Sam slid farther down his bench seat to escape airborne germs. “Glad I haven’t ordered my food yet, bro.”
“Sorry,” Tracen muttered, though sure his affliction never annoyed anyone else as much as it annoyed him. Memories of how Emily thought his sneezing had been cute surfaced in his consciousness. A sad smile played on his lips.
Gigi sauntered over, pulling a pad of paper from her apron. “You boys ready?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Sam practically saluted.
The kid’s newfound respectfulness still caught Tracen off guard. He wouldn’t be staying single for long if he continued to give women that kind of attention. And if Josh got married soon, Tracen would be the only bachelor left in the family. He’d be the only brother without a family of his own.
“Yeah, I’m ready,” Tracen grunted, handing Gigi his menu. He was ready for anything that might be a distraction from his thoughts of Emily.
Gigi tucked his menu under one arm and plucked a pencil from behind her ear. “What do you want?”
What did he want? How could everything that was supposed to distract him from thinking of the actress only reinforce his desire for her? Deep breath. All he had to do was tell Gigi he wanted biscuits and gravy. He opened his mouth—
“Emily Van Arsdale.” The breathy voice came from behind.
Tracen clamped his mouth shut and turned to see who had read his mind.
Serena rushed onto the deck, face flushed, hair flying. Tracen tried to remember if he’d ever seen her so frazzled. And why was she talking about Emily? She pushed in front of Gigi.
“Emily Van Arsdale is leaving Sun Valley for good.” Her wild eyes locked onto Tracen.
Tracen leaned back, trying to read Serena’s expression. She must have been upset about not getting to do business with the star. “You’ll be fine, Serena. A gymnastics center probably would have stolen some of your business anyway. Now all the little girls in Sun Valley will take dance from you.”
Serena slammed both palms onto the table, causing salt and pepper shakers to rattle. She leaned forward, and Tracen flinched, expecting her to growl or claw at him like some caged animal. What had gotten into her?
“I’m not talking about my business.” Her tone erratically covered all octaves.
Tracen glanced around to see how much attention they’d drawn. Gigi had stepped away to take an order from the only other patrons on the patio, thank goodness. But Sam’s stare, eyebrows arched to his buzz cut, made up for the lack of attention from anyone else.
Sam had still been in high school when Serena dumped Tracen, but apparently his kid brother remembered her. It hadn’t seemed like a wise idea to tell Sam she was back in town, since Sam would only use it as leverage in their arguments about Emily. Now Tracen regretted his decision.
Scooting farther down the bench, Tracen gripped Serena’s wrists and pulled her after him into a seated position. The conversation that was about to come would be much better if he could keep it quiet and calm.
Sam exploded. “Serena St. Claire?”
Serena glanced over at him momentarily. “Hi, Sammy.” Her second glance turned into a stare, and her focus seemed to be on his broad shoulders and bulging biceps. “My, my, you’ve grown up.”
Sam preened like a peacock.
Tracen scratched his head, feeling momentarily forgotten. Hadn’t Serena come running through the restaurant to talk to him? And about Emily? He gripped the dancer’s arm. “What are doing here, Serena?”
She swiveled to face him, resuming her panicked demeanor. “Emily is in love with you.”
Tracen jerked away, releasing his hold on her and his grip on reality. Serena knew about his relationship now? How did she find out? And what would make her think Emily loved him? His thoughts slowed like a raft taking on too much water. He fought to bail himself out. “What? Who’d you talk to?”
Sam leaned forward, waving Tracen’s questions away and focusing on Serena. “We know Emily loves Tracen. That’s old news. The question is, what are you doing here?”
Serena slanted her eyes toward Sam, though she continued to face Tracen. “I’m moving back to Sun Valley.” Her eyes lingered a moment longer on the younger brother.
Tracen didn’t have time for explanations and catching up. He needed facts. They would be the life preserver to keep his feelings from drowning him. “Serena. Who did you talk to?”
The woman jump-started to life. “Emily, of course. I spoke to Emily. I told her that I was jealous of her, and that’s when she said she’s jealous of me. Imagine that.”
