Chosen: Gem Creek Bears, Book One

by Snyder, Jennifer

  “You thought of everything,” I said, setting my coffee down in the grass and popping the rest of the donut in my mouth before I opened the nearly empty aspirin bottle. I had no shame when it came to eating. If the food was good, I’d inhale it without a second thought as to who was watching. Even if it was a seriously hot guy.

  Liam scratched his neck. “I guess. I just wanted to make sure you’re taken care of and comfortable.”

  Why? Because he felt sorry for me? Or was there another reason?

  I stalled my train of thought right there. I wouldn’t go down those tracks toward thoughts of Liam possibly having a thing for me. He was a nice guy. One who obviously cared about a women’s well-being. Neither of which meant he liked me in a romantic way. I refused to be one of those crazy girls who looked too deeply into an act of kindness from a guy.

  “Well, I’ll be around.” He turned to make his way back to his idling golf cart. “If you need anything, just yell.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  He gave me a little wave before turning his golf cart around and heading in the opposite direction. I picked up my coffee and popped two aspirin as I stared after him. He was interesting, sexy, yet interesting. Now that I had something in my stomach, caffeine, and some pain relief coming my way soon, I decided to check out the pool before the general store.

  It wasn’t packed with swimmers or sunbathers, but there were quite a few people. I stood, sipping my coffee, which was making me hotter by the second in this sun. It wouldn’t stop me from drinking every last drop, though. I needed the caffeine.

  “You should go for a swim,” a guy said from somewhere behind me.

  I spun to face him. He was incredibly good looking. Right away, I noticed the similarities between him and Liam. If I had to guess, I’d say he was one of his brothers. Possibly one of the youngest ones. A twin maybe.

  “I would, but I didn’t bring a suit,” I said.

  His eyes landed on my cheek, and the hard set to his jaw that came next reminded me so much of Liam I almost smirked. Yep. This was definitely one of his brothers.

  “You shouldn’t let a little thing like that stop you,” he said, his face breaking into a shit-eating grin that I found to be contagious. His eyes locked with mine. “I’m Rafe, by the way. Liam’s brother. Well, one of them. There are four of us kids total.”

  “I figured as much. You look just like him.”

  Rafe cocked his head to the side. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

  I narrowed my eyes, but smirked. He was cocky, arrogant, and yet I liked him. This was out of character for me. Typically, guys with his personality traits grated on my nerves too much for me to spend any amount of time near them. “Too soon to tell.”

  “Ouch.” He acted as though my words had physically hurt him and brought a hand to his heart. When he was done with his act, he slapped the clipboard he held against his thigh and then started walking away backward, heading toward the sign for gem mining. “If swimming isn’t your thing, you could always come hang out with me and dig in some dirt.” He winked before turning his back to me.

  The smile on my face lingered longer than I cared to admit as I watched him walk away.

  “All the Orsin boys are lookers,” a woman said in a husky tone. She situated herself on one of the sun chairs near where I stood. “If I’d known, I would’ve budgeted to stay here longer than a three-day weekend.”

  The woman had to be nearing sixty. Ew.

  I flashed her an awkward look and then headed to the nearby trash can before making my way to the general store.

  * * *

  Cool air pressed against my skin as I stepped inside the store. Again, this place was as beautifully decorated as every other place here. The Orsin brothers’ mom had talent that couldn’t be denied.

  I glanced around, soaking in the fifties-style decor and the various items for sale. This place was more than an general store. It was a candy emporium as well as a general store. It appeared to have everything from rock candy, which seemed fitting given there was a gem mine around back, to toilet paper, and everything in between. While I was glad this place was here for convenience, I wished I had driven my Jeep over so I wouldn’t have to carry everything I was sure to buy back to my RV.

  “Oh, hey. I was wondering when I’d get to meet you,” a guy behind the counter who looked exactly like Rafe said with a slow grin. “Wow. Now I know why Liam has been talking nonstop about you all day.”

  Clearly, this was the other twin.

