Fighting the Flames (Firefighter Romance #1)(68)

“I feel like I already know you,” he said. “Angela is always talking about her best friend Jacqueline.”

“Well, we've been friends for a long time.” Jacqueline returned his smile and then looked at a beaming Angela. “Thanks for inviting me to dinner.”

“Our pleasure. Come. The table is ready for us.”

Derek led them into the dining room of Antoine's French Restaurant. Jacqueline couldn't help but notice how heads turned to peek at Angela and her boyfriend. They were a good-looking couple, she thought. Jacqueline glanced at the simple green sundress she'd worn and sighed. She'd never outshine the radiant Angela.

As they sat down, she noticed more than one woman in the room checking out Derek.

Uh-oh. Angela's got to keep her eye on this one.

Derek seemed oblivious to the women, instead making sure that both of them sat before he took his own chair. A rush of lightheartedness and small talk consumed the next minutes, but Jacqueline’ gaze wandered about the restaurant.

Could the wizard who'd killed her husband be here? Would he come out to play? A shiver iced her spine, rushing a strange sensation over her skin. Shaking the feeling aside, she tried to focus on the conversation.

“Why don't we take Derek to Merlyn's Bar after this?” Angela suggested.

“Oh, I don't know. We had so much excitement there last night.” Jacqueline studied her menu. The last place she wanted was to go to Merlyn's Bar, where Toby would have a chance to figure out to the plan, and the rogue wizard probably wouldn't show if they went there. The more she thought about it, the more she knew he would not approve of her scheme to draw the murderer into the open. Jacqueline’s stomach ached; she wasn’t so sure she approved either.

“Excitement? What happened?” Derek smiled at Angela. “You didn't mention anything earlier.”

“That's because I was so swept off my feet by you this afternoon.” Angela blushed. “But someone was killed there last night. Jacqueline”—she motioned to her —”saw the whole thing.”

“Well, then I could see why she wouldn't want to go back. That would be a lot to take in.”

Jacqueline pressed her lips together in a thin line and wiped her sweaty palms on the napkin resting in her lap.

“Oh, yes… of course… I'm sorry, Jackie, I wasn't thinking.” Angela patted Jacqueline's arm. “You are feeling better, right? I just thought you might want to see…”

“Yeah. I had some trouble sleeping, but I'm okay. I think we should go somewhere else for after-dinner drinks, though.” Jacqueline ignored the comment about whom she might want to see.

Dinner went smoothly after that, but about halfway through, the hair on the back of her neck stood on edge, and an odd feeling someone watching her had begun. On alert, she scanned the restaurant every so often, but she found nothing.

“Looking for someone?” Derek asked and sipped his wine.

“No. I'm just a people watcher.” She flashed a small grin and lifted her glass.

“Me too,” he confided and patted her hand.

A spark of electricity flew between them and she forced her expression to remain emotionless. What had Toby said about sparks being a way to recognize another supernatural being?


Cautious, she observed Derek closer, scrutinizing every detail as her mind replayed all Toby had taught her about wizards. He tilted his head to the side, a curious expression on his face. Without further hesitation, Jacqueline put her free hand on top of his.

The spark happened again.

“Wow, that's some static electricity you have there,” Angela said, but Jacqueline stared at Derek.

“Silence.” Derek waved his hand in a broad circle, and all the sound in the restaurant lowered, as if someone had turned the volume down on a stereo. “Freeze.”

As Jacqueline watched in stunned silence, the world around them slowed. Waiters froze in mid-step, and the other patrons stilled like statues, some with forks halfway raised to their mouths.

“Angela,” Jacqueline whispered. Her friend sat silent and motionless, a slight puzzled expression frozen on her face.

“Don't worry, Jacqueline,” Derek said. “She's fine.”

“You're a wizard.” But was he the wizard?

“Very good.”

“You were in my kitchen this morning, pretending to be Toby.”

Derek grimaced. “Yes, though as much as I loved finally meeting you, being in the guise of that hack was not to my liking.”

“Why are you doing this? Are you the one trying to kill me?”

Squeezing her hand, he said, “Why would I do that? You are more useful alive. You just need a little guidance. The Brotherhood wants you dead. The Spark family has no desire to see that happen.”

“The Spark family? So Toby was right. He thought you were one of them.” Jacqueline tried to keep calm. Gabe promised no wizard would use magic in public. Her teeth gritted at another lie spouted from his mouth. She eyed the door, wondering if she could run for it. And just where the hell was Gabe? Wasn't he supposed to be watching for this?

“Toby Williams and I go way back,” Derek said and removed his hand. “Once upon a time he was involved with my sister, Gabriella. The Spark and Williams clans no longer mix, though. We had a… how can I put this? A parting of the ways.”