Tracen’s heart radiated a heat that fanned out from his core into his fingers and toes. His skin tingled with an itch that couldn’t be scratched. Emily was jealous of Serena? Did she think they were back together? That’s exactly what he hadn’t wanted her to think. Hadn’t his attempt at kissing her told her anything?
What if she was leaving for Hollywood, not because she would rather be in a movie, but because she thought he’d chosen Serena over her?
Sam’s gray eyes became slits of flint. “Tracen, you told me Emily chose to leave you to make another movie. Why would she be jealous of Serena?”
Tracen ran both hands through his hair, ducking his face to ignore his brother’s allegations. Were they true? Had he given Emily a reason to believe he was with Serena? All he’d wanted was to leave the blond out of it.
Sam’s questions only got more heated. “Why didn’t you tell me
Serena was back, Tracen?”
Serena didn’t help. “And he didn’t tell me he’d been dating her either. I had no clue I’d gotten in the middle of anything.”
How did he make such a mess of things? It had all started out with his fear of being hurt again, and here he’d hurt everybody else. But none of this would have happened if Emily had chosen him over Hollywood. His fear had been realized.
“Stop.” He held out both hands. It was over. If Emily loved him, she didn’t love him enough. That much was obvious. “Serena had nothing to do with this. I broke up with Emily, because Emily broke her word. She wouldn’t stay in Sun Valley the way she said she would. Happy?”
“Are you?” Sam shot back.
Tracen didn’t respond. Sometimes stories didn’t have a happily ever after. He just had to deal with it.
“Are you sure I had nothing to do with this?” Serena pleaded. “Emily sure seemed to think that I—”
“No.”
“How would you know?” Sam spat out. “You’re so wrapped up in your own pain that—”
“Hey!” Serena’s manicured hand pointed past Tracen’s face. He followed the direction of her finger, down the hill toward the film crew. “Look, there’s Emily’s makeup artist. She would know. Let’s ask her.”
Tracen shifted uncomfortably. Charlene was the last person who would want to help him out. “I don’t think Char—”
Serena leapt to her feet, waving her arms overhead. “Char! Up here, Char.”
The woman waved back.
Sam took over, leaning over the railing. “We need to ask you a question, ma’am. Can you come up here for a moment?”
Char glanced behind her, as if to make sure it wasn’t somebody else they were talking to, then nodded and disappeared underneath them to enter through the basement. Tracen sank lower in his seat. How was he going to make them all understand he wanted Emily more than anything? But she didn’t want him. Could an argument get any more humiliating?
Jor-El stepped onto the balcony. His chubby cheeks dimpled at the commotion. “What’s going on?”
Sam scooted over to make room for the kid to sit down. “Emily Van Arsdale left. We think it’s because she thought Tracen was in love with Serena and not her.”
Jor-El yelped.
Tracen rose to leave. “This is ridiculous.”
Jor-El shook his head. “No, it’s true. She cried on my shoulder when I told her about your fiancée.”
Tracen sank onto the seat again. He’d left Emily to cry on a kid’s sh
oulder? His throat clogged with unshed tears of his own. Tears for Emily’s heartache.
Serena motioned between herself and Tracen. “We’re not engaged.”
Char strode out. “I should hope not. Not after all those promises Tracen made to Emily.” She stuck a hand on her hip and glared. “Boy, I should kick your butt. Do you know how long I’ve been praying for Emily to find a good guy? I’m ashamed to admit I thought you were an answer to my prayers.”
Tracen half-wished Char would make good on her offer. Having his body beaten to a pulp would be less painful than the emotional torture they were all putting him through. Couldn’t they see it would be best if he could forget her and move on?
Jack Jamison strolled onto the deck looking cool in khakis and a polo shirt. Tracen rolled his eyes. The guy would probably love watching him being brought down a peg after he “stole” Emily from the actor.
Jack slapped his hands together and rubbed. “Did I hear correctly? Emily left already?”
“Yeah,” Sam piped up. “Tracen paid to have her flown home early.”