  Wait. Did he just say Liam had been talking about me all day?

  I arched a brow. “Oh, really?” I tried to sound uninterested, but knew I wasn’t pulling it off when he laughed. “Hopefully it’s all good stuff.” I shifted to face him fully and flashed him a hopeful smile.

  “Absolutely.” He winced when his gaze landed on my cheek. “Ouch. He did say someone had hurt you. Damn. He wasn’t lying.”

  I looked away, giving him a view of my better side. I should have just left my hair down. Why had I decided to braid it? It left my cheek on display.

  “Nope, he wasn’t,” I said as I made my way to the closest aisle. It was short and narrow, but the place was small. I gathered the few things I knew I’d need like beef jerky, chips, more aspirin, and sunblock.

  “You should come by mine and Rafe’s place tonight,” the twin said as though it were the most normal thing to say to me, like we were longtime friends and not complete strangers. “He’s my twin. If you haven’t met him yet, I’m sure you will soon. About tonight though, it will be fun. You’ll have a good time.”

  I stared at him as I started down the next aisle; they were so short even I could see over them. “Are you seriously inviting me to your place to have a good time?” I resisted the urge to make obnoxious air quotes around the words.

  He tossed his hands up in the air, eyes wide. “Not for anything like that.” He shook his head, and I knew he was being serious. “Liam would tear into me if he thought I was coming on to you that way.”

  I licked my lips, debating whether I should ask him to elaborate. There was no way Liam was into me. And if he was, it didn’t matter. I was on the run from my ex-boyfriend who wanted to kill me; I didn’t have time to date anyone new. I was just here to hide.

  “I’m good, thanks,” I said, and then continued perusing the shelves of the shop.

  “We’re having a get-together. It’s something we do most Friday nights. It’s mainly me and my brothers, but I think a few from the—” He coughed into his hand, cutting off whatever he’d been about to say. “I mean, others around here might be there too.”

  I grabbed a box of blueberry Pop-Tarts, the best flavor there was, and tucked them beneath my arm. “I’ll think about it.”

  “They’ll be hotdogs. Smores. Probably alcohol. Not that Liam will let me or Rafe drink, but whatever.”

  I chuckled. He was trying hard to persuade me into going. It was cute. “Sounds fun, but I don’t know if I’m up for it.”

  It was the truth. On both accounts.

  “There’s always a bonfire too, if you like those.” His eyes brightened when he said the word bonfire, and I questioned whether he was a pyro.

  “Bonfires are good,” I said, making my way to where he stood behind the counter. In fact, they were one of my favorite things about the summer parties back home. There were at least four or five field parties with huge bonfires every year.

  “Can I get you anything else?” he asked as I unloaded my arms on the counter.

  “How about your name?”

  A smirk twisted his lips. “It’s Rhett.”

  “Rhett and Rafe. Cute.” I’d always thought it was comical when parents named their twins in a matching way. “Who’s older?”

  “Me. By two minutes.” He seemed proud.

  “Cool.” I grabbed my wallet out of my bag and waited for him to tell me how much my purchases were.

  “Yeah,” he said. “That’ll be fourteen even.”
/>   I counted out fourteen bucks while he bagged my items.

  “I’m serious about tonight,” he said when I handed him the money. “You should come. I know Liam would like it if you did.”

  I tried not to react to his words, but was finding it hard. “It sounds like fun, and Liam is nice, but I’m not looking to date anyone anytime soon.” I gestured to my face. “Can’t you tell.”

  It was meant to be a joke. Something to clear the air and to get him to stop pestering me about his brother. However, it was clear from the look on his face that he didn’t find it funny. His eyes changed in the way I’d noticed Liam’s before. While their brightness wasn’t as intense, there was still something different about them. Something off.

  “Is that who did that to you?” Rhett asked. “Your boyfriend?”

  I gathered my bags. “My ex-boyfriend.” I accentuated the ex part and then walked away.

