Molly glanced again at the back of her hand as she passed the Lakewood gas station. She had gas in her tank because of Rick, and it was by fuel pump number five she was grateful to have run into him again. Sure, being rescued from the side of the road was nice and so was having someone help pay for gas in the car, but the spark in his eyes as he told her she didn’t need to pay had her attention. She needed to look at those dark eyes again.
But why should she get caught up in physical reactions over a man she would leave behind in a few days? He wasn’t the only man in the world. There must be others who could catch her off guard with a gentle touch. She shouldn’t have to head off into the wilds to find a man, right?
Another few blocks into Lakewood, she found a row of shops and parked. She had arrived a little later than she expected, but there was still plenty of time to explore. The reason she had traveled there in the first place was no longer valid. The whole point was to avoid Rick, who she ran into anyway while waiting along the side of the road. Maybe this was one of those meant-to-be things?
Without looking at the sign, she stepped into the first shop. Kayaks hung from the ceiling, and shoes and hats lined the walls, along with an assortment of backpacks and ropes. Clothing hung from racks near the front of the store with camping supplies placed in the back half. Since she was camping, it was a good store to wander into.
“Let me know if you need anything.” The clerk was a man in his mid-thirties who dressed like he should live closer to the ocean in his baggy tank-top, long shorts, and flip-flops. While he had greeted her, Molly could sense the clerk didn’t expect to make a sale.
She browsed the clothing racks, looking at the many shirts resembling the ensemble she already wore. She needed something different. Something cute and not plaid. While not a shirt, she found a jacket with ties to cinch the waist. She also found a couple of T-shirts from the discount rack, which were much better suited to her figure.
Not wanting to buy more than she should, Molly walked to the counter to pay. The clerk rose from his chair and smiled.
“You found something?” He should have tried to hide his surprise.
“I did.” She stared at a large map covering the wall behind the counter. It was an enlarged map of the area surrounding Lakewood with a large star marking the Lakewood town site.
“Why was the town called Lakewood?” Molly asked. “I don’t see any lakes on the map.”
“There used to be a lake. About a hundred years ago, a rockslide blocked off the river that flowed into it. Now all that’s left is the dry lake bed and the debris it left behind. Folks love to visit it and take pictures.”
“The place sounds fascinating. I should make a point of seeing it.”
“It is a sight, that’s for sure. But you’ll never make it in your little car.” He gestured to her car parked outside and slid her items into a plastic bag. “You’ll need a truck. The road is sketchy sometimes and a little car wouldn’t make it through some of the rough patches.”
“Oh.” Molly lowered her head. For a moment, she had something else to look forward to. A trip to an old, dry lake would have been a great opportunity.
“If you don’t have a vehicle to get you up there, you have a couple of options,” the clerk added. “There are tours out of Lemon Eagle Resort, but they are rather pricey. There is another gentleman who books tours out of Lemon Grove Campground.”
“That’s where I’m staying.”
“He’s your best bet then.” He pulled a brochure from a rack on the counter and slipped it into her bag. “I’d ask at the campground if anyone else has already booked a tour. You might luck out and join one that’s already happening.”
“I will ask.”
After browsing through a few more shops, Molly hopped into her car to head back to Lemon Grove, stopping at the office to check if someone had already booked a tour. She was in luck, the tour guide had scheduled an older couple to go to the lake bed the following day, and the host added her name to the tour list. Molly skipped back to her car and waited out the afternoon. Tomorrow, she would explore a new area and she would bring along her camera.
* * *
Rick pulled up to the office and checked the list of guests. Three people had signed up to see the old Lakewood Lake site. When he first started offering the tours, he only received one booking per month, but lately it had grown to twice per week. It was word of mouth that was bringing in the business. That, and offering a cheaper rate than Lemon Eagle Resort. Perhaps one day his side hustle would bring in enough money to allow him to quit working for his father and do something he enjoyed.
He looked at Hudson with his head sticking out of the passenger window, smiling and panting. Knowing they were going to be visiting the lake, Rick had kept Hudson from his morning adventure, afraid he’d be too tired to do both. At first, the change in routine seemed difficult on the pup, but Hudson came to understand a missed stroll through the forest alone meant a fresh adventure was coming.
Sometimes Hudson seemed too tired, and Rick would leave him behind. Today, Hudson needed to be there, especially after the host gave him the name of the third guest. He didn’t always add another person to a tour after someone else already booked, but he recognized the name. This gave him the chance to see her again.
He had to catch his breath when he spotted her walking toward the office. She wore a fitted green jacket and jeans, but this time he noticed her brown hiking boots with just enough mud on the edges to tell she had worn them outdoors at least once.
“Good morning.” He tried not to sound too eager.
“Good morning,” she replied with a warm smile. Hudson stuck his head out of the passenger window and Molly’s eyes lit up. “Hudson.” She greeted him with a scratch to the head. “I was wondering where you were.”
“I kept him home today.” Rick walked down the stone steps and stood beside Molly to give Hudson a scratch under the chin. Hudson closed his eyes, taking in attention from them both. “So, you’re going on the lake tour?”
