“That’s the hot springs. And unlike some of the others in this part of the state, ours has no sulfur smell.”
“Sounds enticing.” Something she might need to consider before leaving the area.
“Too bad we didn’t bring our suits.”
They continued up what she assumed was Main Street. Lined with quaint old buildings, it held the charm of a bygone era. People meandered along the sidewalks, pausing to admire the view. The town was virtually enveloped by the mountains.
“You can tell the high season is upon us.” Daniel glanced her way. “Makes it more difficult to find a parking place.”
“Ouray is a tourist town?”
He looked at her like she’d sprouted horns. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it.”
“Sorry, but no.”
“How long have you lived in Colorado?” He turned onto a side street.
“All my life.”
“And you’ve never heard of Ouray?”
“Nope.”
Locating a parking space, he simply shook his head. “Ouray is known as the Jeeping Capital of the World and the Ice Climbing Capital of the United States. Although, more recently, they’ve simply dubbed it the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Colorado.”
“Which is probably why I’ve never heard of it.” She sent him a knowing look. “But no wonder they have such a great outdoor store.”
She stepped out of the vehicle, taking in some of God’s finest handiwork. “This is incredible. The mountains...they’re, like, right here.”
He moved alongside her. “Only a part of what makes Ouray so unique.”
Inside the store, where Daniel seemed to know most everyone, including the owners, Blythe found not only the perfect pair of hiking shoes but a couple of cute shirts, a jacket and some shorts. Who knew an outdoor store could have such amazing stuff?
After making their purchases, they ambled up and down the street before making their way back to Daniel’s vehicle.
He unlocked the SUV before lifting the hatch. “What are you hungry for?”
“I don’t know. What are my options?”
“Pizza, burgers, steak, comfort food—”
“Ah, comfort food sounds great.” She deposited her bags.
“Granny’s Kitchen it is then.”
She lifted a brow. “Granny’s Kitchen?”
Locking things back up, he set a hand on the small of her back and urged her across the street. “Trust me, you’re gonna love it.”
Awareness of his touch sent a wave of warm fuzzies sloshing through her. Comforting and protective, it felt wonderful. Then he removed it to reach for one of the wood-and-glass double doors. Bummer.
Inside, the place had a very cozy feel. The wood-topped counter was lined with stools while cozy booths hugged the wall of windows opposite. And the aromas coming from the kitchen had her mouth watering. Then she spotted the small glass case beside the cash register, which contained some of the biggest chocolate chip cookies she’d ever seen. She might have to get one of those to go.
Locating an open booth, they slipped inside.
“Daniel, what are you doing here, hon?” An older blonde woman eased beside the table and handed them each a menu.
“We’re enjoying a little break between camp sessions.” He gestured toward Blythe. “Hillary, this is Blythe.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Blythe. Are you working at the camp with Daniel?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“All right, I can’t wait to hear.” Hillary eagerly scooted in beside Daniel. “How did your first week go?”
“Overall, I think it went pretty well.” He eyed Blythe across the table. “What do you think?”
“I would have to agree. I think all of the kids had a great time.”
“We did have one little girl who had to leave early because she got sick,” said Daniel.
“Aww, poor dear.” Hillary frowned. “Anything serious?”
“I hope not.”
The woman stood then. “What can I get you two to drink?”
After they both requested water, the woman departed, giving them a chance to look at the menu.
“Just so you know,” Daniel started, “Hillary is my dad’s fiancée.”
Blythe couldn’t help smiling. “In that case, I’d say your dad’s a lucky man.”
“What do we have here?” An older man with salt-and-pepper hair approached the table wearing jeans and a denim work shirt, cowboy hat in hand. “You come into town and don’t even bother to let your old man know?”
A grinning Daniel shook his head. “Behave, Dad. I have a guest.” He turned his attention to her. “Blythe, this ornery cowboy is my father, Clint Stephens.”
The man turned his own grin Blythe’s way. “That’s a very pretty name, young lady.”
“Thank you. Would you care to join us?” She scooted over.
“Well...considering I’ve been waiting all week to hear about camp, I believe I will. If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
The conversation was relaxed and easy. Seemed both Clint and Hillary were very supportive of what Daniel was doing.
When they finally finished their meal—all three of them had settled on the special of roast beef and smashed potatoes, wrapping things up with some homemade peach cobbler—and wound the conversation down, Blythe and Daniel said their goodbyes and headed outside.
To Blythe’s disappointment, darkness had already settled over the cute little town she’d hoped to see more of. But as they continued across the street, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such an enjoyable evening. Simple. Unassuming. Relaxed. “That was fun.”
“We give the old man a hard time, but he’s a good guy.”
“Hillary seems very nice, too.”
“She is, but don’t let her fool you. She can be a tough cookie. Guess it’s a carryover from her days as a big corporate executive.”
“Now that’s a story I’d like to hear.”
“Maybe next time.”
Next time?
He paused beside his SUV, reaching for her hand.
