Searching for Love: The Complete Story

by Christine Kersey

  Brody had one as well, and they set their chairs up side by side, then enjoyed the stillness of the early evening.

  A chipmunk ran up a nearby tree, drawing Reese’s attention. “I just love it here,” she said.

  Brody smiled at her. After the way his day had started—having no idea if Reese was here, and losing hope that he would find her—he was beyond thrilled that not only had he found her, but she was sitting beside him in his campsite and had agreed to stay here for the next couple of days. Days he hoped would lead to their relationship moving to the next level.

  Which is what, exactly?

  He wasn’t sure, but he would know it when he saw it.

  “Yellowstone is pretty amazing,” he said. Especially with you here.

  “Where should we go tomorrow?”

  “I don’t know,” he said. “After we eat, why don’t we stop by the visitor’s center and get some information on hikes we can take.”

  “Good idea.” She smiled, which warmed his heart. “I’d love to go on more hikes.”

  Two hours later they had eaten at the Canyon Village restaurant, picked up a book on Yellowstone day hikes from the visitor’s center, and come back to Brody’s campsite.

  “This one looks like fun,” Reese said as she held the hiking book for him to see. “The Storm Point hike.” She smiled. “It says there’s marmots on this hike.”

  He held back a laugh at her obvious excitement. “Then we should definitely go on that hike.”

  Her eyebrows pulled together. “Do you think we should get some bear spray?”

  Wanting to be prepared, Brody agreed. “I’ll pick some up before we leave tomorrow.”

  Reese had enjoyed going to dinner with Brody—she had enjoyed everything about their evening together—and was eager to spend the next couple of days with him.

  “It’s getting chilly,” he said. “How would you like to have a fire?”

  If that meant extending their time together, Reese was all for it. “That sounds like fun.” You’re an idiot, sweetie, and you’ll pay for it later.

  “Great,” he said. “I need to get some firewood from the office. Do you want to come with me?”

  Show a little self-control and let him go alone. “No. I think I’ll wait here.”

  He stood with a smile. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Reese watched him go, worried about how much deeper she was falling for him, but not able to push him away just yet.

  The crackling fire set the perfect mood, and Brody glanced at Reese, who sat on her camp chair beside him. They sat close to the fire, the heat of the flames warming the chilly air.

  “Who knew it cooled down so much at night here in June?” Reese said.

  “With you running your furnace in your RV, you may not have noticed the temperature last night,” Brody said with a laugh. “But in my tent I could tell it got cold.”

  Concern filled her eyes. “Are you not warm enough in there?”

  He didn’t want her thinking he was suggesting she let him sleep in her RV—not that he would mind. “No, I was fine. That sleeping bag is rated for cold nights.” He smiled. “I was just pointing out that you’re not exactly roughing it.”

  “Don’t forget,” she said, then she pointed to the metal box on wheels. “That’s my home.”

  He couldn’t tell if she was embarrassed or proud of that fact, but he actually had forgotten that. For him this was just a little camping trip, something to break up the monotony of living on the beach in his fabulous beach house. For her, it was her life, the scenery changing depending on where she parked. But that old RV was the only home she had. It was a sobering thought, and he wasn’t sure if should feel sorry for her or envy her.

  “That’s true,” he said with a smile. “I guess it’s important that your home is warm.”

  “Yes it is,” Reese said. She couldn’t tell what Brody really thought, but the reminder—to both of them—that their lifestyles were so different was important.

  That’s right, Reese. And in two days you’ll go your separate ways. He’ll go back to Malibu to continue living in that amazing beach house, and you’ll stay here a while longer before heading off to who knows where.

  Sadness wrapped around her, and though she knew parting ways would be for the best, she didn’t want to think about it yet. For now she wanted to enjoy Brody’s company and not think beyond the next two days.

  When the fire had died down, Reese reluctantly told Brody good-night before climbing into her RV. After she closed the door, she hesitated with her hand over the lock, wondering if she should leave it unlocked.

  Don’t be ridiculous. Brody needs to stay in his tent, and you need to stay in your RV. Alone.

  With a grim set to her mouth, Reese turned the lock, then went to bed.

  Seventeen

  When Reese pulled the blinds up in the morning, her gaze immediately went to Brody’s tent. The door was zipped closed and she wondered if he had been warm enough.

  Maybe I should have invited him to sleep in here last night. He could have slept on the couch and then he would definitely have been warm enough.

  As she considered whether she should invite him to sleep on the couch that night, she bit her lip and stared at his tent. Would that give him the wrong idea?

  There was no movement and she wondered what time he was going to get up. It was already after eight. Deciding to make breakfast, then wake him up, Reese poured pancake mix into a bowl, then measured out the water and heated up the skillet.

  When she had made half a dozen pancakes, she turned the heat off from under the skillet and headed to Brody’s tent. She pictured him with sleepy eyes and tousled hair, and wondered what he wore when he slept. Remembering his sculpted chest, which she had seen when he had unzipped his wetsuit on the beach in Malibu, she felt a pulse of heat, and she paused outside his tent, wondering if seeing him lying in bed was such a good idea.

