by Elsie Davis
“Cory, honey, we’ve got to run an errand this morning before we head to Uncle Trent’s. Can you put on your shoes, please?”
“Okay, Mommy.” Cory retrieved his shoes from the front door and sat down on the couch to put them on. His energy level was next to zero. He wasn’t one of those kids that acted out when he was unhappy. Instead, he kept things bottled up inside. Like David.
It had come as a shock when Trent told her the truth about David’s past. The problems he faced ran deep, making him emotionally unavailable. It was like a huge red no-go zone hanging over his head.
Ashley poured herself another cup of coffee and sat at the table, going through her backpack while she waited for Cory. Most of the time, he managed to put them on himself, especially with the Velcro sneakers he’d chosen to wear. As she pulled everything out one by one and went over her mental checklist, she realized she was missing the most important thing. Her map.
Ashley frowned, digging deeper in the bag and checking all the zippered pockets, sure it was still in there. She checked around the house, but the map was no wear to be found.
“I’m ready, Mommy. Look, I did my own sneakers.” Cory smiled, proud of his accomplishment.
“Great job, honey. Guess we’re ready to go.” Hopefully Trent would have one she could borrow. If not, she’d have to go on memory alone, because no matter what, she was going today.
After stopping at the store for more trail snacks, Ashley drove to Trent’s place. Cory unbuckled himself from his seat and pushed open the car door. He jumped out and raced to the front porch, pressing the buzzer multiple times.
“Just once is all you need, Cory,” Ashley said, relieved her son was excited about something. And that something was his Uncle Trent.
The door opened and Trent stepped out on the porch to join them. “Hey, kiddo.” He lifted Cory up and tickled his belly. “Are we going to have a great day, or what?”
“The bestus, Uncle Trent.” Cory beamed.
“Morning, sis. Come on in. I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
“Good morning. Um, I have a favor to ask. Why don’t you make today a Cory and Uncle Trent day? Just the two of you,” she emphasized.
“Why? Where are you going?” Trent frowned.
“I want to go look for the eagle.” She crossed her arms and steeled herself for his response.
“Ashley, enough is enough. Family time is important too. I haven’t seen much of you at all and now you’re blowing out of town again. I’d like to spend the day with my sister.”
“What about me, Uncle Trent?” Cory asked.
“Of course, you. Always you, buddy.” Trent chucked Cory under the chin.
“Maybe we can do something tomorrow. I’m not leaving until Sunday morning,” Ashley tried to appease Trent. She would have liked to spend more time with him also. Building festival booths together hadn’t exactly been what she called quality time.
“Fine. But I’m going to hold you to it. You’re going to miss all the fun I had planned, but that’s more for me and Cory to share,” Trent said, tickling Cory again. Her son was eating up the attention.
“I’m sorry. Truly. Oh, and do you have a map of the park? Mine seems to be missing, although I swear I left it in the backpack.”
Trent frowned, shaking his head. “I don’t. Maybe it’s one of your signs you’re not supposed to go back out there.”
“Maybe, but I don’t always follow the signs. Clearly.” Ashley grinned, remembering when she’d driven around the roadblock.
“Trust me, I know.” Trent rolled his eyes as if the words weren’t enough.
“I’m going to the lower southeast quadrant and I basically remember the section, so, no worries. I’ll figure it out.” It wasn’t her normal organized way of doing things, but sometimes, you had to make do. And this was one of those times.
“Call me if you need anything.”
Ashley kissed her son and waved goodbye to her two favorite guys. “Be good for Uncle Trent, Cory,” she called out as she walked away, eager to start her last search for the bald eagle. Maybe today would be her lucky day.
* * *
David headed out early, relieved when he hadn’t run into Ashley. He drove straight to the South Summit parking lot and headed into the woods, Kojak by his side. They made good time in the cold, crisp air, trying to stay warm.
He’d only been out in the woods for about twenty minutes when his phone rang. “David Beckett.”
