Paislee's Path (River's End Ranch Book 48)

by Amelia C. Adams

  “I need you to go up and check on the top anchor on the far right rope,” Caleb said quietly.

  “You do? What’s the matter?” Wes asked.

  “It’s not really something I can explain. Can you do it?”

  “Of course. Paislee, you’re with me.” Wes turned to Logan and Kassidy. “Can the two of you walk the kids through what we’re doing today? Show them the equipment, etc.?”

  They both nodded, and Wes and Paislee trotted over to their four-wheeler and headed up the trail that led to the top of the cliff. Wes gunned it, and Paislee was glad she’d held on tight because she might have toppled backward if she hadn’t.

  A few minutes later, they hopped off at the top and approached the edge. Wes knelt down and looked all around the top anchor Caleb had asked him to check.

  “I don’t see anything,” he said, running his fingers around the spot where the hardware went into the stone. “It looks perfectly fine to me.”

  “Why do you think he asked you to check it?” Paislee asked. “I mean, he was acting a little weird.”

  Wes shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve heard rumors about that family for years—that something’s not quite right there—but I’ve never seen any evidence of it.” He reached into the bag he’d brought and pulled out a wrench. “I’ll tighten this up at any rate.”

  As soon as he gave the wrench a twist, the stone around the base of the anchor started to crumble.

  “What?” Wes looked at it more closely, then used the wrench to tap on the stone. Sure enough, it crumbled on impact. “These have been inspected recently. What’s going on?”

  “We did have that little earthquake the other day,” Paislee reminded him. “Maybe that did it.”

  “Maybe.” Wes moved back, checking the other two anchors. They were perfectly fine. “I can’t believe it. How did he know this one wasn’t safe?”

  “Maybe it’s part of that weirdness factor,” Paislee replied. “Let’s get back down there and let him know we won’t be using this line. I’m sure he’s worried.”

  They headed back and explained that they would only be running two climbers at a time. Caleb looked relieved, and Paislee just had to wonder about the whole thing.

  Once the boys were on the ropes, though, she didn’t have time to think about anything else. They were an energetic bunch, for sure, and they kept her hopping with questions. The thing she noticed the most, though, is that for all their playfulness, they listened to the rules and didn’t try to push their boundaries.

  “You’ve got a great bunch of kids here,” she said to Daniel McClain, who was standing nearby waiting his turn.

  “We really do. We’ve had some adventures as we’ve gotten to know them and figure out how best to serve them, but I wouldn’t trade them in.”

  Paislee looked at him curiously. “You said ‘serve them.’ I’ve never heard anyone use that kind of phrasing in a case like this.”

  Daniel shrugged. “Well, that’s really what it boils down to—we’re giving them what they need so they can have a future. It’s the best kind of service there is.”

  He was next up, so Paislee helped him get into his harness, then held his rope. She glanced over at Logan from time to time—he was belaying for Kassidy as she went up and down with each new climber, and she’d expect that he’d be tired, but he seemed to be fine.

  “Wearing out?” she called over.

  “Nope, I’m good,” he replied.

  As she watched them, she noticed they had a natural rhythm, something they would have developed over years of climbing together. That pretty much clinched the thoughts she’d already been having—she was going to take a step back and stop trying to start a relationship with Logan. If he and Kassidy were meant to get back together, she’d just be making a fool of herself, and she’d already done a lot of that in the past.

  When each member of the group had finished their first climb, Wes unpacked their lunches and they had a picnic in the shade. Hunter was excited to see that he could eat everything in his box, and he said it was some of the best food he’d ever had. After they ate, Wes said they’d take a half-hour break before giving everyone a second turn on the ropes, and the boys took off through the trees to check out the river they could hear gurgling in the distance.

  “They’ll be fine,” Caleb said lazily, leaning back against a stump and crossing his legs in front of him.