Molly paused her scratching of Hudson’s head mid-stroke. “How did you—”
“Meet your guide,” Rick said, taking a bow.
“No. Really?” Hudson surprised her with a quick kiss to the cheek. Rick never wanted to be a dog more than right then.
Interrupting the moment, the other couple approached. They were in their sixties, dressed in shorts and light spring jackets. Between them walked a little white terrier.
“Are you the one doing the tour?” the man asked.
“I am. I see you brought a dog along.” Rick stared at the little frizzy haired pup that sniffed at his feet.
“We hoped it wouldn’t be a problem, since you had a picture of your dog on the brochure.”
“You’re on the brochure?” Molly asked.
Rick laughed. “Yes, Hudson and I are on the brochure. You must have seen it if you called for a tour.” At least, he hoped it was the case.
Molly shook her head and laughed. “If I had known, I… The clerk at the store in Lakewood recommended you and said I should ask the host at the campground about a tour. I never even looked at the brochure. It’s still inside the bag.”
“How long is the tour?” the woman asked.
“Let’s see, it is ten thirty now. It will be forty-five minutes to get up there and another forty-five to get back. We’ll have lunch and it depends on how far we walk. There is an easy loop trail we can take, if you’re interested.”
“I’m not sure if my knees will take a hike,” the woman confessed.
“There are a few small hills, but most of it is flat. We can always turn around if it is too much. We’ll do whatever you are most comfortable with and I’ll let you stay for as long as you want.” Rick reached through the open passenger window and grabbed a clipboard from the dashboard. “Before we get going, I will need you to fill out a waiver. I promise I’ll take good care of you while we’re up there, but I still need you to sign.”
“Not a problem,
” the man said.
He didn’t enjoy requesting his guests sign a waiver, but it was for his protection. Even though he didn’t like it, he had grown to appreciate the waiver and the warnings it provided. He had, at one point, concluded that some relationships should come with waivers. A relationship waiver would warn the couple of potential issues and either could decide if the risk was too great to proceed.
“Do you need me to sign?” Molly asked.
Rick blinked and took the clipboard from the couple and stared at Molly.
“Sign what?” he asked.
“The waiver.” Molly held out her hand.
“Oh. Yes, please.”
He watched her complete the form, which included her contact information. Now he had her number… unless she had given him a fake one.
Rick opened the back door to the truck cab and stood to the side as the couple stepped forward.
“I don’t know if I can climb in there,” the woman said, placing one foot on the truck’s running board. “It’s too high.”
Rick lifted a step stool out of the bed of the truck and placed it in front of the woman. “Let’s see if this helps.”
He held out his hand as the woman gripped the panic handle and climbed into the rear seat. Likewise, he helped the man up the steps into the cab and lifted their little terrier into their waiting laps.
Molly slid into the front passenger seat next to Hudson, who glanced back at the wiggling terrier.
“Are we ready to go?” he asked from the driver's seat.
“We are,” said the couple.
Hudson whined and stuck his nose in Molly's ear as she pulled on her seatbelt.
“Yes, I'm going with you.”
He had never seen Hudson react like this toward anyone before. While the dog was always on the lookout for a sucker to give him a treat, it was unlike him to show interest in someone, even after repeated exposure to them. He had his favorite people and kept his list limited. Hudson had become attached to Molly, and it warmed Rick’s heart, especially when it seemed that affection was being returned in the form of attention.
“Come on, Hudson,” Rick said. “Give her some space.”
“You have a beautiful dog,” the man said. “How old is he?”
“Twelve. And he thinks he is still a puppy.”
“We’re all young at heart,” his wife said with a smile.
Rick pulled out onto the highway and looked up at the sky. “It looks like the weather is going to be decent for us. We’re in the mountains so things can change. If we’re lucky, it will hold off any rain until we’re done.”
“That would be good,” Molly said. “I'm looking forward to this.”
Rick’s lips split into a smile as he tried to maintain his composure. It didn’t matter if she was referring to the tour. She was looking forward to three hours with him… or longer, if he could drag it out with a few other scenic stops along the way. Molly was expecting a tour of the lake and she would get all the time with him she needed and he wanted.
Chapter Twelve
Molly enjoyed the drive up the mountain with its winding roads and steep drops. The couple in the backseat cried out many times and broke into laughter after Rick navigated the truck around stumps and positioned it precariously along the shoulder while reassuring everyone along the way.
As the truck bounced over a rock, Molly reached out and grabbed Hudson’s collar, hopeful Rick would once again cover her hand with his. If he was shy about it, all he needed to do was take one hand off the steering wheel and offer comfort to Hudson, then find her hand already there. Molly left her hand on Hudson’s collar, disappointed the moment she had envisioned did not materialize quickly. She allowed her hand to drift from Hudson’s neck to a space on the cloth seat beside her. Rick should have seen her hand on Hudson and seized the opportunity, but he might be cautious about getting involved with a tourist. Maybe the kind gesture at the gas station was nothing more than him offering to pay for the fuel to make up for their earlier argument? And perhaps she read more signals into something than were really there.
