Wild Ice

by Rachelle Vaughn

  “Hello?” she answered.

  A crisp voice instructed her to, “Please hold for Bernard Templeton.”

  “Uh, okay.”

  Before the hold music played a second verse, the line clicked and Bernard Templeton’s frazzled voice crackled in her ear. “Lauren?”

  “Yes, Mr. Templeton?”

  “Oh good. I’m glad I caught you.”

  Lauren frowned at his choice of words. No one besides her mother knew she was leaving. Not even JD. When she looked at her hand and saw that it was shaking, she took a deep breath. Mr. Templeton was so frazzled that his jitteriness added to her already frayed nerves. It was easy to get caught up in his anxiety, so she took a deep breath and calmly asked, “What’s going on?”

  “I apologize for my tardiness.”

  Tardiness? It was early in the morning. Hadn’t they already finalized Aunt Cora’s estate? Knowing Bernard Templeton, he’d probably forgot all about their meeting at the bottom of the landfill that was his desk.

  “I was supposed to make this call yesterday...”

  Yesterday. Only yesterday, Lauren had been kneeling in front of JD while his hands roved over her body and his lips kissed hers so passionately…

  Lauren yanked her thoughts back to the present and tried to focus on what Mr. Templeton was saying. In the background, it sounded like he was shuffling papers frantically. She could just imagine what disarray his desk must be in.

  “I need you to come in to my office. There is one more final addendum to Cora Colwater’s will.”

  “Can you tell me about it over the phone? I’m actually getting ready to leave town.”

  Lauren’s mind had left town the minute JD had turned back to the window. It was just taking her body a little longer to join the rest of her.

  “Leaving?” Mr. Templeton gasped. “Oh no. No, that just won’t do.”

  Lauren didn’t have the energy to argue with him, so she asked about the addendum to keep his thoughts on the right track.

  “Are you sure you want to do this over the phone?” he asked with worry. “I’d much rather have you come to my office.”

  “Please, just tell me what the addendum says.”

  He ceremoniously cleared his throat and began to read. “On the first of August…”

  Lauren shifted her feet and waited for him to finish. He could have been reading her the owner’s manual for a washing machine for all she knew. The words hereby and wherewithal tangled together and Lauren sighed. When she heard the words Red Valley National Wildlife Refuge, she straightened and pressed the phone closer to her ear. “Did you say something about the refuge?” she cut in.

  “Of course,” he answered and continued with his spiel.

  When he finished, he sounded quite pleased with himself but Lauren didn’t know why. Maybe he was proud of pronouncing the word applicability correctly.

  “Well?” he prompted, obviously expecting an enthusiastic response.

  “I don’t understand,” she said with a frown he couldn’t see.

  “Your aunt wanted you to spend some time at the cottage before I told you the news. She wanted you to be sure before it was thrust upon you.”

  “Wait. Before what was thrust upon me?”

  “Cora left you the deed to the refuge.”

  “What?” The word sounded thin and she didn’t have enough breath to push it out of her mouth. “Aunt Cora owned the refuge?”

  “Of course,” he answered like it was common knowledge. “She obtained the property years ago when funding was cut and the county was forced to sell the property. It was a very commendable deal,” he said proudly. “I oversaw the paperwork myself. There are some restrictions though. For example, the land must remain protected and undeveloped, but I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”

  “Wait. I still don’t understand. How could Aunt Cora afford to buy the property? This is thousands of acres we’re talking about here.”

  “Well, some forty-odd years ago, a mister Howard Langdon sent her a sizeable check. It’s all here in the paperwork.”

  So, Howard had sent Cora money after he found out she was pregnant. After the relationship they had, all she was worth to him was several zeroes on a piece of paper. He didn’t know she’d lost the baby, he’d just written her off like a bad decision and never looked back. Money was the last thing Cora wanted from Howard. She wanted his devotion and love but apparently that was too high of a price for him to pay. Instead, he’d scribbled out a check and written her off and out of his life without so much as a goodbye.

