Kyle pulled her against him, rubbing her back and the nape of her neck beneath her silky hair. “I know how important it is to you to be able to count on what I tell you. How long I’ll be gone, when I’ll be back, that I’ll never have a pressure-cooker job again. I promise I’ll be back exactly on time—unless I have trouble with the rig, in which case I’ll call and tell you I’m going to be late. And I’ll talk to everyone about their accounts and get them transferred next week. You have my word.”
Chloe felt uncomfortable, hearing his promises. Had she been so rigid in her expectations that he felt he had to account for every minute he was away from her, for everything he did? Yet, how many times had Greg promised to be back, then didn’t come or call or even apologize for being late? More times than she could count. And how many times had Greg promised to cut back on his hours, only to extend them the next time a coveted account became available?
“Kyle, I—”
“I’ll be thinking about you every minute I’m gone, missing you so much I can hardly breathe. When I get back, I want to love you without holding back. Kiss me, Chloe. Kiss me good-bye.”
Softly, tenderly, he kissed her, held her, loved her in the only way he could right now.
Chloe gave herself totally to Kyle in that brief moment, trembling when she thought about watching him drive away, already feeling empty.
She wished they could stand there forever, with Kyle’s arms around her, his lips and tongue caressing hers. She’d left Houston looking for a new life, a new love, and had found both right here. Yet she couldn’t take that last step, telling Kyle she loved him, asking him not to leave her, confessing she felt empty without him, until she was sure Greg was gone for good. He said he’d be back. If he came back, it would be the last time. She had to make sure of it.
All too soon, they were back at the Nest. Kyle got into his pickup, kissed her through the open window, then drove off toward Durango, waving until he was out of sight.
Fran hugged her friend. “You love him, don’t you?”
Chloe nodded, unable to answer for the tightness in her throat and the pain in her heart. Without him, she felt like half a person.
Chapter 18
The next morning, Fran loved the thrills of the jeep ride and Pete’s playful banter on their trip to Yankee Boy Basin. Chloe took dozens of pictures, including Fran’s reaction to everything they saw. Chloe’s enthusiasm for the trip had to be manufactured. It wasn’t the same without Kyle’s sappy grin.
When they got to the falls, Chloe missed him so terribly she felt like crying. The pain of his absence more than overshadowed the pain she’d felt when she learned about his “secret” brokering business.
Back at the Nest, Byrdie greeted them with homemade pizzas—pepperoni with mushrooms, hamburger with onions, and a supreme with everything. “How was your tour?”
Fran babbled on and on, much as Chloe had done the week before. Chloe, strangely quiet and subdued, ate little. Pleading eagerness to print the morning’s pictures, she grabbed her camera and told them she was going to the Shutter Bug for a couple of hours, even though she really didn’t feel like it.
Just as she was leaving, the phone rang. It was a woman from Gulf Coast Seafood, calling with a message from Greg Reynolds. Chloe shook her head when Byrdie asked if she wanted to take the call. “Care to leave a message?” Byrdie asked. After hanging up, she handed a slip of paper to Chloe. “He wants you to call him tonight, at home.”
“He didn’t even call himself. Just had Sandra, call for him.”
“Her name wasn’t Sandra.”
“Who then?”
“Ellen somebody.”
Chloe felt as though she’d been dropped down a mine shaft. How could Greg be so callous, so unfeeling? It told her more about him than anything he’d said while in Ouray.
“What are your plans for the afternoon?” she asked Fran.
“I promised Byrdie I’d bake those cream cheese ‘thingies’ with the apricot filling this afternoon. Do you need me for anything?”
“I wouldn’t think of asking you to forego such an important task. Just don’t let me have more than one of those fattening ‘thingies’ when I get back.”
“Don’t worry. I’m using the low fat cream cheese and a magic wand for the rest of the calories.”
“In that case, let me have two. I’m going for a walk down by the river. I’ll print those photos tomorrow.”