And now Molly felt like a fool after dangling her hand, bait to a disinterested fish. To make matters worse, she was sitting close to him in a truck with a happy couple in the backseat, but longed for the happiness they appeared to share.
She stared out the window at the trees and steep embankment below. Her previous relationships mimicked this back-country road. She had always navigated close to the edge of disaster and encountered many obstacles and rough patches along the way. While Molly enjoyed the adventure of relationships, she didn’t like the danger. She needed to find something less risky with someone who she would be with long-term. It was time to stop settling for the dangerous roads and choose a safe, paved highway… or residential street. Whatever that equivalent would be for safe relationships.
“We're here,” Rick said.
Hudson whined as Rick parked the truck beside a clearing surrounded by tall, thin coniferous trees.
“Where is the lake?” the man asked, pulling his camera out of a bag.
“Behind the row of trees. The clouds are moving in, so we will need to keep an eye out. Should we eat first?”
They agreed to eat their lunches before they set out on their loop around the lake. Rick had purchased sandwiches, potato chips and cans of soft drinks from the café, which were as delicious as Molly expected they would be when she heard Patsy made them.
With the lunch cooler locked inside the cab of the truck, they set out toward the old lake. A narrow unmarked trail led them from the clearing to where trees were further spaced apart, giving them a view of the large dirt field where the lake once existed. The void extended to a line of trees in the distant north, east, and around a bend to the west. Logs and tree stumps lay scattered along the ground, while grass and saplings had begun the long process of reclaiming the land.
“My goodness,” the wife said, holding her terrier’s leash.
The husband fiddled with his camera, taking his time to get the right shot.
Molly took a step forward from behind the couple to take in the view. She was glad she had seen the map and asked the clerk about Lakewood’s history. She might have missed out on this otherwise. While it was terrible to think that in an instant a rockslide had taken away the lake’s water source, so much beauty emerged from the destruction. Molly raised her camera and snapped a photo.
* * *
Rick stood back. From his vantage point, he had the perfect view of Molly standing next to Hudson as she looked out at the dry lake bed. She was something else in her green jacket. The belt ties showed off her waist, which would be perfect to wrap his arm around. She had tied her hair back and loose strands hung beside her ears.
His heartbeat accelerated, watching her reach down to scratch the top of Hudson’s head. He liked her… and maybe Hudson did, too. Spending more time with her, it appeared her interest in the outdoors was genuine. Molly may have arrived in crisp and new clothing, but it meant she had limited opportunity to be outdoors. All it would take was for her to spend a few more days camping and her clothes would be broken in and it would look like she belonged out here. As she stooped to feel the texture of some freshly sprouted herbs, he noticed she didn’t mind getting her hands dirty, which was refreshing. Most girls visiting from the city concerned themselves with the possibility of ruining their manicured nails, but Molly seemed to understand dirt under one’s fingernails was part of the adventure.
Rick had seen her rest her hand on the back of Hudson’s neck throughout their drive, and during his many glances he saw no sign of a ring on her finger. A missing ring didn’t mean there wasn’t someone already in the picture. No ring possibly meant someone hadn’t asked her yet, or she didn’t want to get a diamond covered in mud and left it tucked away at home. He made a mental note to inquire on the subject.
The husband put his camera away and Rick called Hudson to his side so they could continue as a group down the narrow dirt tr
ail. Letting the couple set the pace, it was a slow walk. It suited Rick just fine as he walked next to Molly with their hands nearly brushing against each other. He lifted his pinky finger, bridging the gap between them. Then, he felt it. Not just the touch of her skin, but the electrifying sensation he felt when he covered her hands in the truck the day before. The urge to grab her hand returned, and he stepped away, calling Hudson over to walk between them.
“He was enjoying smelling the plants,” Molly said.
If only he could explain he hadn’t called the dog because he didn’t want him near the plants. Walking beside her made him want to pull her close. It was too soon, not only because they had recently met, but he wasn’t ready to try again. Relationships took sacrifice, and he had sacrificed too much with Valerie. The next woman he let into his life needed to be different. Someone he could trust.
“Tell me about Hudson.” Molly looked up at him. Her eyes filled with curiosity.
Hudson turned in acknowledgment of his name and returned to sniffing the ground between them, following the couple’s scent ahead.
“I got him trained from his previous owner. They did a lot of outdoor activities together, so Hudson loves being outside. Being kept inside is like a punishment to him. I think the old man tried to wear him out by keeping him busy, but there is no stopping Hudson. He needs his time outdoors.”
“He has quite the personality.”
“He does.” Enough about Hudson. If he was going to find out more about Molly, now was his chance. “How about yourself? What do you do in the city?”
Molly chuckled and glanced out at the old lake. “I work with my best friend. We own a coffee shop together.”
Her best friend? A best friend who was just a friend or a best friend who she had a history with? He needed to learn more. “A coffee shop. It would make sense why I ran into you at Patsy’s.”
Mountain Getaway Page 10