The Rebel

by Jennifer Bernard

  Max snorted again. “Not bad, Gracie. Not bad. Sounds like Kai in a nutshell. He’s half tornado, that kid.”

  “You’re saying your brother’s like a weather disaster?” Nicole had never heard someone described in quite those terms.

  Gracie screwed up her face, searching for the right words. “He’s…exciting. Maybe that’s a better way to put it. He’s kind of wild and adventurous. But not in a scary way, because he’s also really knowledgeable about survival skills. If I was lost in the wilderness, he’s the one person I’d pick first to be stranded with. He’s rescued so many people from avalanches and accidents.”

  Nicole shuddered at the very thought. She had no intention of getting lost in the wilderness. Admiring it from the safety of the lodge was good enough for her. And Kai Rockwell didn’t sound at all like the kind of person she’d like. She wanted peace and harmony, not storm fronts. Life held enough turmoil already.

  But for Max’s sake, she’d do her best to be nice to Kai—and to keep things on an even keel. That was her job here, after all.

  Or at least the job Max had hired her for.

  He didn’t know about her other job. She tried not to think about that one, because she was a terrible liar and stood a good chance of giving everything away.

  “I look forward to meeting him,” she said, faking a smile. Truthfully, she planned to avoid Kai Rockwell as much as possible. Unless she got lost in the wilderness, of course.

  4

  After getting Max settled into the media room for his afternoon nap in front of the TV, Nicole escaped to her own room, which was in the dorm area set aside for seasonal workers. Since these days the lodge was operating with a skeleton staff, mostly comprised of locals, she’d scored her choice of rooms. She’d chosen a cozy room nestled under the steep slant of the peaked roof. Its round window looked out over the wilderness behind the lodge, where hiking and cross-county trails wound through spruce and birch forests. She absolutely loved her little room.

  She ought to call Felicity and report in about Kai’s impending arrival. That was her mission here, after all. Instead, she called Birdie. Birdie was the reason she’d taken this job and right now she needed to hear her sister’s voice.

  Birdie picked up on the fifth ring. That meant she was distracted and it would be a short conversation.

  “Hi Birdie, it’s your favorite sister.”

  “Only sister.”

  Their standard conversation opener. “How are ya, kid?”

  “Bad.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s the matter?”

  “Lulu’s a thief.”

  Lulu was her roommate and definitely not a thief. She was paralyzed from the waist down and nearly always in her bed. She hated using wheelchairs, unlike Birdie, who loved hers.

  “What did she steal?”

  “My name. She told nurse, call me Birdie.”

  “Oh man. Sorry about that, Birdie. She must really look up to you.” She went to the window and gazed out at the front lawn. A strange man stood in the midst of a small knot of staff members gathered around him. He was tall and very fit, though she couldn’t get a good look at his face. It must be Kai Rockwell.

  ”Look up?” asked Birdie.

  “Admire.”

  “Oh. That’s nice then.”

  She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the oldest Rockwell son. One of her problems—according to Felicity—was that she didn’t get out much. Making sure Birdie had all the care she needed took a lot of work. She didn’t have the bandwidth to get involved with men.

  The one time she’d taken a chance, it had been a disaster. Roger, her fiancé, had promised that Birdie could live with them, but a month before the wedding he’d changed his mind. The house didn’t have wheelchair access, they weren’t properly equipped, it would be too expensive, so on and so forth, until he finally ran out of excuses and admitted the truth.

  He was embarrassed by Birdie and didn’t want a disabled sister-in-law in plain sight.

  That was the end of that relationship. Birdie came first.

  She dragged her gaze away from the much-too-attractive Kai Rockwell and wandered over to her bed. “I miss you, Birdie. I’m going to try to visit really soon.”

  “Okay.”

  Nicole recognized the uplift in her voice and knew she was grinning like sunshine. The damage to her brain hadn’t quenched her spirit.

  “Time for basketball! Goodbye.”

  “Bye!” Birdie had already hung up. Not much for etiquette, her sister.