  The sound of a vehicle approaching caught her attention and she turned to look. Brody’s truck pulled into the short driveway beside her RV, and she stared, surprised to see him there. Then she felt foolish for thinking about him still sleeping. He had gotten up before she did.

  “Good morning,” he said with a big smile as he climbed out of his truck, a large bag in his hand.

  “Hello.” Seeing him there with his gorgeous smile and his blue-green eyes sparkling, Reese decided she would invite him to sleep on her couch. He probably got up so early because he was freezing. At least she tried to convince herself that was the reason she would ask him to sleep in her warm RV that night. “I made pancakes.”

  He walked towards her. “That’s great, because I’m starved.”

  Her gaze went to the bag in his hand, then to his face. “Did you get bear spray?”

  A mischievous smile curved his mouth. “Among other things.”

  Curious, Reese took that bait. “What other things?”

  He stopped in front of her and gazed into her eyes. “You’ll have to wait until after breakfast to find out.”

  His magnetism drew her in, and she felt herself falling deeper under his spell. “Okay.” The word came out just above a whisper.

  He didn’t move, and Reese became desperate to break away. With a force of will, she turned her head and looked toward the RV. “The pancakes are getting cold.”

  “We don’t want that,” Brody said. He could sense Reese’s tightly held control slipping, and he held back a smile, pleased that spending time together seemed to be making a difference.

  She turned and walked to her RV, and he followed, his bag in his hand. Once inside her RV, he set the bag on the floor. “Do you need any help?”

  She picked up a plate with a pile of pancakes. “No, just sit at the table and eat these before they get too cold.” She set the plate on the table, and Brody sat down. “Would you like syrup?”

  He smiled up at her. “Sure.”

  Her gaze stayed on him an extra moment, and he wondered what she was
thinking. Hopefully that she likes having me around.

  Brody thought about the conversation he had had with Logan while he had been out that morning. He had called him to ask his advice on his purchases, but the conversation had turned to Reese.

  “You’re holding back, bro,” Logan had said with a tone that suggested Brody needed to step it up.

  “She’s not like the women you’re used to. Or did you forget that she bolted without a good-bye after only one kiss?”

  “Yeah, I guess. But don’t be too cautious. She might not even know how much she cares about you unless you help her to know.”

  Brody held back a smile, wondering how he could help Reese discover if she did care about him. He knew he cared about her. More and more each day. And he sensed that she was growing to care about him too.

  His gaze went to her as she flipped pancakes, and he wondered how she would like the gift he had bought for her.

  “How are they?” she asked.

  “Delicious. Thank you for making me breakfast.”

  When she smiled in reply, he thought he saw tenderness in her face, as if she liked having him there. He hoped he wasn’t misreading her expression.

  Reese scooped the pancakes onto a plate, then carried them to the table and sat across from Brody. She had to admit, she liked seeing him sitting in her RV eating her food. It just felt right somehow. They ate in silence, and after they finished, Brody stood and carried both plates to the counter, then he picked up the bag he had brought with him before sitting on the couch. “Would you like to see what I got for you?”

  “For me?” Reese was curious, but tried not to show it. Besides her brother, no one ever bought her anything, and she wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea.

  Brody grinned. “Yes. For you.”

  “I already know what it is.”

  His eyebrows rose. “Oh, you do? What is it?”ˆ

  “Bear spray, of course.”

  Brody peered into the bag, then looked at her. “There is bear spray in there, but that’s not the surprise.”

  With no idea what it could be, but pleased that he had thought of her, she laughed. “Okay. I give up. What is it?”

  He reached into the bag, but didn’t pull his hand out. “Well, with all the hiking we’re going to do, I thought it was important that we do it right.” Then he pulled out a small backpack with a tube attached to it.

  “What is that?”

  His smile grew. “This, lovely lady, is called a hydration pack.”

  “A what?” It didn’t pass her notice that he called her lovely lady. She liked it.

  He unzipped a back section of the pack and pulled out a bladder, then handed it to her. “You fill this with water and then you can have a drink whenever you want while you’re hiking. And it’s big enough to make sure you have plenty of water to stay hydrated.”

  Reese handed the bladder back to him. “Clever.”

  “Plus,” Brody said as he showed her the other compartments, “there’s plenty of space to pack a lunch and anything else we’ll need while we’re hiking.” He pulled out a second pack. “I got one for each of us.”

  Though a little worried about spending her money on such an extravagance, she could see that it would be practical to have on her hikes. She stood and went to the cupboard where she kept her purse. “What do I owe you for it?”

  “Owe me? This is a gift, Reese.”

  Not sure how she felt about him buying her fancy gifts—she was sure it must have cost close to a hundred dollars—she hesitated.

  Brody must have seen the indecision on her face. “Don’t embarrass me by insisting that you pay for it. I’ve never given you anything, and I want to give you this.”

  Still uncomfortable with him—or anyone else—buying her things, Reese protested. “You bought me dinner last night.”

  “You made me breakfast this morning,” he shot back. “But good try.”

