by Kate James
She wondered repeatedly if she’d come across the animal on her own, in the condition he’d been in, and if she’d had the means to end his pain and suffering, could she have done it?
Then the anger would take over. Anger at the hunter who might not have taken the kill shot, but was most definitely responsible for the elk’s death.
She’d had enough of the hunters. This time, she’d report it to the sheriff, too, for trespassing, but it was time for her to send a message to the hunters, too.
It was with determination on her mind that Emma finally fell asleep.
The next morning, she drove into town shortly after Chadwick’s opened for business. Chadwick’s might have been a grocer, but they sold other supplies, as well.
Emma went directly to the hardware section and found what she was looking for. She grabbed a dozen large, stiff-backed black-and-yellow No Hunting signs. For good measure, she picked up five Private Property, No Trespassing signs, too. She didn’t know how much of a deterrent posting signs would be, but she had to do something. Make a point; send a message. Returning to her cottage, she parked her SUV at the foot of the driveway. She’d loaded what she’d thought she’d need in the back before she’d left that morning. She grabbed one of the No Trespassing signs, slung her tool belt over her shoulder and carried the stepladder about twenty yards down the road. She set the ladder up next to a large oak and took the hammer and nails out of her belt. Balancing on the top step of the ladder, she held the sign in place and secured it with nails.
She was in the process of affixing another sign, when she heard a vehicle approaching. She’d just started to hammer in a nail when an ATV roared by her. The sudden, angry blare of a horn caused her to lose her footing. She tumbled to the ground, barely missing hitting her head on a rock.
When she heard the sound of a vehicle approaching again, she tried to stay out of sight. She had no idea who the men on the ATV were, but she wasn’t taking any chances. With a modicum of relief, she noted that it was Josh’s Yukon rather than another ATV. She rose and waved to him.
The Yukon screeched to a halt in a cloud of dust, and Josh was out of the vehicle and racing toward her. “What happened?”
“I fell. I was...” She paused, still more shaken that she wanted to admit.
He rubbed her chin with his thumb and showed her the blood on it.
“You cut yourself.”
Emma wiped her chin with her own hand. She thought about how close she’d come to hitting her head and the small smear of blood on her palm was nothing. She must have scraped herself on a branch as she’d twisted away from the rock. “It’s just a scratch. I fell off the ladder,” she said, pointing toward the oak.
There were deep lines etched in Josh’s brow. “Let’s get you to the cottage.” He glanced at the rock. “We should take you to the hospital. Make sure you don’t have a concussion.”
“I didn’t hit my head. I’ll be okay,” Emma murmured, even as she wobbled a bit on rubbery legs as she tried to step out of the deep grass.
“Did you lose your footing?” Josh asked, as he helped her to his Yukon.
“No. Well, not of my own doing.”
When he leveled a questioning look at her, she continued.
“I was posting signs,” Emma said, and swept a hand toward the No Hunting sign she’d been securing to the tree. “An ATV went barreling by. As it passed me, it honked, loud and long.”
Josh yanked open the passenger door with more force than was necessary. She started to climb in but she remembered her tools. “Um, would you mind getting my tool belt and the ladder? They’re by the tree?”
“No problem.” He helped her get in, then marched off to get her things. She had no idea what she’d done to anger him, but she decided to tread carefully.
After loading everything in the back of his truck, he climbed in and drove to her gate. She’d forgotten she’d left her SUV there. The occurrence must have shaken her more than she’d realized.
“I’ll drive you to the cottage and come back for your vehicle,” he stated.
“I’m okay to drive. It’s only a half a mile and it’s not as if I’m going to encounter traffic,” she added, trying to ease the tension.
She was relieved to see that she’d teased a smile out of him. “You’re sure you’re okay to drive?”
“Yes.”
She got out of the Yukon and climbed behind the wheel of her own vehicle and headed up the drive with Josh following her. Max and Theo greeted them excitedly as they entered the cottage.
When Emma moved in the direction of the kitchen to brew a pot of tea, Josh nudged her toward the great room. “Go sit down. I’ll get it.”
Emma was about to argue but thought better of it. She didn’t feel quite steady yet, and was happy to settle on the sofa. She rested her head against the cushion and closed her eyes. It was just a fall and she was okay, but she didn’t like the aggressiveness of the men on the ATV. She’d sensed rage. Hunters no doubt, reacting to her stance on hunting, as evidenced by the large sign she was posting.
She opened her eyes when she heard Josh enter the room.
“Sure you’re all right?” he asked as he handed her the mug of tea. He held a damp cloth in his other hand, dabbed at her chin and took a closer look at her cut. “Do you have a first-aid kit?”
“Yeah,” she replied and told him where he could find it.
He put disinfectant on the cut and a bandage over it. “It’s not bad. Keep the bandage on it for today so it stays clean. I doubt it’ll leave a scar.”
“Thanks, Doctor,” she said with a small smile. “I’m glad you’re not angry with me anymore.”
He gave her a baffled expression. “What made you think I was angry?”
His statement puzzled her. “You looked it. Sorry, I thought...”
