by Jo Noelle
His hand was strong but gentle with hers, and his face was only inches away. In that moment her troubles seemed to fade. The spicy scent of his aftershave was sending her monkey brain into a state of bliss. Monkey like boy, like, like. Boy close. Breathe deep.
She didn’t know Chase at all. Only that he was generous. She’d never had anyone offer to pay for taking their stolen items back before. His voice and expression conveyed genuine concern. Maybe he was someone who could be special to her, aside from the obvious physical attraction. Part of her didn’t want to risk falling for another guy, and part of her was hyper-aware of him. Right then, the hyper part was winning. The way they were both holding the wrench made it feel as if they were walking arm in arm, and honestly, she’d love to take that walk with him anywhere, anytime.
After checking the sign directly above the table where he picked up the wrench, the two-foot-tall sign that said everything on the table was three dollars, Elena answered, “Three dollars. And yes, I’d like to go out with you.” Please don’t let me blow it again. Do I sound desperate? Her heart nearly stopped waiting for his reply. Was he okay with that? She looked at him out of her peripheral vision then fully at his face.
The corners of his lips turn up into a grin. Whew. “Tomorrow morning at eleven? Hiking and swimming?” he asked.
He must have been thinking about her too if he had the activity picked out. His fingers were tight around hers, and her heart skipped a little. A morning date meant the guy wanted to spend a lot of time with her. She couldn’t agree more.
“Great. Pick me up here.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek before she realized what he was doing. Chills skittered down her neck. Her monkey brain practically purred. Dating good.
Elena cut out of work early. She’d been a little worthless after Chase had been there anyway, thinking about him and his lips over and over. Even now she caught herself daydreaming and wondered if she should have called one of her friends to be a designated driver to get her to the bowling alley. It was girls’ night, not for the business, just for her and her friends. Inside, neon lights decorated the ceiling between disco balls hanging over the lobby.
Elena met Gloria Ruiz at the desk. “How’s school?” she asked, handing Glo a coupon.
Glo pushed some red, white, and blue shoes across the counter to her. “I can tell school’s almost out. My students are nuts. They want to run wild, and I’m ready to tag the parents—their turn.”
“I can only imagine,” Elena said. “Are you bowling with us tonight?”
“Yes.” She prepped several sets of shoes on the counter in various sizes. “Pizza, nachos, and pretzels?”
Elena nodded. “And large drinks.” Elena wished the small amount of money she had would keep her business afloat, but it was past that point.
Glo put their order in to the kitchen. “I’ll be right there. Lane 12.”
When Elena had her shoes on, Glo joined her. By the time the snacks came out, Sienna and Chloe were also there, and Elena threw her first ball.
“We’ve been doing this for years. How is it that you still get so many gutter balls?” Sienna laughed. “Is Zara coming tonight?”
“She texted earlier to say she was.” Elena picked up her ball again and rolled it toward the pins. It stayed in the lane and hit a pin at the corner. “I’ve never been clear on our goal, but hey, I got a pin that time,” she said as she picked up a slice of pizza and sat with her friends.
“No? I think you’ve got it.” Chloe said picking up a pretzel and mustard. “Girls’ night. No expectations.”
Zara dropped into the seat beside Gloria. “Sorry I’m late, but just in time for pizza.”
“Is your mom okay?” Elena asked.
“I think it’s getting worse. She walked around the house today opening every door, looking for the bathroom. I put some signs up to help her. It’s weird the things she remembers and the things she forgets. She reads every sign we pass as we drive, but she can’t remember how to turn on the TV.”
Gloria hugged her, and Chloe asked, “Do you need help? I could come sit with her so you can get out.”
Elena and Sienna offered the same.
“Thanks, but we’re good right now. Home health is coming in, and she has a friend who comes over. I know you’re here for me. I love you girls too.”
“Glo, someone needs your help at the desk,” Elena said as she put her foot up to tie one of her shoes.
“I’m on my lunch hour,” she answered.
