Firestarter
841 Words
The air was thick with the scent of salt, and the stars shone so intensely they lit up the beach with a silvery glow—enough for Jake to see the glistening trail of tears on Jordan’s face. Why the hell does it hurt this damn much to see her cry? he wondered. He’d do absolutely anything to make her happy. And somehow, deep in his gut, he knew what she needed right now wasn’t a solution. It was someone to hold a safe space for her to share her truth without judgment.
Jake gently led Jordan to a serene spot in the sand. He sat down and pulled her into his arms, holding her close, steadying her with his warmth and strength. For a while, they said nothing, just listened to the rhythmic crash of the waves.
“Ready to share your thoughts?” Jake asked softly, brushing a wisp of hair from her cheek.
She took a deep breath. “Here’s the Cole’s Notes version,” she said, exhaling slowly. “I married a guy. It ended badly. But the one good thing that came out of it was Caleb.”
Jake urged her to continue, “The guy you married—Derek?”
Jordan’s head jerked slightly. How the hell does he know that? She hadn’t spoken Derek’s name in years, especially not here, not on this island. Had she let it slip? Maybe in passing, over a drink or during one of those long conversations? Her brain was too foggy from emotion to recall. But Jake didn’t seem rattled by it. If anything, he said it as if it meant nothing to him—and she realized that, in the best possible way, it probably didn’t.
“Uh-huh,” she confirmed, her voice quiet. “I kept the ring all these years, not because I loved him, but as a reminder that I didn’t ever want to go through that kind of heartbreak again. That Caleb was enough. That I was enough.” She paused. “But tonight—after dancing with you... and talking to Caleb—I decided, come hell or high water, it’s time to move on.”
Jake nodded in understanding. “So that’s what made you toss it into the ocean.”
Jordan laughed through her sniffles. “It’s poetic, right?”
Jake made a face. “It’s completely irrational. You could’ve hawked it and paid for lunch.”
She smacked his arm playfully, and he chuckled, the tension between them breaking for just a second.
“Seriously, though,” he added, pulling her even closer. “That was cathartic. I’m proud of you.”
She let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Tears welled in her eyes again, this time from something more complex than sadness—maybe relief. Maybe pride.
She tilted her head, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. “Hey… how did you know my ex’s name?”
Jake gave a casual shrug. “I’m a successful businessman who oversees multiple companies and hundreds of employees, Jordan.” He reached up again, tucking another piece of hair behind her ear with tender precision. “So I had a private investigator look into the woman I’m falling in love with.”
Jordan blinked. He investigated me?
He’s falling in love with me?
Her mind raced to catch up, trying to decide whether to feel flattered, freaked out, or floored. She turned slightly, uncertain of what to say but craving the comfort of his arms as she tried to process his words.
“Do you know about…”
“I know it all,” he interrupted gently. “And none of it changes the way I feel about you.”
Jordan’s throat tightened. No one had ever said anything like that to her. He made her feel so safe and valued.
“Derek…” she started, her voice raw. “He didn't have a good childhood. His father was abusive, and Derek couldn't live with the memories of it. He would self-soothe with substances—drugs, booze, anything to numb out. It didn’t take long before both our paychecks vanished into his habit. And when that wasn’t enough, he started stealing—from his friends, family, and his employer, like it was nothing.. After we separated, he got arrested and didn’t have any ID on him. He and his brother, Peter, looked identical—like, spitting image identical. So Derek, being Derek, claimed to be Peter. And poor Peter—he ends up getting detained at the border, completely blindsided, just trying to go have lunch with his wife in Grand Marais. They threw him in jail. Can you believe that? Arrested for something Derek did.”
Jake nodded solemnly.
Trying to lighten the mood just a little, he tilted his head. “Identical brothers, huh?” he teased. “Seems like you have a type.”
Jordan blinked, startled. She stared at him. What exactly does he know? How deep did the investigation go?
- Writer
