by Mona Ingram
She gave him a crooked smile. “You don’t have to explain,” she said.
Something flared in his eyes. “But I do,” he said. He pried her hands away from her knees and took one in his hand, stroking it with his thumb. “I messed up earlier today. I know that, and I’m sorry. Maybe I should have insisted that we stay up at that lake for a few more minutes so I could tell you how I feel.”
Her heart started to beat faster. “What do you mean?”
“I’m falling in love with you, Jamie.” His eyes searched her face. “I thought you knew.”
“But...” she paused to collect her thoughts. “You said you were leaving.”
He stared at her. “No I didn’t. When did I say that?”
His words were indelibly stamped on her mind. “We were talking about using the machete to keep the trail clear. You said you’d have to come back to keep the trail clear.”
“And I will. As soon as you fly us back in again...” his words trailed off as he realized what she was saying. “You thought I meant come back from Toronto? No, I meant come back to the lake.” He edged closer and put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s no wonder you took off when you saw Donna. Here I’ve been making all these plans in my head without talking them over with you. I just assumed you knew how I felt.”
She looked up at him. “Plans, what plans?”
“I’ll tell you in a minute.” He tipped up her face and kissed her thoroughly. She sighed and leaned into him. “I’ve been thinking that I can set up a studio here to work on my documentaries. And I can travel from anywhere. What if I moved here so we can really get to know each other?”
She only had to consider his words for a moment. “I’d like that,” she said simply. “Because I’m falling in love with you, too.” She jumped up and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, let’s go home.”
* * *
Brooke and Leeza were having a quiet coffee break in the lobby when Jamie and Craig pulled up in the runabout, the outboard trailing behind.
“I wonder what that’s all about,” said Leeza, eyeing them over the rim of her mug. “Two boats.”
“I don’t know, but I saw Craig earlier with some woman. They seemed to be having an argument and then she left and he ran down to the dock and took off.” Brooke smiled as Craig and Jamie walked down the dock, their arms around each other’s waist. “Whatever it was, it looks as though they’ve sorted it out.”
Leeza sighed. “You and Billy. Jamie and Craig. I had to fall for the married one.”
Brooke turned to her friend. “You really like him, huh?”
Leeza nodded. “He takes my breath away. I just have to look at him and I get turned on.” She set down her mug. “I know there’s no future, but I’ve never known anyone else who made me feel like this.”
“Wow. I don’t know what to say.”
“Better not say anything,” she murmured, watching Craig and Jamie as they headed for the Lodge, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world. “I might cry.”
“Oh, Hi.” Jamie noticed them sitting in the corner. “Is this a good time to talk?” She let go of Craig’s hand and walked toward them.
Brooke and Leeza exchanged looks. “Sure,” they said together.
Jamie turned back to Craig. “See you later, then.”
He nodded and headed for the stairs.
Jamie sat down. “I’ve been thinking, and I’d like to go ahead with the spa idea. Her eyes sparkled more than usual and she glanced toward where Craig had disappeared up the stairs. “Both Craig and I think it’s a wonderful fit with the Lodge.” She turned back to her friends. “I’m confident we can all do well with it.”
“That’s great.” Brooke rubbed her hand together. “Now the real work starts. I can’t wait.”
Jamie smiled at her enthusiasm. “I’ve also decided to sell the remaining property. I haven’t quite decided how yet, but I’ll feel better if I contribute something.”
Brooke nodded. “That’s fine. We’ll work out the details.”
Leeza spoke up. “Interesting that you’ve decided to sell. Matt went to look at that land. He might have some ideas for you tonight.”
“Tonight?” Jamie looked at the chef.
“The guys were talking about a bonfire tonight.” She made a circle motion with her finger. “A small one, after dinner; just the six of us.”
“Good. I’ll look forward to hearing what Matt thinks about the land.”
Brooke stood up. “I’m off to work. There’s no time like the present to get things started.”
“Me too, I guess.” Jamie rose reluctantly. “I have to fly down to Nettie’s and get some avgas. See you guys later.”
* * *
It was late in the evening by the time everyone gathered around the campfire. Billy and Matt had outdone themselves again, purchasing a couple of bottles of champagne in town, and had kept it on ice since early afternoon.
Billy stood as Leeza and Brooke crossed the lawn, the last to join the party. He thrust glasses of champagne in their hands and raised his own.
“Here’s to the Spa at Long Lake!” The six friends raised their glasses.
“I like it,” said Brooke. “We could use that for a name. The Spa at Long Lake.” She turned to Jamie. “What do you think?”
Jamie leaned into Craig. “Sounds good to me.” She took another sip of champagne and put her glass down. “I don’t know how many of you have heard, but since we’re making announcements, I’m going to sell off the land to the north of the campground.” She looked over at Matt. “Did you get a chance to look at it today?”
Matt nodded. “I did. The bottom line is that you can do anything you want with that land and it will sell. It’s a beautiful piece of property and I can see why you don’t want to cover it with high density housing.”
