Madison swallowed. “I’m not going to the interview,” she said quietly. “I was going for all the wrong reasons.” “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “My heart is here. With you.”
He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. “I didn’t dare even dream you’d say that.”
“It’s true. I don’t want to leave. I want to see where this goes.” She smiled. “And I want to let Grandma teach me to bake, and spend time with Brook and her family.” She stood. “And get tested to see if I can donate a kidney to Daddy. He and I have some lost time to make up for.”
Grant stood up and pulled her to her feet. He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “And you’ll keep hunting geocaches with me?”
She laughed. “Of course.”
He put an arm around her, and they walked toward the parking lot.
Madison felt more peace than she’d felt in years. She knew there were challenging times ahead, but with Grant and her family at her side, she could face them. Thank you, Lord, for showing me the way back home.
Annalisa Daughety, a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University, writes contemporary fiction set in historic locations. Annalisa lives in Arkansas with two spoiled dogs and is hard at work on her next book. She loves to connect with her readers through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. More information about Annalisa can be found at her website, www.annalisadaughety.com.
LOVE’S PRIZE
by Cara C. Putman
Dedication
To my prize, Eric.
God placed us together twenty years ago and I can’t imagine my life without you. You have encouraged my dreams, endured the way I take on too much, and have gifted me with support and love I couldn’t imagine. I love you.
Chapter 1
Reagan Graham pressed against her brother’s side, trying to avoid the crush of bodies. When Garrett had invited her to spend the summer on this crazy geocaching adventure, she hadn’t considered it because it sounded crowded. She needed time and space to recover from the chaos, stress, and intensity of tax season. Spending an extended vacation with hundreds of strangers did not strike her as a good time. At all.
But when an unwanted admirer showed up at her condo hidden in the shadows, accompanying her brother to Osage Beach seemed like a good idea. No, make that a great idea. If the police hadn’t arrived when they did … She shuddered at how close the stalker had gotten.
Her brother tightened his grip on her. She glanced at him, his athletic frame lending her comfort. He would do anything he could to keep her safe. She knew that. Then her glance landed on his roommate.
Colton Ryan was an enigma. Gorgeous, but an enigma. He seemed friendly, yet after a week she knew less about him than the day they’d met.
He stood apart from them, yet watchful, his gray eyes constantly surveying the crowd. He stood an inch or so shorter than Garrett, but erect and alert. And the way his dark hair curled around his ears made her fingers itch to brush it in place.
Colton was her age, a few years older than Garrett. He planned to start classes at Washington University School of Law in the fall along with Garrett. He called enrolling in law school “seeing the light.” She called it a sign that he still hadn’t decided what he wanted to be when he grew up if he was changing course a few years into his engineering career. He and Garrett had met through the admissions office and decided to room together during the year. But now he’d attached himself to their summer plans. She hadn’t wanted him as a tagalong for her summer away, but there he stood.
She didn’t need the complication.
His presence in the smaller, neighboring condo couldn’t be called anything but a complication.
All she wanted was a couple of months to forget about the fright that crowded her back home. A shiver shook her at the thought. If she got to do it with a camera in her hand, all the better. She’d leave spreadsheets behind and focus on finding God’s beauty and creativity in the midst of the Ozarks.
She sucked in a calming breath and closed her eyes. The crowd noise rolled over her until someone grabbed the microphone and started talking. Even then, she tuned out, the sun warm on her face. Garrett could take notes for both of them.
In fact, she’d let Garrett and Colton plot all kinds of strategies to win the race. She’d focus on her camera. Relax as she saw the world through the narrow focus of her lens. Avoid all the pressures and stresses of a life out of control. For two months she’d pretend she was someone else. Someone without a constant shadow.
The thought brought a smile to her face.
She’d try to relax and return to St. Louis ready to reenter her career. As long as she fixed real food a couple of times a week, Garrett would be thrilled. And if he didn’t let the condo disintegrate to a bachelor pad’s level of cleanliness, she’d make do.