  “I can’t believe this,” Lauren breathed.

  “If money is a concern, there is enough in the trust for fees and maintenance on the property. There are more than enough funds to keep the refuge functional and open to the public, if that is what you wish to do with it. It’s all here in her letter to you.”

  “Read it to me.”

  Mr. Templeton stuttered. “I’m afraid the letter is addressed to you, Miss Bennett.”

  “Just read it to me. I have to know what it says.”

  “Well, all right, if you insist.”

  She could hear him tear the envelope open and more papers shuffling.

  “Enclosed is the deed to the property and a letter addressed to you, Lauren Bennett.”

  “Read it.”

  He cleared his throat again but this time he didn’t sound so sure of himself.

  “Dearest Lauren, I hope you have enjoyed your stay at the cottage. I will always cherish the time we spent together during your summer visits.

  “I may not have a child of my own to pass on my love for this place, but I have the land itself. I have the birds, the gurgling trilling melody of the marsh wren from over the reeds and cattails of the marshlands, the bubbling flutelike notes of the western meadowlark, and the squabbling of the ducks and geese as they settle down for the night. Thousands of birds pass through this place each winter and that’s enough of a legacy for me.

  “Others will come through Hayley’s Point and hopefully they will see what I see and hopefully they fall in love with it much the same way I did. They’ll hear the crowing and cackle of the ring-necked pheasant and get a thrill when they see a weaver for the first time, fall in love with the soothing sounds of the wetlands, and feel the joy of seeing a bittern for the first time after hearing its odd sound from deep within the swamp grass.

  “I’m leaving the refuge to you because I know you appreciate its beauty and can see the magic like I do.

  “I want the refuge to stay open to the public, so that others may catch a glimpse of the life that goes on here with the changing of the seasons. Many will find peace in this place and contentment in knowing they are only one piece of the whole puzzle that makes up the ecosystem and discover that love comes in many forms.

  “Thank you for taking care of Marsh and my birds for me. I am forever grateful. I love you a world-full, Aunt Cora.”

  Lauren let out the breath she was holding while Mr. Templeton rustled more papers.

  Aunt Cora had known exactly what she was doing. She’d waited until Lauren had time to read her diaries and fall in love with the area all over again. Ironically, Lauren didn’t need three months for that. She knew even before she stepped out of her car that this place was special and exactly where she belonged.

  Dozens of wayward thoughts swirled through Lauren’s mind. She could reopen the refuge to the general public again! She’d rename the museum after Aunt Cora—The Colwater Museum of Wildlife—and have a grand reopening. Enthusiasts, travelers and school children would visit from around the country and everyone could share in her aunt’s vision.

  A tingle of excitement spread through her body. She wouldn’t leave now. She couldn’t leave. The refuge was hers.

  * * *

  JD came around the bend and saw Lauren up ahead on the trail. She was near the mini waterfall, most likely looking for the egret. Her hair fluttered in the breeze, the same way the egret’s feathers did that day they watched i
t catch the fish. The creek water gurgled and the sun highlighted her long hair. She wasn’t wearing the floppy hat, so her hair was loose around her shoulders.

  “Lauren.” He walked to her and she looked over at him, her expression a daze.

  She blinked and surprise flashed in her eyes.

  “You’re leaving,” he said. It wasn’t a question. “I don’t want you to go.”

  She sighed. “I thought it would be best. The timing just wasn’t right.”

  “The timing couldn’t be more right.” If she would’ve moved into the cottage any later than she did, he would’ve been too far gone to see what was right in front of him. “You weren’t going to say goodbye,” he said sadly.

  “Oh, I…” She shoved her hair away from her face and sighed. “I didn’t know what to say.”

