She whirled around and the firefighter was jogging toward her. His helmet was off and his hair was the same golden shade as Levi’s too. Stopping on the warm asphalt, she stared as he approached her and then gave her a grin that made her knees turn to Jell-o. It really was him.
“Levi,” she whispered.
“In the flesh.” He gave her a mocking bow.
She had to think of something derisive to say, “So you idolize your future brother-in-law so much you’re impersonating him now?”
He chuckled. “Didn’t I tell you I was going to volunteer with the county?”
“Oh.” She felt so dumb just standing there staring at him, but at that moment he slipped off his coat and was only in a sweaty white t-shirt and his fire pants. Holy Toledo his chest and arms were perfect. “You are, I mean, that was … impressive.”
He gave her a wry smile as if he guessed her thoughts. “It was tough. I thought I was going to pass out or puke.”
“Would’ve made the competition a little more interesting.”
He tilted his head to the side and his grin turned cocky. “Did you just come here to watch me?”
She laughed at the ludicrousness of that statement as she hadn’t even known he was here. “No. Unfortunately for you I do have a life.” Ha! That was a lie. She’d have a life when she got back to California.
“That is unfortunate for me, but at least we get to spend the next week together.”
Caylee’s eyebrows lifted and luckily her sass returned. She was in danger right now of being a hot firefighter/doctor worshipper. “I’m only going for Cam and Sage, you’re just lucky to be in my presence.”
Levi laughed. “I feel very lucky.”
It was said with enough sarcasm for her to keep up the sass. “You’d better feel lucky and you’d better be on your very best behavior.”
Levi sort of bowed to her. “I will definitely try.”
Caylee turned and walked away. She had no idea how to take this guy that she was going to be in close proximity to for the next week.
“See you tomorrow,” Levi called from behind her.
She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m counting the hours,” she said in a dry voice.
Levi chuckled and winked at her, folding his arms across his chest and making his biceps bulge. Caylee swallowed and strutted away, putting a little swing into her hips that she normally didn’t have. If he was going to watch, she’d give him a good show. She couldn’t help the smile on her lips either. Bantering with Levi for a week was going to be a lot of fun.
Chapter Four
Levi was impressed with how civil he and Caylee had managed to be as they drove toward Lake Powell. Cam had had a long night on duty—a car fire in a garage spread into the house and injured two residents—so he slept most of the way. Sage sat in the backseat of Levi’s Range Rover all cuddled up next to her man, while Caylee sat in the front next to Levi. He thought it would be uncomfortable, but she got him and Sage talking about everything from grade school on up. Caylee was great at keeping things light, laughing and prompting them to keep talking. She seemed especially interested in any stories about their family. Levi hadn’t talked about himself this much in … well maybe never. It was weird after completely clamming up and shutting down throughout his time with the Air Force, the past few years especially.
Their conversation had progressed to high school and Levi found himself telling Caylee all about football and his group of buddies who had dubbed themselves “the flyers”, thinking in their adolescent minds that they were so talented they were flying above the competition. It made him smile now. He missed those guys. None of them had been great at keeping in touch by the time they’d gotten through college and started marrying and having families. Levi suddenly felt old as he thought about how long it had been, and promised himself he’d at least try to get in touch with the friends who had stayed close to home. It would be good for him to have a buddy.
He glanced in his rearview mirror at Sage and Cam all cuddled together. She’d fallen asleep about half an hour ago as they left Hanksville. Could he and Cam become buddies? There might be a chance, but things were still pretty awkward between them. Kind of this alpha male struggle to be first in Sage’s life. Though that was weird to even think. Of course her future husband had to be first in her life, no matter that Levi had hoped he’d come home and find his lifelong sidekick ready for more adventures.
His thoughts turned to the beauty at his side. Cam’s sister. She was definitely a puzzle he wouldn’t mind figuring out. Feisty and unpredictable and actually really fun to be around.
“Is your ankle okay? You seem to be moving well on it,” he said.
“Oh, yeah, it’s fine. It was only tender the next day.”
“That’s good.” There was silence for a few seconds then he asked, “So what about you?”
“Me?” She glanced at him and he didn’t like that she had sunglasses on and he couldn’t read those blue eyes.
“Sage and I told you way too much about our childhood. I don’t know anything about yours, except …” Crap. He shouldn’t have gone there. He’d lost friends in Afghanistan and it had ripped him apart. He couldn’t imagine how it would be to lose your parents. The thought made his chest tighten and it got hard to draw a full breath. His parents were always just there for him. He needed to make sure he didn’t take them for granted.
“Except that my parents were killed,” she filled in for him. She folded her arms across her chest and faced forward.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
She acknowledged that with a bob of her head. An awkward silence filled the vehicle.
“I’ve lost some people I was close to. It’s … tough.”
She nodded again, but didn’t say anything.
“Did you, um, do any sports in high school?” He gripped the steering wheel. Man, that was lame, but he didn’t know how else to switch the subject. He’d have to work on his conversational skills or maybe he’d be that doctor that had a horrible bedside manner. Being so closed off hadn’t been much of an issue in the military.
