by Hope Malory
On the drive through the rugged summits from Reno to Truckee, she filled Casey in on her struggles with Beasley’s Gardens. The I-80 meandered and snaked its way through the mountains running parallel to the Truckee River past rocky terrain, scrub brush, and majestic pines. The stunted patches where old forest fires had cleared away growth made a stark contrast to the darker swathes of evergreen. Sunlight radiated off the snowcapped peaks of the Sierras. Cliffs rose out of valley floors. In the waning days of November, the views were still incredible.
Recalling her last visit when she had climbed El Cap at Yosemite, she smiled at the memory of her first encounter with Will. Until she got to know him better, she disliked him—no, despised him. Hard to believe now. What they went through together changed everything.
“Home sweet home.” Casey rolled Beasley’s bag to the guest room. “Settle in while I stoke the fire.”
A small flame still flickered from the one Casey had started earlier in the day. After putting more logs on, she moved into the kitchen and made hot chocolate.
With the ease of a professional server, she juggled a plate of brownies and two cups of cocoa topped with marshmallows.
“Thanks. Now, we sit and talk.”
“Beasley, I don’t know what to do. Everything is so complicated.”
“Tell me what happened, what he said, and what you said.”
After two hours, Casey wound down.
“It sounds like you both love each other. I never told you because you didn’t want to hear it, but I always thought you were perfect for each other and never should have divorced in the first place. You’ve both matured and changed since then.”
“One thing hasn’t changed; we always were compatible in bed.”
“At least one of us is having hot sex. Now that Dalton is out of my system, perhaps I can meet someone wonderful, except the pool of available men in Azalea Valley is tiny, and those few are teenagers or over forty.”
“Why don’t you try one of the dating sites? Knoxville is close. The supply is much larger there.”
“After my time with Will, I considered my future and realized how fantastic life could be with the right person. Before, I was content focusing all my energy on work, but now I want more. I want someone exceptional in my life. To find the ideal guy is the problem. Will is hard to measure up to, and even if we did live near each other, he is no longer a possibility. To say the least, I’m skeptical about the whole online thing, but I promise to think about it.”
Chapter 19
Before Beasley left, she had sent a text to Will to let him know she would be in Truckee. The call from him didn’t surprise her when her phone rang, and it was him.
“Let’s get together while you’re here. How does tomorrow sound?”
Even though friendship was all she could ever have with him, the possibility of seeing him again excited her. “Tomorrow is great.”
“Could you come to Tahoma? I have training in the afternoon.”
“Text me your address, and I’ll be there.”
Nine o’clock in Truckee translated to midnight in East Tennessee. She crawled into bed, drained from the trip, and slept through until the clock on the dresser showed seven-fifteen. Easing out of bed, she headed straight for the coffeepot. The steaming, dark liquid cleared the remnants of the sleep-induced fog still circulating in her brain.
She slid into the SUV Casey loaned her for the day, tuned into a radio station, and headed toward Tahoma. At the city limits sign, she asked Siri for directions to Will’s house and texted to inform him she was close by. The cabin, with its weathered gray siding, red door, and upper deck, sat on a small lot that backed up to a wooded area.
Responding to her knock, he opened the door and motioned for her to come in.
He hugged her as soon as she stepped inside. “Glad you came.”
“So am I.” She scanned the room and noticed everything in its place. Her brothers’ homes were never this organized. “What a wonderful cabin.”
“Thanks. Look around if you like.”
She roamed around. The rooms reflected his casual outdoor style, very masculine. Photographs scattered throughout included one of the two of them together at Yosemite. Another camper had taken it for them. Wonder what Madison thinks about him having a picture of me in his bedroom. Where is her photograph? Perhaps he put hers away and replaced it with the one of us while I’m here. But why would he do such a thing? How strange.
Upon her return to the kitchen, he smiled and handed her a cup of coffee. “Let’s sit, and you can update me on your life in Azalea Valley.”
“My life hasn’t gone as planned the past few months.” She shared with him about the decline in business. “My Navy SEAL dream guy took me out to dinner.”
Will cocked an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Expectations exceeded reality.” She revealed what happened.
“The man has no respect for women. You need someone who will treat you like the awesome lady you are.”
“Thank you.”
“We have time for a hike if you’re up for it.”
“Always.”
The hike took them on a twelve-mile loop through the mountains. Until that point, he still divulged nothing about Madison. Beasley thought if she referenced their friends, he might tell her. “Did you hear Casey and Cameron spent Thanksgiving together and are now seeing each other again?”
Will shook his head. “No. I haven’t spoken to either of them, but I’m happy for them. If you ask me, those two should never have divorced. I sense he still cares about her more than he’s willing to admit.”
“I said the same thing to Casey last night. They care a lot about each other.”
Will shared some of his experiences as a trainer at the fire department, and she described some excellent instruction she had received through her membership in the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association.