Chloe wandered back to the place where she and Kyle had stood and talked—and held each other. Staring into the tumbling waters, surrounded by the roar, she felt insulated from the realities of life for a moment. She pitched a rock into the rushing water of the Uncompaghre River and watched it disappear into the turbulent current, as though it had never existed.
Like her emotions, the river rolled and tumbled, frantic to reach lower, more level, more peaceful terrain.
A while later, Fran appeared with a basket on one arm, picking her way carefully along the river.
“If you want me to leave, I will. I just thought you might like having someone to sit with you.”
Chloe held out one hand to Fran, who dropped down beside her. “Thanks, dear friend.”
“I don’t know what for.” She handed Chloe something warm, wrapped in a napkin.
“For being here. For loving me. For putting up with my moods. For freshly baked apricot ‘thingies.’” She took a bite of the detectable treat.
Fran’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want Greg to hurt you again. I’ll call him if you want. I’ll tell him to leave you alone, to disappear from your life. And, if you’re thinking about going back to him, I’ll try to knock some sense into you.”
“Greg has made his choice, and I’ve made mine.” A memory made its way to the surface. “Greg said he explained everything to you. That you understood, and told him where I was.”
“That weasel! I did no such thing! You told me not to tell him, and I didn’t. He came to the house, demanding to know where you were. When I didn’t tell him, he kept after me, trying to wear me down. Then, out of the blue, he left. When you called and said he was there, I figured you’d changed your mind and told him where to find you.”
Chloe shook her head.
Fran thought a minute. “He must have seen the notepad by the phone in the kitchen. No wonder he left in such a hurry. He didn’t want me to know what he’d found. I’m so sorry, Chloe. If I’d known—”
“It doesn’t matter. In fact, I should’ve faced him before I left. He’s never been one to give up on something he wants.”
“You don’t have to see him again if you don’t want to.”
“Even if I talk to him again, I doubt he’ll believe anything I tell him.”
“What happens now?”
“Remember that poster in my office, the one you always loved, of the dog buried in paperwork, sitting at a desk? ‘Hard work got me where I am. Where am I?’”
“I remember.”
“I’ve worked hard all my life to reach a perfect world where Greg had achieved his goals, we were married and had a family, living in a house he was proud to own. Now that I’m here in Ouray, those old dreams have melted like clouds clinging to the mountains under the morning sun. I’m just beginning to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. I have to know exactly where I am and where I’m going before I can take another step. I have to find my own dreams.”
“I understand. When you find out, let me know. I’ll go with you.”
“You’ve already helped, just by being here, and by affirming what I know to be true, but haven’t been able to say aloud.”
“You love Kyle.”
“Yes. And I’m going to tell him so, the minute he gets back. I would’ve told him before he left, but I wanted things settled with Greg first. Until that’s done, I can’t move forward.” Chloe sighed. “I’ve been such a coward. I’ve known for a long time that I didn’t love him anymore, but I didn’t have the courage to tell him. I ran away
instead.” Fran leaned against her shoulder, something they’d done since childhood. “Let me have that second ‘thingy’ now. I have a feeling I’m going to need all the energy I can get for what lies ahead.”
<><><>
The sun sank below the mountains and shadows nestled around Ouray and the Byrd’s Nest. Chloe added a couple of logs to the fireplace, loving how the flickering flames softened the room, filling some of the emptiness that Kyle’s absence inflicted on every part of the house.
Byrdie had been right about Ouray being the perfect place for sorting out hurts and disappointments. Once sorted, they could be tossed into the river or the fireplace, never to be seen or heard from again.
In a sudden revelation, Chloe realized it didn’t matter. The brokerage business, Greg’s demands, not knowing what lay ahead. None of it meant anything without Kyle to share whatever the day decided to bring. Kyle meant everything to her.
The minute he was home again, she’d tell him. The hours between now and then would be an eternity.
