Wild at Heart

by Rhonda Laurel

“Wait.” She followed him into the kitchen. “Give them a few six-packs too.”

  “You’re being very generous.”

  “I got to spend today with you.” She kissed him on the lips.

  Chance did his best to balance the pizza boxes and the six-packs of beer.

  “Hey, fellas.”

  “Chance.” Josh shook his head. “They kicked you out too?”

  “No. Shannon convinced the ladies it would be a true injustice if they left you out here to starve, so they’ve sent pizzas and beer as a peace offering.”

  The men grabbed the items like they’d been lost in the wilderness for days and began eating.

  “Finally.” Josh opened retrieved a slice from the box. “I’m tired of this foolishness. As soon as I inhale this slice, I want to go back inside.”

  “You misunderstand. You still can’t come in. Shannon convinced them you should be fed.”

  “Are you serious?” Brooks said.

  “Very. They said so in such colorful language that you wouldn’t believe would come out of the mouths of women who’ve competed in beauty pageants.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Josh said.

  “Fiona said you can kiss her yoga mat.” Chance cleaned it up.

  “OK. I believe she said that,” Zach replied.

  “Chance, buddy.” Brian put his hands on Chance’s shoulders. “Cheyenne and I were having a wonderful time last night. I’d like to keep the momentum going. I don’t want to spend the second day of my romantic weekend sleeping with a bunch of guys.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” he said with an exaggerated sigh. “These are strong-willed women.”

  The back door opened. It was Shannon.

  “Chance, come on. We’re going to play Twister after we finish the pizza.”

  “I found some more tequila!” Janie shouted over Shannon’s shoulder. “You can whip up some up some more of those Last Chance Saloon cocktails.”

  “Sorry, boys, I gotta go.” Chance smirked and sprinted toward the door.

  “You will put in a good word, right?” Brian called after him.

  “Absolutely. Right after this game of Twister. And the cocktails.”

  As Chance closed the door, he saw the guys standing there wolfing down pizza while giving him the evil eye. The ladies partied for a few more hours and still hadn’t decided to let them back in the lodge. By midnight, he was tuckered out.

  “Shannon. I’m going to bed.” He kissed her and got up to leave.

  “I’ll go with you.”

  “Stay. I’ll watch a movie.”

  He went upstairs, turned on the television and collapsed on the bed. It wasn’t long before his eyelids got heavy, so he closed them. He woke up three hours later, the television was off, and Shannon was cuddled next to him on the bed. Another night he’d intended to keep his distance. Another night he couldn’t possibly stay away.

  * * *

  Shannon couldn’t contain the smile on her face. It had been another fun day with her friends. The guys, who’d learned their lesson about turning this trip into a competition, had decided to join their girlfriends on a trail that was comfortable for all.

  It was nice to see Cheyenne finding happiness with Brian. She could definitely see them having a future together. Fiona and Zach had made up by the time they’d reached a quarter mile of the hiking trail. Janie and Josh reconciled when Janie jumped into his arms when she thought she saw a lizard. Shannon couldn’t help but feel sorry for Liv. Brooks had hardly shown her any attention this weekend. But he had no problem trying to grab Shannon’s attention. He’d tried to talk to Shannon this morning in the kitchen, but she walked away. She didn’t want to hear what Brooks had to say. And she didn’t want to give Chance a reason to confront him.

  Chance talked some more about his life as they hiked. This time he regaled her with tales about his nephews. He enjoyed being an uncle. She could tell by how animated he got when he talked about them. They adored him, and he was always thinking of projects they could do together. He also admitted that Texas was feeling like a second home to him. He was also clueless about what to give Tate for his birthday.

  “OK, everybody,” Chance called out. “We’re approaching Mountain Peak. Let’s take a fifteen-minute break. It’s getting late. We’ll go down the path along the river bed. It will lead us back to our starting point.”

  “Sounds good,” Shannon said. “Now about our other lingering problem… What are Tate’s hobbies?” She was determined to help him find the perfect gift. “Perhaps you could get him a collectible item.”

  “According to his last magazine interview, his only hobby is snuggling with his wife.” He laughed.

  “I read that too.” She smiled. “Maybe you could get him a gift the two of you could share. You know something you could do together.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know. Do you golf?”

  “No. Do you?”

  “I do occasionally. My mom likes to play. Actually, my mom likes the tuna melts at the country club. She’ll play a round of golf to pass the time.”

  “Country club, eh?”

  “The Blakes belong to it too. I know it sounds stuffy and snooty. Uncle John is always doing something to mix things up. Get the club members to come down off their high horses.”

  Chance laughed. “Sounds like something he’d say.”

  “I don’t think golfing is in my future. But I will keep thinking about a group activity Tate and I could do together.”

  “What are some of your hobbies?”

  “I like to hunt for old items and restore them.”

  “You like antiquing?”

  “The fancy word is antiquing. I’m a picker.”

  “Cool. Like hunting for old cars and signs?” She smiled. “American Pickers is one of my favorite shows.”

  “I wouldn’t have pegged you for someone who likes antiques.”

