Summer on the Mountain Read online

  She dropped onto her stomach, pressing one eye to a gap between two of the wooden slats that comprised the dock. She grinned when she spotted a huge fish beneath her. It was easily a foot and a half long. Its whiskers were charming, jutting out of a wide face with a broad mouth that appeared to smile. She wasn’t sure what kind of fish it was, but she watched it with delight and fascination.

  Jarrod decided to detour back to the lake bank before he left for work. He knew he owed his new neighbor another apology, and decided to get it over with.

  When he spied her lying face down and still as a statue on the dock, he ran full out toward her. Had she fallen? Was she dead?

  When Summer felt vibrations on the dock and then a warm hand on her back, she practically leapt out of her skin. She jumped to her feet and found herself staring into the worried eyes of Gwendolyn’s horrible son.

  “Are you all right?” he asked fearfully.

  “I’m fine,” she said, watching him curiously. “Although you just gave me the fright of my life. Again.”

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I thought you might have hurt yourself, or that you might be dead.” He gave a shrug. “What were you doing, by the way?”

  She shot him an annoyed glance. “I was looking at a fish.”

  He dropped down and took a quick look. “Catfish,” he said, rising to his feet in a swift movement.

  She nodded. “It’s sweet.”

  “Sweet?” He chuckled. “It’s a bottom feeder. Not a particularly interesting fish.”

  “That’s your opinion,” she said, as if his opinion didn’t matter one iota.

  He chuckled, and she turned away. “Sorry to have worried you.” She started to walk away.

  To her surprise, he grasped her arm. “I, uh, wanted to apologize for the other day.”

  She arched her brows. “Oh?”

  “I made some assumptions,” he began sheepishly, “and apparently, I was wrong.”

  “Dead wrong,” she assured him with a disgusted snort.

  He nodded, glanced away, and then back. “My mom has a habit of…”

  She simply nodded, effectively cutting him off, and began walking away before he could finish his sentence. To her surprise, he hurried to her side, falling into step beside her. She paused, turning to him and asking in a bored tone, “Was there something else?”

  “Actually, yeah. I’d mentioned to you that we’ve had problems with burglaries at several lakeside homes. You’ll want to be especially cautious at night and assure you lock all the doors and windows. The same holds true for daytime. These burglars are awfully bold, and you’ll want to be especially diligent being as you’re a woman alone up here.”

  She digested his words. “Thanks for the warning.” She strode off and he watched her retreating figure briefly, before jogging to catch up with her again.

  She paused impatiently, watching him with barely concealed contempt. “Was there something else?”

  “Yeah,” he said, flashing a quick smile. “You look like you’re feeling better. Hot lemon works wonders,” he said.

  “No, fresh mountain air works wonders,” she said, and then strode away from him again.

  “You’re bound and determined to avoid talking to me, aren’t you?” he called out, a smile quirking the corners of his mouth. “I guess I can’t blame you.”

  Summer paused. “I’d hate for you to misconstrue anything I might say or do as an attempt to lure you into my web,” she said snidely.

  He chuckled. “I deserve that.” He watched her speculatively. “Can we start fresh—pretend we’ve just met?”

  She sighed, half-wishing she could tell the man to pack sand. Unfortunately, he was her boss’s son, and she decided it might be best to humor him. It didn’t mean she had to like him, or even give him the time of day thereafter, but, for now, she sighed resignedly and offered him her hand. “I’m Summer Windham.”

  He smiled and jogged forward to clasp her hand. “Jarrod Lawton. It’s good to meet you.”

  She nodded tightly and then started for the cabin again. He walked alongside her. “So, what do you think of our mountain retreat?” he inquired with interest, surprising her with his persistence.

  She paused, glancing off into the distance and tipping her face to a gentle breeze before turning back to him and meeting his gaze. “It’s beautiful,” she said sincerely. “More beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”

  He gave her a searching look, and then broke into a smile. “I believe you mean that,” he said incredulously. “You don’t seem like the outdoorsy type.”