“I wish I could afford to give it to the government for a park or something, but that’s not in the cards. The ideal solution is to sell it off so that it has the least impact on the lake.” She stared into the fire. “Come to think of it, turning it into a park would increase the number of people using the lake. Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea after all.”
Matt listened quietly before he spoke. “What if you broke it up into large lots that stretch from the road down to the water? Slice it up like a loaf of bread; all you have to decide is how thick the slices will be. These days most waterfront lots are small. If you did things differently and made these a generous size I think you’d find people coming out of the woodwork to buy them.”
“Like me!” Billy spoke up immediately. “I get to choose the first one.” He glanced over at Craig. “Or is that the second one?”
“I’ve been thinking.” Craig smiled down at Jamie before addressing the whole group. “I can make my headquarters anywhere. I’d like one, too.”
All eyes turned to Matt, and he shifted uncomfortably. “You can make the lots as wide or as narrow as you like. If I were you, I’d get together with a realtor and work out what’s best. Ask him to present you with several layouts and what he estimates the lots will sell for. You could even offer some smaller lots back beside the road and give them lake access through the Lodge property. There are lots of ways you can configure this.”
Jamie leaned forward and spoke in her usual forthright manner. “Would you do it for me? Could you at least set it up, or be my consultant?”
Leeza wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw tears in his eyes. “If things work out with my license, I’d be honoured.”
“Good, that’s settled.” Jamie raised her glass again. “Here’s to an exciting new start next year.”
The three couples chatted quietly as the fire burned down. There was a lot to discuss with respect to the upcoming year; plans began to take shape as ideas and suggestions flowed.
Craig and Jamie were the first to stand up. “Sorry, guys, but it’s been a long day.” Brooke and Billy soon followed, leaving Leeza and Matt sitting by the fire.
A small log exploded,
sending a shower of sparks into the air. Leeza watched them flare and burn out. She couldn’t help but compare them with this thing she felt for Matt. Hot and explosive one minute, gone the next.
“They liked your idea,” she said eventually. “About the big lots. Do you think Jamie will get a decent amount of money that way?”
He shrugged. “It depends on what she calls decent, but we can work it out several ways.” He tilted his head to one side and looked at her, his eyes black in the light from the fire. “I have a feeling she’s not into money.”
“You’re right about that. With Jamie, it’s her way of life that matters.”
He poked at the fire, releasing a fresh shower of sparks. “She and Craig seem to be getting on well.”
Leeza nodded. “And I’m happy for her. They seem perfect together.”
He stood up abruptly. “I thought so, too.” He looked around for the large cans Billy had cadged from the kitchen earlier. “Let’s douse this fire and I’ll walk you home.”
“Are you off tomorrow morning?” he said finally as they neared her cottage. Landscaping lights cast soft pools of light in the flower beds on either side of her door.
“I start at noon.”
He paused. “Would you like to show me the waterfall?”
Silly question. “We’d need to leave early. It’s about an hour away, and there’s about a half hour walk to get into the falls when we get there.”
He smiled, softening the sharp angles of his face. “I’m good with that. How about seven? We could pick up coffee and something to eat on the way, couldn’t we?”
“Yes, we could.” Leeza was already counting the hours.
“All right, then.” His eyes were barely visible in the reduced light. He touched her cheek with his fingertips and trailed them along under her chin. His thumb brushed against her lips and she thought her legs might give way. “Good night, Leeza.”
She couldn’t speak, so nodded her head. That seemed to suffice. He smiled, turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Chapter Twelve
A fine mist hung over the lake when Leeza and Matt pulled out the next morning. Matt slipped on mirrored sunglasses and looked over at her as they reached the main road. “Is it always like this in the morning? The mist, I mean?”
He looked so good this morning. A loose shirt over a T-shirt and faded jeans; it was all she could do not to rip them off him. She forced herself to look away. “When it’s going to be a nice day, it’s usually like this.” She glanced at her watch. “It’ll burn off soon.”
“Good.” He drove quickly and competently. She hadn’t expected anything else.
There was very little traffic on the road and they arrived in town earlier than Leeza had anticipated.
“Let’s stop for our coffee,” she said. “I’m not crazy about drinking it in the car.”
They sat down at an outside table and Matt raised his face to the sun. “I could get to like this. I spend far too much time inside.” He broke off the top of his muffin and started to eat it. “Seems to me I’m either in the office or in my vehicle, getting from place to place.”
She was having a hard time tearing her eyes away from his hands. His fingers were long and elegant and she remembered how they made her feel every time he touched her. “Are you nervous about possibly losing your license?” she asked. “I don’t see how you can be otherwise.”
He thought about her question for a moment. “I’m a lot of things right now. Sure, I’m nervous about my future but I’m also angry. At my partner and at my wife, but mostly I’m angry at myself.”
“Why? Why would you be angry with yourself? You didn’t know that any of this stuff was going on.”
He shoved the uneaten part of the muffin in the bag, crushed it in one hand and sat staring at it. “That’s just it. I should have been more aware. I was too busy chasing the dream.”
She had to ask. “Do you think you would have found it?”
