Shadows and Stars

by Becca Fanning

  Her words sunk in. Maybe she was looking out for him as much as he was her?

  “Jake Mitchell?” A twenty-something-year-old guide came forward with a clipboard in hand. The guy was decked out like he owned a sportsmen’s outfitters shop. “Your liability release sheet says you’ve worked as a guide and are ACCT accredited?”

  Jake tipped his mouth upward at the memory of his passion for ziplining. “Yes, back in my hometown near Las Vegas. Years ago now, but I still keep up my accreditation.”

  Giving a firm nod, the guide scribbled a note onto the page. “Fine, I’ll send you out first.”

  Nudging his side, Faith came to stand between them with her thumbs hooked inside her shoulder harness, as if she wore suspenders. “I want to go first.”

  Worry burrowed through him, and he stepped between her and the guide. Even though she was a capable woman, something about her going first felt wrong. But in no way did he want to insult her abilities, even as a newbie. He thrust his chin at the guide. “When was the line last checked?”

  “This morning. Checked the course myself. All’s good.” The guide gave a thumbs-up gesture and flashed his white teeth.

  But the satisfied expression on the guy’s face didn’t ease Jake’s nerves a bit. “As a precaution—”

  “Jake.” Firmly, Faith stroked his arm. “You’ve already reviewed the course’s certification, maintenance, and accident records. I’ll be fine.”

  Even though she squeezed, he could feel her shaking. Would she do something she wasn’t comfortable with just to prove her strength? He pulled her aside, near the railing. “Be honest with yourself. You can still back out. I won’t judge you if ziplining isn’t your thing.”

  “My stomach is doing cartwheels.” Running a hand up and down Jake’s arm, Faith curled her lips into a smile. “But it feels good. Besides, the quicker we finish, the sooner we can return to Whisper Cove and satisfy Chief Vizcaino’s requirements.”

  His heart and breath surged with pride at how she didn’t back down, much like himself. Still, her mention of work left him cold—reminding him of his patients’ undiagnosed symptoms. However, he was excited to connect with Faith on a deeper level, and prove he was a man she could trust. But in turn, he needed to trust her instincts, her strength as a secure woman. “I agree.”

  Her eyes glistened for a second then, vigorously, she nodded. “Great. Let’s get on with our day.”

  However, instead of the constriction at his chest loosening from her compliance, suddenly that pressure increased at having her far from him. He rolled his shoulders in an attempt to work out the unwarranted kinks.

  “You alright?” She cocked her head, examining him.

  Was he? “I’m just trying to read you. You seem excited, scared, and sad all rolled into one.”

  “I need this, that’s all.” She twirled one of the loose straps as she meandered to the edge of the platform. There, she peered below to the forest ground. “The view is beautiful from up here…I can see an entire patch of blue irises. I want to purchase a few bulbs from the gift store and take them back to the laboratory for study.” She glanced over her shoulder. Suddenly, her arms jerked forward and her knees wobbled like she’d completely lost her balance.

  Adrenaline plowed through Jake’s muscles and he lunged forward, reached for her harness where it crisscrossed her waist, and pulled her toward him. Quickly engulfing her against his abs, he experienced a sharp pang of fear—

  She shoved him back a good foot, disapproval clear by the downturned brows. “What are you doing?” she snapped.

  Completely caught off-guard, he pulled back. “Saving you?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I was attempting the moonwalk. I’ve never been so high.”

  “Sorry.” He expelled the breath he held and, damn, if he didn’t laugh outright. “We need to work on your groove, babe.”

  “I was working it.” She gave him a pouty face and swiveled her hips, the rhinestones on her pants back pockets catching the light.

  He scrubbed his face. He needed to remember what the mind witnessed didn’t always make sense. But also, he needed to find a way to merge both what he saw and what he imagined, if possible. Right now, his feelings for her were growing faster than he’d ever experienced, which went against his reasoning. Only now, he needed to understand why. “I’m not usually this protective. There’s something about you…”

  “More than you can ever know...”