<><><>
Kyle pulled through Denver later than he hoped. Loading delays in Santa Fe cost him almost half a day. He felt as though he’d been away from Ouray a month instead of only a day. If he’d had any doubts before—and there had been pitifully few—they were gone now. He wanted to spend every day of his life with Chloe. He only hoped, in time, she’d feel the same about him. He decided to call the Nest, to see how everyone was doing.
Chloe picked up after the first ring.
“Kyle? Thank God!”
“What a reception! Yes, darlin’, it’s me. How’s everything there?”
“Kind of stormy. I’m really glad you called. I— That is, we were all worried about you.”
“I’m fine. I just left Denver. There are thunderheads off to the northwest, but nothing here. Don’t worry, though. Storms in the Rockies are usually pretty localized.” She was worried about him! The concern in her voice made him feel like a million bucks! “I’ll be back before you know it. And then we have to have a long talk.”
“I have something I want to tell you—but not over the phone.”
A chill shook him. “I hope it isn’t bad news—”
“Nothing bad, I promise. Just come home soon. I—”
The phone cut out. “Say it again—I didn’t hear you.” More interference “I’ll have to call you back. Try not to worry.” Kyle tried to call back, but he’d lost service.
On the highway, he replayed every word she’d said, savoring the sound of her voice, her concern for him, her promise she had something to tell him that wasn’t bad. Maybe—
As he headed northwest, he didn’t give the storms another thought. Instead, he rehearsed his proposal to Chloe, what he’d say, where he’d take her to say it, where they’d go on their honeymoon. In the distance, angry storm clouds hugged the mountains, overpowering the sun.
<><><>
Fran wasn’t at all eager to get back to Houston. Chloe had no trouble persuading her to stay longer in Ouray before even thinking about going home again. Her bills had been paid on the first, mail could accumulate in her post office box, and job hunting could wait a few more days. The clincher came in the form of a downpour.
“Incredible!” Fran declared, standing at the front door, watching a sprinkle turn into a shower, then into a deluge. “There are parts of the world where water actually falls from the sky. I’d forgotten how it sometimes sounds like bacon sizzling, how it brings the fresh smell of ozone, and how the delicious coolness makes you shiver. If this isn’t heaven, it ought to be.”
Chloe smiled and went to the door. She shared Fran’s delight at such a simple occurrence—one that wasn’t simple at all in Texas. “It’s heavenly, isn’t it?”
Byrdie came in from the kitchen, sat in the recliner, groaned a bit when she leaned back, and propped her feet up. “Heavier than we’re used to. Hank called a while ago. It’s been raining in the central Rockies since morning. They’re starting to get concerned about flash flooding.”
Chloe turned. “Flooding? You mean like creeks and rivers rising, as they do in Texas?”
She nodded. “I’m not concerned for the most part. It’s just that—” She got up suddenly. “I’ve got to get back to the kitchen. Those rolls won’t knead themselves.”
“Wait, Byrdie. What did you start to say?” Fear flooded Chloe’s sense of well-being, hearing Byrdie’s tone.
“Well, it probably won’t amount to anything. The Big Thompson hasn’t flooded that much in decades.”
“Where is the Big Thompson?”
Byrdie hesitated. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. Now you’ll worry, and there’s really no need.”
Chloe took Byrdie’s arm and led her back to the recliner, then sat on the couch. “Tell us, Byrdie.”
She sighed. “The Big Thompson River flows east from Estes Park toward Loveland, right next to the highway. The river carved its way through the mountain, creating a natural pass. When heavy rain falls on the headwaters of that river, it’s been known to rise so much it rushes through the pass.”
Chloe’s breathing quickened, remembering flash floods in Texas.
“Exactly. But I’ve gotten you worried for nothing. The chances of the Thompson flooding precisely when Kyle goes through there—”
Fran frowned, then tried to smile. “Byrdie’s right, Chloe. It’s just a little rain.”
Byrdie smiled. “Don’t give it another thought. Now, I have to knead that dough if the rolls are going to have time to rise by supper.” She got up and went to the kitchen.
