“You make it sound easy,” Alex said.
“It’s not, and I promise I won’t push you again to ride, but when you’re ready, I’ll be there to help you through it,” Drew said, finally brave enough to put his arm around Alex, who leaned into him.
“Thanks, Dad,” Alex said, making his heart soar with happiness. “I think I’m ready for bed.”
When Alex climbed into his tent, Drew sat down next to Jordan by the fire, a huge grin on his face. “I take it that went well,” she said.
Drew nodded. “He’s afraid to ride because one of his mom’s boyfriends took him on a drunken midnight ride,” he said, then wondered if he should have told her.
“That’s terrible, but it’s good he confided in you,” Jordan said. “That’s the first step to trust.”
“Speaking of trust,” he said. “Will you answer a question for me?”
Jordan looked at him warily. “I’ll try,” she said.
“Did you know how to start a fire?”
Jordan studied him for a second, then shook her head. “I watched a few video’s online, but it was Alex’s coaching that got that fire started,” she said, her cheeks turning pink. “And before you ask, I’ve never cooked fish before in my life. I know I should have told you the truth, but I was afraid you’d still think I was a spoiled rich girl.”
Drew studied her for a second. “Why does it matter what I think?” he asked, not sure where the question came from, but suddenly wanting the answer.
She was silent for so long, he wasn’t sure she was going to answer, but then she said. “There’s always been someone around to take care of me, but I’m tired of being taken care of, it comes with too many strings. I want to take care of myself, do my share,” she said.
Drew got the feeling that there was more to Jordan’s words than she’d said, that her life before she’d come to Serendipity hadn’t been perfect. “What kind of strings?” he asked.
“The kind that never go away,” she said, then fell silent.
***Jordan***
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wished she hadn’t said them. “Anyway,” she said, hoping to divert Drew, who had a thoughtful look on his face. “If we’re going to get an early start in the morning, we’d better get to bed.”
She got to her feet. “Do we need to do something to the fire?”
Drew studied her for a second, and she was beginning to think he wasn’t going to let it go, but then he said, “You go on to bed. I’ll take care of the fire.”
She quickly climbed into her tent, took off her boots, and crawled into her sleeping bag. The reminder that her father was still out there had taken all the pleasure from her evening, and his face swam in her vision when she closed her eyes. Opening them, she stared at the ceiling of her tent wondering how long it would be before he’d find her. She hoped that it would take him all summer, that she’d have time to enjoy Serendipity before he found her and forced her to get married.
There was no doubt in her mind that it would happen; her father always got what he wanted, and if he didn’t, people got hurt. When he found her, she wouldn’t fight him, she’d go quietly, but until then she had to enjoy her freedom. This brief summer might be the only time she’d ever have a chance to be free, to do as she pleased, she realized, and closed her eyes, pushing her father out of her thoughts.
Drew floated into her mind as he did all the time, and she wondered if she was making a mistake pushing him away. Maybe what she needed was a fling, a few hot and heavy nights of passion, something to remember on all those terrible nights she’d have to endure for the rest of her life. With memories of Drew in her mind, she’d be able to survive being married to a man who did nothing but make her want to wretch.
She’d almost talked herself into it when she realized that it wouldn’t just be physical, that somehow Drew had found his way into her heart. Sleeping with him would only lead to a broken heart when she had to leave, and that wasn’t something she wanted to live with for the rest of her life. Sometimes, she decided, closing her eyes, it was better not to know what you were missing; it made it hurt less.
When she woke the next morning and stepped out of the tent, the sun was just coming up over the mountains, but Drew had coffee ready. He handed her a cup without a word, then took another one over to Alex’s tent, unzipped it, and pushed it through the hole.
“Alex is drinking coffee?” she asked when he came back.
Drew shrugged. “I watered it down a little, but I don’t see how it’s any worse than pop,” he said.
Jordan sipped her coffee, surprised to find that it was really good. “This is good,” she said, “thanks.”
“Breakfast is almost ready; pancakes and bacon,” he said, pointing to fire where the bacon was sizzling away.
Her stomach started growling when the scent of bacon floated over to her on the breeze. “It smells wonderful; I’m starving,” she said. “Can I help?”
“Nope, well, that is unless you’re brave enough to go give Alex his second wake up call,” Drew said, looking over at Alex’s tent, which was shaking.
Jordan laughed and took another sip of her coffee. “For this coffee, I’ll do anything.”
She walked over to Alex’s tent and said, “Knock, knock.”
“Very funny,” Alex said, sticking his head out. “This tent is too small. I can’t get out of my sleeping bag without banging into the walls.”
“Do you want some help?” Jordan asked, trying not to laugh.
Alex got a horrified look on his face. “No, I’m fine,” he sputtered, then ducked back inside.
A few minutes later, he managed to get out of the tent, empty coffee cup in hand. “I hope you drank that,” Jordan said, remembering the hours it took to clean the sleeping bags.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t spill a drop,” Alex said, flashing her a caffeine-fueled smile. “What’s for breakfast? I’m starving.”