“Water polo,” she said.
Levi’s eyebrows lifted. He inclined toward her slightly. “Really? Tough sport.”
“It was fun.” She seemed to be leaning further away.
Silence again. He needed to wake Sage back up. The conversation had been much easier when she was a part of it. She’d know exactly how to help and comfort Caylee. He really had nothing. The few classes he’d taken in medical school on dying, loss, and grief were really just words. They’d never helped him and he didn’t know that they’d help Caylee.
The sagebrush and white-washed dirt outside was gradually changing to red rock. His family had gone to Lake Powell a few times growing up and despite the awkwardness in the vehicle, he found himself getting amped up about returning to this beautiful and vast lake.
“Um, what made you choose secondary ed and administration?” He was impressed that she was getting her doctorate. Not an easy route.
“You don’t care.” She smirked at him as if she guessed that he was struggling to fill the silence, but he actually did want to know more about her. If they could get along as well as they had on this drive, all the sparks and desire he’d felt around her might morph into the cure for all the heartache and pain he’d seen in Afghanistan. That might be way too much to hope for though. Caylee was a firecracker that could go off again any minute and so far he hadn’t dealt with the sparks too well.
“I do,” he said. “High school was great, but I don’t think I’d ever want to go back.”
She angled her body toward him and pulled off her sunglasses. Her eyes sparkled. “You would love it if you did. The teenagers are so funny. I honestly have to fight all the time to keep a straight face when I want to just bust up as they’re telling me some joke that is definitely politically incorrect, but hilarious.”
“You would be a good one to appreciate smart aleck teenagers.”
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“Hey. I take offense to that.”
He laughed, grateful that she was smiling. “That’s pretty great that you enjoy them. I remember our principal just glaring at us all the time, especially when we pulled a prank or something.”
“I think you’d find that administration is changing. A lot more understanding and supportive than when we were in high school.”
“That’s good for the kids.” Levi didn’t point out that he’d been out of high school for sixteen years. She could be ten years younger than him. That thought made him frown. She probably looked at him as a washed up old military guy.
“For sure. I did rounds last semester in some Orange County high schools, and even in areas where the kids have it rough, they’re doing their best. I love seeing them cheer for a handicapped student who is crowned Homecoming Queen or help a Freshman open their locker when they think nobody is looking. I have this professor who’s always saying, ‘Teenagers are just trying to find their spot.’ Don’t you think that’s so true of that age, but really all of us? Everyone wants to fit in and find friends, find happiness. If we can just all be understanding of teenagers and enjoy them, let them spread their wings while teaching them boundaries.” She exhaled. “It’s amazing seeing them come into themselves.”
Levi was surprised and impressed by her impassioned speech. He still felt like he hadn’t really “found his spot”. Doing the competition at the fire station the other day had helped, but until he started his work as a family practitioner and found some friends, maybe someone beautiful to date … He glanced at Caylee then away quickly.
Rather than reveal his insecurities, he said, “My grandma was the type of person who made you think you were better than you actually were, saw the best in everyone.” He glanced askance at her. “I see that in you when you talk about teenagers.”
“Thank you. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we were all like your grandma?”
He nodded his agreement. “It’s impressive what you’re doing, helping your students.”
“Thank you. You’re impressive too, Mr. Military Doctor.”
Levi shook his head. “Don’t get caught up in stereotypes. I’m just a normal, average guy.”
She smiled softly at him. “Don’t kid yourself. You’re definitely not average … or normal.”
“Haha.” He inclined his head out the window. “Look.”
She focused outside and her mouth dropped open. “It’s so big!”
They drove onto a bluff above Bullfrog Marina and the small portion of the lake that they could see. He remembered hearing Lake Powell was almost two-hundred miles long. Red, sandstone cliffs and hills weaved around and above the sparkling blue water. The long, cement boat ramp was busy with trucks and semis pulling everything from houseboats to wave runners in and out. There were hundreds of docks in the lake with houseboats lining them. Some of the docks were shaded by tall overhangs, others exposed to the elements. There were unreal and excessive houseboats with three stories, waterslides, and shiny chrome and glass exteriors. Several too tall to even fit underneath the shelters. In contrast, a few were dumpy old wrecks and there was everything in between. Levi smiled as he pulled the Range Rover into a parking stall. He’d missed this place.
Cam and Sage were still snoring in the backseat.
“Come on.” He winked at Caylee.
She gave him a conspiratorial grin and yanked her door handle open. The hot desert air rushed in. Levi stepped out of his door and inhaled. The heat was so similar to Afghanistan. Hot and dry. The smells were thankfully completely different—algae and rotting fish. He’d take it over the smell of sand and blood. He shook his head to clear the memories.
“Holy tamale!” Caylee cried out. “Is it hot enough?”
Levi laughed. “This is nothing. Try the desert at one-twenty, even at night sometimes.”
She looked him over with appreciative eyes. “You’re tougher than you look.”
“I don’t look tough?” He couldn’t resist flexing a little bit. He’d gotten through Afghanistan by finding some buddies who liked to lift and they’d spent far too much time in the officer’s weight room, pushing each other to do more burpees, heavier weight, or an extra set.