Josh sat in the armchair next to her. “I was concerned about you. I was angry with whoever caused you to fall, but I certainly wasn’t angry with you.” Now he smiled, too. “And you just apologized again, without a need to do so.”
She picked up her mug and sipped her tea. “What were you doing on Otter Creek Road?” she asked.
“I’ve tried calling to see how you were...after yesterday. There was no answer last night or today, so I thought you might’ve been outside. I wanted to make sure you were okay, so I decided to stop by.”
Embarrassment crept up her cheeks. “I’m sorry about how I fell apart yesterday. When animals are involved like that...” She raised her hands, waved them around before letting them drop again. “I have a difficult time being rational.”
He gave her a slight nod that she took as acceptance. “So you decided to put up signs?”
“I’ve reported the incident to the state authorities and, because of the trespassing, to the sheriff’s office. He agreed with me posting signs. I don’t know how much good the signs will do, but I wanted to make it clear that it was private property. I didn’t expect that quick of an adverse reaction, though.” She gave him a weak smile.
“Did you get a look at the ATV or who was on it?”
“It happened very fast. I just saw the back of the vehicle and it was in a cloud of dust.”
He shook his head. “I wish I’d gotten here sooner.” He leaned in and reached for her hand. “Finish your tea, and if you’re feeling up to it, I’ll help you put up the rest of the signs.”
* * *
EMMA ACCEPTED ANOTHER assignment from Pinnacle Communications. This one had a tight deadline, so she spent most of her time working on it. Despite her preoccupation with the assignment, she found herself thinking of Josh frequently. When she did, invariably a warmth would spread through her, and she’d find herself grinning.
She and Josh spoke almost every day. Emma’s feelings for Josh were getting progressively stronger, and she was
n’t sure if she was ready to do anything about it. She completed the assignment midmorning. Rereading her work, even as her own worst critic, she had to admit it was quite good. With a sense of satisfaction, she clicked Send.
She lit a fire in the great room hearth and another in the kitchen’s wood-burning stove to take the chill out of the air. As she gazed out the window at her lake, she thought about Josh. It astounded her how much she felt for him and so soon, but she couldn’t say she was sorry. She was so deep in thought, she jumped when the telephone rang.
Rubbing at the knot forming at the back of her neck, she glanced over at the call display. She didn’t recognize the number, and the name showed as private.
Hesitantly, she picked up the receiver.
“Emma, how are you?” the woman on the line greeted her. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but Emma couldn’t place it.
“Fine, thank you. Who am I speaking with?”
“Emma, really! It’s Arlene. Arlene Greenberg!”
Now it clicked. Arlene was the CEO of Elite Consulting, a competitor to Tyson, Myers and Smith—an aggressive competitor, in fact. Emma knew Arlene from various industry functions, but the out-of-the-blue call surprised her.
“I’ve heard you’ve left Tyson, Myers and Smith—their loss, by the way—and that you’ve been taking on freelance assignments,” Arlene said, quickly getting to the point.
“Correct on both counts.”
“Would you consider doing freelance work for us? We don’t mind sharing you, at first. Ultimately, I’d like the arrangement to be exclusive. I’m selfish that way,” Arlene said with a laugh, and she went on to outline the details for Emma.
When Emma hung up the phone, she looked over at the two dogs sprawled out on the floor. “How about that, boys?” she murmured.
The more Emma thought about Arlene’s offer, the more she wanted to discuss it with Josh.
When had she begun to rely on him so much? she wondered. Only now, when she wished she’d have someone close to her to talk about the offer, did she begin to realize the degree to which Richard had isolated her from her friends. Her circle of “friends” had been mostly the couples she and Richard knew and a few of her associates from work. Arlene’s offer was definitely not something she would be prepared to discuss with her former colleagues, even if she was still in regular contact with them.
When she picked up the phone to call Josh, she found there was a message waiting. Hoping Josh had called while she’d been on the phone with Arlene, she retrieved the voice mail.
“It’s Daniel Leighton from the Advocate. Emma, I’m sorry to bother you again. I imagine I’m the last person you want to hear from...”
You got that right, she thought to herself.
“But I need to speak with you. I’ll meet you at your convenience, anywhere you like.”
He left his cell phone number and, after a brief pause, added, “I wouldn’t be bothering you if it wasn’t important.”
She replayed the message. This time she jotted down the phone number, although she wasn’t certain she’d call. Her happy, buoyant mood gone, she stared out the window again at the fading fall colors.
Sensing her change in disposition, Max rose and walked over to her, resting his big head on her lap with a sigh. She stroked him as much to give comfort as to take it, yet the tension persisted.
“Let’s go outside and burn off some energy,” she suggested to the dogs. Tails wagging and tongues lolling, they followed her out of the cottage. She strolled toward a large outcropping of rock in the clearing and sat. Drawing her legs up against her, she rested her chin on her knees.
She concentrated on thoughts of Josh again and what was blossoming between them, and it lifted her spirits. She wondered if she could simply ignore the phone call—pretend it hadn’t happened. Keep her focus on the positives in her life.