Ooh, that sounded bad. He’d only been trying to help. She’d been the one looking for a hasty exit.
Jack walked behind him and pounded him on the shoulder. “Tracen, I’m disappointed. I thought you were a macho man. But macho men don’t let the girl go. Not a girl like Emily. And not when the girl looks at you the way she did.”
Emily’s sparkling blue eyes had always turned him to mush, but didn’t they have that effect on everybody?
Gigi returned. “Do we need more menus?”
“You got some humble pie for Tracen?” Char asked. Tracen could feel the heartburn already.
“Actually…” Gigi leveled her gaze on him. “Free advice is today’s special. And, Tracen, I advise you to listen to your friends here. We want what’s best for you.”
Tracen wavered. They weren’t all friends. And he couldn’t give in to peer pressure. Emily might have said she was jealous of Serena, but she’d chosen to leave before Serena even showed up. He glanced at the door. Should he make a break for it? Look for a place to have some quiet time? Beg God to mend his broken heart again?
Honey charged past the door. Her gaze connected with his, and though she disappeared for a moment, she reappeared, brows drawn together to survey the mob that surrounded him. He hoped she would take his side. Drive them all away. If anybody could do that, Honey could.
“Honey,” he called. “These people won’t leave me alone about Emily.”
“She left today,” Jor-El announced glumly.
Honey crossed her arms.
“Because she thinks Tracen wanted to get back together with Serena,” Sam added.
Honey tilted her head. She looked at Serena.
Serena nervously repeated her whole spiel. “Emily said she was jealous of me. And I had no idea that she’d even been dating Tracen. In fact, I told her that Tracen would never choose me over her, and that’s when she said…”
Silence. Serena paused mid-gesture.
“What did she say?” Honey prodded, sounding more like Tracen’s elementary school principal than his good friend.
Serena twisted so that she faced Tracen once again. Tracen braced for impact.
“She said Tracen chose Sun Valley over her.”
The ahs of enlightenment and the groans of truth filled the air. Tracen felt both deep within his gut. It all came down to his love of the land. But she loved it too. Why would she not want to settle down with him in a cabin on the river?
The crowd parted so Honey could make her way to the table. “Tracen, it’s time to let go,” Honey said softly.
Tracen balled his fists, the veins of his arms popping out. He’d been planning to build a log cabin since he was old enough to play with Lincoln Logs.
Honey drew closer. “You’ve been afraid from the very beginning. I knew it. I tried to protect you from it.”
Tracen looked down. He couldn’t face the love in Honey’s eyes. But neither could he avoid the memories that came with her words. Memories of how he’d gradually allowed Emily into his heart. His assertion that he was going to do things differently with her the way Peter did when Jesus advised him to cast his net one more time.
“I’m going to miss you, Tracen.”
Tracen snapped his head up. Why was she saying good-bye? “Honey, if she loved me enough, she would have stayed.”
Honey shook her head. “Love doesn’t work that way, Tracen. It has to start with you.”
Honey didn’t know what she was asking. His dream was finally about to come true. The life he’d planned for his family — to continue the legacy his parents had started by raising him in such beautiful country. He was the only one who could keep the name Lake local. “You don’t understand.”
Honey’s dry laugh ripped at his pride. There was nothing funny about his situation. “Tracen, I lost more than you ever did. I know the vulnerability it takes to commit to a spouse. The possible pain that might result from it.”
Okay, so she did understand. But she wasn’t making the same sacrifices she wanted him to make.
“It’s worth it.” She sent one more laser-like glare his way before calling back into the restaurant, “Howie. Can you help me for a second?”
Howie bounded out like Toto might. Except Howie held a bucket of rattling dishes. Apparently he’d been helping out as busboy again. “What’s up?” he glanced from person to person with delight as if he’d walked into a surprise party.
Honey turned and took the bucket from his hands and placed it on the picnic table between Serena and Jor-El. “Our boss Tracen is afraid of following his heart.”
Howie nodded sympathetically. “I know. I’ve tried talking to him about it.”
