced his plan would work. Time would tell if more of a crowd would be drawn to the fair.

  “We have three hours to kill before we're supposed to meet for the show,” Bryce said. “How about we do something fun? Can't say I know the last time I've gone on a ride or eaten a mini-donut.”

  “Same,” she said. “Think you can handle that kind of food right now? It won't make you sick, will it? You being so nervous and all that you can barely eat.” She was teasing him, smirking at him slightly.

  Bryce snorted. “For a mini-donut, I would do a lot of things. They're one of my weaknesses, but don't tell anyone.”

  “You have a weakness?” She mock gasped. “And here I thought that nothing could break you.”

  “Which is why I don't want the secret to get out.” He winked. “Come on, let's go do something fun for a while. We can play a nice game of dodge the paps while we're at it.”

  “Okay.” What she wanted to do was talk. For the time being, she'd humor him. It would probably be better if they didn't get into anything heated until after their performance. The talk would be emotional, there was no way around it, and it could ruin their entire relationship if she wasn't careful. This isn't how the summer was supposed to go.

  She'd imagined something so much tamer. They'd bond, but she was still surprised he’d stayed for so long, that he liked the farm so much. Even more so that he was able to show her how much she liked it there as well. Her small crush on him wasn't supposed to blossom into something so rich and full, and he wasn't supposed to hint that he might also love her, too. She wasn't supposed to forget about Los Angeles, or how to be careful with herself. Being on guard was a must in the business, and she'd broken that one cardinal rule the moment she stepped off the plane. As much as she tried to deny everything earlier in the summer, she'd still let herself fall for him and hard.

  So now what? she asked herself. And almost as if Bryce could read her mind, he took her hand in his own and walked her toward the games.

  “Gonna win me a teddy bear?” she asked.

  He smirked. “Win one, yes, but you're presumptuous to think it's going to you.”

  Heat graced her cheeks. “Wishful thinking, I guess.”

  ****

  “Oh, so you want me to win you a prize?” He raised an eyebrow. That was the last thing he was expecting to hear from her. He could tell that her guard was slowly starting to fall. The fear that had been present the other night on the phone was nowhere in sight. In general, she wasn't so on edge, and that helped him to relax more. He could show her the wonderful time he wanted to. Bryce would still have to tread carefully, but it would be done with more confidence.

  Arial rolled her eyes and glanced his way. “I've never had a guy win me anything before, ever, not even as a friend. It's kind of one of those silly girlish fantasies of ours.”

  “Why is that, anyway?” he wondered.

  “We like that you want to impress us because it means you think about us,” she stated. “It's not so much about what we get, but that you want to give it. Don't you like to be the occupation of someone's mind?”

  He had to think about that one for a moment. The depth of their conversation was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps she would do most of the work for him so he couldn't chicken out again. He reflected on a lot of things: Katie, and how badly he had wanted to be enough for her so that both of them could be happy; his family, and he'd wanted so many of the same things with them, too. Why weren't they able to see how much he desired to be 'it' for them all?

  Laughing, he shook his head. “Everyone wants to feel important to the people they love. I think men go about it in a different way than women, but the end result is still the same. It's a shame you haven't ever had someone win you a prize, though. Then again, your choice in men has always been a little… um… interesting.”

  ****

  Arial's cheeks grew even hotter than before. Why did she have to say something and start this whole thing up? “It took me a while to figure out what kind of a guy I was into. A few of them weren't all that bad. They're just impatient, and I don't think they understand me. Besides, it's hard to do things like this with your significant other when they're on the other side of the world.”

  “You make time,” Bryce shrugged. “Maybe if they'd spent more time planning a real date instead of trying to get into your pants, you'd have more pleasant memories to look back on. You know how people always say don't give the milk away without having bought the cow or whatever? Well, my mom told me to make sure I earned the milk. Whether I buy the cow or not, I need to work for what I'm getting, be worthy of it. Because handouts do nobody any favors. The work is what makes the payout awesome. People don't work enough at their relationships.”

  “Some people don't know when to quit either.” She gave him a pointed look.

  He waved a hand at her, rolling his eyes. “Because I invested a lot into the whole thing, I'd rather fight until my last breath than quit too soon and never know. I've already admitted to staying longer than I should have. I was scared. We both were. I can accept that now. Now I've learned something from the whole thing.”

  “But you tried and exhausted all of your options, too,” she said softly. There was something admirable about that. He was right; too many people did quit too soon. All of his talk about earning intimacy was sweet as well. How did he ever become such an old soul and so level-headed? So few people anywhere thought like him. Sometimes when it was just the two of them, she could swear they had been sent back to another time where the ideals they both shared were still acceptable. Nowadays, it felt like too many people were seeking immediate self-gratification over long-term joy. It disheartened her.

