Forty-Four Box Set, Books 1-10 (44) (76 page)

“Yeah, me too,” I said. “But it’s getting to be now or never. The hiking season up there is just for a few more weeks, unless you don’t mind camping in the snow.”

I kicked off my sandals.

“Boy, those are thrashed,” Kate said, looking at them.

“Yeah. I’ll have to get some more for next year.”

“So you’re signing on again, huh?” she asked.

“Think so.”

There was a long time between here and next summer and there was a chance that I would try something else, something more like a career. Someday I’d have to think about my plans for the future.

Lightning streaked across the sky, followed by distant thunder as we watched two squirrels jumping through the garden, playing and chasing each other.

“Thunderstorms are the best,” Kate said. “Reminds me of when we were kids. Remember? Mom would always sit with us out here and watch.”

“Yeah,” I said. “I remember. Hey, I called the restaurant and scheduled my classes. I start in a few weeks.”

Kate had bought me a month’s worth of Italian cooking classes for my birthday from a local chef who owned a restaurant in town. I had been too busy to start, but now I had some time and was really looking forward to it.

“Awesome,” she said.

“Thanks, Kate. I can’t wait.”

It was nice sitting back here, with not much to do. Ty said he was packing everything up, that all I had to do was be ready.

“Backyard looks really nice this year,” I said. “The pond, and all the flowers. It’s very peaceful out here.”

I put my feet up on the small wooden table. Another flash streaked down, this time in a jagged vertical line. The thunder followed, sharp and loud.

“So what time are you heading out tomorrow?”

“Nine.”

A strong gust blew past us, knocking over a stack of empty plastic plant containers by the side of the house and scattering them across the yard. As Kate ran to collect them, a few drops fell out of the sky.

CHAPTER 21

The next morning it looked as though there had never even been a storm, with only a few wispy clouds stretched faintly across the sky.

“How does it feel?” Ty asked after we walked a few feet. He had given me a small pack while he had a huge one on his back.

“Oh, it’s so heavy,” I said. “Could you take a few more things?”

He laughed.

“Anything you want,” he said. “So, really, it feels okay?”

“Come on, it’s like the pack’s empty. Even Kate makes me carry more than this when we go out on a day hike. Seriously, give me a few more things.”

“Keep walking,” he said.

The air was cool as we hiked along the dirt trail, following the stream past loud waterfalls and small meadows. The path kept climbing up, eventually meeting the first Green Lake at the base of South Sister, with Broken Top to the right, where we took a candy bar break.

“Beautiful,” Ty said.

We took off our shoes, sat down by the lake, and soaked our feet in the cold water.

“I haven’t been up here in a while,” I said. “But it’s just like I remember it.”

Ty took some pictures before we got back on the trail. We made it up to Golden Lake by late afternoon, the sun slanted in the sky, the warm glow catching the grasses just right. Ty pulled out the tent and we set it up in a small grove of trees off to the side, next to a meadow. We seemed to have the place to ourselves.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“Starved. What’s for dinner?”

“It’s a surprise,” he said.

“I can help.”

“Nope,” he said, unpacking gear. “It’s my turn to show off my culinary skills. You just relax.”

He brought out the stove and set up a makeshift kitchen on a flat rock while I headed down to a small stream and pumped some water. I washed my face and hands, the water cold on my cheeks.

It felt good to be here.

While Ty worked on dinner, I walked over to the lake and stared out at it. It was small, a few ripples rolling in the wind, sparkling in the last of the fading sun.

When I came back, Ty handed me a paper plate. He had made a pesto linguini, with a sprinkling of extra pine nuts and cheese on top.

“You made all this now?” I said, sopping the sauce up with a slice of bread.

“I made the pesto last night,” he said.

“I didn’t even know you could cook.”

“Just out here,” he said. “I get inspired. I found this recipe online, a site for cooking in the woods. This is pretty damn good, huh?”

“It’s beyond damn,” I said, smiling.

I looked out across the lake.