  Nicole yawned, realizing that she was exhausted. She should probably call Felicity next.

  Instead she lay back on her bed with a sigh. “Sorry, Felicity. Even spies have to take naps,” she murmured as her eyes drifted shut, and her mind wandered back to that fateful day when she’d taken this crazy job.

  Two months ago, in Seattle, at the high school track where Felicity liked to jog before work.

  The list of things Nicole preferred to do instead of jogging was basically endless. It started with bed and ended with “really anything else.”

  But her quest to lose ten pounds was ongoing, and early mornings were the only free time Felicity had. In two hours, Felicity would be in her office working on million dollar deals, while Nicole would be with Birdie, playing their traditional game of “Go Fish” over breakfast.

  Yawning widely, Nicole tied her shoelaces while Felicity jogged in place, checking her morning emails. “I’m so close to making partner, I could cry,” her friend said. “One more big deal and I’m in.”

  She and Felicity had been best friends in high school, but their lives had gone in radically different directions since then. Felicity worked as a hotshot real estate investor and drove a Jaguar convertible. Nicole worked mostly as a home health aide, which came naturally since she’d grown up with a disabled sister. But that didn’t pay much, so she usually doubled up on jobs.

  “That’s cool. I lost my Uber gig.” Nicole yanked her last shoelace tight and stood up. “They banned me for life after that run-in with a fire hydrant. I really think that thing was faulty.” Her passenger had gotten drenched and six firefighters had shown up to fix the hydrant. Which wasn’t all bad…

  “You have bad car karma, that’s all,” said Felicity loyally.

  They set off down the track, Nicole straining to keep up with Felicity. “Any other prospects? You can’t stay unemployed forever, girl.”

  “Believe me, I know.” Her heart rate was already rising and her words came in a pant. “I had a phone interview…the other day…for a job at a lodge in the mountains.”

  “A mountain lodge? How romantic! Except for that mountain part. Ew.” Felicity wasn’t at all out of breath yet.

  “Not romantic…seventy-year old man with a heart condition. Room and board included, low pay. Not an option. Besides…it’s too far…from Birdie.”

  A group of football players jogged past them as if they were standing still. Sometimes it seemed that everyone went faster than her, farther than her. All she wanted…never mind. It didn’t matter what she wanted, all she needed was to take care of Birdie.

  “Shootskies,” said Felicity. “It would be fun to take the Jag on all those hairpin mountain roads. Where is this lodge?”

  A stitch developed in her side and she slowed down, causing Felicity to shoot her an impatient look. “Here in Washington State. In the Cascades.”

  “Wait a second…what’s it called, this lodge?”

  Nicole searched her memory. She’d already written off the whole idea, for all the reasons she’d just told Felicity. At first her imagination had been fired by images of mountain peaks and wildflower meadows. Then reality had sunk in. “Rocky Peak Lodge.”

  “Oh my God.” Felicity stopped dead. “Rocky Peak Lodge? Are you serious? You’d be working for Mad Max Rockwell?”

  Nicole seized on the chance to stop moving. “Max Rockwell, yes. Why is he ‘Mad’ Max?”

  “Because he’s got a wild temper. He threatened a re
altor with a shotgun once. We’ve been eyeing that property for two years, but he won’t sell. A hundred acres of pristine forests and trails, practically the last substantial chunk of available real estate in that area. Prime investment opportunity. And he’s sitting on it like a dragon guarding his hoard. Oooh, my evil genius mastermind brain is having a moment here.” She jogged in a little circle around Nicole.

  Nicole rested her hands on her knees and heaved in a few breaths. “I looked up the lodge. It’s historic but kind of decrepit.”

  “Exactly. It needs major capital investment, which makes it a perfect target for the Summit Group. Buy it for a song, sell it for a freaking fortune. With all that acreage…” Felicity looked like she might spontaneously orgasm on the spot. She flipped her inky black ponytail over her shoulder. “Here’s the plan.”

  “You have a plan already?” Nicole started jogging again, Felicity keeping pace next to her.