  Bryce's gaze moved off her, and he stared straight in front of him. “Exhausted is a good word to use. Love is a lot of work, but it shouldn't be exhausting. It's gotta be like that adrenaline rush. It pushes you forward, gives you that high, and then when you're done, you feel tired but satisfied. You don’t dread it or feel beaten.”

  “Agreed. Glad to be on the same page,” she said.

  “I bet we're on a lot more than just one of them.”

  “Huh?”

  “You said you were glad to be on the same page. I think we agree on a lot more than just one page's worth of stuff. We could probably print a whole book.”

  She laughed. “You and your cheesy metaphors.”

  “Cheesy, yes, but I bet you'll never look at a book the same way again.” He winked and stepped ahead of her, waving for her to follow. “Speaking of cheese, I think we need to ride on the Ferris wheel. Can't get any more clichéd than that, but it's kind of necessary.”

  “And why's that?�
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  He flashed her a bright and mischievous grin. “Because I said so. Why do you want me to divulge all of my secrets all of a sudden? Can't I maintain some of my mystery still?”

  “I'm interpreting that as meaning you don't have a good reason. You want to be silly and kiddish just because you can,” she teased.

  “Gotta have fun somehow!” He shrugged rather innocently, but there was something present in his eyes as well that suggested that wasn't the whole truth. Bryce did have a reason, but it wasn't one he was going to share.

  I hope you know what you're doing. Arial followed him to the Ferris wheel, happy to get it out of the way first. She didn't like heights and was only going on it to humor him. The rocking of the buckets always made her nervous, like she might tumble out and fall to her death. That fear was instilled in her by her mother at an early age. If Bryce wanted to ride it, however, and live out some kind of boyish fantasy of his, she didn't want to be the one to deny him. Besides, being afraid of falling would distract her from the nerves of debuting one of her own songs in front of everyone.

  Bryce got tickets from the booth. He wasn't even trying to shield his identity. While they waited in line, she was amazed at how easily the two of them did blend in. Neither of them looked like their usual selves. Townsfolk came up and said hello to Bryce, greeting her as well out of polite obligation. No sunglasses dropped over his eyes, or even a simple hat. She admired his ability to walk around as if he belonged. Then again, he did, so much more so than she. It wasn't fair, and no one they passed seemed to make the connection. Either that, or they didn't care. Would her hometown care that he was a celebrity, too? They had to know something was going on. It made sense that she would bring back a famous friend from California to visit, wouldn't it? Why had she stupidly thought that nobody knew anything?

  “Relax,” he said and gave her shoulder a squeeze. Arial did as she was told. If he wasn't worried about being harassed by fans or paparazzi, then she wouldn't be either. When it was their turn to get on, he handed over their tickets and then helped her into the small bucket seat of the Ferris wheel. Immediately when the door was closed on them, she gripped his arm.

  She glanced up at him sheepishly, positive she was blushing. How could she not be? The whole thing was embarrassing.

  “I don't like heights,” she mumbled.

  He shrugged. “Not a big deal. A lot of people don't.”

  “But you don't seem to mind. Then again, I can't think of much that scares you,” she said. “You've been skydiving, deep-cave exploring, and ghost hunting. You're the most fearless person I've ever met.”

  “Stuff scares me,” he said, his voice growing soft. “It's just the kind of stuff that's more personal. Danger isn't scary because it's so… objective.”

  Both of Arial's eyebrows rose with curiosity. “Go on.”

  He slowly scratched his chin. “When you jump out of an airplane, the worst thing that can happen is your parachute doesn't work and you splatter on the ground. It's straight and to the point. When you risk something you're invested in, however, like, say, your song, it’s different. We sing it tonight, and you have this personal attachment to the project. Your inner soul is going to be displayed for everyone. People are going to love it, or hate it, based on subjective opinions. Love you or hate you for the same reasons. That's scarier to me. Probably because there's not logic behind it, or solid facts to base the outcome. It's unpredictable and hard to control.”

  “You're afraid of people not liking you. Is that what you're saying?” The confession floored her. Bryce did not strike her as the type to care much about what anyone thought of him. He marched to his drum, did what he could to be the best person he could be to everyone he met, and for the most part seemed to breeze through life with an enviable grace. The real question on her mind was: Why was he telling her all of this in the first place?

  Bryce never answered her, but his lack of talking only confirmed her theory. They rode in silence, and both stared out in front of them at the scenery. The day was gorgeous and perfect. Hardly a cloud was in the sky, and the air was warm without being overly humid. The sun shone high above them. They made one more circle around the Ferris wheel before slowing to a stop at the top.

  Instinctively, Arial closed her eyes. Now that they weren't moving, she was much more aware of how far off the ground they were, despite the wheel itself not being any higher than thirty-some feet. It looked a lot taller, though. To her, they might as well have been on top of a skyscraper.

  Ever so gently, Bryce touched her face, snapping her out of her fear momentarily. He took one of her hands in his own. “Keep them open,” he whispered. “This is the best part.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “It is definitely not.”

