by Kristi Rose
He shrugged. “She’s a friend of Emma’s. Her father is in exports and imports. She seems kinda….” He did another shrug. His expression said “meh.”
“Kinda what? Quiet? Unassuming? Levelheaded? You don’t know her, and therefore you should make an effort. She’s pretty.”
“I like women with dark hair. This gentleman does not prefer blondes.”
This time Elizabeth did whack him in the upper arm. “Emma is a blonde.”
They glared at each other as the group closed the gap.
“Oh, look at those pretty flowers. They look like daisies,” Marianne squealed and rushed the bunch of yellow flowers.
“Stop!” William and Hannah said in unison.
Hannah put out a cautionary hand. “You have an open sore, and that flower is toxic should it get into your blood stream.” Even as she spoke, Hannah continued to snap pictures. The woman took shots of everything.
“What is it?” Eleanor asked and pulled her sister back from the flowers. Apparently, she didn’t trust Marianne’s impulse control.
“Arnica,” Willian and Hannah said together. He startled and glanced at Hannah. They laughed.
“You know about local flora and fauna?” he asked.
“I grew up outside Bozeman. I love this land. And I believe a person should know what they might come up against when out in the woods or mountains. Be prepared.” Hannah’s voice was soft and fluttery. It was hard to imagine her being the prepared sort. She seemed more like a person who life acted on than a person who acted on life. But Elizabeth needed to check her biases. Hannah was perfectly nice and possibly a good match for William.
“Who would have guessed this pretty yellow flower could be so horrible?” Marianne said and whacked at the plants with her walking stick.
“Hey,” William said, reaching out and grabbing her stick mid-swing. “Rule number one when hiking?”
“You leave it like you found it,” Hannah finished for him. “Those flowers didn’t do anything to you,” she scolded.
“This should be good,” Caroline said under her breath and glanced at Elizabeth, a wicked gleam in her eye.
“They could have killed me,” Marianne argued. “Pretty but poisonous. There should be a sign warning hikers.”
Hannah said, “And just who should go out into the woods and place these signs around? Do they put these signs by every flower they find?”
Marianne narrowed her eyes, glaring at Hannah, who stood with a serene expression, as if her question had not been laced in sarcasm but more a genuine wondering.
Boy, Hannah was good. Elizabeth had underestimated her. She’d mistaken Hannah’s simple demeanor to mean she was, well…simple. Frustrated with herself for being prejudiced toward Hannah, Elizabeth immediately went into negative self-talk, questioning her matchmaking skills. Would she ever overcome all this doubt?
“I don’t like your aura. It’s dark,” Marianne said to Hannah.
“Let’s keep moving. Be mindful, though. You’re a guest in these woods,” William said. “I understand the nervousness, Marianne. Hannah and I will guide you safely.” He gestured for everyone to follow him and fell into step next to Hannah.
“Just make sure you point out the plants that will kill us, and Marianne will make sure she doesn’t run ahead into the unknown without a safety net,” Caroline said. She pointed her trekking pole toward Eleanor. “You must be exhausted.” Caroline didn’t wait for a response but pushed through everyone to continue along the path.
The group tramped through the woods with quiet conversations sprinkled lightly through the air.
In her head, Elizabeth did a quick review of her next move. So far, on paper, Hannah and William were matchable. Yet, Elizabeth’s gut told her to hold off. She wasn’t about to call it a day. This was William after all and her career. Both deserved the utmost attention to detail and double-checking. Elizabeth fell into step behind William and Hannah to eavesdrop.
“Did you say you grew up here, Hannah?” William asked.
“I did. But I like to travel so I cannot say I’ve spent a lot of time here recently,” Hannah said softly. They walked, their shoulders close, their heads bent as they talked.
Elizabeth glanced at Caroline. The woman glared back. Elizabeth knew the only way around Caroline was to show her that William was not the perfect one for her.
As if on cue, James Rushworth fell into stride next to Elizabeth. She smiled at him.
“Don’t know if I’ve seen a sunrise that beautiful in a long time,” he said. He was a tall man who could be described as average. He had a kind face, an easy smile, and brown hair that flopped over his forehead when he didn’t gel it back. Which he’d only done at dinners, this told Elizabeth he liked to be casual.
“I agree. Watching nature unfold so magnificently does something to me.” She struggled to find the words to explain further.
“Makes me want to be a nicer person,” James said. “I’m sure I shouldn’t say that aloud.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Because you’re such a bad person to start?” She sized him up to be cunning, in a business sort of way, but also patient and even-tempered.
James laughed with her. “I guess that’s for someone else to answer. I hope I’m not. What I meant was that when I watch those colors break through the darkness, I want to go out and do the same thing. I want to spread light.” He ducked his head and grunted. “Listen to me. I sound half baked.”
She pressed her hand to his forearm in understanding. “I feel the same way. It’s humbling. Reminds me I’m not doing enough to spread good, you know?”
He nodded. “I do. But I think, of all of us, you’re doing the most good.”