  “Well, I’m glad to hear you left the jerk. Some women don’t,” he called after me.

  I paused at the door and glanced back at him. “Yeah, well, I guess I’m not some women,” I said before stepping outside. He said something, but I wasn’t sure what. I’d already made my exit and couldn’t hear him.

  Chapter Six

  Sweat beaded across my skin as I lugged my bags from the little shop through the campground to my RV. The plastic handles dug into my palms, and I wondered why I’d bought so much knowing I’d have to carry it.

  Because I’d been hungry still, that was why.

  Mom always said to never go grocery shopping while you were hungry because you’d buy more than you needed. She was right. I swapped the bags to my other hand as I walked and exhaled a puff of air. The sun beat down on me, and I wished I had a bathing suit so I could go for a swim.

  I glanced toward the pool as I neared it, daydreaming about taking a swim, and noticed a couple looking my way. They were in their late thirties, if I had to guess, and appeared to be talking among themselves about me while I walked by.

  Were there rumors flying around about me in the campground? Or was I tooting my own horn in thinking that?

  The woman flashed me a cheesy smile. She looked stiff, or unsettled at the sight of me, I couldn’t decide. I was willing to bet they thought I was a runaway or something.

  I waved, since they still insisted on staring, and kept walking. To my surprise, they waved back. In my experience, no one ever did that. Either the person looked away or frowned when I waved after catching them staring.

  The sound of tires crunching against gravel made its way to my ears from somewhere behind me. Liam was cruising around in his golf cart still. How was it possible he was so muscular and fit looking when he drove that thing everywhere instead of walking?

  “Hey, need a ride?” he asked in his devilishly sexy voice.

  I knew I should tell him I was okay walking, but the bags were digging into my already sore palms and hurting my wrists even more. Plus, my cheek still hurt and it was hot.

  “You okay?” Liam asked when I remained mute for too long.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I said. Maybe I could use this encounter to ask about the waterfall I wanted to see. The website for the campground popped into my head, reminding me that the trailhead was here somewhere. “And, I’d love a ride. It’s scorching out and these bags are digging into my hands.”

  Liam nodded to the seat beside him. “Then get in.”

  I slid onto the gray leather bench seat beside him and set my bags at my feet. The things his brother had said about him to me flipped through my mind. Now that I was in his presence, it seemed nearly impossible he was even remotely into me. One, he didn’t seem as though he was being anything other than nice. And two, he was too cute to be into me. I was just—average.

  “I see you found the general store.” He nodded to the bags before accelerating the golf cart forward. “I hope it had everything you were looking for. If not, let me know. I like to keep a handle on stocking things people need most while here, the things they forget at home.”

  “It had everything I needed and then some.” Although, I had thought to mention the lack of bathing suits, but decided not to go down that path of conversation with him. “When I was looking through the RV last night, trying to figure out what to do with my stuff, I found an old photo album in one of the drawers beneath the bed. It was filled with pictures of you and your family.” My face scrunched up as I talked. This might not be the best topic of conversation, but it was too late to backtrack now.

  Liam stared straight ahead. His grip on the wheel tightened. “Yeah. That would be my mom’s doing. She made sure there was one of our family albums in all the RVs. She always said it made them feel homier to the people who rented them.”

  “Oh. That’s actually really cool,” I said.

  Liam cast a sideways glance my way and forced a smile. It was weak and didn’t touch his eyes like his previous ones had. “She thought so. I always just thought it was weird, so did my brothers, but after she passed none of us could bring ourselves to take them out of the RVs.”

  “I don’t blame you.” My teeth sank into my bottom lip. I wasn’t sure if I should press forward to the real reason I’d brought the album up, but the pull of the waterfall was too hard to ignore. “So, there was a picture in there. One of a waterfall. I’m not sure how to pronounce the name of it, but I think it was called Yona Waterfall?”

  Liam glanced at me again, and I swore there was approval reflected in his eyes. “You’re right. That’s exactly how it’s pronounced. It’s a Cherokee word that means bear.”