  “Arial…” He continued to speak in a soft, tender tone. “Have you ever seen where you're from? Look at how beautiful it is.”

  She gazed out in front of her and found her body going closer to his. After all, he was strong, and if anyone could save her from falling to her doom, it would be him. “All I see is some dizzying concrete.” Why did she have to inherit her mother's vertigo?

  With a soft laugh, Bryce tilted her face so she was no longer looking down, but straight ahead. “I see a town, oozing with charm and class, and if you look this way…” He turned her face to the right and toward the park. “I see trees more free than anything I've ever seen. And to the left? There's the beginning of open space. A place that hasn't been completely claimed by the human world. I feel like I've stepped out of some kind of time machine. When you're up here, you see a lot of things you've never noticed before.”

  Taking in a deep breath, Arial strained to notice the things he did, to look at her home in a new light. He was clearly enamored of the place, and as she took in all of the things he pointed out, she did see a spark of that magic he spoke of. But he didn't need to show her all of these things for her to believe in it. She was doing it all on her own just by being near him and her family, by losing herself in the slower pace of life, and, in doing so, finding herself again.

  “This is all a dream,” she whispered. “And I'm not sure if I'm ready to wake again.”

  He gave her a small smile, holding her steady as they slowly made their way down the wheel again. One bucket at a time was emptied of its passengers, and soon it was their turn. Bryce leaned down to her ear and said in a low voice, “Thank you for humoring me. When I'm in a new place, I like to see it from as many angles as possible. Sharing that with you, sharing everything we talked about up there, I don't think I need to explain how that's not something I normally do, is it?”

  Arial nodded, understanding. They had plenty of deep talks, but there was something different about this moment. Perhaps because he had volunteered so much of himself so randomly. Usually things naturally progressed in that direction. What struck her even more, however, was the sense that Bryce was trying to prove something to her. But what? Why couldn't he be straightforward with whatever point he was trying to make?

  “Any other rides you want to go on? Or should we head straight for the mini-donuts?” He beamed at her, taking one her of hands in his own and leading her away from the Ferris wheel and deeper into the maze of rides and attractions of the fair.

  Looking up at him, she took in the pure delight in his eyes. If only she could understand what was making him so happy right then… maybe she'd have an idea what to do next. With some hesitation, she tightened her grip on his hand.

  “Mini-donuts,” she said. “I never did trust these old rides much. That, and none of them seem any too slow-paced.”

  “I know. I noticed they all spin or zip around. Fun, but I don't want to mess around with my equilibrium too much before we go on stage.” He smirked. “Not going to lie, I'm a little disappointed there's no Tunnel of Love. I've always wanted to see what those things are all about.”

  Once again, her cheeks grew hot. “Another fair, another time.” But hopefully not with another girl.


  Chapter Eighteen

  Bryce eyed Arial from across the fair. She had waited in line to get them both some bottled water while he had gone to use the bathroom. On his way back, however, he couldn't resist making one more stop. When her back was turned, he crept up behind her, hiding his big surprise as he moved closer. Then he hugged her tightly to him with one arm, lifting her up off the ground as he did so.

  She squealed and squirmed under his grasp. “Bryce! You scared me!”

  Laughing, he pulled out the medium-sized purple teddy bear he had won off the dime slide. “Now you can't say you've never had anyone get you a prize.”

  Hugging the bear close to her, she hid her face in its soft, fluffy, fake fur. “That was sweet of you. Thank you.” She paused and handed him a bottle. “Anything else you need before we get ready to go onstage?”

  “No, this should be good,” he said with a confident smile. “You?”

  She shook her head, the bear still gripped tightly against her. “I think I'm set. I just wasn't sure if you were one of those people who had some kind of weird dressing room quirks.”

  “Like how some people ask for their living room furniture to be moved inside after a concert?” he asked.

  “Right.”

  “Can't say that I do. Then again, I haven't done a public show since my pre-fame days. With such short notice, however, I think I can keep whatever diva tendencies I might have at bay.” He winked.

  Arial snorted. “I'd smack you if you decided you wanted to go diva right now.”

  Once again, he wrapped his arms around her in a hug, a gentler one. “Which is one of the reasons you're my best friend, and why I love you.”

  “I do what I can.” Her voice was quieter, and he wondered if she’d caught on to his wording. Bryce had been as careful as possible with his words. There would be no communication blunders today. Before the two of them went home, she would know exactly how he felt and then some.

  Bryce glanced at the backstage area where the two of them were supposed to start setting up for the show. A handful of photographers and news reporters were there, waiting for the big story and hoping for interviews. He didn't mind talking to them, but it would be the first time he'd ever done so without the aid of his publicist. She always had the best words to give him, to make him sound smart and interesting. The words he'd be using now were all his own, but hopefully they wouldn't ask him anything that would cause him to stumble.