  “I like to haggle. It’s such a rush to negotiate things.”

  “I bet you always get what you want.”

  “Most times.” She smiled. “Why do you do it?”

  “You never know when you’ll find a diamond in the rough.” He winked at her. “There just may be hope for you yet. I’d love to see you go on a pick.”

  She laughed. “Careful, you might shatter my fancy girl image.”

  They reached Mountain Peak and everyone began to spread out. A few of the gang beelined for the restroom, while others went over to the railing to get a closer view of the river below.

  He motioned for Shannon’s canteen. “I’ll fill that for you.”

  “Thanks.” She watched as Chance walked toward the water fountain. She’d learned so much about him the past hour and she’d shared a little about herself too. She turned and looked out at the backdrop. It was breathtaking. It was also a perfect photo op for the girls. Liv had gone to the restroom and wouldn’t be in it. She whipped out her cell phone. “Ladies, let’s take a picture against that gorgeous blue sky backdrop.”

  “Great idea.” The ladies all huddled together.

  “Brooks,” Janie yelled out to him. “Come here and take our photo. I left my selfie stick in my car.”

  “OK.” Shannon reluctantly handed him her phone. “Just hit the button.”

  “I know how to use a cell phone, Shannon,” Brooks snapped.

  They did a few different poses, but she was more concerned with Brooks having her phone.

  “If we move back a little further and take a side angle shot, he might be able to get the river,” Janie said.

  “I don’t think so.” Shannon looked behind her. “I think we should stay away from the edge.”

  “Brooks is tall enough.” Cheyenne motioned for him to move. “Stand on that rock over there.”

  They got closer to the railing, which had seen better days and didn’t look very stable. It definitely didn’t look sturdy enough for them to sit on like Fiona suggested. They got as close as they could and he took the picture.
As soon as they were finished, she took the phone back.

  “Shannon,” Brooks said. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

  “What do you want?” She moved away from him and closer to the railing.

  “How long are you going to string Mountain Man along?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Come on.” Brooks folded his arms across his chest and moved closer to her.

  “You haven’t changed. It’s not about us breaking up. It’s about you not getting your way,” she seethed. “Grow up.”

  “Wait a second.” He put his hand on her arm.

  “No! Get away from me.” She wrenched away from him and backed into the railing. Her foot began to slide on the pebbles, so she grabbed onto the railing, which felt really loose. By the time she tried to get her footing, it was too late. She fell backward and over the cliff.

  * * *

  Chance was filling Shannon’s canteen when he heard someone call his name at a piercing, shrill pitch.

  “Chance! Hurry!”

  He dropped the canteen and ran in the direction of the gang, who were all huddled by the edge near the railing. He saw the railing had given way and they were trying to reach someone. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and his blood ran cold. He looked around. He didn’t see Shannon. He barged into the crowd and peaked over to see Shannon hanging onto a small tree branch.

  “What the hell happened?” Chance said as he pushed Brooks out of the way.

  “We were talking, and she backed into the broken railing.”

  Chance’s jaw ticked. He knew there had to be more to the story, but for right now he had something more important to do. He had to save Shannon.

  “Somebody go to the call box and get a park ranger here. Tell them it’s an emergency and there’s a hiker hanging three feet below on Mountain Peak, mile marker twenty-three.”

  “Got it!” Brian said as he sprinted away.

  “Shannon. Hang on.” He said as he removed the pack from his back. “I’m going to come down and get you.”

  “I don’t know how long I can hang on!” Shannon screamed.

  “Zach, see if you can find someone nearby with a backpack. They might have a rope.”

  “Chance! My hands are cramping!”

  “I’m coming.” Without anything to tether him, Chance shimmied down the cliff as much as he could and reached out for her. “Shannon, just reach out and grab my hand.”

  But it was too late. As soon as she put her hand out, the brittle tree root snapped, and she began to fall. Chance’s heart raced as he saw her getting farther away from him. He said a silent prayer for her to land as far away from the shoreline as she could but close enough that the strong river current wouldn’t carry her away. Then a moment later he saw her fall eighty feet, hit the water and heard the splash. It was like music to his ears until the current started moving her. He took a few steps back to give him some traction, then ran back toward the ledge and launched off the cliff and into the water.

  He recovered quickly, wiping the water from his eyes as he came to the surface and spotted Shannon several feet away from him. But they were closer to the shoreline, which was good.

  “Shannon! Reach out grab onto anything you can. I’m coming!”

  He kept close to the rocks and used it as a push off point as the current moved him. Soon he was gaining on her, and she was slowing down a bit as she grasped onto tree limbs and other floating river debris. She was holding on for dear life, trying to keep her head above the water. He pushed off again, giving him enough momentum to grab her with one hand and grab onto a medium sized tree that had fallen into the path of the river.

  “Can you hold on for a second?”

  She nodded yes.

  He gripped the limb and was able to pull himself up. He pushed down on it to make sure it was secure, then reached for her. Once they were able to stand, they carefully walked on the log until they reached land. Once there, they were both out of breath and drenched. He looked her over. She had a few scrapes, a deep cut on her forehead, and was shivering.