  “I know. I looked it up last night. It fits in with all the other bear stuff you guys have going on around here.”

  “Yeah.” He shrugged. “Like I said, it’s sort of our thing.”

  “So I’ve noticed.” I licked my lips before continuing with what I really wanted to know. “Where exactly is the trailhead to the hike that leads to it? From what I saw online, it said it was here in the campground somewhere.”

  His demeanor shifted suddenly, but I couldn’t pinpoint why. “It is. It’s behind the cabin at the entrance to the place. Behind my cabin,” he said as he pulled the golf cart in behind my Jeep. “The trailhead starts in my backyard. Were you planning on hiking it?”

  I gathered my bags, avoiding his eyes. I could feel them on me. God, I hoped he wasn’t about to offer to go with me. I wanted to hike it alone. Something about the waterfall called to me. I wanted to experience it by myself.

  “Yeah, I’d like to while I’m here. Thanks for the ride.” I slipped out of the golf cart and started toward the door to Ruby.

  “If you want company,” Liam called to me. “I’d be more than happy to go on the hike with you.”

  I pressed my lips together and squeezed my eyes shut. Before glancing over my shoulder at him, I forced a more neutral expression on my face. Whatever was building between us needed to stop. I wasn’t ready for it.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said. The look in his eyes let me know that he knew I wouldn’t ask him to come. He was like a freaking mind reader, and I found it infuriating.

  Liam lifted his index finger in a wave goodbye and then turned his golf cart around.

  I headed inside, ready to set my bags down and tear into a blueberry Pop-Tart. While I devoured the goodness, I thought about the three of the four Orsin brothers I’d met so far and how they were all intense in their own way, of the campground itself, and of the waterfall.

  After I finished my Pop-Tart, I picked up my cell and thought about calling Penny. There was so much I wanted to tell her, so much I needed to fill her in on, but I knew I couldn’t. Not yet. It was all too raw and fresh to get into the details like she’d want. I wasn’t ready for it. I’d cry, and I hated crying. Besides, she’d be in her car, headed this way in seconds. While I loved her, I needed time alone.

  In nature.

  Screw the heat, I was going on a hike. Right now.

  I grabbed my backpack off the floor and dum
ped its contents on the bed. Then, I gathered some snacks and filled a water bottle with tap water before slipping on my Converse and heading out the door. I didn’t know how long the hike would be, but I felt confident I’d packed all I would need.

  It was still scorching out, but I figured the trail would be mostly shaded since there were so many trees around. Plus, anywhere near water in the woods seemed like it would be cooler. I locked the narrow door to my RV and pocketed the key.

  Liam didn’t seem to be anywhere in sight when I started walking toward the entrance of the campground. He’d mentioned the trailhead was behind his cabin, I just hoped it was marked properly so I’d be able to find it quickly. If Liam saw me searching his backyard, he’d know what I was looking for and probably invite himself on my hike. While I was positive he’d make good company, I just wanted to hike it alone.

  Liam’s golf cart was parked outside the office. I scanned the little shack, but didn’t see him. I quickened my pace and cut toward his cabin. It was a two-story brown cabin tucked away from the road in some trees. Now that I knew it was his place, I looked at it differently—closer. There was a small porch on the front with a swinging bench. Empty flower pots lined the front steps. And, there was an old pair of work boots near the door.

  My heart pounded as I rounded the cabin, heading toward the backyard. It was way different back here. There was a large deck, a grill, and a nice patio set. Clearly, the outdoor space pulled rank over the front porch on his list of priorities.

  I scanned the edge of the woods that lined his yard. The trees were thick and there was a backdrop of mountains that seemed stacked behind them. It was a stunning view. I snorted at the thought, because I’d never been the type to prefer mountains over the beach or sunsets over sunrises. Something inside me was shifting since I’d arrived at Gem Creek Campground. I could feel it. A warmth had settled in the center of my chest. When I focused on it, I smiled.