  Knowing he wasn’t going to let her repay him with money, she knew how she could say thank you. “Fine. But I’m going to make you dinner every night while you’re in Yellowstone.” She didn’t like the reminder that he would be leaving, but facts were facts. In two days, he would be gone.

  “Sounds like a good trade-off to me. Now let’s get these breakfast dishes washed up so we can go on our hike.”

  Eighteen

  When they reached the Storm Point trailhead, their packs on their backs, Reese was excited to get started. Brody had helped her with the dishes—something she could definitely get used to—then she had made sandwiches while Brody had filled the bladders on their packs.

  Now, as they prepared to set off, Reese was thrilled Brody had found her.

  What would I be doing right now if he hadn’t come? Would I still be driving around, all alone, stopping to take pictures of interesting subjects on the side of the road? Or would I have braved a hike alone?

  She wasn’t sure, but one thing she was sure of was that she had Brody by her side now, and she liked it. A lot.

  “I’ll clip the bear spray to my belt,” Brody said, and with him there beside her, Reese felt safe from any danger that might come their way.

  “I hope those marmots the hiking book talked about are really there,” she said as she adjusted her camera around her neck.

  “I guess we’ll see.”

  They set off, and as they walked—sometimes side by side, but most often in single file with Reese taking the lead—she loved the idea that Brody was with her on this adventure.

  Brody’s gaze kept straying to the gentle sway of Reese’s hips as she set the pace on their hike. He liked the outdoors as much as the next guy, but the main reason—okay, the only reason—he was there was to be with Reese. If she had wanted to stay at his campsite all day, he would have done that as well. But he liked this adventurous side of her. And he loved it when she stopped to take pictures. The eagerness in her body language whenever she found something that interested her was clear, and it made him appreciate the things around them all the more. All because of her.

  I feel so much more alive when I’m with her. I hope I can convince her that we are right for each other, despite what she told me yesterday.

  The thought of her telling him at the end of their two days that they’re weren’t right for each other, despite the time they were spending together now, sent despair into the very depths of him.

  Don’t think that way. Do what Logan told me and help her to know that she cares about me.

  Though not sure how to make that happen, the day before when he had listened to his gut and kissed her on the cheek he could tell she had been affected. He would follow his instincts today as well and hope for the best.

  “This is a pretty easy hike,” Reese said after they had been walking for twenty minutes. She slowed so that he could come alongside her. “But I love it.”

  “Yeah, you picked a good one.”

  She smiled, and they continued on. When they reached the small rocky outcropping along Yellowstone Lake, a marmot came into view. “There you go, Reese,” Brody said as he pointed.

  Wind whipped at Reese’s hair, but she had put on a light jacket earlier, so she wasn’t cold. Focusing on the marmot, she began taking pictures, and when a second marmot popped its head up, she laughed with delight.

  After she had gotten her fill, she and Brody enjoyed the beauty of the area for a few minutes before continuing on. After a while they reached a densely wooded area, and when they came to a log lying on the ground, they decided to stop for lunch.

  Brody sat first, and after a brief hesitation, Reese sat beside him. Don’t act like you don’t want to be near him. Anyone can see that you do.

  Pretending like sitting only a few inches away from the man she had fallen for was a normal, everyday thing, she pulled her sandwich out of her pack. Then she allowed a small smile to curve her lips as she admitted to herself that she had indeed fallen for him.

  That was never the issue, sweetie. The issue is how much yo
ur heart will hurt when it’s time to tell him to move on the day after tomorrow. Why are you giving yourself the time and space to fall in love with him? Do you like having your heart crushed?

  Her smile vanished as tears pushed into her eyes, but she blinked a few times to force them away, determined to enjoy the time she had with Brody.

  “How’s your lunch?” he asked.

  “Good.” She turned to him with a smile. “But I should be asking you that, since I’m the one who made the sandwich.”

  “It’s even better than the one you made for me yesterday.”

  Reese’s smile grew. They had been together for twenty-four hours. Never mind that in less than forty-eight he would be gone from her life for good. “I’m glad you like it.”

  Brody liked that Reese had sat beside him. There was another log a few feet away, and she could have easily chosen to sit there.

  See? She wants to be close to you. He took a bite of his sandwich and reminded himself about the challenge he had set for himself the previous day—to kiss her before the day was through. And the kiss he had given her on the cheek the day before didn’t count.

  But is she ready for another kiss? He thought about the kiss they had shared at his house. It had been intense. Too intense for her, evidently, since she had run away within hours. But that was then, and this was now. The connection he had felt with her in Malibu had only grown in strength in the last twenty-four hours.

  It was time to take things up a notch.

  Reese finished her sandwich and began on the bag of chips she had brought.

  “These backpacks are awesome, Brody.” She took a swallow of water, which was still cold, then turned her body so she was nearly facing him. “Thank you again for getting them.”

  He gazed at her, and after a moment said, “My pleasure, Reese.” His voice was deep and the intensity she saw in his eyes gave her the same message she had seen the day before. I want you, Reese.