Fran stared out at the rain, falling harder and harder with every minute. “Why not call the Department of Public Safety, or whatever they have in Colorado and ask about road conditions along the Big Thompson?”
Chloe was already flipping through the phone book for the number before Fran finished the sentence. She dialed, but got only silence. “Nothing. The lines are down. She tried her cell phone. No service. I’ll keep trying.”
<><><>
By nightfall, Chloe was pacing the living room, with the television tuned to the Weather Channel. A forecaster droned on and on about weather in Europe, where tourists were enjoying sunny skies, even in London.
“Don’t tell me about London!” Chloe yelled at the screen. “Tell me about Colorado!”
Fran peeked in from the kitchen, hands dripping with sudsy dishwater and a dusting of flour on one cheek. “Any news yet?”
“Nothing! There’s supposed to be a storm summary in a few minutes.”
“How about the phone?”
“Still out. Why can’t they get something as simple as a phone line fixed? There are people who need to make calls! And what about the microwave tower?”
Chloe stopped at the front door for a moment, watching, in horror, tiny hail bouncing on the lawn. In less than a minute, it stopped, but the effect was no less chilling. Was it hailing in Loveland Pass? Where was Kyle? Maybe cell service was down near Loveland, too.
Speculation had driven her crazy ever since she’d talked to Kyle. She picked up the map from the table—the same map she’d studied carefully, trying to determine how many miles he had to travel from Denver to Estes Park, then how many more to Cheyenne, then back to Ouray.
Too many.
A blonde forecaster on the Weather Channel announced the storm summary coming up next. Again. How many times had she said that report would be “next?” Miraculously, the United States popped onto the screen, radar showing various shades of green covering the states of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. “Unprecedented,” the blonde said. Rainfall amounts up to eight inches in parts of northern Colorado and southern Wyoming. Flash flood watches had been issued all over the place.
“A flash flood warning has been issued for Loveland Pass,” the blonde announced. “Motorists are encouraged to find another route or wait until all danger of flooding has passed.”
“Fran! Byrdie! Come look at this!” But the map changed to New England before either
of them could see the screen. Chloe described what she’d seen.
Byrdie sat down, her hands trembling. “That’s what I was afraid of. We don’t get a lot of heavy rain here, hour after hour. And so widespread. Hank said it went all the way to Wyoming.”
“You said Kyle had to go through Loveland Pass?”
Byrdie shook her head. “Not necessarily. Sometimes he does, when he’s in a hurry, but most of the time he doesn’t. Truckers don’t like that canyon. The phones are still out?”
Chloe nodded. “I should go somewhere, find out what’s happening.”
Byrdie smiled and shook her head. “No, child. The best place to be is right here. There’s nothing we can do but wait to hear from him. Eventually, they’ll get all the phones working again. The lines will be jammed with thousands of people calling, but we’ll eventually get through and he’ll be just fine, laughing away our worries, wondering why we were so concerned. Kyle has never been slow to call when he suspected I might be worried, though. He’ll call.”
<><><>
Kyle pulled into a truck stop in Estes Park at dusk, hoping to get some weather information while he got something to eat.
Indigo clouds in the west, edged with gold, had blocked the sunset. He reached for his cell phone, but got only a “No Service” message. The pay phone at the restaurant was out of order, too. He heard someone say something about a power station getting hit by lightning or something. Must have been one big bolt of lightning to take out the whole area.
Inside, he sat near the television in the corner, tuned to the Weather Channel, but they covered every part of the world but Colorado while he ate a cheeseburger and fries. He paid his ticket, hearing there were sunny skies in Europe—even in London. Even though they’d said twice that the storm summary would be up “next,” it hadn’t appeared. Kyle pushed the heavy door open, raising his collar against the cold wind. By the time he got to the truck, he felt chilled. He would have to hurry to stay ahead of this weather.
Kiss Me, Chloe Page 18