A Romance Rekindled (Heartsong Presents)

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  With a leap, she landed on the sidewalk and crossed at the corner. Keira’s candy shop would be open for another thirty minutes, which gave her plenty of time to do a little shopping.

  Susan ducked into the sporting goods store. “Evening.” She nodded to the man behind the counter and headed to the shoe department. Her hiking boots were in serious need of replacement.

  Another man approached and offered his assistance. Before long she had found the perfect pair, and on sale, too. Package in hand she headed down a side street then made a right toward Keira’s place. Her friend had called after lunch suggesting they plan a hike for Saturday. It’d been too long since either of them had gone, and she, for one, was looking forward to it.

  Cody would spend the day with Pete, so that left their options wide-open as far as the hike’s difficulty level. She walked past The Gingerbread House and couldn’t help thinking about her lunch with Katie. The girl was positively adorable, but incorrigible, too.

  A smile tipped her lips, and she couldn’t stop the spring in her step. Blake had done a good job with his sister and had proven himself trustworthy. However, it still rankled that he wouldn’t let her see what he was writing. Maybe he’d grown overly sensitive, thanks to his success.

  Would Blake change his mind about his feelings and disappoint her like her parents had done so often? No, Blake was nothing like them. He was solid and dependable. That’s what drew her to him so many years ago. Along with the fact that he was estranged from his family, just like she was from her parents. She could identify with that. She stopped at the bottom of the stairway leading up to Keira’s apartment and determined to make better choices from this moment forward.

  The door above opened and Keira stepped out. “You coming up, or are you going to just stand there?”

  “I’m coming.” Susan climbed the stairs and stepped into the cool apartment. “Ah, it feels nice in here.”

  “Yeah.” Keira moved to the kitchen and pulled two glasses from the cupboard.

  Cody came out of his bedroom with his dog, Max, at his heels. “Hi, Aunt Susan!” He ran and flung himself at her.

  She braced herself and caught him, then whirled him around.

  Cody’s giggles filled the small space.

  She gently dropped him onto the couch and sat beside him. “How’s it going, kiddo?”

  Cody scooted off and sat on the floor with Max. “Great. I played with my buddy today, and Mr. Pete is taking me fishing on Saturday!”

  “Cool.”

  “Yep.” The boy stood and patted his thighs. “Come on, Max. Let’s play in my room.” The child and dog trotted away.

  Susan got up and sat at the kitchen bar where Keira had placed a tall glass of iced lemonade. “Thanks.” She took a sip of the perfectly balanced sweet and tart drink, then set the glass down. “I’m really looking forward to Saturday. We haven’t been hiking since forever. I even stopped and bought a new pair of boots.”

  “Will you have time to break them in?”

  “I’ll wear them to work for the next couple of days. With all the walking I do around town they should be fine. Where do you want to go?”

  “We’ve hiked all the trails around here, and I heard the mountain has a great view of the town. Want to head up there?” Keira turned toward the fridge and pulled out a large bowl of salad.

  “Sure. It’ll be rough going, though. The road is in pretty bad shape.”

  “I know, but what road around here isn’t?” Keira opened an overhead cupboard and pulled down three plates.

  “True, but it’s not paved.”

  “Just so long as it doesn’t rain we’ll be fine. You’re staying for dinner?” Keira wagged a finger in Susan’s face.

  “Sure.” She’d barely had a meal alone lately but didn’t mind a bit. It was nice to have friends to share time with. It didn’t escape her that she’d lumped Blake into the friend category, and it put a smile on her face.

  “What’s the silly grin about?”

  Susan smirked. “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Cody, dinner!”

  Susan focused on dishing up salad. Her friend didn’t need to know her feelings toward Blake were softening.

  Chapter 19

  Blake reached for his ringing phone. “Hi, Keira, did you do it?”

  “It’s all set up, but I don’t feel good about this, Blake. I’ve never misled a friend before.”

  “I suppose you could join us if it’d make you feel better.”

  The silence on the other end of the line made his stomach sink. He was only joking, but apparently she’d taken him seriously.

  “Thanks for the offer, but having me there would defeat the purpose. Don’t you agree?” She didn’t wait for a response. “I’ll have Susan there by eight Saturday morning.”

  “I don’t want to risk her seeing me before she gets there, so I’ll be there by seven-thirty.”

  “I don’t think your bike will be able to handle the dirt road.”

  “I pick up my Jeep tomorrow.” At least it had better be ready, or he was sunk. Keira was right, that road would be too difficult on his bike.

  “Perfect. Okay, see you Saturday.”

  “Thanks for this, Keira. I know you’re not comfortable with deceiving Susan.” He punched End, put the phone down and clapped his hands together in a single loud smack. There was work to be done before Saturday.

  He’d order two lunches from the deli and pick up a bottle of sparkling cider. Maybe he should stop by Safeway and buy a bouquet of flowers, too. He grabbed a notepad and started writing things down, unwilling to risk forgetting even one thing. Saturday had to be perfect.