  “That’s what makes me so good.” Felicity gave her a smug smile, legs pumping. “The plan is that you take that job.”

  “I can’t. Birdie.”

  “I’ll watch out for Birdie. I’ll visit her twice a week. You know she loves me. And this will help Birdie in the long run.”

  “Keep talking.” Anything that would help Birdie was worth considering.

  “I…and by I, of course I mean the Summit Group, will double your salary. Whatever Max Rockwell pays you, we’ll twice that, on top of what he’s paying you.”

  “For what?”

  “Oh, just a little light espionage.” Felicity ran ahead of her, then turned and jogged backwards, facing Nicole. “Geez, can’t you kick it up a gear?”

  “Don’t … have…another…gear,” Nicole gritted out, lungs heaving. “And I’m not going to spy on a patient. That would be completely unethical.”

  “No, of course you don’t have to spy on him. You’re not going to do Max Rockwell any harm, in fact you’ll be helping him.”

  “I still have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “You’ll be our eyes and ears on the inside. It’ll be like, I don’t know, Ocean’s 8. Except you won’t be doing anything wrong, it’s not like that. If Mad Max sells us the lodge, he’ll make millions. And if you help that sale happen, you’ll get a huge bonus. I’ll guarantee it. Enough to take care of Birdie for years. This is brilliant.” She gave an “evil genius” laugh that made Nicole wonder just when her friend had changed into such a shark.

  “How long…would I…be there?”

  “It’s up to you. You can fly back and visit Birdie whenever you want. Think of it as a mountain vacation with lots of benefits.”

  The football players jogged past again, inspiring a low whistle from Felicity. “Oh! Word of warning, though. Mountain men. I heard they don’t even shave up there in the mountains. I recommend temporary celibacy.”

  Nicole gave up and stopped jogging, planting her hands on her knees and panting through the stitch in her side. “That’s so not even on the radar. But Felicity…I can’t be a spy! I’d be terrible at it.”

  “But think about the bonus.” Felicity drew the word out. “You can also think about my partnership if you want, but mostly…booonnnusss. Bonus for Birdie. Nice ring, right?”

  Nicole looked away from her friend, at the dreary sky, with the typical spring in Seattle overcast. At certain times in her life, she’d spent more time away from Birdie. When she was taking her nurse aide certification class, for instance, and when she’d nearly married Roger. Her little sister had managed without her during those times. And now Birdie had a roommate at Sunny Grove—a friend, Lulu.

  And Sunny Grove was so, so expensive. Birdie’s disability payments didn’t come close to covering it. It was on Nicole, always had been.

  Slowly she nodded. “I’ll do it. I’ve never been a spy before, so that’s something new for my resumé.”

  Felicity laughed, then gave her a quick high-five. “I’m going to do one more lap!” She whisked off down the track. Nicole started after her, then gave up and flopped onto the grass next to the track. She lay back on the ground, lungs still heaving. Mad Max Rockwell. Mountain men. Decrepit lodge. Espionage. How the heck did she get into this kind of situation?

  Bonus for Birdie. That was how.

  Bonus for Birdie. Bonus for Birdie. Nicole came back awake, those same words running through her mind. If she wanted that bonus, she had to get her act together.

  Over the past two months, she’d picked up lots of details that she’d reported back to Felicity. The lodge needed major renovations. Roofs leaked, plumbing got stopped up. Max kept scaring away new workers—even the guests sometimes. Also, the lodge was running at a loss.

  She’d come to believe that Max’s best option was to sell. She’d also come up with about a hundred ideas to improve the lodge. Why not hold special retreats for nature photographers? What about yoga training? People would pay big bucks for a dose of peace and quiet.

  At first she’d only shared her ideas with Felicity.

  “That’s good, that’s good, Nico,” her friend had said. “You know what? Tell your great ideas to Max. Make him see the possibilities. Make him want the lodge to be amazing again. Make him see that it will take big bucks and lots of energy to make that happen. None of his children are interested, right?”

  “I don’t think so. Only Gracie still lives here, and she does her own thing most of the time.”