“So is it really true there aren’t any bears out here?”

“I’m not sure if every single one is gone, but I think most are,” I said.

“That’s kind of weird. What about mountain lions?”

“Yeah,” I said. “We have some of those. Even over at Pilot Butte sometimes.”

We cleaned up and gathered sticks and branches as the sun sank behind Middle Sister and crisp, cool air fell around us. I made a ring with small rocks and we got a fire going. We sat there on a log, our breaths foggy in front of us, mixing together and vanishing in the flames and embers.

“It’s going to be a perfect night for the stars,” he said. “It’s a new moon.”

He got up and grabbed the sleeping bags, laying them side by side close to the fire.

He started talking about his childhood in Montana and riding horses, about his dad and growing up on a ranch.

“Do you ride?” he asked, picking up a stick and breaking it, throwing the pieces one by one into the fire.

I laughed.

“Just in circles at birthday parties,” I said. “It’s been a while.”

“Maybe we’ll go sometime. Maybe you’ll come back to the ranch.”

The first stars twinkled above as we fed the fire. When the sky was black and full of stars, our conversation slowed.

I took a breath, trying to calm my nerves.

“It’s so beautiful out here,” I said, looking up.

“Nothing compared to you,” he said, staring at me.

He moved closer and kissed me. When we pulled away, I looked into his eyes as the flames danced in the reflection.

“I love you, Ty,” I said.

The words flowed, even and naturally. I whispered in his ear in between heavy breaths.

“I love you so much,” I said, wrapping my arms around him.

His eyes softened, softer than I’d ever seen.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to hear those words, Abby.”

“I didn’t think I could. I didn’t think I could love anyone again. But I do. I love you with all my heart.”

My feelings were strong and steady as our lips met, our bodies close, our hearts beating together. I couldn’t deny them anymore, couldn’t stop them either.

I inhaled, breathing him in, shaking, the words powerful and passionate, falling into the flames and turning into smoke to spread out far into the universe. I took his hand and placed it on my chest.

“My heart is yours now.”

He kept it there and stared for a long time into my eyes, not saying anything.

“You belong with me, Abby.” His voice was soft, but urgent. “I won’t let you down. Not ever. Trust me tonight.”

I trusted him with everything.

My heart, my soul, our love.

He kissed me again and pulled at my shirt. I let it fall to the ground as his hands moved over my body, soft and tender, the fire crackling loud in my ears, the night gathering in around us.

He pulled me to him and I sank inside his white energy, lost, and then taken.

Taken, wrapped in his love, under a sky bursting with burning stars.

CHAPTER 22

It was pitch black outside when we walked over to the lake. It was the most brilliant sky I had ever seen in my life. Ty wrapped his arms around me as he stood behind me, whispering in my ear.

“I love you, Abby,” he said.

“I love you, too,” I said, surprised at the ease now of the words that used to be so hard.

We stood there quiet for a while, listening to the sound of the mountains. Grass blowing in the wind, frogs croaking in the lake. 

“You’re shaking,” he said. “Are you cold?”

I had on my thick fleece jacket, but it wasn’t enough.

“A little,” I said.

He took off his jacket and put it on me.

“Thanks,” I said.

“It was incredible,” he said in a low voice. “I hope it was—”

“It was,” I said, letting my head fall back onto his chest. I touched his arms with my hands, brushing the small hairs that were standing up. “It was, Ty.”

He was quiet, looking up.

“There it is. Andromeda,” he said, pointing up. “That’s the constellation that reminds me of us. And there’s Perseus.”

He took my hand and we traced the outline together.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because of the story,” he said, leading me back to the fire.

“In Greek times Andromeda was a princess who lived with her mother and father in a kingdom by the sea. Her mother was very proud of her and bragged to everyone that her daughter was the most beautiful girl in the entire world.”

“Uh, oh,” I said. “Bragging like that is never good in Greek mythology.”