She opened her eyes as the speaker stepped away from the microphone.
That’s all she had to do to survive the summer. Slip under her stalker’s radar and return home in August, ready to resume her life. Hopefully, she’d find herself energized from the time in nature, exercising her creative muscles. She touched the camera dangling around her neck. Maybe she should snap some photos of the crowd. She could document the entire hunt. A snicker slipped out at the thought of handing Garrett a photo book at the end of the summer.
“What’s up?” His eyebrows arched over clear blue eyes as he studied her.
“Nothing important. You ready to find your first cache?”
“Only if Colton gets that gizmo figured out. You’d think I could make it work without help from my buddy the engineer. Noooo.” Garrett rolled his eyes. “Should’ve known.”
Reagan had to laugh. Her brother had the simplest cell phone because he chose to remain “technology adverse,” as he called it. Yet he’d rushed out to buy an iPad the moment Apple released them. She couldn’t make sense of his quirk. Then her gaze landed on Colton. His eyebrows met over his nose as he studied the small GPS unit.
He must have sensed her gaze, because he looked up and smiled, the kind of smile that could stop the heart of a lesser woman, one hunting for romance. With his rugged movie-star looks, it wouldn’t be hard to lose perspective when he flashed the dimple in his chin.
Too bad for him, she didn’t want anything to do with men other than her brother right now. Not if there was the iota of a chance Colton could move into position as the next weirdo who fixated on her. She shivered at the thought of inviting anyone into her life right now.
Nope, it was safer to stay far away. His smile shifted as if he could read her thoughts.
What she wouldn’t do to get that adorable dimple back in place … if only.
Colton shook off his disappointment as he hit the power button on the GPS unit he’d picked up at the Communication Location. He still wasn’t convinced it was worth all the coin to buy it, but Garrett had bought the sales pitch. Too bad his soon-to-be roommate didn’t have any interest in figuring out how to operate the complicated device.
Guess he’d do that instead.
His gaze traveled back to Reagan.
Garrett’s sister wasn’t at all what he’d expected, and she left him decidedly feeling like a third wheel. Odd man out. The interloper on her summer. No matter what he did, she gave him a very cold shoulder.
It didn’t help that they’d spend practically every moment together except when they slept. His tiny condo barely had room to turn around, let alone cook the kind of meals he liked to prepare. Had Garrett filled her in that Colton hoped to eat many of his meals with them? Even cook, if he could talk them into it?
When Garrett requested he come to Osage Beach to help protect Reagan, Colton had agreed. Guess Garrett wasn’t convinced the small town was far enough from St. Louis, but it was all he could come up with to get his sister out of the city for a couple of months. He had to admire Garrett and his commitment to protecting her, whether or not she wanted it. Two months.
Colton fiddled with a couple more but
tons, waiting for the machine to acquire a satellite signal.
The summer would extend like an eternity if he couldn’t break through Reagan’s reserve. It didn’t matter that Garrett said not to sweat it. It bothered him that she always seemed on edge. That wasn’t the way for either of them to live over the summer. With law school coming, he’d decided to invest the money to relax and recharge before the intensity of school hit. Now it looked like he’d have a summer of feeling on the spot, trying to balance Reagan’s expectations with his plans.
That’s the vibe he got off her.
The machine finally acquired a signal. Maybe Garrett hadn’t picked up a dud after all. He glanced up as Garrett and Reagan approached. There was something about her, something almost hidden that intrigued him. He could wait patiently for her to accept him if it meant he could uncover that spark.
The youth pastor stepped down from the stage.
Colton had to admit the hunt appealed to him. He loved the idea of competing with others to find a few secreted goodies. Sure, most of them would be silly trinkets. He had a pocketful of his own St. Louis Rams magnets to leave behind. His little mark that he’d arrived at each cache.