  “How’s Joni doing?” The former Kelsey’s Kafe waitress had always been a good friend of Paislee’s. When she’d met Max, an employee at the McClains, it had been a match made in heaven, especially since she’d just gotten her degree in social work and could assist with the boys they took into their care.

  “She’s doing great. The boys all love her, and Adam says she’s been invaluable,” Caleb replied.

  “And Max looks like he’s won the lottery,” Daniel added.

  “Be sure to tell her I said hi.”

  “We will.”

  Paislee stood up and started gathering the trash from the lunches. Next thing she knew, Logan was next to her, helping. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

  “Me? Sure I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “I don’t know. You just haven’t spoken to me much today.”

  She hadn’t? She thought she had, but if he didn’t think so, maybe she was wrong. “No, everything’s fine.” And if it wasn’t fine, had he noticed, and did he care? And why was he over here whispering with her when his ex-wife was sitting over there finishing off her Cheetos without even getting cheese all over her hands?

  “Okay. Just checking.”

  Everyone enjoyed their second climbs, and the boys who were doing this for the first time each showed that they’d listened and learned. “You all did great,” Wes told them when they were all unhooked and ready to head back. “Now, I can see on the schedule that you’re climbing with us again on Monday morning, and then going rafting with Will. You’re in for some real treats. Have a good Sunday tomorrow, and we’ll see you soon.”

  Everyone clambered back onto their four-wheelers, but this time, Logan took Paislee by the elbow and steered her over to his. That surprised her, but not as much as it surprised Kassidy, who stood there looking confused until Wes called out to her. She climbed on behind him and they took off, leading the string of McClains and their charges. Logan started his engine as well, but instead of following the group, he took the left branch of the trail and drove them down by the river.

  When he cut the engine, Paislee said, “Does Wes know we’re not behind them?”

  “Yeah, I told him we’d be a little late. He was fine with that.”

  She slid off the seat and walked toward the water, finding a good spot of grass to sit on. “So, why are we out here?” she asked when he joined her.

  He pulled in a breath. “The thing is this, Paislee. When I got married, I never intended to get divorced. I’m the kind of guy who wants to see things through and work them out. I don’t give up easily.”

  So, this was where he was going to tell her that he and Kassidy were getting back together. Not that he needed to take her aside for a private talk—they weren’t an item. She started closing down some of the doors in her heart, realizing that she was going to need that protection when he lowered the boom.

  “So, when Kassidy cheated on me, I was devastated, but I was willing to give it another try. I thought marriage counseling might work, maybe some extended vacation, maybe talking to our pastor. But she didn’t want any of it—she’d made up her mind that we were over, and there was nothing I could do to change her mind. I was the kind of guy who wanted to stay married, but she wasn’t that kind of girl.”

  “She cheated on you? That’s awful,” Paislee said. Of course, she didn’t know the ins and outs of their relationship—maybe Logan was a really horrible person deep down or threw his socks all over the floor or burped in his sleep—but she could see the pain on his face, and she knew without prying that he’d been hurt deeply. The fact that he’d use
d the word “devastated” sort of gave it away too.

  “Yeah. They’re not together anymore, though.”

  “Oh.” She wished he’d just say it and get it over with. He obviously liked a long lead-in to a story. She was more likely to skim the headlines.

  “The thing is, Paislee, having her here has sort of thrown me for a loop, but in a good way. I’m looking at the past and seeing what went wrong and what went right, and it’s crazy but even though it’s just been half a day since she arrived, I know what I want.”

  Paislee closed her eyes, bracing herself. This wouldn’t hurt. She wouldn’t let it.

  “And it’s not her.”

  Paislee’s eyes flew open again. “What?”

  “When I heard her voice and when I first saw her again, I wondered if there was a chance that we’d find a way to work it out, but I’ve moved on. I’m ready to explore new things and put the past behind me. What I’m trying to say, Paislee, is that I really like you, and I want to get to know you better. If you want to.”