  “I do.” For once in his life he knew exactly what needed to be said. And for once in his life he wasn’t afraid to say the words. “I came over to tell you what a fool I was and then Daniel answered your door and I lost my nerve. I wanted to tell you—“

  “You came over?” she interrupted. “You…oh no and Daniel wasn’t wearing a shirt, was he?”

  “Yeah.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

  She smiled with embarrassment. “He showed up at my doorstep out of nowhere and confessed his undying love to me.”

  JD’s shoulders slumped.

  “No, not really,” she quickly reassured him. “I spilled wine on him and then we agreed to go our separate ways.”

  JD grinned at her before growing serious again. “Do you think it’s possible to find love more than once in a lifetime?” he asked her.

  “I’d like to think so,” she answered on a sigh. “With the billions of people on earth there has to be more than one person for everyone.”

  His face softened and the wrinkles between his eyes smoothed out. “You’re amazing, Lauren, do you know that? Lauren, I…” He paused and rubbed his hands together, trying to figure out a tactful way to say what he needed to say. On a heavy sigh, he continued. “When Darla died, it felt like I was going to break apart into a thousand pieces and die. Every morning since, I’ve woken up to find my heart still beating inside my chest even though most days I didn’t want it to. The pain of losing her was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I’ve taken pucks to the face, been hit by sticks, sliced by skates and none of it compared to when I lost her.

  “She wouldn’t let go until I promised her I would be okay without her. I lied to her, Lauren. I knew there was no way in hell I’d be able to survive without her and yet I told her I would, just to give her the peace of mind she needed. She told me I would meet someone else and be able to have feelings for them and I thought it was just the meds talking. I thought she was out of her mind to think I could feel anything for anyone else. And yet here I am.” He put his palm out, gesturing to the wetlands in the distance.

  “I chose this place because I knew there wouldn’t be anyone around to bother me. And then I saw you through my kitchen window.” He laughed softly and she took his hand and squeezed it. “You were skipping through the grass and I couldn’t take my eyes off you.

  “I still love her and I always will. But because of her, I can be free to love again. The guilt and pain have faded away because you helped me to see through it all. I love you, Lauren. I’m ready to be with you in the present and for as long as you’ll have me. I want to be with you and only you.”

  “Oh JD.” Lauren threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I love you, too.”

  He pulled back and held her at arm’s length. “I’m meeting with my agent tomorrow. The Razors invited me to training camp. They want me back, Lauren. I’m going to play hockey again.”

  “That’s great JD.”

  “Why do you look so stunned?”

  “Oh, I just got off the phone with Aunt Cora’s attorney.” She shoved her phone into her back pocket. “Apparently she owned the refuge and she left it to me along with the cottage. The refuge is mine, JD.” She said it out loud, hoping it would help it to sink in.

  He smiled. “It was always yours, Lauren.”

  The laugh bubbled up inside her and she couldn’t hold it back. She flung her arms wide, encompassing the beautiful land surrounding them. “It’s actually mine!” She leaped into his arms and he kissed her with every ounce of love he had for her.

  “I guess now you have a reason to stay,” he murmured against her lips. There was a smile in his voice.

  “Looks that way,” she said with a smile. “I love you, JD. I love you a world-full.”

  JD held her tight as Mel bounced up to them and a mourning dove cooed in the distance.

  Epilogue

  Lauren settled into her seat behind the glass and watched the Red Valley Razors warm up on the ice. It was the season opener and the NorCal Center was abuzz with noise and excitement. Fans filed into the building wearing jerseys embroidered with the names and numbers of their favorite players. The aroma of hot dogs, beer and pizza wafted from the concession stands. The giant JumboTron that hung above the ice was lit up with streaming images and the clock counted down the seconds until the drop of the puck.

  The team looked sharp in their red and white jerseys. They took turns shooting practice shots at the net and the starting goaltender slid back and forth to stop the puck.

  Lauren focused on the player skating drills directly in front of her. JD looked great on the ice. He looked cool and confident and she crossed her fingers in hopes he’d score a goal tonight.