  “Can I have your attention?” The guide sliced Jake’s thoughts and the deep meaning held behind her words. As the guide checked his chart, the half-dozen other couples lowered their voices to a low hum. “First to go, line up.”

  He closed the distance between him and Faith, tightened the straps around both of her legs, her chest, and pulled her closer. Something was happening between them. She’d awakened his emotions that now zinged with rawness, emotions he wasn’t ready to share. Especially with a woman he’d just met.

  Only, the thought of her distancing herself from him ratcheted up his anxiety even more. He shivered, his fear of loving and losing worn right there on his sleeve for her to see. Damn pathetic but true.

  The touch of her fingers on his arm brought him back around. “Wait. I’ve changed my mind.”

  He studied the conviction in her clear eyes. In her firm words. “A moment ago you were determined to go first. Why the change?”

  Exhaling, she adjusted her ponytail. “Because, truthfully, the ride doesn’t scare me. Well, not that much. But, I’d enjoy it more knowing you were waiting at the end to catch me.”

  At hearing her declaration, he smiled. Clearly, she was already starting to trust him, and he gave a reassuring nod. Once on the ride, you couldn’t disembark. You had to endure the entire length alone, whether exhilarated or terrified. Each person’s experience was unique, with no one to witness what couldn’t be seen except by the birds and trees. “I’ll be waiting.”

  He kissed her forehead, that sweet skin a delight against his lips. He stalked to the platform where the guide readied the tether. As Jake hovered, about to push off, he realized everyone had secrets. Maybe knowing hers wasn’t as important as having her believe in him as a man.

  “I’m right behind you…” she called out.

  He shoved off into the abyss and held onto the image of her sky-blue eyes that kept him grounded. Pine and salt-filled air pushed against his face. As long as he could, he watched her until speed and a green blur enveloped him fully—

  A branch up ahead hung over the cable, blocking his progress, and he squeezed the brake, overhead. He came to a lurching stop and it took only a moment to untangle the deadwood that must have fallen from the canopy above. He let the branch tumble to the ground below. As he did, he cursed himself once again for not standing up and voicing his internal warning. What if Faith had insisted she go first? Would she have spotted the branch and stopped in time?

  Still shaken, he released the brake, and exited the canopy. He sailed toward the guide who stood on the platform, waiting. A moment later, he flew onto the surface, his feet swinging up from the force. “There was a branch on the line. Someone could have gotten hurt.”

  The guide eyed him up and down as Jake detached himself from the line. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine. But I suggest you get someone to check all the runs.”

  Taking him seriously, the guide radioed ahead just as the line sang, and Faith came into view.

  His heart pounded until his throat tightened. Without someone special to look forward to—rushing in, ripping him from his thoughts and forcing him to embrace new ideas—life was, frankly, lonely.

  Her zipline practically sizzled as she sailed toward him. She laughed, one hand held out, one on the brake above, her legs crossed and jutting forward just like she was an expert.

  Smiling, Jake glanced toward the guide then chuckled as a buzz of warmth spread throughout his chest and nestled against his ribs. “We’re going to make a great team.”

&nbs
p; The guide elbowed Jake. “The thing to remember is there are highs and lows and places between where you’ve got to pause and work things out. The presentation at tonight’s bonfire is titled Uncovering Secrets From Within.”

  A sinking feeling replaced the rapture inside his chest, and he palmed the ring that lay deep in his pocket. What if, during tonight’s talk, Faith saw through his guarded façade? He’d been asking her questions, but the tables could turn. What if she walked away from him like Lexi had? He’d grown attached to Faith in such a short time, and he couldn’t explain it rationally. But the thought of losing her…he stiffened. Though they were here to improve their working relationship, for Faith, could he risk getting his heart broken again?

  At the edge of the platform, ready for her impending arrival, the guide said, “Falling in love is easy. Trust”—he shrugged—“a struggle, at best.”

  “Don’t I know that,” he agreed.

  “Everything’s based on fear, both real and imagined. The secret to forming a healthy relationship is knowing which to believe. Relationships are complicated.”