  “Perfect. Then the only way to revive the lodge is for Rockwell to sell.”

  Ever since that conversation, Nicole had let her imagination run free and shared every fun idea with Max. And it was working.

  But now?

  She rolled out of bed and walked to the window again. No sign of Kai anymore. With a sigh, she dialed Felicity and delivered the news that the prodigal oldest Rockwell son had returned.

  Felicity peppered her with questions. “Why? For how long? What’s his purpose?”

  Nicole answered as best she could. “I don’t know. Gracie didn’t say.”

  “Do you think he’s moving back? That he wants to be involved with the lodge again?”

  Nicole shrugged, gazing out at the thickly forested slopes that encircled the lodge. Why wouldn’t Kai want that? It was so beautiful here. “I haven’t even met him yet. I just saw him out the window.”

  “Okay, here’s what you do, then. Be a spy. Spend time with…what’s his name, Kai?”

  “Yes, Kai.”

  “Sounds hot. Is he hot? I mean, for a mountain man?”

  Nicole set her teeth, unwilling to say something so positive about the “storm front” arriving at the lodge. “He’s attractive enough from a hundred yards away out a window.”

  “Well, either way, try to find out what he’s thinking. Who knows, maybe he can be an ally. If Rockwell sells, they’ll all get millions.”

  “I was thinking that I should take a break and visit Birdie. He might be gone when I get back. I think he’s the free-wheeling type, comes and goes.”

  “Absolutely not. This could be a great opportunity. No time for retreat. You’re doing great. Keep it up!”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Nicole ended the call, tension running through her. Spying was stressful enough, but now with Kai around? She sighed. Best to get this over with and go meet the prodigal son.

  5

  Just as Kai finished chatting with the staffers he hadn’t seen in fifteen years, Gracie came flying across the lawn and launched herself into his arms. He staggered a little as she hit him full in the chest.

  “I can’t believe you’re here!!!!” she kept saying. He hadn’t seen her since last summer, when he’d flown her to Yellowstone for a camping trip. He made sure to see Gracie at least once a year, and according to Jake, those trips were her only real exposure to the outside world.

  With her baby-duckling hair and crooked smile, Gracie was made of pure delight, in his biased big brother opinion.

  He couldn’t stop grinning at her. “Crazy, hu
h? I must be nuts. Does Dad know I’m here?”

  “He’s taking his mandatory afternoon nap right now. Not to be disturbed.”

  “Good. That’ll give us a chance to catch up.” He ruffled her hair, the blond wisps catching static and clinging to his hand. She swatted him away as they headed for the entrance.

  “You’re not allowed to mess with the hair of anyone over twenty,” she scolded. “But I’ll give you a pass just this once.”

  “Appreciate it. Because I just can’t help myself. You’ll have to send me to hair dungeon.”

  She giggled as he pulled open the big oak front door to the lodge. It swung open with a squeak; the ironwork hinges needed some WD-40.

  Not that he was going to mention that around his father. Max took all criticism of the lodge as if it was directed at him personally. Or at least he used to. After fifteen years, who knew?

  “The place seems so empty,” he said as he dropped his bag next to the front door in the reception area. They walked into the lounge, with its high rafters and stonework fireplace. It used to buzz with guests helping themselves to coffee, or snuggling up with a book. Now it practically echoed, it was so deserted.

  The parking lot had been the same way, come to think of it.

  “Ten percent occupancy, by choice. Dad’s trying to avoid stress, remember?”

  “Right. But what about the bills?”

  “Every time I ask, he says we’re fine. Fewer guests means lower costs, I suppose. I can’t tell if he’s just not worried about it, or if he’s too proud to admit he’s worried.” She flopped onto one of the long comfy couches arranged around the fireplace.

  Which was a mess, he noticed. Ashes everywhere, kindling in a disorganized pile. “Who’s been taking care of the fires in here?”

  “Joint effort. Whoever remembers.”

  Did anyone remember? It didn’t look like it. He grabbed the whisk broom from the stand of fireplace tools and crouched down to sweep up the mess.