“Nope, never is,” he said. “Poseidon was furious when he heard about what the queen had said because he thought his sea nymphs were the most beautiful creatures in the world. So to teach her a lesson, he sent huge waves toward the kingdom to destroy it. And then he sent a sea monster.”

I moved a little closer to the fire.

“Soon the king heard about Poseidon’s anger and was at a loss as to what to do. He consulted the oracles and they told him that there was only one way. He would have to sacrifice his daughter to the sea monster to satisfy Poseidon.

“So the king had Andromeda chained to the rocks.

“A young man named Perseus happened to be walking by when he came upon the beautiful princess tied down. He fell in love with her at first sight and vowed to save her. And just as the monster was about to attack, he killed it. He untied Andromeda and asked for her hand in marriage.”

Ty smiled, his face glowing as he stared at me.

“So you’re Perseus?” I asked, looking back up at the constellation.

“Yep,” he said.

I was quiet for a moment.

“And you think I need saving?” I said.

“Everybody needs a little saving now and then. That’s part of love, isn’t it?”

“I guess so.”

I stared into the flames.

“So what happened to them, Perseus and Andromeda?”

“They lived happily ever after and loved each other forever. And because their love was so pure and special, the Gods placed them in the heavens for all time. They’re up there to remind us about what’s important.”

“That’s a good story,” I said.

“It is,” Ty said.

We stared up at the black sky above us, where everything seemed so real and free.

CHAPTER 23

In the morning a light frost had coated everything. I woke up and stepped outside of the tent and found Ty standing in the meadow.

I walked up to him and put my arm around his waist.

“Look at this place. It’s stunning,” I said.

The early morning sun was hitting the tip of Broken Top, the jagged peaks bright in the light.

***

“So how was your wilderness trip?” David asked, handing me paper towels across the counter so I could clean up the spill in the corner. “And don’t leave anything out.”

I wiped down the table and walked back to the register, taking a few orders.

“So?” he asked again when it had quieted down.

“It was a great trip,” I said.

“More.”

“We had a really good time,” I said finally, refusing to meet his probing eyes.

“Um, hmmm. Thought so,” he said. “You seem stupid happy, Abby Craig, and I can tell that you’re in love.”

I still didn’t look at him, but he hovered near me anyway, staring. I could feel my lips break out in a smile no matter how much I tried to stop it and he laughed.

“It’s beautiful up there,” I said. “You know, you might want to get outdoors once in a while, go on a walk or something. We do live in this incredible place.”

“Forget it,” he said. “You’re preaching to the lazy.”

I laughed and took a tray of dirty cups to the back. When I came out, Lyle was working the register and David had moved behind the machines.

“So, it’s not like love or anything, but I met someone too,” he said, screaming over the whirl of the steamer. “A hottie visiting from Portland.”

“That’s great,” I said.

“Yeah, at least he’s not far if things heat up. Hey, we’re going out tonight, if you want to meet up at Club 6 or something.”

I was pretty sure Ty wouldn’t be so excited about going back there.

“Maybe,” I said. “I’ll let you know. I have a game tonight.”

“How’s the new season going?” he asked.

“I have a good feeling about it.”

CHAPTER 24

The FedEx package was on the front porch when I got home from work.

It was a box of gardenias, arriving just in time. I picked it up, fumbled for my keys, and sighed.

It was hot inside, the air stagnant. I put the parcel on the table and opened some windows, letting the breeze blow through the house. I changed and brought my laptop out to the dining room table and turned it on.

She would have been 51 tomorrow. Even with all the time that had passed, that was still young. Too young to have that first part always attached now to her birthday. “She would have been…”

Sometimes I dreamed of her and most of the time they were good dreams. She looked healthy, like how I remembered her when I was in elementary school. Her hair long, down her back, and her face full of life and energy.

And that smile. She was always smiling.

It’s when I’m awake that I have to chase away those other images.

Her thin, gray body lying on hospital sheets, with tubes and wires attached everywhere. Vases of wilting flowers pushed to the corner of the room.