Puzzled, Elizabeth paused in step and considered his words. Was she doing good? She jogged to catch up. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you help people find love. A person can have all the money in the world, all the opportunity, but never come close to finding love.” His expression grew morose. “Finding love is not easy.”
“Or perhaps finding true love isn’t easy,” Elizabeth said, remembering her mother’s sharp words. Maybe Elizabeth hadn’t helped every client find true love but… Certainly a percentage settled for partners to get through the day. Could she live with that if she continued with this job? Was she doing exactly what her mother had accused her of? Elizabeth shook her head, hoping to erase the thoughts.
“Perhaps.” James nodded. “You know, I don’t believe all the things I read, and I don’t believe you’re a gold-digger,” he said as if he had read her mind.
“You’re kind,” she said.
“I have an ulterior motive,” he said. “I have a proposition for you.”
Oh dear, another one?
Chapter Thirteen
Monday
Elizabeth stopped and let Emma and Knightley at the end of the line pass.
“What sort of proposition?”
Rushworth ducked his head, his expression searching as if debating his next set of words. “You heard I was left at the altar, right?”
She wasn’t expecting that from him. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but certainly not him to bring up his own fresh wound.
She softened her face. “I had, yes.”
Hannah rushed past them. “Sorry,” she said, “I dropped something back on the trail.”
They let her pass before continuing.
Elizabeth said, “Must have been awful.”
He gave a thin smile. “Awful and good,” he said. “Let me explain. Having Maria ditch me like that was no fun whatsoever. I can think of a thousand different ways she could have broken off our engagement, but what’s done is done. And I’m glad she did it. Because we were poorly suited. Your mother may be right about people satisfied with marriage of conveniences, but I’m not one of those guys.”
His topaz eyes were serious and fixed on her face. James Rushworth had a streak of passion running through him. A fire was banked deep in him. He needed someone who wou
ld spark that fire. Caroline?
“And I can help how?”
He shuffled awkwardly. “I read your mom’s articles and then did some digging. I found out about your company’s current situation and the offer on the table.”
“By chance did you go to college with the owner of Dating NoDrama, too?” she said waspishly.
He smiled apologetically. “I did.”
“And you went to college with Caroline?” Elizabeth was connecting the dots.
“Yes, she was two years behind me. Most of us went to school together.”
“And most of you ran in the same circles? You and Caroline, too?”
He nodded. “How could anyone not know Caroline? She’s sharp with a wicked sense of humor.”
Wicked, yes. Sense of humor? Hmm. Elizabeth’s curiosity was piqued. James was interesting. “And your proposition has to do with my matchmaking company?”
“Yes, I’d like to invest in it. I’d like to do something that gives people hope. That creates a product that does something beautiful like these sunsets. Despite what your mother says.”
Elizabeth studied him. James Rushworth was a romantic. She shook her head. “I can’t entertain an offer. I’m in no position to take someone money when I believe I might not be able to make good on it.” To say so made her heart ache. “And what precisely are you referring to when you say despite what my mother says?”
“I think you can make good on it. William does as well. He often disassembles companies, but with yours, he’s tried to help build it. That spoke volumes. And he trusts his heart to you…. Well, that’s all the proof I need.”
“It says he’s probably misguided,” she mumbled.
“Not William. Only something as wonderful as love or as horrible as heartbreak could misguide him,” Rushworth said. He took his phone out from his front pocket. “Her latest.”
Hannah rushed past again, going back up the mountain, her camera in hand. Had she dropped her camera? Elizabeth couldn’t imagine since she carried it around like an extension to one of her appendages. But then maybe Darcy had held her attention?
Elizabeth glanced at Rushworth’s phone, and her attention was drawn back to what he was showing her. On the screen was a story from Elizabeth’s mother. She did a quick scan of the post. More of the same. Love is fake. Elizabeth should be sued for selling false hope. She waged Jane and Charlie would have three years before the novelty of each other wore off and their relationship became less about love and more about business. Then came the kicker. Or, rather the tease of one.
Joanna Bennet wrote, As of right now, my second daughter, still pretending that love is possible, has convinced a certain billionaire to let her find “matches” for him. And I’m not talking about those little wood sticks we use to start fires. I’m talking about women. You can rest assured, Dear Reader, that I will get to the bottom of this and expose it for what it truly is. Soon we will know if this is a ruse for my daughter to land herself a man with money to fix her problems (I do not support that pretense of any nature) or a business activity where women are a commodity. Hang tight. We’re about to look at the dark underbelly of “love.”
Elizabeth felt woozy. How? How? How? Had she found out what Elizabeth was doing? And why was her mother so bent on destroying her? To say she used women as a commodity was…horrifying. This had to go deeper than her mother’s own broken heart.
“I’m sorry,” Rushworth said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“You didn’t write the article.” She handed him his phone, hands shaking.
He gestured for them to catch up with the others who’d stopped at the peak of the small mountain they’d been hiking up. They walked in silence.
Elizabeth broke the quiet by asking, “Why would you want to bring attention to yourself? If you invested in my company, then you’d have to assume my mother would call you out on it.”
James said with a gallant shrug. “Any press is good press.”
She wished she could see it that way.