  Jake studied the young man. “You’re quite the philosopher.”

  The guide scratched his head. “I can’t take credit, but the speaker tonight will. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn about yourself in only an hour.”

  Faith’s pending landing momentarily snapped Jake’s attention to her. He nudged the guide, who allowed him to catch Faith, knowing once he caught her, his life would be forever changed.

  Freed from the constraints, she tossed her arms around his neck and hugged him as if she’d never let go. “I don’t ever want to look back.” She reached up, and kissed his mouth, fusing them together.

  SIX

  UP AHEAD, where the bonfire roared, Faith stared at the assembly of couples, guides, and a lone microphone. The day with Jake bathed her in hope of a future free of The Curse. The retreat proved the chief’s point, as it had strengthened her and Jake’s bond. “Today was amazing. I wish every day could be like today.”

  “It was…” Jake took her hand, lifting it to his lips. “You’re amazing. Watching you embrace something so terrifying proves you’re a strong woman.”

  She smiled up at him then movement caught her attention.

  Inside the bonfire amphitheater, one of the guides had already begun to address the other couples about the night’s activities.

  Quickly, she sat on the wooden bleachers, and he took a seat beside her. Her insides were as jittery as the crackle that popped from the flames, and she let the image of them as a couple, once again, fill her mind. She could practically hear the sound of the church bell tolling to their uncursed union. Marriage would prove she’d passed The Curse’s test, however vague the rules of that curse seemed to be. She sighed at the vision of freedom to love without conditions. Unexpectedly, a giggle escaped her throat.

  Jake glanced her way, and a satisfied grin formed on his face as he stroked her thigh.

  Was his touch from a similar thought? Could he also feel the growing attraction between them, trust building? Drawn to his touch, she scooted closer, inhaling his spiced cologne tinged with the scent of forest and campfire. “We had quite a day. No telling what tonight will bring…”

  “We did.” He lifted his arm to yoke her shoulder and pulled her closer. “This is nice.”

  Even though his voice’s rich tone made her belly warm, the weight of his arm trapped her to the truth. If she didn’t open her world to him, she’d never be free. But what if he left her when she told him the truth? It was an honest fear. “Almost perfect.” Almost.

  Mist curled about the pines and the air chilled as if the dead were born of ice. She had faced her fear every time she leaped from each platform. Every time she sought out the landing, she had found him waiting with arms wide. Sharing her ability to speak to the dead was forbidden, but what if, secretly, that’s what needed to be risked to break The Curse? Taking a leap, she decided to share what she knew of the Lover’s Curse—a baby step—hoping he would be the kind of man who would stay when she shared more about her ability to see the dead? Inhaling, she let her breath leach out. “Jake, I have something to tell you—”

  “Can I have your attention?” The guide spoke into the microphone ten feet away. He held an acoustic guitar in his hands. “Our program will start in a few minutes. Let’s begin with a love song…” He strummed a few bars to Baby I’m A Want You by the band Bread.

  Leaning close, mouth at her ear, Jake asked, “What were you going to say?”

  Jake, I’m cursed. Loving me will put you in danger. Changing your mind about loving me can be deadly. Run. She swallowed against the ache building inside her throat. “There’s a legend in Whisper Cove—”

  The thud of the microphone nearly popped Faith off her seat, and a screech snapped her attention front and center to the man standing there holding his red-tipped white cane at his side. The man had dark brown eyes, short hair, and he wore a dark peacoat over khaki pants…

  How could this be?

  She froze, her stare flashing wide, so the campfire smoke burned until her eyes teared. At least she blamed her watering eyes on the smoky irritant. Blinking, she tried desperately to ease the sting. Had the chief known Steven would be here? “We could skip this and relax in our cabins.”

  Jake tightened his grip on her arm, but his touch hardly registered. “We need to complete the program for the chief. It’s the only way he’ll reconsider our wishes, and I’ll get to keep my job.”

  The chief? The fire blurred, and the introduction of Steven Silva, her ex-fiancé, blared like the microphone volume had risen tenfold.