“TSRA is all about conservation, clean water, and protecting the environment. They also conduct paddle schools.” She repeated anecdotes from a seminar.
Will brightened. “Here’s an idea. A group of recruits are coming in this afternoon, and I’m scheduled to do an orientation on fire and wildland safety and rescue. Why don’t you come with me? The two of us can talk about wilderness safety, and you can tell a couple of the stories you told me. What do you say?”
“I’m game.”
~ ~ ~
Will introduced her. In the bio, he apprised the trainees of her latest climb on El Capitan, their search and rescue experience, her Wilderness EMT certification, her forestry degree, and her membership in the TSRA. “This young lady can hold her own with four older brothers, so don’t piss her off, guys.”
“The first time Will and I met, we were on the same SAR team. Can you believe he didn’t think I could keep up and instructed me not to break a nail?”
“Yeah. I was more than a little arrogant, and then she ended up rescuing me when I fell down a cliff.”
Will was an exceptional trainer. The duo tag-teamed throughout the training. She took over and repeated stories she had heard at TSRA.
“Not everyone understands the basics of survival, and that is when they encounter problems. A family on vacation went hiking in a national park they had never been to before. They were not hikers but went at someone’s recommendation. It was freezing in the mountains, and they didn’t wear the proper clothes or shoes and had no food or water with them. During the hike, they must have taken the wrong path and got lost. With no cell service, they couldn’t contact anyone. They had notified no one about where they were going. The five of them huddled together on the ground out in the elements with no protection. Overnight, the whole family died of exposure. No one noticed them missing until the next morning. Authorities found them late afternoon. Needless deaths all becau
se they were unprepared.”
Will showed them a video clip on safety procedures and turned it back to her.
“Tragedies happen even when you are well trained and carry all the proper gear. Our friend, Ranger Josh Walsh from Yosemite, described a fellow ranger who went fly-fishing in a remote area accessible only by hiking. The guy knew Yosemite better than almost anyone else who works in the park, and he understood the dangers of being alone in the woods. Following protocol, he reported his planned route to another ranger and said if he didn’t contact him by Sunday morning, to come looking for him. The ranger alerted Search and Rescue when he didn’t call. From the appearance of the surroundings, they figured he slipped and fell into the stream, causing him to be up to his neck in bitter-cold water. The hip waders filled with water, and the current carried him downstream. Search and Rescue located his pack first. When they opened it, they found dry clothes still in a bag, along with his knife and matches so he could have started a fire. A thermos of soup, still warm a day later, lay beside his gear. When they located him, frigid temperatures had partially frozen him. The assumption is he became confused from the hypothermia and didn’t realize what he was doing.” She shook her head. “The sad thing is, even as experienced as he was, he knew the importance of not going alone into remote places and did it anyway.”
After the training, Will said, “I think they were as surprised as I was that you’d packed all those experiences into just a few years. What an awesome job. The audience listened to every word you said.”
“Thanks. It was fun. Maybe I can organize some landscape training and bring in more money during our off season.”
“You’re a natural. How long are you staying?”
“Until Sunday morning.”
“Would you like to hang out tomorrow?”
“I’d like that.”
Will hugged her before she climbed into Casey’s SUV to leave. “Get some rest. I’ll call you in the morning.”
~ ~ ~
The jangle of the cell phone broke the stillness. Although she knew it must be Will, she checked the display. “Hello, Will.”
“Are you ready for an adventure?”
“Always.”
“I’m on my way.”
The exploit turned out to be hanging out and walking around Truckee. They had a late breakfast in town, visited with Casey at her work, went on a picnic before going on a short hike in the Donner Lake area, and sat on the bank by the lake and talked. It was a perfect day. Although Beasley thoroughly enjoyed her time with Will, her heart sank as she thought about the circumstances that kept them apart.
After Will escorted her back to Casey’s, he leaned over and kissed her. She stiffened and shoved him backward. “Not you, too!” Crap, he’s no better than Dalton, kissing me and dating Madison. She turned and bolted up the stairs into the cabin.
When she stomped in with fire in her eyes, Casey gave her a curious look. “What happened?”
“Will kissed me. Do all men do that? Why would a man who’s back with his girlfriend kiss me? I thought he was different.”
“I’m surprised. That doesn’t sound like him.”
The pain registered from pounding her fist on the top of the table. Her cell phone rang. “I don’t want to talk to him.”
Will called four more times, and she didn’t answer.
~ ~ ~
When she didn’t answer his calls, Will called Casey next and shouted the question, “What the hell is Beasley mad about?”
“What do you think? You kissed her.”
“So? Is kissing her a problem?”
“Wow. Don’t you know about women? Do you guys think because you aren’t wearing a wedding ring, you can do whatever you want? The girl has been through so much with my brother. Beasley cared a lot for you, Will, but don’t get involved with her when you’re back with your old flame.”