“Oh, I think you’ll want to help,” Chloe added as all the friends turned to see who was there.
Zara let out a low whistle. “I could help him if you don’t want to.” There were three guys waiting at the counter. “Right now, I have no idea if I’m a hair-girl, a shoulders-girl, or a look-at-the-seat-of-his-jeans girl.”
“I’m also a I-love-tall-men girl right now,” Sienna said.
When Gloria looked, she jumped up. “I’ll be back, maybe.” “Are you going to bowl another game?” Elena asked.
“I’m in,” Sienna said at the same time Zara said, “Sure.”
Chloe pointed toward Elena’s feet. “So why are you taking your shoes off?”
“I’m not staying. I’ve got an early date tomorrow to go hiking.” Elena began to pull her bowling shoes off and realized her friends were staring at her. “What?”
“You have a date?” Zara asked.
“You have a date?” Chloe chimed in right after her.
Sienna had the same confused look on her face that Chloe and Zara did.
“It’s just a date. Nothing special.” She slung her purse strap over her shoulder. Deep inside of her, she though it could turn into something special.
“Wait. The word date means it is special, out of the ordinary, and peculiar. You’re talking to us. We know what happened with the last guy—” Zara said.
“Dirt bag that he was,” Sienna interrupted.
“Oh, you guys are the best,” Elena said as she stood.
“I think you asked us to meet all future men and have prior approval before you started anything up,” Zara finished. “And that he was the last. It’s been a while since you even looked at a guy,”
Elena knew that, but oh, how she’d looked at Chase. “No. It’s just a first date. No big deal.”
Sienna nudged Zara with her elbow. “Did you hear how she said ‘first date’ like there will be more?”
“Uh-huh. I heard it.”
“Very funny. See you all next week.” Elena slipped her feet into her sandals. “We’ve been doing this for years, and I’m getting better. I got a pin tonight.”
6
Chase Dermott
Shadows danced over the dashboard, the dappled pattern filtering through the tree outside the car. Chase was ready and waiting at ten thirty, parked about a block away, wondering if he could pick up Elena early. Probably not. Then he’d have to stay in the same room with Hulk glaring at him while he waited. He argued that it might be worth it for a few extra minutes with her. He’d have to make friends with her friends some time—at least he hoped.
Proud Mary by Credence Clearwater Revival blasted as he opened the door to the pawn shop at exactly eleven o’clock. When he approach the front counter, he noticed that Big Guy had taken apart a gun and spread it out on the counter in front of him. Chase looked at the wall behind the counter. He didn’t know how he’d missed it before, but the entire wall was covered with guns, lined up like a picket fence. On second thought, he knew why he hadn’t seen them before. It was because he’d been staring at Elena. Since he didn’t know anything about guns, he went with his strengths. “Great song. Your playlist?”
Elena entered the room before the big man answered, neon-orange strings tied around her neck hinting at her swimsuit under a tank and jean shorts. “You two haven’t officially met,” she said. “Tug, this is Chase. Chase, Tug.”
Tug looked up and said, “Hey.” Then he went back to cleaning the barrel of the rifle.
&
nbsp; “Hey,” Chase replied.
Elena turned back to him. “Before I go anywhere with you, I think I should know your last name.” She pushed her hand toward Chase and said, “Maurell.”
As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. He might as well find out right from the beginning, before he was invested in a relationship, if her eyes sparked with greed. He stiffened a bit to avoid wincing if recognizing his name made her look at him differently. She didn’t seem like that kind of person, but he’d been wrong before. So wrong. “Dermott.” Elena’s face didn’t indicate any kind of recognition. She looked unaffected. And beautiful. His muscles relaxed, and he knew he had a stupid grin on his face, but he was so relieved that he didn’t care.
Her eyes brightened toward him. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Dermott.”
Chase followed her to his car. “I thought we’d go see the waterfalls up the canyon.”
“That’s one of my favorite hikes.”