“Hey, it’s Trent. Thought you should know that Ashley is planning on searching for the eagle today. She just came by and mentioned the missing map, but I did find out she’s planning on searching the lower southeast quadrant. Not sure which one you’re in, but you might want to stay out of there unless you want to run into her.”
It was one of the areas he planned to search tomorrow if nothing turned up today. That would be one less gridded section for him to check, and it meant they would have all been covered by the time Ashley left town. “I wonder what changed her mind?”
“Her determination and unwillingness to accept defeat, I reckon.” All things David loved about her. “Thanks for the heads-up. Where’s Cory?”
“Uncle Trent’s on duty today. We were all supposed to hang out together, but the eagle won out over her brother by the looks of it.” Trent laughed.
“Sounds like fun. He’s a great kid.”
“I couldn’t agree more. Which is why Ashley needs to stay in Hallbrook. Cory needs a male influence in his life and someone to play ball with. Someone like you and me. Any progress on your end?”
“No. But I’m working on it, trust me. Later.” David hung up and intensified his search. He brought his lunch and only stopped for a few minutes here and there to look around and breathe in the fresh mountain air.
Trying to see the forested area through Ashley’s eyes, he soaked in the little things. Like the fancy mushroom growing on a tree, or a strange-looking bug that appeared like a warrior in a full suit of armor and a deadly spiked back that looked ferocious.
The pictures he took wouldn’t be nearly as good as anything Ashley took, but he was proud of them. Especially the one of Kojak checking out the battle-ready bug. Overly cautious but curious, the dog sniffed the bug out, getting almost eye to eye, but seeming to have enough sense not to mess with it. David agreed with Kojak’s assessment—the thing had do not touch written all over it’s scary-looking body.
It felt a little strange out here searching, all the while knowing Ashley was out in the woods doing the same thing not far from here. It was oddly comforting.
He came to a clearing that looked out over one of the larger ponds. Walking around the edge of the water, he snapped several pictures of turtles sunning themselves. He had to be quick before they plunged into the water to escape the intruders, mainly Kojak.
David sat down in the tall grass, letting the dog splash and play fetch as he threw a stick for him. It wasn’t long before Kojak grew weary of the game and laid in the water to cool off.
Taking advantage of the moment, he plucked one of the tall grasses to stick in his mouth and lay back on the ground. Five minutes passed as he watched the clouds float overhead, carried across the sky by the gentle breeze. It reminded him of a game he’d once played with Ashley when they’d tried to decipher the shapes of the clouds. It had been the first time he’d held her hand, and his first awkward move to show he wanted to be more than friends.
They’d grown closer, much to the dismay of Trent. But David hadn’t been in control of his heart and couldn’t help falling in love with her. It was his brain that eventually rejected the idea, leading him to make what now appeared to be the biggest mistake of his life.
David sat up, catching sight of Kojak coming out of the water. The dog shook a couple of times to dry out his fur. It was time they got back to work. A large dark bird caught his attention off in the distance. He watched, unable to stop the sudden rush of adrenaline. Wishful thinking and hope would do that to a person.
More than likely, it was just another turkey vulture.
He tried to remember what Ashley said about the V, the W, and the straight line. This appeared to be more of a straight line, but he couldn’t be sure. The bird flew closer, and David lay back down in the grass, calling Kojak to his side. “Lie down, boy.” The dog laid down next to him, his head cocked to one side, questioning David’s odd request.
The bird circled again, this time drawing near, close enough for David to see a patch of solid white, which ruled out the vulture. An osprey also had some white coloring, so he tried not to let his imagination run away. An unverified sighting accomplished nothing.
A loud screeching cry split across the sky. And then another as the bird continued to circle. David tensed; almost positive it was the eagle, the solid white of the bird’s head becoming more visible.