His head came up slowly. “No, I don’t think so. At least not my version of the dream.” He inhaled deeply. “How did we get on this subject?” The expression in his eyes softened. “I don’t know what it is about you Leeza Campeau, but you make me spill my guts every time.”
“I’m sorry.”
He slid his hand across the table, picked up her hand and interlocked his fingers with hers. “Don’t be sorry. I like it.”
She looked down at their hands. “So do I.”
He brushed his lips against her fingers and then released her hand. “Come on, let’s go. I want to see this famous waterfall.”
They pulled into the gravel parking lot half an hour later and Leeza was delighted to see that there were no other cars. She jumped out and studied the information board while Matt pulled out his camera bag. The well used trail led into the gloom of the forest and a few steps in Matt paused to listen.
“It can’t be far,” he said. “I can hear the waterfall from here.”
It was a short walk into the falls and they soon found themselves on a secure lookout. Water spilled over the edge of a precipice, falling a hundred feet below into a narrow canyon. Mist rose, eerily beautiful in the morning light.
“Is there any way down there?” Matt turned back toward a side trail.
“Yes. According to the information board there is a trail that leads down. They say it’s not for novices, but I don’t mind trying it.”
He looked as though he’d been handed a precious gift. “All right! Let’s go.”
The trail snaked through the forest, supported in some places by cedar logs to hold the soil in place. After several switchbacks, they found themselves in the bottom of the canyon looking up. As they were catching their breath, the sun crested the trees, illuminating the spray and splintering into multi coloured diamonds.
“Careful! Those rocks are slippery.” Matt had ventured farther downstream to photograph the cascading water from a different angle. He looked back at her and laughed, his face free from the worry and stress that had plagued him the last few days. In that moment, Leeza knew that she was in love with him. It was one of the sweetest and yet saddest moments of her life.
He raised his camera and took a picture of her, then put it away and hopped back over the rocks to where she was standing.
“What?” he said, coming dangerously close. “You had a look on your face back there.” He brushed a stray piece of hair from her forehead. “What were you thinking?”
She was thankful for the mist on her eyelashes. Otherwise he might be able to see she was crying.
“My God, Leeza, don’t cry.” His voice rumbled in his chest as he pulled her close. “Please don’t cry.” He tilted up her chin. “I can’t stand to see you unhappy.”
He stared into her eyes for what seemed like forever. Then, with a groan of frustration, he brought his lips down over hers. His mouth was soft and sensuous, and he plundered her mouth with a passion that made her forget to breathe.
He pulled back. “I’m sorry” he murmured, but the smile on his face said otherwise.
“Don’t be sorry.” She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss. It would have gone on forever if it hadn’t been for the two young children that came running down the path and stopped to stare at them.
He closed his eyes and she couldn’t tell if he was relieved or frustrated. The children ran down to the water and he pulled her aside. “It’s not working, Leeza.”
She couldn’t believe her ears. “What’s not working?”
He shook his head. “I’ve been trying so hard not to be attracted to you.” Those long, sensitive fingers slipped into her hair and he kissed her again. “I’ve wanted to do this ever since we met.”
The childrens’ parents appeared on the trail and gave them a curious look. “See what I mean?” he said with a devilish grin. “Bad timing.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“Where are we going?” Leeza didn’t really care. She just want
ed to be with him.
“I don’t know. Somewhere private. We’ll figure it out when we get there.”
They practically ran up the path to the parking lot. He tossed his camera bag into the back, opened her door and then climbed into the driver’s seat. He reached across and took her hand. “Leeza, before this goes any farther, I want to make sure...”
His ringtone sounded. He rolled his eyes impatiently and gave her a quick kiss before taking it out of his pocket. When he saw the display, his demeanor changed and he sat up straight. A cold chill of apprehension slithered down Leeza’s spine.
“Yes?” He stared ahead through the windshield as he listened. She watched his face for clues, but he’d turned impassive.
“Do you know what they’ve decided?” He’d changed in a matter of moments from laughing and relaxed to tense and businesslike.
“No, I suppose not.” He glanced at his watch. “Yes, of course I want to be there. It’s my future we’re talking about; it’s our future.”
He rubbed his free hand across his eyes as he listened, nodding. “Yes, I understand. I’ll be there. Nine o’clock.”
He ended the call and collapsed back against the seat, eyes focused on some distant point.
“That was Cassie” he said, still looking out the window. “The Board has come to a decision and they want me there tomorrow morning.”
He turned to her, his expression bleak. “I’m sorry, Leeza.”
She wished she could come up with something clever to say. Some light, airy remark to show that she wasn’t dying inside. Instead she just nodded, and willed herself not to cry.
He stared at his watch, tapping it with a finger as he calculated. “If I leave right away I should get in just before midnight.” He was talking to himself. “My lawyer wants to huddle with me before we go in front of the board.” He raised an eyebrow. “I might even get a couple of hours of sleep.”
How could he be discussing such mundane things when her world was shattering? She looked across at him and wanted to hate him, but she couldn’t. He’d been transformed in a matter of moments, exchanging laughter for tension, but she still loved him and wanted him so fiercely she thought she might self-combust.