  * * *

  Saturday morning Blake tucked the book he’d written into his hiking gear, packed a cooler and carried it to his Jeep.

  Katie followed on his heels and climbed into the backseat. “Do you have the book?”

  He patted his backpack, then turned the key and drove over to Emily’s.

  Katie hopped out and a shy look covered her face. “Emily’s been talking to me about prayer. She said we should pray for each other. I’ll be praying for you today.” She turned and ran to the front door.

  He could use all the prayer he could get. This was it with Susan—either she agreed to see where the future led them as a couple, or they would remain only friends.

  * * *

  Susan studied Keira’s profile. She gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled hands.

  “Are you okay, Keira? You seem uptight.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “If you’d rather not hike up here, I understand. It was nice of Julia and Mitch to let us use their mountain property, but if being off trail makes you nervous...”

  “No, it’s not that. I just...” Keira licked her lips and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I wasn’t completely honest with you.”

  “What do you mean?” The car lurched into a pothole, and she gripped the door.

  “You know I’d never do anything to hurt you. You’re one of the best friends I’ve ever had and I want to see you happy.”

  Susan’s stomach tightened. Whenever someone started a sentence like that she was bound to not like what came next. “What is it?”

  Keira bit her bottom lip and swerved to avoid another pothole as they climbed the steep, narrow, dirt road. “Blake is meeting us. He wanted to make sure you couldn’t run. I really think you need to hear him out.”

  Tingles zipped from head to toe. Blake set this up? What would the man do next? She held back a smile that threatened to tilt her lips. She couldn’t let Keira know she wasn’t upset by this turn of events. Her friend knew she hated surprises and preferred well-ordered control. No way would she let her off the hook that easily. “So you
lied to me.”

  “Not exactly. You are going hiking, just not with me.”

  “You’re not staying. You mean to dump me off alone with him?” She hadn’t seen that twist coming. “But—”

  Keira slowed the car and pulled off the road as much as possible. “He’s waiting just around the bend, Susan. Blake loves you. I know he hurt you, and it’s hard for you to open up to him again, but I believe he’s changed. He’s not the same man he was six years ago. He’s grown, and so have you. Hear him out. You owe yourself that at the very least.”

  Susan crossed her arms and stared out the windshield. “You’re right. Blake has grown a lot and he’s shown me numerous times how much he cares. Okay. I wouldn’t have chosen to be tricked like this, but your heart is in the right place.”

  Keira let out a whoosh of breath. “Thank you.” She leaned over and hugged Susan. “You want me to drive you the rest of the way, or let you out here?”

  “What if he’s not there?”

  “He’s been waiting for thirty minutes. He called before I picked you up.”

  Susan reached for her pack in the backseat. “Okay. I’ll see you when I see you.”

  A smile lit Keira’s eyes. “Have fun and watch out for bears and snakes.”

  “I will.” She opened the door and stopped. “Thanks for being such a good friend, Keira.”

  “Back at you.”

  Susan got out and closed the door. She watched as Keira maneuvered her car to face down the mountain, then shrugged on the backpack. With a steady gait she continued the last two hundred feet around the bend. Blake’s Jeep sat on a private driveway that led to Mitch and Julia’s cabin.

  He opened the driver’s door and stepped out. “You made it.”

  She caught her breath. The man sported a white T-shirt covered by a military-green hoodie, cargo shorts and hiking boots. He looked like he belonged on the cover of a hiking magazine. “Yeah. Thanks to a conspiracy.” She gave him a half grin. “Where are we headed?”

  “There’s a great viewpoint about a mile up.”

  She resettled the pack and took off in the direction Blake indicated. “Think you can keep up?”

  “No problem, lady.” He strode beside her, with no evidence of his recent accidents. “I planned a lunch for us at the cabin. Mitch gave me the key.”

  She nodded. He’d thought of everything. A rumble in the distance pulled her gaze skyward. “You hear that?”

  “Yeah, sounded like thunder, but the sky is clear.”

  “For now. Did you check the weather forecast?” Susan looked up again at the blue sky. Weird. How could there be thunder, when there were no visible clouds. She shook off the uneasy feeling.

  “No, but it’s been perfect all summer.”

  Thirty minutes into the hike Blake pointed to a rock. “How about a little rest?”

  “So soon? You sure you’re up to this?”

  He laughed off her question and swung the pack from his back. “Just thirsty.” He took a short drink from his water bottle, then stuffed it away before parking himself on a large rock.

  Shaking her head, she sat beside him. “Guess a break is a good idea.” He might look fine, but surely he must hurt from his accidents. She pulled a bottle from her pack and took a long drink of the mountain well water she’d brought along from home. Birds filled the air with songs, and every now and then a twig snapped.

  She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. It had been way too long since she’d gone on a real hike. “I don’t approve of your methods, Blake, but thanks for planning today. This is nice.” She squinted an eye and looked his way.

  He grinned. “I have something for you.”

  Her eyes opened wide. “Really?”

  He pulled a book from his pack.

  “What’s this?”