Looking into his blue eyes, feeling the warmth of his touch, she swallowed hard. “I didn’t really get to see much of the town.” The night air surrounding them crackled with energy. She’d never felt anything like it. Nor did she want it to end.
Was Daniel feeling it, too? His gaze seemed fixed on her face, as though memorizing every nuance. “Then I guess we’ll just have to do this again.”
Chapter Nine
Daniel had campers arriving in three hours. So why was he sitting in the chow hall, nursing a second cup of coffee when he should be roaming the camp, making sure everything was ready?
Because he had yet to see any sign of Blythe.
Seemed every time they were alone together, something sparked between him and the woman who held the fate of Camp Sneffels in her hands. And he was drawn to her like a bee to pollen.
No doubt about it, he was falling for Blythe. However, if he were falling, that meant there was still hope he could catch himself. But he was way beyond that. He’d already fallen. Hard.
He scrubbed a hand over his clean-shaven face. How could that be possible? It hadn’t even been two weeks since they met. Then again, Blythe had gone through quite a transformation in that same amount of time.
That day she’d arrived at Camp Sneffels, she was like a tightly closed bud, its true beauty hidden, sealed off from the world. Then, slowly but surely, she began to emerge from her protected state, blooming into a beautiful flower, something rare and precious that had captivated him.
In his twenty-eight years on this earth, he’d never met anyone like her. Nor anyone who seemed to consume his thoughts the way she did.
Presenting him with a major dilemma.
He really wanted to spend time with Blythe and get to know her better. But was it appropriate? Blythe was still the overseer for the Ridley Foundation, after all. What if she thought he was simply trying to get into her good graces so she’d write a favorable report on the camp and, in turn, continue its funding?
His entire being groaned as he took another swig from his cup. How stupid could he be?
Was he glad he hadn’t kissed her. Not that he hadn’t wanted to. Matter of fact, it had taken everything in him not to kiss her. The way her remarkable eyes sparkled in the moonlight...boy, was he in trouble.
“How was your date?” Levi plopped down in a chair on the opposite side of the table.
Daniel’s gut tightened. “What date?”
“You and Blythe. I saw you two drive in last night. Kind of late, if you ask me.”
“It was barely ten o’clock. And it was not a date. She needed some hiking shoes, so I ran her into Ouray.”
“It took you four hours to pick out shoes?”
Actually, it was more like five, but how did Levi know that? “Look, I know you’re fishin’, Levi, but I ain’t biting.”
“Fine, go ahead and deny it, but I know you have feelings for her.” His smug grin grated on Daniel.
“And how would you know that?”
“Uh, because I’ve known you since kindergarten.” He twisted his Camp Sneffels ball cap backward. “You don’t go crazy for the chicks. But the way you look at Blythe...that’s the kind of stuff you’d find in one of them romance novels.”
“Oh, so you’ve taken up reading?” Daniel may have appeared calm, but inside he was tap-dancing around landmines.
“No, but my mom has, like, hundreds of those things lying around her house.”
“Maybe you should borrow one. Might help you get a date instead of spying on other people.”
“Hey, I wasn’t spying.” His friend looked almost indignant. “I just happened to be outside, that’s all. And why are you treating me like the enemy? I think it’d be great if you and Blythe got together.”
Yeah, if the future of Camp Sneffels didn’t rest in her hands.
Grabbing his now-empty coffee cup, Daniel stood just as Blythe walked inside, her tablet tucked under her arm. And for some reason, Daniel couldn’t help but stare. Her hair was down for once, the soft waves skimming her shoulders. And the slight smile that played at her lips when she saw him tangled his insides like a bowl full of spaghetti.
A strong hand clapped against his shoulder, interrupting his reverie.
“Well, lookie there,” said Levi. “It appears you’re not the only one who’s mastered that smitten look.” He gave Daniel a final squeeze. “Have fun. I’m off to inspect the zip line.”
“Is there a problem?” Daniel managed to give his adventure director his full attention.
“No. Just routine stuff.” Levi started for the door. “Like you always say, safety first.”
Watching his friend leave, Daniel could only shake his head. Levi knew him too well. Lord willing, no one else would be able to read him as easily as Levi. Especially Blythe.
He scanned the space where at least half of the staff and volunteers were scattered about, either finishing breakfast, engaged in conversation or quietly contemplating the day. Then he spotted Blythe, sitting at a corner table by herself.
Had Levi scared her away, or was she avoiding Daniel? Could it be that she was having regrets about last night, too? Not that he regretted any of it. His time with her had been amazing. It was his growing feelings that troubled him.
With a bolstering breath, he crossed to where she sat. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” She smiled up at him, a hint of pink in her cheeks.
Unable to look away, he said, “Are you okay? I mean, you’re sitting all by yourself.”
“I’m fine. I just needed to make some notes for my report.” She motioned to her tablet on the wooden tabletop.
Funny, he’d never seen her do that before. Why did she feel the need to do it now?
Maybe she’s writing about the camp director who tried to schmooze her.