Slowly, he lifted his phone and switched it to camera mode. “Stay, Kojak.” He needed to make sure the dog didn’t give away their location. Not that the osprey or eagle couldn’t see them—their eyesight some of the best in the animal kingdom. But if they weren’t moving, they’d be less of a threat.
David snapped off a few pictures, even though the bird was still a great distance away. Suddenly, another bird came flying out of the treetops and began soaring toward the first one. They flew together as though they were dancing and playing together in their own private world.
Whether osprey or eagle, he couldn’t be sure, but it was a remarkable moment. Soulmates that mated for life. Anything could happen to either one of them, but it wasn’t keeping them from enjoying today and this very moment. Another reminder of his mother’s words. He just wished it hadn’t taken this long to understand the truth.
One of the birds came closer, plunging into the pond and capturing a fish in its talons.
This close, the identity of the bird was no longer in question. The white head and solid brown body clearly marked them as bald eagles. The bird flew off to the nearest treetop, most likely to eat their fresh fish dinner.
Spotting the eagle was fantastic, spotting the pair was a gift from God. Shivers of excitement raced through him, the joy of his discovery only just now beginning to set in.
Ashley had been right.
David was relieved the smoke hadn’t driven them away, but more than likely, judging on his location, he had Ashley’s change of perimeter line to thank for that. He jotted down his coordinates, not wanting to lose track of the exact spot. Where there was a pair, there was sure to be a nest. And the eagles wouldn’t go far from it, especially not this time of year if they had a successful mating season.
He couldn’t wait to share the discovery with Ashley. David pulled out his phone to call her. It rang several times before David hung up, not wanting to leave her a voicemail. Either she didn’t have her phone on, or she wasn’t taking his calls. He just wished he knew which one.
“Come on, Kojak. We need to get back and see if Ashley’s car is still here.” The dog seemed to understand as the two of them raced back, following the trail that would take him to the parking lot the quickest. Because what he wanted most was to bring her to this exact spot, tell her how he felt, and to ask her for another chance. His third and final one, because it was the only last chance he’d need.
Unfortunately, when they arrived it was only to find Ashley had already left. Poor timing at it’s best. It would be too late to come back out tonight.
Chapter Twenty-One
Knock. Knock. Ashley hadn’t been expecting Trent this early. She pulled open the door, surprised to see David standing there instead. She tensed, unsure of what to say or how to act.
“What can I do for you?” Hurt shadowed any attempt to be nice, Ashley stepping forward as she tried to keep Cory from seeing who was at the door. Her son hadn’t stopped asking about David and Kojak.
“Good morning, Ashley. I know I wasn’t very nice the other day, and I wanted to apologize.” David looked good standing there, except his confident smile was nowhere to be found.
She didn’t want to think about it. Or David, for that matter. She needed him gone. “Great. Consider yourself forgiven. You have nothing to feel guilty about now.”
David let out a deep breath. “I’m not apologizing out of guilt. I’m doing it because I want to and because it’s coming from my heart. I was wrong and I’d like a chance to explain why I was such an idiot.”
“I don’t need to understand anything.” She started to close the door, except David moved his foot against it, preventing her from closing it all the way.
“Ashley, I know this is asking a lot of you, and you have every reason to say no, but I’m hoping you’ll say yes. I need you to come with me so I can show you something.” David’s gaze never left her face, as though he was willing her to say yes.
Curiosity killed the cat—but Ashley wasn’t a cat. There was no harm in asking, or at least the way she saw it there wasn’t. “This thing you want to show me, do you have it here? Because I’m not going anywhere with you.” She folded her arms across her chest, like a shield for her heart.
“I do and I don’t.” He grimaced. “Please, I need you to trust me at least one more time before you write me off.” His voice was low and pleading, touching a soft place in her. The same place that always wanted to believe the best in him. Her heart.
“Why should I trust you? Give me one good reason.”
“Because you know deep down that I care about you. Because you know you’ve always meant a lot to me, and that you still do.”