  “Are you OK?” He rubbed on her arms, then examined the cut. “Did you hit your head?”

  “I don’t think so.” She reached up and touched her temple. “I think I scraped it against one of the rocks or a tree branch while I was trying to slow myself down.”

  “You may need stitches for that cut on your forehead, not to mention a CT scan.”

  “You know, that was a pretty reckless thing you just did. Jumping in the river after me like that.”

  “Really?” he said, slightly annoyed. “I thought it was a pretty good idea since you’d just gone off a cliff and into the river. And another thing—”

  Chance didn’t get a chance to finish. Shannon threw her arms around him and gave him such a bear hug it warmed him inside. He rubbed her back and tucked her head under his chin. They stood that way for a few minutes until she was able to speak.

  “I thought I was a goner.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He pulled back and wiped the tears away. “Hey, you did great. You kept your head and didn’t panic. It would have been much harder to get to you if you were flailing around and fighting the current.”

  “I…” She sniffed. “I don’t know why these things keep happening to me. I’m a danger magnet.”

  “This happened to you before?” He searched her face.

  She shook her head. “Something else. Something much worse.”

  He held her tighter when he saw the fear in her eyes. Whatever had happened to her had scarred her deeply. “My heart damn near flatlined when I saw you fall into the river. I’d never let anything happen to you.”

  “How can you promise something like that?”

  “I just did. And I always keep my promises.”

  “Good to know.” She looked around. “I don’t suppose you know where we are.”

  “I think we’re no more than a couple of miles away from the meeting point.” He unbuttoned his shirt pocket and pulled out his cell phone. The water had ruined it. “This is done.”

  “I left my phone in my bag back on the overlook.” She bit her lip.

  “Good thing you left it. It would have been dead weight once the water got into it.” He looked around. “The gang has probably notified rescue services. They’re probably out looking for us now. We should try to get to a main road so we can be seen.”

  “I can’t.” She remained in place. “My ankle hurts.”

  “Let me take a look.” He had her sit on a log and untied her boot. She winced as he pulled it off and rolled down her sock. There was some bruising, but there were no bones protruding. “There’s some swelling and bruising, but I don’t see any bones sticking out. Which is a good thing. It may need an X-ray. We have to get you to a doctor.”

  “I guess we’re stuck here until they find us.” She rubbed her arms. “They will find us, right?”

  “I’m sure the gang has contacted the ranger’s office. They issue an immediate alert to search.” He looked into her eyes. “But I don’t want to wait. The quicker they find us, the faster you can get treated. I’ll give you a piggy back ride.”

  “You can’t carry me on your back for two miles or until someone finds us.”

  “Woman, I’ve carried packs heavier than you on expeditions. Let’s go.” He turned his back to her so she could climb on. Once she was positioned and had her arms wrapped around his neck, he stood and started up toward the path.

  “How do you know where to go?” she said.

  “I have extensive Mountain Man instincts.” He laughed. “You see the direction we’re heading in? See the several sets of footprints? The brush leading to it is cleared, and there’s a makeshift path. We’re following the most worn path. It’s also probably the path the rangers will take to look for us. Trust me. I’m an old pro at this.”

  “OK. I trust you.”

  “Besides, it’s what any real fake
boyfriend would do.”

  He felt Shannon relax against his back. He knew the protocol for search and rescue was being put in place, but he didn’t want to chance it staying by the river. They were wet, and Shannon was shivering. He forged ahead and followed the worn path. They still had plenty of daylight, but he wanted to get to help as soon as possible.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Shannon had never been so happy to see the gang in her life as when she arrived at the ranger’s station. Chance had been right. They followed the worn path for about an hour and a park services jeep eventually found them. They were given blankets and ushered into the vehicle. One look at her ankle and they agreed with Chance that they needed to get her medical attention post haste. When the ranger got on the radio and relayed her injuries to the base camp, she was pissed about the dramatic flair he used.

  She looked over at Chance, who was sitting next to her looking all sexy with his hair plastered to his head. The leap into the river had only increased his hotness, while she felt like a drowned rat. She’d tightened her top knot when they’d stopped to rest, hoping it was an improvement, but right now she felt like one of the fish she saw when she was fighting for her life in the river.

  The fall had been frightening, but what was also terrifying was the way Chance was able to soothe her with a few words and the look of concern in his eyes. His quick reflexes had saved her, and it was even more endearing that he was concerned about her. He knew just what to do and was ready to carry her for as long as needed so she could help sooner. He was an honorable man, and it was no surprise he’d memorized the trail maps that they’d viewed that morning.

  The group was assembled near a tent. Cheyenne saw them first and made a dash for the vehicle. As soon as they came to a stop, Chance hopped out and rounded the vehicle to open the door and gather her into his arms to take her to the waiting medical team.

  “She injured her ankle and has a nasty gash,” he said to the emergency worker as he placed her on the gurney. “She said she didn’t hit her head, but I can’t be sure.”

  “Shannon!” Cheyenne and Janie ran over to her, wedged between them and gave her a hug. “Are you OK?”