  Steven barely filled out the clothes that once hugged his muscular body. His dirty blond hair was no longer cut in a professional style but a buzz cut. Simple.

  Ruined by the curse that now weighed upon her, as if she wore a suit made of lead, she swayed.

  “Faith? You feeling okay? You seem a little pale.”

  She moved her lips, but couldn’t form words. Panic ripped through her, she bolted upright, and took a wobbly step. She wasn’t ready to show Jake the damage caused by her secret. “Oh, God. Steven—”

  “Faith? Is that you?” Steven tapped his cane on the sandy ground, coming to stand only an arm’s length away. “What are you doing here?”

  Jake swiveled to face the speaker, curiosity lifting his brows. “You know each other?”

  “You’re with someone?” Surprise laced Steven’s words. He twisted toward the sound of Jake’s voice, shooting his stare somewhere in the distance.

  How did she explain Jake without hurting him, without hurting herself? She settled for facts, hoping Jake would understand once she explained her relationship to Steven. “Yes. Steven I’d like you to meet Dr. Mitchell. Dr. Mitchell, Steven Silva.”

  Jake shook Steven’s hand, briefly.

  Always professional, Jake didn’t pry, at least not yet. But how did she catch her breath? For the first time since her split with Steven, she felt complete with Jake by her side. She didn’t want to let him go. She wanted to explain The Curse and hope that they’d continue to want to build their relationship. But now she faced the man she’d help to destroy.

  She couldn’t be sure The Curse didn’t have her in its sights again. Probably Jake, too. He’d never give up on her. He was that kind of man. He was protective and willing to endure hardships Steven had run from, or she assumed Jake was braver than Steven, as she’d witnessed so far.

  Steven was obviously a reminder that cutting emotional ties with Jake was the right thing to do. Or it should have been, if she was willing to live a loveless life. If she didn’t fight for what she wanted, she’d remain haunted forever.

  “A doctor,” Steven interrupted her thoughts. “I didn’t expect you to move on…”

  Two years since he’d left her, and Steven’s unspoken words lay in his condemning gaze, as if loving her would be a death sentence, and she was nothing but a black widow who harmed or killed her p
otential mates. Jake had kissed her repeatedly, proving to her he had feelings for her and intended to pursue her further. But, Steven reminded her of the damage that could happen when love ran cold. “I still want what I want. Time hasn’t changed that.” She explained.

  “That’s why I’m surprised. Have you thought of the countless others that could be affected from the loss of a doctor?”

  “Loss? I’m not planning on going anywhere.” Jake defended.

  The microphone squealed. “Coffee’s available at the drink kiosk.”

  Her stomach roiled from the announcement as several people headed in the direction of the drink station, set up near the stack of firewood. The firelight cast long shadows into the night, and a few curious couples held the three of them with lingering stares.

  “What’s going on?” Jake crowded her, his gaze demanding answers she didn’t want to reveal with so many ears. “How do you two know each other?”

  Steven took a step toward her, so his cane rested against her leather boot, connecting with her. “You need to reconsider your love interest, Faith.”

  “We work together, that’s all.” Soon as her words rushed out, shadows accumulated in Jake’s eyes. Her words reduced their budding relationship to colleagues, but she knew her word choice was for Jake’s protection until she could explain herself. The Curse demanded sacrifice, truth, and unconditional love. If she didn’t elevate her desires to move forward above her fear, she’d never be free of The Curse.

  “But we’re working toward something more, I hope.” Jake wrapped his arm around her waist, snugging her to his side.

  “Be careful what you wish for, Dr. Mitchell,” Steven warned.

  What if Steven was right? Again? Heart pounding, she waited for Steven to go on. When he didn’t, she glanced over her shoulder to the row of cottages, craving time to think. Each couple was supposed to spend the night apart and inside their individual cabins, housed deep in the shadowed forest. All along, she’d been asking Jake to believe in a feeling and to consider that intuition was the key to saving his life. What if, like her, he felt drawn to her at a deeper level, a level that in the end would save his life?