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HER HERO
"Why can't I ever have a real adventure or meet a dashing hero?" Jill exclaimed.
"Gee, thanks a lot!" retorted Scott, Jill's best friend since grade school. He followed her gaze to the poster in the bookstore window, promoting the newest romance novel, and snorted.
"That is totally unrealistic!" he gestured at the cover art. "No fireman in his right mind would be that deep in flames without his helmet and oxygen!"
"There speaks the safety-conscious captain of Station 10." Jill rolled her eyes. "It's just art, Scott."
"It's unrealistic!" he insisted. "And it creates a false impression of heroism for gullible females."
"Are you saying I'm gullible?" Jill blinked, confused by Scott's irritation. He was always even tempered and easy going to the point of absurd. Whenever she wanted to go on an adventure, he was usually there to make sure she did things as safely as possible and didn't hurt herself. She teased him mercilessly about his safety issues telling him that he'd be staid, boring and unadventurous without her. He'd grin that lazy, easy going grin of his and reply that she was enough adventure for both of them.
"Well, are you?" she demanded when he didn't answer right away.
Scott's hazel eyes darkened to moss green as he stared at her a long moment before he shook his dark head and rose. "No, but you have unrealistic expectations about the guy you think you're looking for. I have to get back to work. Thanks for the coffee, Jill."
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Jill avoided Scott for a week, which wasn't hard to do since he didn't seek her out, either. He didn't even call to make sure the brief storm the city experienced hadn't knocked out her power and he always checked on her after a storm.
By the end of the week Jill was miserable and lonely. Hurt from Scott's comments combined with the knowledge that maybe, just maybe, he was right made her want to cry. They'd been friends forever. She'd always shared her thoughts and dreams with him and he'd always been there to support and encourage her. Now he wasn't. It felt as if a part of her had withered.
Back in her favorite bookstore Jill sank down onto one of several strategically placed couches and looked at the book she clutched. "Out Of The Flames", the book whose poster she'd been admiring a week ago, was on the best seller list this week. Staring at the cover art that Scott had objected to Jill couldn't bring herself to open the book. The art was ridiculous from a firefighter's perspective and, yes, Scott would know.
As she sat staring at the cover art, wishing she knew how to bridge the gap between her and Scott, Jill grew sleepy. Deciding she was well enough hidden from the casual browser she pulled her legs up beside her, laid her head on her arm and closed her eyes. Moments later, the book she'd held slipped from her fingers.
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"C'mon, Jill, you have to wake up!"
Scott's voice sounded muffled in Jill's ears and she wondered if she were dreaming. She took a deep breath and started coughing. Suddenly, strong arms lifted her and she was carried into sunshine and chaos. Someone put an oxygen mask over her face even as she felt cold metal under her backside.
Blinking as she continued coughing, she found a worried Scott, in full fire fighting gear, kneeling in front of where she sat on the ambulance bumper.
"What -?" she gasped and coughed again.
Scott guided the oxygen mask back over her nose even as he answered. "Gas leak. The store owner called it in. I knew you had to be inside because I saw your car and not you. No more scaring me for at least a month, okay?"
Not too excited about starting another coughing fit Jill simply nodded. Then Scott handed her a book. The book. "You... might want this. It was on the floor next to you."
Pulling away the oxygen mask she shook her head. "No, I don't. It creates unrealistic expectations. I like the real thing so much more."
Scott's eyes lit up and a hopeful smile tilted his lips. "Are you sure? I've been told I'm staid, boring and unadventurous."
With a combined laugh-cough Jill stroked his cheek. "Whoever told you that was an idiot. Besides, I happen to know for a fact that I'm enough adventure for both of us."
© Copyright 2007 Pam Sears (UN: condorsfan at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
