Page 4 of Forever Flustered

Maureen was currently sweating buckets and refused to raise either arm further than two inches so she could keep the twin circles hidden under her pits. It might be February, but it was the warmest dang February on record apparently – sheesh.

There was no accounting for the weather here – one moment it would be bone-chilling cold and frosty… and the next a balmy sixty degrees out with sunshine. It was much the same thing in the summertime here in Texas. It was either a blistering hundred-and-four degrees outside… or a delightful eighty degrees that was just enough to remind you the weather could be nice here… on occasion, of course.

“Hey…”

Maureen looked over her shoulder to see a pair of guys standing there, grinning at her. They looked like they shared a few chromosomes – or brain cells – as they stood there, one arm looped over the other’s shoulder, giving her this knowing look. Biting her tongue, she smiled politely and kept her thoughts to herself.

Oh, Missing link?

I found you…

You’ve been located in Yonder, Texas – sheesh…

“Can I help you?” Maureen asked carefully, bracing herself for whatever man-childish comment was about to come flying in her direction. These two goobers reminded her of the guys from the movie ‘Weird Science’ – and she was certainly not Kelly LeBrock by any means, but they were looking at her in that same fashion.

“We can help you…”

Oh, please don’t, she thought in disgust; focus on growing up a little bit first!

“I’m perfectly fine.”

“I bet you’re looking for someone,” one guy chuckled. “I’m Inferno and…”

“I’m not looking for you,” she smiled sweetly, shutting him down before looking at the other man beside him who was grinning even harder. “Nor you either – and I don’t care what either of your play-names are. I’m busy.”

Both men started laughing almost giddily, slapping each other on the back like they’d learned some elusive secret that would unlock all the mysteries of the world. She leveled them a flat, no-nonsense look and crossed her arms as she realized they were blocking her way toward the chairs where the wedding guests would be seated. If she couldn’t find Harley, then she’d find her seat and wait it out.

“So who was it that suckered you in? – Glory, Abby, or Harley?” the other man asked, chuckling in delight as he held out a hand toward her. “I’m Firefly…”

Maureen rolled her eyes and huffed in frustration. “Inferno? Firefly? What is it with you two? Did you just pick something and decide it’s how you want to be addressed now? Guess what? – I’m ‘Not Interested’,” she retorted – which only caused the duo to look at each other pointedly before saying ‘Harley!’ in unison, causing them both to crack up laughing again.

“Glory goes for the bubbly ones, and Abby picks the smart ones…”

“Hey!” Maureen seized on that immediately, feeling insulted.

“But Harley picks the ones that will make things exciting for the rest of us…”

Maureen glared at them as they wiped their eyes, chortling and hugging on each other – especially as Firefly turned and patted another guy on the shoulder, drawing him into whatever one-sided conversation they were having about her.

“Bro – Harley snagged this one for the newbie, and she’s a feisty one, Caboose.”

“Oh yeah? Better or worse than Sidewinder or Salt?”

Maureen threw up her hands in dismay hearing the newest designations for these random people who picked weird names for themselves. She was surrounded by juvenile idiots who obviously beat a tambourine in a marching band drum line.

“Move out of my way,” she growled, stepping around them pointedly and having to push Inferno slightly to the side in order to pass him – it was just in time to hear the trio start chuckling again.

Walking past them, she felt a shiver down her spine and looked around immediately. It was such an uncanny feeling of recognition that she completely skipped taking her seat to practically flee for somewhere else, anywhere else, that felt less… threatening. It felt like some weird random sense of déja vu or like ten black cats had just crossed the path in front of her.

What was that?

Turning as the feeling grew more intense, she bumped directly into a wall of warmth and fabric dotted with ribbons and bars. Hands steadied her as she stepped back quickly, nearly losing her footing. Her eyes rose as that feeling, that hum of awareness, surged in intensity… and met a pair of gray eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she replied tersely and hesitated, still feeling waspish after that last interaction. “Let me guess – you’re the one they call Salt?” The man frowned, almost like her words had unsettled him, but remained silent, watching. It was like he was analyzing everything around him – including her, and it was almost as off-putting as those other guys. Everyone seemed to have a hidden agenda, and she was starting to feel like the butt of everyone’s jokes today.

“I’m Archangel.”