Touch of Lightning (Lightning Touch Book 1) - Excerpt: First 4 Chapters

Chapter 4: How Long Has This Been Going On?

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You seem distant lately. And then last night you acted like you were so disgusted with me."

Yeah, because I was. "Was that outburst really necessary?"

"That was not an outburst," he said, matter-of-factly. "I was trying to tell you the rules and regulations of the company you work for as you seemed to have forgotten."

I'd been referring to the outburst with the waitress. How could I have forgotten the outburst over the way I talk to Javolo too much?

The heat was creeping into my face. Sometimes, he could be so... so arrogant. I managed to keep my voice level. "I know the rules. You don't need to point them out. You were—"

"Don't make this about me."

"What? But it is about you. You didn't just lecture me in front of everyone; you insulted that poor waitress too. I was—"

"She deserved a dressing down. My meal was slightly cold."

I rolled my eyes at him and he scowled. "That's no reason to—"

"A Nav Operator is not permitted to become emotionally involved with her Digger as it can put lives at risk in an emergency situation. The Digger's job is dangerous and—"

"I know. You don't have to keep telling me."

"Don't interrupt me. It's rude."

"But you keep doing it to—"

"I am trying to get a point across to you and you're not listening."

"What?" I sat there staring at him with my mouth hanging open. My stomach churned as it tied itself in knots.

He leaned closer. "You never were a good listener."

And you don't listen at all...

I sighed again. "I know the rules. I've worked here long enough. I'm not 'involved' with my Digger. I'm not breaking any rules. You were being stupid and ridiculous." His eyes darkened. "You weren't listening to me and you were putting Javolo down by calling him a Neanderthal and—"

"Oh, it's always about him!" he scoffed. "You never shut up about him. Why do you even talk to him?"

I couldn't believe he'd said that. "It's part of my job, for a start!" I snapped. "If I don't talk to him, he could die down there on the planet!"

My chest felt tight and I seemed to only be able to take small breaths. I could feel the beginnings of a headache too.

"That is not what I meant," he snapped back. "I mean, why do you talk to him any more than you have to — like, about social things?"

I felt the heat flood through my body as I watched the anger building in his eyes. "Well, for one, it would get pretty boring if we didn't talk. Two, it's common courtesy. And three, he's my friend!"

I was getting worked up and I knew it, but I couldn't help it. I was fed up. Javolo didn't deserve his crap.

"Oh, I see." His narrowed eyes were cold steel. "It is all crystal clear now. You talk about him all the time." He counted it off on his fingers. "You talk to him too much while you should be working. You've been warned about talking to him too much and it hasn't stopped you. You and this... Javolo are getting it on together, eh? Eh? It all makes sense now..."

I felt my eyes go wide. "What?"

Where was this coming from? How could he even think that? It was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. Javolo may have been my friend, but we could never meet, so it was impossible for us to be 'getting it on together.'