But Daniel had said it was important. She trusted that he wouldn’t have said that lightly. It would probably mean that he’d keep trying until she spoke with him. Why, when she was just getting her life in order, did her past have to intrude again?
When they were back inside, she called Josh. There was no answer at the clinic and his cell phone went to voice mail, too. Sherri must have left for the day, and Josh was probably with his last patient, she concluded. If she hurried, she might catch him as he was finishing up.
Her hopes of seeing him alone were dashed when she pulled up in front of the clinic and saw a little blue convertible in the parking lot. She felt a mild sense of disappointment but was undeterred.
The sign on the clinic door was already flipped to Closed, but the door was unlocked, and the room was empty. She peered into the examination room. It was deserted, too. The sound of a playful bark had her looking out the window to the backyard.
Josh was strolling toward the clinic but he wasn’t alone. Winston and a tall, slim, dark-haired woman were with him. With just a quick glance, Emma could see the woman was spectacular-looking, with flawless features and thick hair tumbling in rich waves well past her shoulders. She was dressed in loose-fitting jeans and an oversize sweatshirt. There was something familiar about her, but Emma couldn’t recall seeing her around Sanctuary Cove.
She wondered if the woman was Josh’s ex-girlfriend, Crystal, but quickly dismissed the idea. Based on what she knew, she doubted Josh would be walking along companionably with her.
Just for a moment, the image of Richard with his arm around a woman not dissimilar to the one with Josh—that night so soon after he’d walked out on her—flashed through her mind.
She sucked in a huge breath.
She trusted Josh, and she wasn’t going to jump to conclusions about who the woman was.
Josh said something, and the woman laughed. There was an easy closeness between the two of them. Before Emma could speculate further, they entered the clinic through the back door. Winston raced over to Emma, doing a full-body wag, and she obliged by bending down and scratching him behind his ears.
“Emma!” Josh’s evident pleasure at seeing her dispelled any feelings of doubt. “I’m glad you’re here.” He placed a light kiss on her mouth. “I’d like you to meet Angie. You remember me mentioning my sister, the doctor?”
Emma nodded.
“Angie, this is Emma. The woman I was telling you about.”
Angie grinned disarmingly and extended a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She spared a glance for her brother. “Josh has told me a great deal about you.”
Emma now understood why she’d seemed familiar. It was the family resemblance. The hair, the eyes, the build and that captivating smile.
“I had a couple days off work and needed to recharge, so I decided to visit my big brother,” Angie explained and patted Josh’s cheek as they left the clinic and walked toward his house.
“She’s interning at Westchester Medical Center,” Josh stated with obvious pride.
“That can’t be easy,” Emma observed.
“The pace at the hospital’s grueling, but I know my limit. When I’m nearing it, I try to take some time off. My favorite place to hide away is Sanctuary Cove. So I impose on Josh whenever I can.”
“What brought you here?” Josh asked Emma. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Oh... I wanted to discuss something with you.”
“Come join us,” Josh responded. “And tell us what’s on your mind.”
Her glance at Angie must have shown her hesitation.
“I can make myself scarce, if you’d like,” Angie offered.
“Oh, please don’t leave on my account,” Emma objected.
Josh took matters into his own hands, by guiding Emma into the kitchen and preparing coffee. “So, what’s up?” he asked Emma when he sat down with them.
She could share the news about Arlene, Emma decid
ed, but not about Daniel.
“I had a call this afternoon, completely unexpected, from the owner of a company that’s one of my former employer’s biggest competitors.” To Angie, she said, “It’s a communications and media relations firm. Anyway, Arlene Greenberg, the owner of Elite Consulting called me...” She let out a nervous laugh. “She wants me to do freelance work for her firm.”
Josh was in the process of refreshing their coffees, but he lowered the pot. “That’s great,” he said enthusiastically.
“Oh, well, I haven’t decided yet, if I should accept.” She felt the heat rise to her face. “It’s just nice to be asked.”
Angie gave Emma a bright smile. “Whatever you decide, congratulations for being in demand.”
After Emma briefly outlined her discussion with Arlene, they spoke about other matters.
“I’m pleased I decided to visit,” Angie said when they reached a lull in the conversation. “As always, it’s great to see Josh, but as an unexpected bonus, I got a chance to meet you, Emma!”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Emma responded. Checking her watch, she stood up. “I’d better get going.”
Josh rose, too, and walked her out.
Once outside, he ran his palms along Emma’s arms and took her hands into his. “Congratulations, again. That’s great news about the offer.”
“Um, there was something else I wanted to discuss with you.”
“Would you like to do it over dinner? Get the dogs and bring them over?”
“No, Josh. This I’d like to discuss in private with you.”
His eyes turned serious and he nodded. “Let me spend a little time with Angie and I’ll come over to your place.” Emma was about to protest, but he continued. “Give me an hour and a half. Angie will be fine on her own. She’s here to rest anyway.”
* * *
WHEN JOSH REENTERED the kitchen, he immediately noted the thoughtful look on his sister’s face. Sitting back down, he topped up their mugs with coffee once more. “So, what do you think of Emma?” he asked in view of Angie’s protracted silence.