  She turned and faced him, a little surprised to see the vulnerability on his face. “You like me?”

  “I do. A lot. Which is kind of weird since we just met, but yeah. So, whaddya say? Do you want to go out to dinner with me or something?”

  She smiled, feeling a million pounds being lifted from her chest. “Yeah, I do. But I just need to clarify something—you aren’t giving up on Kassidy because of me, are you? Because we might discover that we hate each other, and you and Kassidy might be meant to be after all, and—”

  Logan held up a hand. “I’d feel this way about Kassidy even if there wasn’t a you. The fact that there is a you—well, it just makes things a little nicer.”

  “Okay. Just so I’m not a homewrecker or anything like that.”

  “No, Kassidy already did that. I know she regrets it and I know she’s got some things to work out, but that’s all got to happen inside her. I’m not going to be involved in her journey.” He held out his hand, and Paislee took it. They both had calluses and a few fresh rope scrapes, even though they’d been wearing gloves to belay, and she chuckled.

  “Not exactly the most delicate of hands, are they?”

  He smiled too. “I like them. These are the hands of a rock climber.”

  He helped her to her feet and they climbed back on the four-wheeler. This time when she wrapped her arms around his waist, it was more like a hug, and she smiled when he covered her hands with his own. She was so glad that he’d put an end to her wondering—it would have been miserable to spend the next however many days or weeks thinking that he and Kassidy were falling in love again. Especially when she was pretty sure she was falling in love too, which was pretty irresponsible considering that she’d just met the guy. Oh, well.

  Chapter Six

  Logan showered and changed into a clean pair of jeans and a button-down shirt. He was taking Paislee to the Golden Fortune—he’d heard it was good, and he’d been dying for Chinese for weeks. There just hadn’t been any decent places on his latest drive.

  Just as he pulled on his shoes, he heard a knock at the door, and he opened it to find Kassidy standing there.

  “Hey,” he said, opening the door farther to let her in. “What brings you by?” Not to mention, how did she know where he lived? He still got lost trying to find it, he was so new there.

  “I just wanted to thank you for your help today,” she said. “We still work well together.”

  Logan closed his eyes and rested his hand on the doorframe. “Kassidy, please. Don’t do this.”

  “Don’t do what? I’m just here on a friendly social call.” She wandered over and looked out his living room window. “Great view.”

  “Yeah, I could stare at the Idaho mountains forever.”

  “So, are you going to?” She turned and looked at him. “Are you going to stay here?”

  “I don’t know yet. I’m here through the summer at least, and when winter comes, we’ll see.” He wasn’t actually sure what the guides did during the winter. Did they take people snowmobiling and snowshoeing? He could get in to that.

  “Are you interested in staying in one place? I mean, if you got a good offer?”

  “It all depends on who made the offer and what it was for.”

  “You’re acting kind of cold. Why are you acting so cold?”

  Logan exhaled. He supposed he could be a little friendlier. “I just don’t know what you want, so I’ve got my guard up.”

  “Honesty. That’s one thing I’ve always liked about you.” She walked over to the couch and sat down. Logan was glad this place had come furnished or she’d be sitting on the floor. “So, listen. While we were climbing today, I had an idea, and it just wouldn’t go away. The fact is, you and I ran the best gym on the West Coast. We sold it so we could split the assets in the divorce, but what if we opened another one and set it up as a different sort of partnership? I know you’ve still got money—I heard that you’ve been living out of your car, but I know you well enough to know that’s by choice and not necessity.”

  “Yeah, I’ve still got money,” Logan admitted. “Almost all of it. I couldn’t bring myself to spend it—it felt like blood money.”

  “Mine too,” she replied softly. “The money I have now actually came from my divorce from . . . you know. That other guy.”

  “The one we’re not talking about?” Logan said with a chuckle.