Ashley sucked in a deep breath. He’d said the words almost as if they were a vow. She’d be a fool to believe him. “You have a miserable way of showing that.” Ashley shook her head in disbelief, but her heart soared. Apparently, it hadn’t gotten the message yet.
“I agree. And honestly, that’s what I want a chance to talk to you about. But first, I have a surprise.” David smiled, and that’s all it took for Ashley to break. One smile. Drat the man.
“I’m supposed to be meeting Trent at the park for a family day before I leave tomorrow.” It was her only defense and a weak one at that.
“Postpone it until later. Please. Call him and tell him I’m taking you somewhere—I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“Mr. David. Mr. David, you came back. Did you bring Kojak? Are we going somewhere?” Cory’s face was lit with excitement as he hugged David’s leg.
David knelt and hugged Cory, his gaze landing on Ashley. The genuine affection she saw on his face only reinforced her decision to hear him out.
“Yes, Mr. David has come to take us somewhere special. We can meet up with Uncle Trent later this afternoon. I see you already have your shoes on. Great job, Cory.” Ashley shot a quick glance at David, catching the sudden look of relief on his face.
“I’m a big boy now, Mommy. Big boys always put on their own shoes. I’m ready to go. Where are we going, Mr. David?” Cory’s non-stop chatter eased the awkwardness in the room.
“You’ll see. It’s an adventure walk, something I know from experience you really like. And yes, Kojak is in the truck waiting for us.” David grinned, picking up her son before he stepped out onto the landing. He glanced back at her. “You coming?” He wasn’t wasting any time. Probably afraid she’d change her mind. “Oh, and bring your camera. I’m not sure, but you may need it.” His cryptic comment left her baffled, but definitely curious.
“Sure thing.” Ashley grabbed her camera bag and headed out the door, following them down the stairs. “I heard you’ve been out of work for a couple of days because of the smoke and I saw your truck in the South Summit parking lot yesterday.” It had been weird when she realized David wasn’t far away while she searched, but she’d pushed it out of her head, not wanting to dwell on the information.
“Is everything okay at the burn site?” She’d wanted to call and ask him herself but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Giving him the satisfaction of knowing she cared was the last thing she’d wanted to do after his harsh dismissal.
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“Yes. And taking the first three days off is a mandatory precaution for the department. I’m actually on vacation now.” He shot her a smile before setting Cory down.
“I didn’t know workaholics took vacations.”
“They probably don’t.” He laughed. “But I would like to think I’m trying to undo my workaholic status.” He grabbed Cory’s car seat and moved it to the back seat of his truck. After everyone was buckled in, he backed out of the driveway and headed north.
Cory talked non-stop to them and to Kojak, making it difficult for regular conversation, which was fine with Ashley. It also gave her the time to type out a text to Trent, putting him off until later this afternoon. Trent’s reply was confirmation David had been right. Which considering the fuss he made yesterday about her not enough time with him, made his easy dismissal odd.
They passed through the White Mountain National Forest Park entrance and soon made a turn down an all-too-familiar road. “Why does it look like we’re heading to the South Summit parking lot?”
He glanced her way. “Because we are.”
Ashley winced. “Back to a scene I’d rather forget. You can turn around right now,” she insisted. “I don’t want to see anything at the burn site.”
David shook his head. “Trust me on this. We aren’t going to the burn site.” His smile led her to believe this wasn’t a bad thing.
Bring your camera. Ashley glanced down at the bag clutched in her hands. Adrenaline shot through her with lightning speed. There was only one thing that would surprise her out here that could be good. But it was impossible. Or was it?
Ashley reached out to grab David’s arm, every muscle in her body tense with anticipation. “Tell me it’s true. Does this mean—”
“It does,” he said, turning into the parking lot. David shot her a wide boyish grin, one that reminded her of the way he looked after the first time he’d gotten brave enough to kiss her.