The crowd started to disperse, and Colton approached Garrett and Reagan. “Here you go, dude. Fully fired up.”
Garrett held his hands up in front of him. “I think you should operate that little doodad.”
Reagan shook her head. “Who are you trying to kid, Garrett?” She took it from Colton, pressed a couple of buttons, and turned it back to him. “Nothing to it. Here are the downloaded coordinates for the first cache you wanted to tackle.”
“Too bad we have to wait for tomorrow.” Garrett’s gaze followed a cute girl in short shorts and layered tanks. The baseball cap pulled over her ponytail couldn’t hide her bright-green eyes. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
“What about …” Colton tried to grab his attention, but the kid kept moving. Guess Garrett thought Reagan was safe if one of them was close. Well, the police did have a suspect they were talking to, so maybe Garrett was right. Who would follow her this far from the city even if he knew she’d left? He glanced at Reagan. “Want to grab a bite?”
She studied him, her sky-blue eyes seeing inside him. He resisted the urge to squirm under her directness. “Okay. We need to find a grocery store.”
“After we get food.” He patted his stomach. “Have to feed the beast first.”
She chuckled and fell into step next to him. “I’ve heard there’s a great custard place, Randy’s.”
“Does that qualify as food?”
“Every day, twice a day. Don’t tell me. You didn’t have sisters.” “Nope. Grew up in a house of boys.”
“Then you missed the therapeutic effects of ice cream. Covers a host of woes. That and nature.”
He knew he liked this woman. “Lead the way.”
They left the park, and after a few minutes he spotted a five-foot ice-cream cone posted above the sidewalk. “Let me guess … that’s our destination.”
“Of course.” Reagan’s pace picked up as she approached the small, green-roofed building.
A family of painted turtles marched across the front windows. Reagan pointed to the words underneath. “Think I’ll try the Ozark Turtle.”
“Size?”
“Small.”
Of course. The gal might want her custard, but he shouldn’t expect it to be supersized. He placed their order and, a few minutes later, carried two sundaes to the park bench where Reagan waited. A grin spread across her face as she accepted the caramel- and walnut-topped treat. He’d buy her an Ozark Turtle every day if she’d keep smiling at him like that.
This summer would be amazing if he could keep that smile on her face and the shadows at bay. Add in the Rainbow’s End Treasure Hunt with following GPS coordinates to remote locations around town to find the hidden caches, and he’d return to St. Louis rested and ready for school.
Reagan glanced at him, a shy smile turning his insides to goo. Yep, this could be a great summer.
Chapter 2
With her alarm blaring before the sun brightened the sky, Reagan wondered why she’d agreed to start the search first thing. She popped the snooze button then pulled the pillow over her head. It wasn’t like any of the caches would disappear if they waited until a reasonable hour like, say, ten.
“Reagan?” Garrett pounded on her door, and it popped open. No matter that he didn’t want it locked in case she needed him, she’d bolt it tonight. “Time to get up and at ‘em.”
“What are you? My drill sergeant?” she grumbled.
He laughed, making her want to throw the clock at him. If it happened to find his chest, oh well. Maybe then he’d let her sleep. “Come on, Sleeping Beauty.”
“I’m getting up.” Sheesh, what happened to the baby brother she’d had to drag out of bed in the morning to do anything? She’d like him back right about now. With a groan, she threw back the covers and headed to her small bathroom. Ten minutes later she joined Garrett in the kitchen but skidded to a halt when she noticed Colton standing at the stove, flipping an omelet. “I thought you had your own condo.”
“Your kitchen is nicer.” He smirked at her. Yes, smirked.
This early in the morning? She knew there was a reason she didn’t want to like the guy. Too bad the food smelled amazing, with the scent of ham and onion floating toward her. “What would you like on yours?”
“Whatever Garrett’s having.”
His eyebrows spiked. “Really?”
“Wait. Unless he’s having you lace it with jalapeños. Nix the spicy.”