He wasn’t trying to schmooze her.
“I see you’re wearing your new hiking shoes.”
She noted her footwear. “I never imagined they’d be so comfortable.”
“You got a good brand. They’ll last you a long time.”
She reached for her coffee. “Thank you again for introducing me to All Geared Up. I might need to stop in there before I leave. There were a couple of sundresses I can’t stop thinking about.”
Great. While she was thinking about sundresses, he was thinking how great she’d look in those sundresses.
“Well, I need to go check in with Levi. Make sure Adventure Haven is ready to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
He turned and dashed out of the building, wondering who that had been talking back there. He’d sounded like an idiot. Nobody talked like that unless they were nervous or trying to escape.
You were doing both, buddy.
Grr... He’d never met anyone who had this kind of effect on him. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?
Because you like her.
He sighed. That was a fact. That didn’t mean it was right, though. She played a big role in determining if Camp Sneffels would live to see another year. So what if she was pretty and fun to be with and got along great with his dad and Hillary and probably the rest of his family, too? He’d just have to do his best to steer clear of Blythe. Because every time he looked into her eyes, he’d remember what a good time they’d had together and how much he couldn’t wait to be with her again.
But he had campers arriving soon, and his focus needed to be on them.
* * *
Blythe watched the door close behind Daniel, wondering why he was behaving so strangely. Not at all like the man who’d stood mere inches from her last night, staring deeply into her eyes while her traitorous mind played a continuous loop of what-ifs.
No, just now he’d been distant. Disconnected.
Then again, a new crop of campers would be arriving soon, and the kids were his top priority. Still, he could have at least mentioned something about last night. Said that he’d had a good time. Yet, except for commenting on her shoes, he’d avoided the subject altogether, and for some reason, that bugged her.
I didn’t hear you talking about last night, either.
That was not true. She’d thanked him and mentioned the sundresses.
He didn’t offer to take her again.
And that bothers you why?
Good question. Because she certainly wasn’t interested in a relationship. Not with Daniel or anyone else. Besides, next week at this time, she’d be on her way back to Denver where she would remain while Daniel was still out here.
Giving herself a stern shake, she turned her attention to her tablet. She’d jotted down some notes from the first week of camp while they were fresh in her mind. Despite the bears, Micah’s disappearance and Chloe’s illness, things had gone incredibly well. No camp was perfect, she knew that. Yet Daniel’s attention to detail had ensured that Camp Sneffels met the needs of every child. If only she and Miranda had been so fortunate as to attend a camp like this.
Her phone buzzed then, and Jenna’s image appeared on the screen.
Only then did it dawn on Blythe that she hadn’t been in touch with her sister since the day she arrived, so, naturally, she accepted the call. “Good morning.”
“Well, you’re awful chipper.” Jenna sounded surprised.
“What’s not to be chipper about?” She closed the cover on her tablet and shoved it aside. “I’m smack-dab in the middle of some of the most beautiful country you’ve ever seen. Camp Sneffels is gorgeous.” Not to mention the camp director.
“So, you’ve been too busy taking
in the scenery to give me a call? I haven’t heard from you in over a week. What’s going on?”
“Sorry about that. But yes, I have been busy.” Leaning back against the wooden chair, she peered outside the window where aspens and pines were bathed in golden sunlight. This was going to be a beautiful day. “I ended up taking on a role as camp counselor when one of the other gals started battling some pretty bad morning sickness.”
“Why would she agree to serve as a counselor in her first trimester? I mean, some folks get really sick. Including yours truly.”
“It wasn’t her fault, Jenna.” Blythe reached for her coffee cup. “She didn’t know she was pregnant until she started getting sick. And she only found out because the camp doctor had her do a pregnancy test.” Blythe took a sip.
“Oh. But why did you have to step in? Didn’t the beach bum have some backups?”
Beach bum? Blythe almost laughed out loud. Her thoughts on Daniel had definitely changed since she first arrived.
“He did, but I volunteered anyway.”
“Why would you do that?” Jenna sounded appalled.
“Because I like kids. And I wanted to make sure they had the best camp experience possible.” She purposely left off the part about having access to everything behind the scenes. That would only bring on more questions.
“Unlike yours, way back when,” replied Jenna.
“Definitely.”
“Okay, I get that, but I still have a hard time envisioning you as a camp counselor. You’re not exactly the outdoorsy type, Blythe.”
Blythe felt herself smile as she perused her fellow volunteers. “You’d be quite surprised what all I’ve done this week. Hiking, fishing, zip-lining—”
“You zip-lined?”
“On more than one occasion.” Pride sifted through her. “Not only that, I found it very freeing.”
“I’m sorry, but who are you and what have you done with my sister, Blythe?”
She couldn’t help laughing. Jenna knew all too well that Blythe preferred to play things safe. “Deciding to serve as a counselor, or companion, as Daniel prefers to call us, was the best decision I’ve made in a long time.”
Her Rocky Mountain Hope Page 9