  “And what is the outdoorsy type?” she asked, failing to mask her annoyance.

  “Hey, I’m sorry,” he said, lifting his hands as if in surrender, “I didn’t mean anything by that. You’re just, well…”

  “What?”

  “Forget I said anything.”

  “No. Tell me. What type am I?”

  He smiled awkwardly and flashed a glance at his watch. “Wow! I have to go.” He strode off, calling over his shoulder, “I really should get to work. I’m late.”

  “I’m sure you are,” she uttered testily, and then strode back to the cabin.

  She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She locked it, remembering his words of warning about burglars. She wasn’t worried about burglars, but her neighbor had certainly given her pause. The man was handsome, powerfully built—the embodiment of a rugged outdoorsman—and she resolved to avoid him like the plague.

  Moments before, he had seemed friendly, engaging, and hopeful the two could perhaps be friends—or at least put the discomfort of their initial meetings behind them. But like him, she wasn’t interested in any kind of entanglement with the opposite sex. She was here to commune with nature—and to paint a picture for Leonard. Nothing more, nothing less.

  But first, she decided to take a walk in the forest. She remembered spotting a tiny country store on her way up to the mountain, and had noticed a sign there marking a nearby trail head.

  ***

  Jarrod drove the Explorer toward Janson Ridge. He found another forest ranger, Tyler Lane, already there, his binoculars poised on an area to his right. He heard Jarrod approach and lowered the binoculars.

  “See anything?” Jarrod asked.

  “Not a thing,” the other man muttered. “These guys are getting the best of me. I’m telling you, Jarrod, they know this mountain. They’d have to, the way they flit in and out like ghosts.”

  He considered his friend’s words. “You could be right.”

  “Well, I’m outta here. If you run into trouble, don’t be a hero.”

  “See you later,” Jarrod said, training his own binoculars on the area of interest. He remained focused for a time, but then panned out with the binoculars, looking for anyone or anything of interest. When he spied a blond head bobbing along a trail a half-mile or so north of him, he immediately recognized Summer Windham.

  She was dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and sneakers, and walking into an area where brown bears had been spotted recently. He hoped the woman would be on her guard, since the bears could be temperamental and with little provocation.

  He couldn’t help wonder what had prompted her to set out on that trail, since it was particularly treacherous and best suited to experienced hikers. He wondered how she’d even known about it, but then he realized she’s probably seen the marker if she’d been to the country store.

  He kept the binoculars trained on her head. He couldn’t help but worry about her. She hadn’t dressed for a lengthy hike, nor did she appear to carry much gear. He searched her slender frame for a pack of some type, but saw nothing. He groaned loudly. The woman could easily become lost on this particular trail, which he knew eventually forked, with one leg heading upwards to dangerous, rocky terrain and another winding down and around a deep ravine with dangerous, sloping sides.

  With a sigh, he decided to abandon his watch and head for the trail the woman was hiking. He knew it like the back of his
hand, and knew he could reach her via a logging road. He drove quickly, doing a little four-wheeling as he maneuvered the deeply jutted road, and finally reached an overgrown hillside that dropped down and eventually merged with the trail she was currently hiking.

  He left his SUV and carefully dropped down the steep hillside. At the bottom, he began hiking across a field that led to the trail and then waited at a rock that served as a landmark for experienced hikers. He knew she would round the bend soon, and he hoped he wouldn’t alarm her.

  As he waited for her, he glanced around him. An experienced tracker, he spotted several indications a bear had recently been in the area. Snapped branches, a tuft of fur, and footprints in a nearby muddy puddle attested to the bear’s presence.

  When suddenly Summer rounded the bend, she spied him and came to an abrupt halt. Jarrod realized he was responsible for the flash of fear in her eyes and he smiled reassuringly. “I was on a stakeout and spotted you hiking…”

  She swallowed over a lump in her throat. It had been frightening to round the bend and find him standing there. She eyed him curiously, her guard clearly up.