Jordan followed him back over to the fire, hoping that food would help balance the caffeine and promised herself she’d give Drew a lecture about kids and coffee. But it was clear to Drew almost instantly that he’d made a mistake, as he watched Alex flit from one thing to another, talking the entire time. He calmed down after breakfast but was still nervously pacing around camp, but as soon as they started saddling the horses, Jordan understood why.
“I think I’d like to try riding,” Alex said into the silence of the morning as they worked.
Drew and Jordan both looked over at him. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to; we can go at a slower pace today,” Drew said.
Alex shook his head. “I think I’d like to try to face my fear,” he said, his face turning pink.
“I’ll just go make sure camp is all cleaned up,” Jordan said, walking away.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Drew helped Alex up into the saddle, murmuring encouraging words the entire time. He led the horse into the meadow and walked it around, Alex holding on tightly at first but then relaxing into the horse’s rhythm. When he rode over to her, Alex was grinning broadly, and she knew that his fear had evaporated.
“You look good on a horse,” she said, grinning back at him.
“Thanks, it feels pretty good,” Alex said. “Dad says that if you’re ready, we can leave.”
Chapter Thirteen
***Drew***
Drew didn’t think the day could get any better; not only was Alex riding, but he was riding well, and a sense of pride filled him. He knew it wasn’t anything he’d done, but he was still proud and wondered what other pleasant surprises parenthood might bring. The day had flown by as the three of them made their way steadily up the mountain and he couldn’t wait to show Alex the upper campground.
It was one of his favorite places on the mountain, full of magic and mystery; some of his best memories were of the times he’d spent there. He’d had his first kiss in the high mountain meadow under a full moon when he was twelve and fallen in love for the first ti
me in a rainstorm four years later. He’d listened to ghost stores and Native American tales of his ancestors, then run the forests with his best friends, both in human and wolf form.
He hoped that Alex would love it as much as he did, that together they could create some new memories. Looking over at Jordan as they climbed the rise that led to the little valley, he felt a wave of desire wash over him, felt his blood pumping through his veins. Forcing himself to turn away, he looked over just as they cleared the hill to find the meadow dotted with tents.
“Oh, where did they all come from?” Jordan said, looking out over the valley.
Drew was too shocked to speak for a second. “I don’t know. I didn’t think anyone else would be up here,” he said, pushing Gideon forward and down into the valley.
The mystery was solved pretty quickly when they got to the first tent and Ben was waiting for them. “What took you so long? We thought you were never going to get here,” he said.
Feeling instantly annoyed by the younger man, especially since Jordan was smiling at him, clearly excited to see him, he slid off his horse. “What is all this?” he asked, ignoring Ben’s question.
Ben shrugged, finally seeing the unhappy look on Drew’s face. “It wasn’t my idea. Nick found out what you were doing and decided that everyone should come since it’s the first time we’ve used the meadow since the camp closed. All the permanent staff is here, and a handful of the temporary staff came too.”
Jordan laughed. “Any excuse for a party,” she said, giving Ben a hug. “I’m glad you’re here even if grumpy here isn’t.”
Drew felt jealousy bubble to the surface when Jordan hugged Ben, and he had to stop himself from pulling her away from him. A deep feeling of unhappiness settled over him, like something had been stolen from him, then he realized that he’d been looking forward to it just being the three of them alone in the quiet and beauty of the upper valley.
Ben and Jordan were talking quietly, their heads tipped together, and he wondered what they were saying. When Jordan laughed and flashed Ben one of her rare smiles, the jealousy that had been just below the surface boiled over, and he wanted to strike out at something.
“Where is Nick?” he barked, making Jordan turn around quickly and stare at him.
Ben turned too, then answered, a look of fear on his face. “He and Maggie went for a hike; he said that if you got here before he got back to help you set up camp and he’d see you at dinner,” Ben said, then braced himself for Drew’s reaction.
Jordan stepped away from Ben and over to Justice, then swung up into the saddle. “Lead the way,” she said, not looking at Drew, who was still fuming. “It’s been a long day.”
Ben tipped his hat to her, which made Drew want to punch him, then said, “As you wish, my lady,” a silly grin on his face.
She nudged Justice with her heels and followed Ben, Alex right behind her, leaving him standing there gritting his teeth. With no choice but to follow, he jumped back onto Gideon and brought up the rear, a false smile and wave for everyone they passed. He wanted to turn around and head back down the trail, was in no mood for socializing with the staff, who would expect him to entertain them with stories of his travels.
His plans for the night had been simple: a good dinner around the campfire, a little conversation with his son, and then a good night’s sleep, but if he was honest with himself, there was more. He’d spent the day entertaining thoughts about kissing Jordan again, thoughts he knew that he shouldn’t have, but hadn’t been able to chase away. As wrong as he knew they were, he’d half believed that it might happen, and a new feeling of disappointment arrived with a painful pang.
Watching Jordan ride behind Ben, a wave of desire washed over him, but that wasn’t all; there was also admiration and respect mixed in, and for the first time in his life, he wondered if he was falling for a woman. That thought scared him enough that he pulled Gideon to a halt and sat unmoving on his horse for a few seconds, his heart pounding in his chest.