She laughed. “Yes, you definitely look tough, but to endure hotter than this? I feel like my skin is melting off.”
“That’s definitely the way it feels. Luckily here we can jump in the water.”
“Let’s wake those two lazy bones up, find our house on pontoons, and get in the water then.”
Levi was actually beginning to like her.
Chapter Five
Caylee didn’t want to wait and melt in this dry heat. Thankfully, Cam and Sage roused quickly and they found their boat without trouble. The only problem was hauling all their gear and food down the docks to the houseboat. There were big black tubs on wheels that they filled up with coolers of food, pillows, and sleeping bags. Sage and Caylee pushed them while Cam and Levi got loaded up with all manner of clothing bags and more sacks of food. They hurried across the parking lot, down the ramp, and across what felt like miles of dock to the slip where their boat rental was housed. Every one of them had sweat from the tips of their heads to their toes.
The boat wasn’t much to scream about, but it was clean and the air conditioning worked so that was a huge bonus. There was a covered patio up front then the living area where the controls for the boat were, a couple of couches and a kitchen area with a small bar. Two bedrooms and a bath were behind that, then off the back patio there was a ladder up to the open upper deck. Caylee was most excited about the slide and diving board off the back of the top patio. The boys seemed most excited about the wave runners tied to the side. Sage was looking around like she’d been misled.
“You’ll most likely want to sleep out on top,” the man who was giving them the tour and instructions told them. “The air conditioner freezes up pretty quick so you’ll want to save it to cool down the place when you’re cooking. I recommend jumping in the water then trying to fall asleep up top, sometimes there’s a breeze, then when you wake up sweating like a pig, jump in the water again, or run the air conditioner until it freezes.”
Levi grinned.
“What are you so happy about?” Caylee whispered as they fell into step behind Cam and Sage. She wiped away the sweat that wouldn’t stop trickling down her face. Even though the air conditioner was blowing nice and cool, it couldn’t completely counteract the heat, and if this guy was to be believed, the unit would freeze up any moment and be useless to them.
“Just laughing at all of your faces,” Levi said.
“Yeah, we’re not used to living in misery. Are we going to be able to sleep?”
Levi arched an eyebrow at her. “Probably not, but night swims will be fun.”
Caylee’s face got even hotter. Did he mean together? She started envisioning the two of them in swimsuits in the dark. Not smart.
They got quick instructions on driving the boat and the wave runners, then the guy wished them a fun week and strode off.
Cam looked like a kid in a candy shop. “Can I drive first?”
Sage shook her head. “I think we got swindled. The pictures on the website were much nicer than this.” She gestured to the spots on the couch where the tan foam pad was showing through the plaid material. The blue carpet was so threadbare it had obviously been original to the nineteen-sixties boat.
“It’s … clean,” Caylee said, trying to be helpful. The smell of Clorox was almost as strong as the smell of diesel from the engines.
Sage exhaled loudly. Cam wrapped an arm around her. Caylee never failed to smile when she saw him doing that. They were so cute. “It’s going to be great,” he told her.
“As long as we’re together, everything is great,” Sage returned, turning in to him for a kiss.
“Excuse me while I go vomit,” Levi muttered in Caylee’s ear.
Caylee shot him a look, all the enticing visions of swimming in the dark
with him dissipating. What was his deal? Cam and Sage were the cutest couple she knew and seeing them so happy just made her happy. Why couldn’t Levi be happier for them?
They quickly put away the food and their belongings then Levi and Cam untied the ropes and stored them along the sides of the boat. Cam settled into the captain’s chair, started the motor, which surprisingly sounded pretty good, and they tooled off into the open channel, the wave runners tied off on the side of the boat. They weren’t breaking any speed records.
“Where are we headed?” Caylee asked.
Cam shrugged. “As slow as this puppy is moving, not too far or we’ll waste our entire first day finding a spot.” He pointed to the map. “It looks like Mochis, Annies, or Forgotten Canyons are closest. Let’s motor over to one of them then we can take turns exploring with the wave runners and finding a spot to dock for the week.”
“Sounds good.” Caylee jumped to her feet. “I’m going to put my suit on and go up top.” She couldn’t just sit here when a beautiful world was outside.
She hurried into the bedroom that she and Sage were sharing, though she suspected it would just be a place to keep their belongings and change clothes. If the guy giving instructions was right, none of them would want to sleep indoors. After slipping into her favorite suit with a blue polka dotted tankini top and yellow bottoms that covered her rear well so she could be comfortable, Caylee climbed the steps off the back patio. Though the upper deck was white and mostly shaded, her bare feet touched the unshaded part first. “Ouch, ouch, ouch,” she muttered as she hurried to the shaded area.
She found a chair and tried to simply enjoy watching the view for a while. The red sandstone cliffs and blue water were unreal. Numerous houseboats, speed boats, and personal watercraft were out on the lake, but it was a stinking big lake and there was plenty of space for them to motor along, nobody coming within fifty yards of them.
Reluctant Rescue Page 4