  When she didn’t speak, he continued. “This is a trail best left to experienced hikers. Aside from the fact that it’s a difficult trek, we’ve spotted several bears in the area.”

  She gasped. It hadn’t occurred to her she might run into a bear. She hadn’t a clue what she would do if she ran into a bear.

  Jarrod realized he had her attention then. “You’re better off sticking to trails around the lake. It’s definitely safer.”

  She digested his words, and then nodded. “I’ll start back…”

  “I’ll drive you back to your car,” he said quickly. “It really isn’t safe for a woman out here alone. Did you happen to tell anyone where you were headed?”

  “Who would I tell?” she murmured, but then realized the stupidity of her actions. Had she encountered trouble, no one would have been the wiser. “I wasn’t thinking,” she admitted.

  He nodded, and then indicated she should follow him. As she struggled to keep up with his brisk pace, she felt ridiculous for having been so stupid. What if she had encountered a bear—or worse? She was lost to her thoughts when he suddenly stopped walking. He directed her attention to a bush.

  She squinted, attempting to see what he was pointing at. “See the snapped branch there,” he said. “Actually, there are several. And look.” He pointed to the ground. “See the bear paw print.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise and she met his gaze. “What do you do if you encounter a bear?” she asked fearfully.

  “Hope for the best,” he said with a grin.

  “No, really,” she pressed.

  “Drop to the ground, protect your head as best you can, and…”

  “Hope for the best,” Summer finished for him.

  He smiled, but abruptly sobered. She noticed he was suddenly looking at her arm. He took a step toward her, reaching out and brushing something off her and onto his hand.

  “What are you doing?” she asked curiously.

  “Don’t be alarmed, but…” He held out his hand and she immediately spied the bug in his hand.

  She shrugged. “It’s a bug.”

  “No, it’s a tick. And you definitely don’t want to pick up these little guys as passengers. They can make you ill.”

  To his surprise, she leaned forward and studied the tiny parasite. “Do they all look like this?”

  He watched her with unconcealed curiosity, and admiration. When he’d pulled a tick off of Lauren, she had screamed and danced around, slapping at her body as if she were putting out a fire. Summer, on the other hand, studied the insect as if it were a curious specimen, but with no apparent fear.

  He flicked the tick into the brush. “Nope. They don’t all look like this. There are several varieties and you’ve be well advised to avoid them all.”

  She nodded and continued up the trail. Jarrod followed behind her this time, attempting to keep his eyes off of her shapely backside and onto the terrain. It wasn’t easy. Her shorts revealed thin, toned legs. She’d tucked her white t-shirt into the shorts, which had been a wise thing to do, in light of the ticks in the area.

  As he struggled to continue to do the gentlemanly thing and keep his eyes off of the slim figure in front of him, when she stopped suddenly and turned toward him, he collided with her, nearly sending her toppling backwards and into the brush. He grabbed her in an attempt to keep her upright.

  She gasped, finding herself pressed against his hard, muscular form. She glanced up at him in alarm, her startled green eyes eliciting a self-conscious grin from him.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I didn’t realize you’d stopped.”

  “I thought I felt something drop onto my head,” she said, reaching up to tentatively check her hair.

  Jarrod pulled back, but to her dismay, didn’t release her. Instead, he surveyed her head, and then reached up to gently tug a tiny pine cone from her golden hair. He held it out for her inspection, still smiling widely. But suddenly his expression changed, his eyes darkening as they bore into hers.

  For a breathless moment, she thought he might kiss her and she pulled back quickly, effectively extracting herself from his firm grip.

  Jarrod swallowed hard, stepping back and raking a hand through his crisp blond hair. He quirked a smile. “If you’re going to do any hiking, even around the lake, it’s a good idea to wear a cap, and also pants, so you can tuck the pant legs into your socks. Oh, and hiking boots are always a good bet, rather than sneakers.”

  She nodded.