  “The project I was touching up the day you stopped by and wanted a peek.” He gently placed it in her lap. “Take a look.”

  “I thought your writing was off-limits.”

  “Not at all. I know you thought I didn’t trust you with it, but the truth is, I’ve been working on a special project. One that is for your eyes only. I didn’t want you to see it until it was ready.”

  She picked up the book with tingling fingers. No one had ever done something like this for her. She’d misjudged him, and her heart melted at the gesture. “You wrote me a story?” Would the surprises never stop? “Why?”

  “When I first came back to town you were not happy to see me.”

  “True.” She opened the book.

  * * *

  Blake watched Susan’s eyes tear up as she read. She stopped in the middle of the book where he’d included one full page of photos Katie had secretly taken since they’d come to town—photos of Susan and him together in the kitchen, talking in the village, sitting on the couch, even walking in the driveway—candid, uncensored shots.

  She gave him a tremulous smile and continued on in the book, finally stopping on the last page with tears in her eyes. She wiped them with the back of her hand. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  Beautiful? No one had ever called his work beautiful, but he’d take it. He reached for her hand. “I meant every word, Susan. I love you with all my heart. I wouldn’t be here otherwise. My life without you is incomplete. Please say you’ll give us a chance.”

  She nodded. “I never stopped loving you, Blake. It just hurt so much when you called off our wedding. I’m sorry for not being kinder when you came back. I shouldn’t have been so hard on you.”

  “I’m so sorry, too, for everything.” He ran his thumb over the top of her hand. “What do you say? Think you can give us another shot?”

  She nodded.

  “Yes!”

  They both laughed and he stood, pulling her along with him. He tugged her into his arms. “I’ve missed this.” He tucked her hair behind her ear and held her face in his palm.

  She leaned into his touch. “Me, too.”

  He lowered his gaze to her mouth. Her lips parted. Would they be as soft as they looked? Absolutely. He’d tasted them before.

  She stepped closer and her breath stroked his cheek. Her scent drew him and his desire nearly undid him.

  His lips captured hers, and he deepened the kiss.

  A small gasp escaped her, but then she melted against him, responding with the same passion he felt.

  He groaned and stepped back, then slid his hands to grasp hers.

  Wide-eyed, she held his gaze. A slow smile covered her flushed face. She cleared her throat. “Let’s climb as high as we can before it gets too hot.” She giggled. “No pun intended.”

  “Good idea.” Dried weeds and plants crunched beneath their feet as they trekked along a deer trail. A squirrel scampered for cover and another scolded them for invading its territory.

  “Listen to that thing squeak at us. Where do you think he is?” Susan looked around for the offended creature. “I don’t see him anywhere, but he sure is loud. Sorry, little fella, wherever you are. We’re just passing through.”

  Blake chuckled and reached for her hand. “You’re nuts.”

  Susan tossed him a grin then sobered. “Why is it getting dark?” She looked up through the tall pines. “Where did that come from?” She pointed.

  He followed her gaze and shrugged at the dark cloud passing overhead. “Beats me. It sure moved in fast.”

  “Maybe it’ll rain. We could use it. Everything is dried to a crisp, but I’d rather not get soaked.”

  Thunder rumbled again, only this time louder.

  Concern crept into the recesses of his mind. He liked to take risks, but getting caught in the woods during an electrical storm wasn’t exactly what he had in mind. “Let’s head to the cabin and wait out the storm.”


  “Good idea. But we’ve been walking away from the cabin for over an hour now. From the look of those clouds, I don’t think we’ll make it.”

  He grinned. “Have a little faith.” He stopped walking and listened. The woods had grown quiet except for the thunder and wind rustling through the trees. Something wasn’t right. His grip tightened on Susan’s hand. “Come on. We need to get to my Jeep ASAP.”

  “You afraid of a little rain?”

  “No.” But lightning turning them to a crisp didn’t appeal in the least.

  Susan stopped and pointed in the distance. “Look!”

  Smoke.

  “What do we do? That looks like it’s on the mountain.” Panic edged her voice.

  He peered around in all directions, but tall pines kept him from seeing clearly. Smoke in the distance floated toward them from below. Hiking higher didn’t make much sense. They’d be farther from help. No, they had to keep going down.

  Susan grabbed his arm. “We can’t walk into that. What if the fire is close?”

  “I don’t know what else to do. There are no bodies of water up here that we can use for protection. We are several miles up the mountain. I suppose we could skirt around and try to head down that way.” He neglected to say they’d be dead from smoke inhalation before they reached civilization. As dry as everything was, the fire would spread quickly.

  “Call 9-1-1.”

  “I’ll try.” He pulled out his cell and reported the fire.

  “Now what?”

  “Are they coming to get us?”

  Blake saw the panic in her eyes and gripped both of her arms. “A crew is on the way to the fire.”

  “What about us?”

  “I don’t know. The connection died and now I’m not getting through. I think the best thing we can do is try to get back to my Jeep.”

  “Okay. Do you think lightning started it?”

  “More than likely.” He ran his hands up and down her arms. “You okay?”