Chase had spent the previous night trying to google hiking ideas. It was lame, but since he wasn’t from Peak City, and he’d only moved there a few weeks ago, it was the best he could do. He’d given up and called Emil who told him about three that were good. He picked the one that was at the top of his google search that Emil also suggested. Chase hoped Elena liked it.
They parked below the point where they’d finish their hike and took off. An hour into the hike in some very steep terrain, for the life of him, he had no idea why this one came so highly recommended. In fact, if he wasn’t trying to impress the girl, he’d have turned around long ago. Looking up the trail ahead of them, his legs trembled a bit. Hold it together.
“How much farther?” His mouth was completely dry, and if he swallowed too hard, he was afraid he’d trip and fall to his death.
Elena smirked at him like he was a nine-year-old in the backseat on a road trip. “It’s a three mile hike, and I’d guess we’re a little more than halfway.”
“So, you’ve been here before?” It was surprising to him that he could get the sentence out, considering he wasn’t taking in a lot of air right then. He was stalling. He wanted to make his feet move, but they weren’t going. When he’d read about five pools connected by waterfalls, he thought it would make a great date. The article didn’t say anything about walking on the spine of a mountain to get there. Literally. There was a three-foot walkway along a ridge with rocky slopes dropping off on both sides of them. The edges looked soft like they’d give way if you got too close to them. The view was spectacular with both sides plummeting into lush green valleys below them—way below them. Looking down was a bad idea.
A voice called from behind him. “On your left.” Seriously? Someone wanted him to move over? The mountain started to swing out from under him when he looked over his shoulder, and vertigo spun him to his knees. The next moment, a family of five hiked past them. The toddler in the dad’s backpack waved as they went by.
Chase crawled back into the middle of the narrow trail. Could I be more awkward? Great first date!
“Are you okay?” Elena sat beside him.
“I . . .” Words failed to form. In fact, he didn’t even have thoughts. His face was hot and there was a tightening around his jaw and ears. Every time he thought of standing up, his eyes wandered down one of the cliffs on either side of him, and chills raced down his scalp.
“Let’s rest for a moment.” Elena set her backpack to one side of him, then she stretched her legs out like a guardrail between Chase and certain death.
His breath was shallow and fast. He didn’t know how to calm down, but he tried to pull as much air into his lungs as he could get to blow it out slowly.
“Heights?” she asked, holding his hands.
As soon as they touched, Chase could tell his hands were shaking in hers. “Not usually, but I’ve never walked on the spine of a mountain before.” He swallowed again, hoping he wouldn’t chuck his breakfast. Her hands tightened on his, and she scooted closer. Her bended knee lay on top of his thigh. The weight of it anchored him in place.
“If you look at my face, it will help.” He gazed into her face. She was right. Her smile was soothing, large and gentle. “I’ll bet you’re wishing you hadn’t asked me out.”
“No,” Chase said right away. “I just want to live to ask for a second date.”
“There’s a good chance of that,” she said.
“Which one? The date or living?”
“Both.” Her head tipped to the side toward a little shrug. She had more confidence in him that he did.
He looked into her face, and he could feel his pulse slowing. When he concentrated on the pressure of their hands clasped, he could breathe more naturally. Even the shaking in his legs had stopped, and he thought the panic gripping his chest might subside.
They sat silently for a moment, looking into each other’s faces, before Elena spoke, slowly, deliberately. “Well, we have two choices,” she said. “Since we’re about in the middle of the narrow part of the trail, it makes more sense to go forward since we don’t have to hike back out this way. Then we can still go to the pools. I promise it’ll be worth it. So, would you like to crawl or hold my waist and walk?”
Crawl, but how do I say that and not look like a dork? There was no possible way. Walking still sounded like sudden death, but offering to let him hold her waist might be the only inducement she could have offered to get him on his feet again. “Walk.”
“You ready?”
No. “Yeah.”