“All right.” He went to work cracking eggs and whipping them before filling the frying pan with a layer of egg, then cheese, onion, ham, and red pepper. Maybe she could get used to this. It sure beat her normal bowl of microwaved oatmeal. In short order he handed her a plate with a steaming omelet. “Madam.”
Her mouth watered as she accepted it. “Thanks.”
“We ready to hike?” Garrett rubbed his belly then pushed his empty plate away. It looked clean enough to put back in the cupboard. The boy must have been starved.
“How far today?” Reagan wanted to think she could tackle a long hike the first day, but reality remained. The calendar was too close to tax season for her to be back in non-tax-season shape.
Unless you considered round a shape.
Which she had until Mr. Omelet Chef showed up. He looked like he could hike twelve miles without breaking a sweat. She tugged at her waistband, evidence she’d spent too many hours glued to her chair and computer this year. Maybe she’d start exercising discipline by leaving a few bites on her plate. At least that was one form of discipline that didn’t involve sweat or hideous gym clothes.
Colton turned to the map Garrett had taped to the pantry door. “Four miles.”
“Round trip?” Please, God. “Each way.”
“Oookaay.” She could do this. Especially if she stopped somewhere along the trail and let them get her on the way back. Would Garrett go for that? She could only hope so.
“Is that a problem, Grandma?” Garrett’s grin let her know he poked at her, even as she heard his serious tone.
Fine. She’d match him step for step. “Let’s do it.”
Colton held up a hand. “Don’t forget to grab a couple water bottles each. The humidity is more than we’re used to.”
“We’re only a few hours from home.” Garrett grabbed one with a frown. “Do we really need it?
“Trust me.”
“We have to carry it?” She wrinkled her nose. “Better than carrying you.”
True enough.
Could Reagan be any cuter when her nose wrinkled like that? Colton knew the answer. She struck him as the bookish type who didn’t realize she turned heads with her quiet charm and beauty. He’d love to change that about her. Help her see the amazing person God had created.
He’d have to take it slow. She’d warmed up since their custard run last nigh
t, but had looked less than pleased to see him in the kitchen.
While he waited for her to do whatever women do first thing, he sank onto the couch and tightened his pristine hiking boots. Hoped he didn’t regret wearing them without an initial test hike. The last thing he needed at the beginning of a long competition like this was a series of blisters. Not his idea of fun.
Maybe the extra layer of socks would provide the protection the salesman promised. “How long does this usually take?”
Garrett looked up from the business magazine he held. “Depends on her mood. Might as well settle in and wait.”
“It can’t take that long.”
“You’d be surprised.”
Finished with his boots, Colton knew he couldn’t idle and decided to work on the kitchen. He’d never been great at waiting. Maybe it came from being the oldest son in a family of doers, but sitting didn’t feel right. Like he must be missing something. Something he should be doing, achieving. Soon the dishwasher stood loaded with the breakfast dishes. Then he grabbed a couple of bottles of water for each of them from the fridge. Added reusable bottles to his mental list. No sense filling a landfill while they worked their way around the lake.
He pictured it in his mind’s eye. The lake looked more like a caterpillar squiggling along the area, dozens of inlets fingering out from it. Those inlets probably provided some excellent hiding places for caches.
Last night he’d spent time reading through the locations, trying to map them out on the GPS. After awhile, he’d given up on entering all of them but had a decent sample for them to pull from. That is, if they ever left the condo. Didn’t Reagan know daylight wasted while they sat here?
He wiped the counter with a swipe that dislodged most of the crumbs. Crossing his arms, he leaned against it. What now?
A door closed, and a minute later Reagan stood in the doorway, looking ready for a day of photography with a large camera around her neck. Her long ponytail flipped over her shoulder as she tossed her chin. “Ready?”
RAINBOW’S END: FOUR-IN-ONE COLLECTION Page 15