  “We’re almost to my SUV. Where’d you parked your car? Also, I have water if you’re thirsty,” he informed.

  “My car is parked at the country store.”

  He nodded, and then passed her a bottled water he’d tucked into his shirt. She accepted it and quickly took a sip. He no doubt thought she was an idiot, she realized. She suspected he’d alluded to water as a means to illustrate she should have taken drinking water along with her on her hike. She sighed. She definitely hadn’t been thinking when she started off today as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

  Finally settled into his vehicle, she glanced out the window, startled by ruggedness of the terrain they were currently bouncing over. A sharp drop-off to her right caused her to shoot Jarrod a startled glance. He grinned without turning his eyes from the road.

  “Try not to look,” he told her.

  She turned to him instead, taking a deep, steadying breath. She had a fear of heights she’d struggled to overcome her whole life, but she hadn’t entirely vanquished it. As if pulled by an invisible string, she glanced at the drop-off beside her again, and she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.

  She shook her head and he noticed. “Really don’t like heights, eh?”

  “Never have,” she admitted.

  “We’ll be past this stretch in a few seconds,” he assured her, glancing at her briefly before turning back to the narrow road.

  When they finally burst into a level clearing, she sighed with relief. Soon they reached the main roadway. When she spotted the small country store where she’d parked her car, she nodded and he steered into the dusty lot. He pulled in beside her car.

  “Do they sell fishing licenses here?” she asked him.

  “Planning on doing some fishing?” She nodded, and he smiled. “They do happen to sell licenses there. Feel free to borrow the pole I took from you. I left it on your back porch.”

  She smiled tentatively. “Do you mind if I borrow a couple lures, too?”

  “Take what you want.” He smiled as she climbed out of the SUV.

  She leaned back in through the open window. “Thanks for…”

  He waved off her thanks and she turned and hurried into the store. When she stepped out moments later, she was surprised to see him still parked in the dusty lot. She nodded his way, lifting the license and accompanying brochure for him to see before she climbed into her car.

/>   He nodded with a grin, and then backed out and headed back to Janson Ridge. As he drove, he couldn’t help acknowledging a grudging respect for Summer Windham. The woman looked for all intents and purposes like a super model, yet she seemed at home in the forest. Surely, she had a lot to learn about the perils waiting around every bend in the wilderness, but she had seemed unaffected by fear. In fact, she seemed downright happy on the mountain.

  ***

  Back at the cabin, Summer made herself a quick lunch of a peanut butter sandwich and diet soda. As eager as she was to try her hand at fishing, she decided to finally retrieve her painting supplies from the back of her car. She had left them stowed there for reasons she couldn’t precisely fathom, but realized that on some level, they were out of sight and therefore, out of mind, which suited her fine. But, she knew it was time to bring them into the house.

  Quickly she retrieved them from the trunk, set them on a table near the front door, and then stood and stared at them, as if willing them to suddenly interest her in the same way they had in the past. She yearned to rediscover the magic of those art supplies, but sadly, couldn’t feel anything at the moment. And then her eyes lighted on a sketch pad she’d dropped into the trunk almost as an afterthought. Maybe … just maybe … if she were to begin sketching, she might ultimately rediscover her muse.

  She picked up the sketch pad and trotted outside. She began a brisk walk around the property, in hopes something would call out to her and demand to be sketched. Finally, after several false starts, she gave up with a sigh. She dropped the sketch book on the front porch, snatched up the fishing pole and tackle box, and headed to the lake.

  Jarrod saw her there when he arrived home from work late that afternoon.

  Before heading inside his cabin to change, he detoured to the dock. He found Summer in the process of reeling in a fish. From the look of it, she’d hooked a large one, since she was struggling to pull it in.

  To her surprise, he was suddenly at her side, reaching wordlessly for the pole. She watched him skillfully reel in the fish, and then drop down onto a knee to scoop the struggling fish out of the water. After removing the hook from its mouth, he grasped it behind a gill and stood up with a big smile on his face.