He shook his head to chase the thought away; he wasn’t the kind of man who could be happy with only one woman for the rest of his life. That kind of love just wasn’t possible for him; he’d tried and failed too many times to count and had long ago given up finding any woman who could hold him for long. It was a lonely way to live, but he’d gotten used to it, had learned to cope with the long nights, or so he thought.
But deep inside him, hope had sprung to life, and try as he might, he couldn’t quite banish it. It had settled deep inside him, and a small part of him was feeding it, giving it fuel to grow, his thoughts of a life filled with love all it needed to begin flourishing. As fragile as that hope was, it left him with a warm feeling inside and a sense that things were going to be okay.
***Jordan***
Jordan was standing to the side watching as the men set up the tents. Ben and Drew seemed to be having a competition to see who could do it the fastest, and Alex was watching wide-eyed as he worked. She wasn’t sure what had caused Drew’s bad mood, but he was being grumpy and rude to everyone, most especially to Ben, who’d done nothing to him.
When they were finished, Drew turned to Ben and said, “Thanks for your help. I think we’re good now.”
“Are you sure? I could get you some firewood,” Ben said, looking over at Jordan.
Drew’s face turned even stormier. “No, thanks, we’re fine,” he said. “I’m sure you have other things to do.”
Ben took the hint. “Okay, then, well, I’ll just be on my way,” he said, turning to walk away. He’d only gone a few steps when he said, “We’ll all be getting together for dinner at dusk; bring whatever you’ve got.”
Jordan watched him walking away, feeling her anger beginning to blossom at the way Drew had treated him. She knew that Alex was not far away watching everything, so she walked over to Drew and quietly asked, “What’s wrong with you? He was only trying to help.”
Drew turned on her. “Is that what you really think? I saw the way he was looking at you; he wasn’t just being nice,” he said, his eyes full of an emotion she didn’t recognize at first.
“You’re jealous,” popped out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
Drew stared at her for a minute, then strode over to his saddlebags and took out the fishing poles. “I’d better go catch something for us to take to dinner tonight,” he said. “Alex, are you coming?”
Alex scurried after Drew, waving at her over his shoulder and sending her a look that said I’m sorry. She watched them disappear into the forest, letting the idea that Drew was jealous wash over her in delicious waves. It wasn’t that she wanted him to be jealous, in fact, she hated men that got jealous, but it meant that he cared.
Of course, that didn’t change anything. Drew was still a playboy, and she was still the little rich girl whose daddy was going to come and take her away. But deep inside, a little ray of hope had come to life, and as she got out what she needed to fry the fish she knew he’d bring home, she wondered if giving in to Drew might not be the worst idea she’d ever had.
***Drew***
Drew knew that Alex was having a hard time keeping up, so he slowed down, then stopped and waited for him to catch up. “Sorry, didn’t mean to leave you behind,” he said, ruffling Alex’s hair, a gesture that felt nice.
“That’s okay,” Alex said, then looked up at him. “You like Jordan, don’t you?”
It took him a minute to answer. “Sure, she’s nice and all,” he finally said, feeling slightly ridiculous.
“No, I meant you really like her,” Alex said.
His level of discomfort rising, he started walking again, but then remembered Jordan’s advice. “Yes, I guess I do, I’ve been trying not to but...” he trailed off and shrugged his shoulders.
Alex was silent for a while as they walked, then he said, “I heard that you’ve had lots of girlfriends.”
Drew sighed, wishing it weren’t true. “Yes, I guess that’s true. I’ve never really settled down with o
ne woman. I traveled so much, it just wasn’t possible,” he said.
They wound their way through the forest, the sound of the stream growing louder as they got closer, but then Alex asked, “Do you think you’ll ever get back together with my mom?”
This was a question he’d been prepared for. “I’m sorry, Alex, I don’t think that will ever happen. What your mom and I shared happened a long time ago, she and I are both very different now.”
He saw the briefest wave of sadness pass over Alex’s face, but then he brightened. “Then I think you should ask Jordan out. She’d make a great step-mother,” he said as if it were that easy.
Drew couldn’t help but laugh. “Jordan might not like that plan very much; in case you hadn’t noticed, she doesn’t like me very much.”
“What’s this about Jordan not liking a plan?” a familiar voice asked from the trees. “Are you fighting with her again, Drew?”
When Nick stepped out of the trees, he was happy to see his old friend, but then his annoyance at him returned. “What’s the big idea bringing everyone up here? I was looking forward to some peace and quiet,” he said.
Nick raised his hand. “I promise no one is going to badger you for stories, and I warned the female population to leave you alone. I just thought it might be fun to go on a midnight run, and things got out of control. It was just supposed to be you, Jake, and I, but, well, you know how things happen around here.”
Drew did like the idea of a midnight run; it had been years since he’d been here, and the mountains were calling to him already. He looked over at Alex, who was watching them with interest, and he realized that he didn’t know if his son had shifted yet or not. Guilt settled over him, draining the pleasure from the moment.
“I’ll have to get back to you on that one,” he said. “Alex and I have some fishing to do before dinner.”
Mountain Wolf Playboy (Daddy Wolves 0f The Wild Series Book 3) Page 8