“Whoa, wait a minute. What are you talking about? I’m not dating Madison or anyone else.”
“But your sister told me you two were an item again.”
“Allie likes her and wants us together. The truth is, we went out a twice and found there was nothing between us, and we’ve both moved on.”
“Shit. Will, I’m so sorry. I’ll tell her.”
“No. I need to do this. I’m still in Truckee, but don’t tell her I’m coming.”
Now he understood why Beasley had been so distant. He assumed she was acting aloof because of Dalton and everything else going on in her life. She deserved happiness, and he wanted to be the one to make her happy. His new mission included making life easier for her and convincing her they could have a life together.
~ ~ ~
The doorbell rang. “Beasley, why don’t you get the door while I put the dishes in the dishwasher?”
At the sight of Will, Beasley’s posture became rigid. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.”
“There is nothing to say.” When she started to close the door, Will pushed it open and stepped inside.
Casey said, “Excuse me. I have some work upstairs.”
“No point in you leaving. Why don’t you chat with Will, and I’ll go upstairs?”
“Please listen to what he has to say.”
What could he say to make this okay? Sighing, she threw up her hands. “Go for it.”
“Contrary to what you believe, I’m not dating anyone. There is nothing between Madison and me. Look, my sister blabbed to Casey we are together, but she was wrong. We went out twice, which was a mistake, and we both knew it. She has a new boyfriend now, a lawyer in town, and I haven’t talked to her since.”
The tension drained from Beasley’s body. For a long moment, she stared, trying to process what he’d said. “Talk about a misunderstanding. All this time, I thought—”
“That I forgot about you and returned to my old girlfriend? Beasley, you’re a hard person to forget. I would love nothing more than for you to move out here, so we can be together and determine if a future exists for us. I think it can.”
“I don’t know what to say. I care about you more than I’ve ever cared about any man. But we’ve been through this. My life is in Tennessee, and yours is here.”
“Don’t close the door on us. Long-distance relationships work out sometimes. You mean too much. Baby, I want you with me.”
“Please understand I want to be with you too, but it isn’t feasible.”
“Don’t you know how important you are? To me it’s obvious how much chemistry we have between us. Why don’t we celebrate whatever time we have and see what happens? There are no guarantees it will turn out well, but what if it could and we didn’t at least try?”
The sincerity in his eyes and voice touched her. Wouldn’t that be awesome? “Why are you always so logical?”
When he put his arm around her, she leaned into him. He kissed the top of her head. “I want to kiss you, but not if it makes you angry again.”
She laughed and pulled him down to her as his mouth devoured hers.
Casey came down the stairs. “Guess you two worked everything out, huh?”
Will waved his hand. “Go away, Casey.”
“I’m going.” Grabbing her keys, she headed out the door. “I’ll be at Cameron’s. Don’t expect me back tonight.”
“Have fun,” they said in unison.
Chapter 20
The next morning, Casey unlocked her front door and came inside to find Beasley dressed and reading in a chair. “I thought you’d still be asleep.”
“I’m still functioning on Tennessee time. This is late morning for me.”
“So, did Will stay here?”
“No. I would have fallen in love with him if he had, and I don’t want to do that. Don’t get me wrong. He’s
everything I could ever ask for in a man, but—”
Casey raised her hand. “Don’t say another word. The odds of reconciling with Cameron were zero, but I discovered nothing is impossible. Have faith. Are you seeing him today?”
“Tonight. This afternoon, he’s going to his dad’s house to help him with some projects. He suggested a double-date with you and Cameron if you two are available, and he mentioned bowling. But we can do something else if that doesn’t suit you.”
“Bowling is fine, but I’m rusty. The two of us went years ago, but we were lousy bowlers. How about a girls’ afternoon before we go? Lunch and an action movie at the matinee might be fun.”
“Oh, I love popcorn.”
Beasley’s last day in California for the foreseeable future was shaping up to be a blast. She shared a meal and enjoyed the big screen with her best friend, and later, she would spend time with Will. What could be better?
Will and Cameron came to Casey’s house and brought pizza and beer.
“Yum. My favorite,” Beasley moaned.
Will chuckled. “No kidding. In Yosemite, that was all you wanted to eat.”
“Ah, a man who remembers my favorites.”
Cameron grinned. “The truth is, he planned to fill you up on carbs, so you would be sluggish and not destroy us at bowling.”
“So true,” Will agreed.
“Don’t worry. I was an ace at one time, but that was years ago. You’re all safe. My prediction is Will for the win.”
“Casey told me about your mystery. Did you solve it?” Cameron asked.
“After I found out the rich guy committed suicide, I lost the trail. Neither my sister nor I found anything else at the house and, so far, no connection through my research.”
Casey wrinkled her nose. “Don’t tell me you will stop searching.”