“Look at me or at your feet, but not to either side.” She put her pack on in front of her, and pulled Chase’s arms around her, and held his hands on her stomach. Her head tipped back to look at him. “We’ll go slowly. Right foot then left. Ready. Go.”
Chase had no intention of watching his feet. He’d have to step back from her to do that. He stayed close, his forearms resting on her hips as they swayed in rhythm as they walked. She was small—she barely came to his chin. He tipped his head forward and kissed her hair.
“Are you trying to get me to walk slower, ’cause I like that. We could do this all day.” Elena stopped in the trail where it had widened a bit.
Chase wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, and Elena leaned back against his chest. He kissed her head again, then the top of her ear. “I’m just saying thank you for helping me.”
“You’re welcome. I’m going to try to think of other ways to help you.”
When they made it to the other side, Elena guided Chase to sit on a boulder.
She raised her hand in front of him for a high five. “You made it.” As he slapped her palm, she said, “My dad always told me that fears die when we face them like that.” Her eyes sparkled, but were a bit teary too.
She was strong and confident and trusting. Chase felt that he was better today for having been with her. The more he came to know about Elena, the more there was to like.
“Thank you.” Something about the way Chase looked at and spoke to her had shifted in his head and his heart. He stood and reached out to help her up. When she stood, he pulled Elena into his embrace, and she laid her head on his chest, her arms tightening around his back. A perfect fit. Standing like this was worth every moment of fear. He moved his lips close to her ear. “I only made it because of you.”
Elena quickly tapped a kiss on his jaw and then leaned in for another quick hug.
Chase felt like they’d cheated death, and he pulled her closer. He was resolved to really know her and for her to know the real him. They began their hike again. Although the trail was still narrow, the steep cliffs at each side were replaced with the wide top of a mountain.
He could feel the closeness with Elena tightening around them. They’d broken some kind of barrier that kept her at arms-length from him, and it only took him being embarrassingly scared out of his mind. It was worth it. Guilt niggled behind his happiness. When their day started out, he mentioned that he was between jobs at the time. She knew he was a partner with his dad in a ranch and a
music store, but she didn’t know he was the lead guitar and song writer for Ash Canyon. That didn’t sit right with him, and he knew it wouldn’t with Elena either.
He followed Elena and planned what he’d tell her. While what he told her technically was true, since his band wasn’t touring that month, it was what he always said to maintain his privacy. He needed to figure out how to tell her his whole story. He needed more time. It might be a conversation best told at a restaurant. They’d be face to face, they could talk easily, and they would have already had a great time today. He didn’t know how he’d bring the conversation up, but he had a little more time to figure it out.
The rest of the hike was uneventful by comparison. The trail widened, and they could walk together and talk.
“My dad died of undetected cancer. It took him pretty quickly. Then I was on my own, but I wasn’t alone. Tug was his best friend, and he became my rock. He and Dad served in the military together, and he was my god-father. He takes that pretty seriously.”
“I could tell. He didn’t like me right from the first.”
Elena laughed. “Don’t take it personally. He hates any guy who gets within twenty feet of me.”
“So are you saying I shouldn’t be afraid of him?” Chase teased her.
“Oh, no. You should be. You just aren’t the only one.” Elena pointed through some thinning trees. Elena stopped and spun around. She looked him over from head to toe pausing on his chest and arms, seeming to appreciate what she saw. “I think you could take him though.”
He wanted to abandon the hike and find a different pastime, but Elena pointed up ahead.
Chase squinted past the thinning trees and saw white water crashing over the edge of the mountain and collecting in the first pool. They were climbing above it to dive in. By the time they reached the top, he wished the trail was longer—not the narrow part, just longer at the end. He liked feeling her hand in his.
They stripped down to their swimsuits and stowed their hiking clothes in a waterproof backpack. Her orange bikini made her skin glow with a golden tan in contrast. Chase had to force himself to break his gaze from admiring her figure, slim and full in all the right places. But he wasn’t fast enough, and she caught him staring and pushed his shoulder playfully, then they jumped into the cool water of the first pool.