  Lauren’s focus on JD was interrupted when Kyle and his new girlfriend shuffled to their seats next to her. Kyle was loaded down with nachos and beer and Lauren bit her lip. Who could eat at a time like this? She was much too nervous for JD’s debut. His decision to return to hockey had been all over the headlines and sports broadcasters had been speculating about it for weeks. She wouldn’t be able to keep any food down anyway.

  She fanned her fingers over her stomach and thought about the tiny life growing inside of her. She hadn’t told JD yet, but she planned on telling him the news after the game tonight. She didn’t want him to be distracted on the night of his big game any more than he already was. He was going to be ecstatic.

  Lauren was glad Teal Manor had a lot of bedrooms because she planned on filling them up with lots of children. JD reassured her that the commute to Red Valley from Teal Manor would be worth it. The old mansion wouldn’t sit empty and dark as it had for so many years. It would be lived in and loved in and its rooms would echo with laughter and the pitter-patter of little feet. They’d cook messy meals in its kitchen and gather around the massive dining table during the holidays. She would teach their children about birds and wildlife and JD would teach them about hockey and teamwork.

  She smiled to herself and surrendered the armrest to Kyle while resisting the urge to start biting her nails.

  “Lauren, it’s good to see you,” greeted Kyle’s velvety smooth voice.

  “Hey, Kyle,” Lauren replied with a smile.

  “Lauren, this is Minnie,” Kyle introduced the tall curvy woman next to him.

  There was nothing miniature about Minnie. She was built like a Mack Truck, but Kyle treated her like a delicate princess.

  “Hi, nice to meet you.” Lauren reached across to shake hands. “I’m glad you could make it.”

  Lauren smiled and couldn’t help but wonder if Minnie had been the one to break up Kyle’s latest band.

  “We’re forming a new band,” Kyle told Lauren. “Minnie’s an awesome singer.”

  “That’s great.”

  Once Kyle was settled into his seat, he looked at the players circling the ice. “He looks good out there.”

  “Yeah.” Lauren agreed.

  “You brought him back to life,” Kyle told her.

  It was poignant and beautiful and sounded like lyrics to one of his songs. The gratitude in his eyes caught her off guard. Instead of speaking, Lauren gave his h
and a squeeze. They both knew how far JD had come.

  She looked back over at the ice and found JD skating in her direction. He looked up at her and their eyes locked. The haunted look was gone and replaced with happiness, love and hope for the future. She smiled and waved and blew him a kiss.

  JD “caught” the kiss and smiled in return.

  Lauren looked over at Kyle who was feeding Minnie a nacho chip and then back at JD. Warmth filled her heart, soothing the flutter in her stomach.

  Everyone deserved a second chance at love.

  About the Author

  Rachelle Vaughn is the international bestselling author of several romance and erotica tales. Her first novel, Home Ice, consistently appears on bestselling lists years after its initial publication. Rachelle lives in California with her husband and their sassy calico cat. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys watching action movies, cruising Pinterest for inspiration and cheering for her favorite hockey players.

  Visit her website at rachellevaughn.com.

  Table of Contents

  WILD ICECopyright © 201

  Also by Rachelle VaughnHOME ICEFRESH ICESUBMERSEDWATCH ME

  Chapter OneTeal Manor

  Chapter TwoCora’s Cottage

  Chapter ThreeDust

  Chapter Four

  Chapter FiveBuddy

  Chapter SixThe Nest

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter EightThe Fall

  Chapter NineThe Visitor

  Chapter TenHealing

  Chapter ElevenMorning Dove

  Chapter TwelveDuck, Duck, Coot

  Chapter ThirteenOh Brother

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter FifteenChasing Butterflies

  Chapter SixteenDarla

  Chapter SeventeenPromise Me

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter NineteenWings

  Chapter TwentyTeammates