“Besides. When we believe in something, there will always be obstacles and naysayers. We have to persevere. I believe in love. Maybe I shouldn’t, but I do.”
She turned his words over in her head. Was she expecting everything to be easier because she had altruistic intentions?
James grabbed her elbow and said excitedly, “Is that a zip line?” He pointed ahead.
They’d hiked upward to nearly three thousand feet, according to her phone’s compass app. Hung across a plain of trees between large lodgepole pines and ending in a clearing below was indeed a zip line. William surprised her again.
“You have two options. One is to hike back the way we came or take this zip line. The line will bring you closer to my house, and brunch is being set out as we speak.” William wagged his brows, his challenge causing the others to murmur their apprehension.
Behind him were three steps up to a platform where the zip line began. An all-weather deck box acted as a bench on the platform. From inside the box William withdrew a harness.
“I can’t do it,” Marianne said.
“Not even if Darcy flashes you his abs when you get to the bottom?” Caroline asked.
A laugh escaped Elizabeth. She covered her mouth in embarrassment. A look passed between her and Caroline, almost as if they were on the same page. It was weird. There was little chance the two could become friends, but maybe they could…peacefully coexist?
“I’ll give it a try,” Emma said and stepped up to the platform.
“Wait,” Knightley said. “I’ll go first. Make sure there aren’t any issues.” He stepped around Emma and took the harness from William’s hands.
William cast Elizabeth a glance and followed it with a silent nod. Finally! He was admitting that Emma and Knightley had something…felt something for each other.
It wasn’t the insta-love that Elizabeth imagined came with discovering the one. No, these two often circled each other like boxers ready to duke it out.
“I assure you, Knightley, the zip line is in top condition. My neighbors use it when they work with veterans. This was used the other day, and we make sure to have it inspected by an engineer.”
Knightley nodded. “Good to know. Nevertheless, I’ll go first.”
“Who’s walking down the hill with me?” Marianne asked.
“You mean the mini mountain Darcy dragged us up?” Caroline said. “Not me. I’m taking the easy way down.” Caroline jogged up the stairs.
“Good for you,” William said and clapped her on the shoulder. Caroline rewarded him with an eye roll.
An excited buzz ripped through the crowd as people lined up. Marianne stomped her foot in frustration. Her sister whispered something in her ear.
Darcy gave the group instructions about how to control movement and body safety. Then Knightley took a running leap off the platform and zoomed down the line, his laughter floated back on the wind. The others’ excitement increased, except Marianne, who whimpered.
A bell rang across the woods, telling them Knightley was ready to send back the harness. The bench stored several helmets and harnesses but not enough for the group. Darcy and Rushworth worked the line to bring back the gear.
Emma went next, her nervous laughter contagious. She did like Knightley and took a running leap, squealing as she rode the line to the end. She came to a stop at the clearing and promptly threw her arms around Knightly. The two kissed.
“Oh,” said Marianne.
“Wonderful,” said Eleanor.
“About time,” Elizabeth said.
“Must be overflow from the energy of the zip line,” Darcy reasoned.
Hannah, Eleanor, then Rushworth went next, all promising to catch Marianne. Impatient as ever, Caroline bypassed the scared Marianne and went, coming to a stop in Rushworth’s arms. Elizabeth noted he was slow to let her go.
Elizabeth and William harnessed up Marianne who was white as a ghost.
“I can walk you down, Marianne, if you’re
that scared,” William offered.
“But I’ll be the only chicken, then,” she said.
“Who cares?” Elizabeth said.
“I’m scared,” she whimpered.
“You know what courage is, Marianne?” Elizabeth asked. Not waiting for a response, she continued, “Courage is doing something despite being scared. What do you think this will do for your aura if you overcome your fear?”
Bringing up the aura had been the winner. Marianne sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right. I wish I could see a before and after picture,” she said wistfully.
“You can. Look in your mind’s eye,” Elizabeth told her and tapped the girl on the middle of her forehead. They hooked her up to the line. “Now, you want to leap or get pushed?”
Marianne’s eyes went wide. “Oh, you’ll have to push me.” She turned her attention to William. “Any chance I can see your abs when you get down there?”
He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
“Push it is,” Elizabeth said and gave the woman a shove off the platform. Marianne went down the line backward, screaming the entire way.
When she got to the bottom, they unhooked her and she promptly fainted. Or fake fainted. Elizabeth shook her head in annoyance.
Darcy handed her a harness. “That wasn’t nice. Shoving her off the platform like that,” he teased.
“She told me to.”
He arched a brow. “From where I stood, Marianne’s request to see my abs appeared to annoy you.” He smirked.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and fastened the helmet while he worked on tightening the harness. “Why do I care if she sees your abs?”
“Maybe you want to see them?” He cinched a strap, tugging it tight, which brought her closer to him.
“As if.” He was so near that all she could see and focus on was him. There were no woods or mountains or zip line. Just William. And the thought of his abs. She licked her lips.
“You realize this is the most you’ve said to me since my aunt came to visit.” His hand was still on the harness, his knuckles resting against her stomach.