“Talking doesn’t seem to be working.” Honey sent Tracen an unspoken challenge — a dare in her eyes. “So I thought I’d show him what he needs to do.” Gripping both of Howie’s hands, she dropped down onto one knee in front of him.
Tracen’s arms fell limp by his sides. He had no more rebuttals.
“Howie, I’ve been trying to fight my feelings for you for some time now.”
Serena gasped beside him. She’d always been a little slow on the uptake.
But even though Tracen knew what was happening, he couldn’t believe it. Honey was actually proposing to Howie. The man had loved her so much — and kept on loving her despite her rejection. Joy for his friends overwhelmed him.
Honey’s strong voice cracked. “I loved you when you proposed to me on Valentine’s Day. I loved you when you were too shy to kiss me under the mistletoe at Christmas. I think I even loved you back when you dressed up like Captain Hook on Halloween.”
“Shiver me timbers,” Howie joked, though his eyes shone bright with tears.
Tracen wiped at his own eyes. Would this have happened if not for Emily? Would any of the joys he’d experienced lately have occurred if not for her?
Honey choked on her laugh. “Howie, I never wanted to love again. But I can’t help loving you. Will you marry me?”
Howie whisked Honey to her feet and pressed both of her cheeks between his hands, making them wrinkle. “You don’t know how happy you’ve made me, Honey. Yes, I will marry you.” A grin scrunched up his face. “As long as you let me wear the tux. Why couldn’t you let me propose like a normal woman would?”
Sam’s wolf whistle split the air. The rest of the group cheered.
Honey beamed at her fiancé. “You don’t want a normal woman, Howie.”
Howie crushed Honey to him in what must have been their first kiss.
First kiss. Emily in oven mitts. Was there anything Tracen wanted more? He couldn’t let Honey outdo him.
Swinging both legs over the bench, he squeezed behind Serena.
“Where you going, big brother?” Sam called.
He was going to let go. He was going to do things differently. He was going to listen to Jesus’ direction.
“I’m going fishing.”
&nb
sp; CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
EMILY PULLED INTO THE REDFISH LAKE Lodge parking lot. As she retrieved her luggage from the trunk, children’s laughter wafted from a nearby trailer, and the engines of ski boats thrummed in the distance. Overhead, the sun played hide-and-seek behind a few fluffy white clouds, warming her skin whenever it peeked out.
It was the perfect day for playing on the lake. Too perfect. What she wouldn’t give for a dreary drizzle to chase all these happy campers away. Though the last time it rained was the first time Tracen kissed her. If she had known then what she knew now, she would have — she would have savored the moment more.
Or maybe she would have turned down the Wonder Woman offer without a second thought. It wasn’t worth this.
Of course, had she agreed to stay in Sun Valley, it might not have changed anything. Not with Serena’s return. But then at least she wouldn’t have this anchor of guilt weighing her down.
Emily’s mom hadn’t been any help in that department. With her eternal optimism, she’d advised Emily to stay in Sun Valley and let everything work itself out.
Yeah. The way her little talk in the shed had worked out. Tracen had remained so calm and detached during her tirade. As if he didn’t care. He’d attempted kissing her, but that didn’t make him any different than Jack Jamison — except for the way it caused her toes to curl in anticipation and her breath to catch in her throat.
It was like Tracen had already said his good-bye. Turned off his feelings. Moved on. And that’s what she had to do. It’s what he wanted her to do. For goodness’ sake, he’d hired his brother to fly her home.
There was the floatplane to prove it. Not much bigger than a boat with one long wing extending over the top of it on both sides, and an old fashioned-looking propeller on the nose. It waited at the dock for her flight.
Flight — also a word used to describe fleeing a situation. As in the way Indiana Jones ran from the natives shooting poisonous arrows in his Raiders of the Lost Ark escape to the floatplane. The theme music played through Emily’s head. If only a real-life escape were as exciting. With the way she was feeling at the moment, she might have preferred the poisonous arrows.
Finding Love in Sun Valley, Idaho (Resort to Love Book 1) Page 22