  “Yeah. Him. So will you think about it?” She leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees. “We could make a go of it. And listen—we could even give Paislee a job. I was a little skeptical at first because she’s not very big, but she’s got a real skill. I can tell the two of you are friends—this would be a chance for you to give her a leg up.”

  “Like asking the waitress why she was settling for less?” Logan didn’t know why, but he felt his hackles raise.

  “No, not like that,” Kassidy said. “I was just thinking that she might not be making much money here, and we could pay her what she’s worth.”

  “The wages here are actually pretty nice,” Logan replied. Of course, he only had his as reference, but he wasn’t unhappy about them at all, and he assumed Paisley would be making a bit more because she’d been here longer. “Didn’t Wade or Wes talk to you about how much they were paying you?”

  “Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean I was paying attention.” She waved that off with the air of someone for whom money doesn’t matter. “I’m here to rock climb, not to care about my paycheck. You know I’m a diva.”

  He chuckled. “The only diva I know who climbs ropes like a monkey.”

  “Hey, I like being multi-faceted.”

  They both laughed, and then he said, “I was worried that you came here because you wanted to get back together.”

  He expected her to keep laughing, but she didn’t. “The thought has crossed my mind several times today. Something about seeing you again . . . well, it brought back a lot of good memories.”

  “And we do have a lot of good memories.” He could say that with no hesitation at all. “But the most we can be now is friends, Kassidy. I love you, but I’m not in love with you, and doing the work to get that back wouldn’t pay off in the end. We’d always be wondering if we’d done the right thing, and neither of us deserve that. We deserve to be so committed in our relationships that we aren’t having constant doubts.”

  She leaned back with a sigh. “You’re right. Why are you always right?”

  “Because in addition to being boyishly handsome, I’m also tremendously smart?”

  This time, she did laugh. “Yes, that’s it. Of course. I should have realized. So, with that tremendously smart brain of yours, will you think about my offer? I was thinking of setting up a little farther south, maybe California, maybe Pizmo Beach. Wouldn’t that be the best?”

  “Yeah, it would be pretty great.” He nodded. “I’ll think about it, but I’m not saying one way or the other just yet.”

  “I wouldn’t ex
pect you to. Just remember that we were good business partners, and we can be that again whether or not we’re romantically involved.” She stood up and walked over to the door. “Have fun on your date with Paislee.”

  “What . . . How did you know I have a date with Paislee?”

  “You’re wearing cologne, and you only do that on a date. And really, do you think I didn’t catch the looks you two were throwing at each other?”

  He felt sheepish. “That obvious?”

  She shook her head. “A passing 747 would have picked up on it. Night. See you tomorrow.”

  He waited for a few minutes so he wouldn’t run into her in the parking lot of the apartment building, then ran down the steps and to his car. He was a little late to pick Paislee up, but he knew she’d understand once he told her what was going on. Or at least, he hoped she would.

  ***

  Paislee sighed with relief when her doorbell finally rang. This was the first length of time she’d spent with Logan that she was sure was actually a date, and then he was fifteen minutes late to pick her up. That wasn’t a good sign, in her opinion. If he liked her, wouldn’t he be right on time, or even a little early? Or maybe he was super nervous and so he’d been standing outside for fifteen minutes, trying to get up the courage to ring the bell. That would be sweet, but also not very attractive, to be honest—she wanted someone who was a little more sure of themselves. Not cocky, but confident.

  She opened the door and smiled. “Hey. I’m glad you’re here—I’m starving.”

  “I’m sorry about making you wait.” He handed her a single red rose with a ribbon tied around the stem. “I’ll explain why when we get to the restaurant.”

  “This is an explanation that’s going to require me to have food in my mouth so I can’t exclaim with shock and horror?”

  “No, but you just said you’re starving, so I didn’t want to make you wait.”

  “Ah. I see.” That was sweet. And it was attractive. She grabbed a vase from the cupboard over her fridge, filled it with water, and put the rose in it. “Okay, I’m ready.”