“Thank you, Ma.”
“I’m gonna send you girls on some nice hikes while you’re here. God didn’t make any prettier land than Whisper Creek, that’s for sure. It’s healing country.”
Kyla smiled. “I believe it. I really do.”
“I know you do, honey.” Ma grinned as she gave Kyla a bear hug. “Now if I could just convince my son to believe it, too.”
* * *
“Got the items for the fifth drop, Deck?”
“Right here.” Decker pulled a pouch from his saddlebag. “Where should we put them?”
Cole pointed to a tall pine. “That bag’s got food in it, right? We’ll have to hang it.” Decker urged his horse closer to the tree and started fastening the pouch strings to a branch. “Um, Decker, they’ll be on foot, not on horseback.”
“Good point.” Decker slid down from Chance, boots landing silently on the blanket of pine needles. He tied the pouch to a lower branch, scuffling the pine needles to draw an arrow pointing to the tree. “How far out do we want to go with this scavenger hunt today? Ma said we made it too easy last time.”
Cole looked up at the sky. “Well, the weather report sounds fine for the rest of the day, so I think we can push them out a couple of miles.”
“A couple of miles? You sure?” Decker peered through the trees toward the Rockies, scanning the horizon for any sign of impending rain. Not one little cloud decorated the deep blue sky, so he had to agree with Cole, though he wasn’t sure all seven of their guests were up for a four-mile-round-trip hunt.
“Think of it as conditioning. Can’t take all these soft city kids out on the trail without a little preparation, right?”
“I guess so. But I don’t want to get any of them out farther than we’re willing to go to rescue them.” Decker nudged Chance with his heels to follow. “Why did we let Ma talk us into adding this orienteering exercise to the schedule, again?”
“She said Day Four was boring. She wanted to add some excitement.”
“She knows we actually use GPS on the trail, right?”
“Of course she does. But compass skills are vital for survival. Compasses don’t need batteries, after all.”
“Christ. You sound just like her. All right. Let’s head east a few ticks and put the T-shirts in the cave.”
“You sure nobody’s using it this year?”
“Well, if somebody is, I imagine we’ll find out soon enough. The cubs will be poking around the entrance.”
An hour later, they were looking for a good spot for the tenth items. Cole got off his horse to hang the bag of chocolate in a pine tree. “There. Mark the coordinates. No way anyone can get lost this time.”
Decker shook his head. “I still can’t believe those Jersey girls ended up clear over on Jackson’s property. I swear. I mean, I know orienteering’s not a skill people use every day. But those are big friggin’ mountains over there. How do you get so turned around you don’t even recognize them on a map?”
Cole laughed. “How much you wanna bet Cheryl and Theresa will find a way to need help from us?”
“That’s a sucker bet. Not taking it.”
“Think the Boston ladies can find their way without subways or street signs?” Cole rolled his eyes as he pulled alongside Decker. The horses picked their way up a grassy hillside dotted with yellow wildflowers. “So I saw Marcy yesterday. She back for a visit? Or to stay?”
Decker shook his head in disgust. “Sounds like she’s back, though she wasn’t big on details. Not that I’d expect them.” Decker pulled up on the reins just as they came over a rise that gave them a full view of the ranch below. “She’s spinning a tale about her new horse that needs training, and about how I’m just the best horse trainer she knows, and could I please, please consider it? For the horse’s sake, not hers, of course. She’ll pay me double the going rate. And make me dinner afterward, even.”
“Gosh, Deck. How can you resist?” Cole shook his head. “Does the woman have no pride at all?”
“Apparently not. Guess her little foray in the big city didn’t work out so well.”
“Did her big-time director find another aspiring actress more to his liking?”
“Probably. And now she’s back to see if I’ve been waiting for her all this time.”
“Because you’re definitely the kind of guy who’d be twiddling your thumbs waiting for someone to come back. Got it.”
Decker looked sidelong at Cole. “She, if anyone, knows I’m not that kind of guy.”
“So please tell me she won’t be arriving with her horse anytime soon.”
Decker leveled him with a disgusted look. “I said no. Last thing I need is a woman thinking she’s got a future with me. And Marcy only sees one with me because no one else has turned up. I have no interest in going there with her again. Or anyone, for that matter.”
He’d met Marcy eight months ago when he’d blown through town on a three-day visit. Cole had dragged him to a Christmas party, and there she’d been, complete with her entourage. At the time he’d been hungry for home, hungry for family, and, as hard as it was to admit it, he’d been taken in by Marcy’s act. She’d come on strong but sweet, and by the end of the three days, she’d booked a ticket to come to L.A. two weeks later to see him.
A month after that trip, she’d showed up at his town house with two suitcases and an open return ticket. Within three days she was bored silly and annoyed that Decker couldn’t take a couple weeks off to go play wine-country tourist with her. She’d headed to Beverly Hills to visit a sorority sister on a Friday, met a New York theater director named Gil on Saturday, and was packed and on a plane with him on Sunday.
What Decker still marveled at was that instead of anger or sadness or any other appropriate emotion he might have felt at the time, when Marcy had packed her bags, his overwhelming sense had been relief.
“You really aren’t dating anyone out in L.A.?” Cole jolted his thoughts.
“Why do you find this so hard to believe?”
“I don’t know. You live in the land where nine out of ten girls could be on magazine covers. Is it truly that hard to find a date?”
“It’s more like six out of ten, but that’s beside the point. No, it’s not hard at all. It’s actually frighteningly easy, especially with the right firm and the right address. But it gets old.”
Cole shook his head, laughing. “I’m sorry, but I’m having trouble figuring out how that could get old.”
Decker sighed. “Even for you, Cole, it could get old. It’s hard to explain.” He shaded his eyes as he looked down the valley toward the ranch. “When you’re out there, it sort of feels like … like no one actually grows up in L.A. No one’s looking to raise a family there. Everybody’s just there waiting for something bigger to happen. And when you’re not the biggest thing, off they go.”
“So what is it you do love out there, Decker?”
“Don’t start.” Decker was so tired of feeling defensive. So tired of making his L.A. life sound so glamorous, like he was fine, like he didn’t need family, like he didn’t need the ranch, like he didn’t want to be here where the skies never ended and the mountains reared toward them in majestic, frightening beauty.
Fact was, when he wasn’t at work, he was pretty much alone, the stereotypical single guy with a TV dinner and beer in front of the flat screen. He’d specialized in no-strings-attached relationships for years, and once a woman tried to move in a toothbrush, it was sayonara.
A year or so ago, he’d tired of the whole casual thing that defined L.A. All he’d really wanted was to move home and be part of a family again, but his dad had made sure Decker knew he wasn’t welcome. Not a year ago, not ten years ago … not ever.
“I’m really not starting. Just trying to understand. I know you’ve built a really good company, have important clients and all that, but don’t you ever miss it here?”
Was he kidding? Only every friggin’ day since his dad had sent him packing. “I wasn’t really
given a choice.”
Cole furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”
Decker looked at him, frozen. Was it possible that Cole didn’t know? Had he been under a ten-year delusion that Decker’d left of his own accord? “Cole—”
“Shh.” Cole pointed toward a stand of pines to their right. “Moose. Two o’clock.”
Chapter 11
“So what’s the first thing we have to find?” Kyla asked as they hitched the front clips of their backpacks the next morning.
Hayley checked the list. “Um, a map.”
Jess cocked her head as she adjusted her clips. “Not to be contrary, but wouldn’t it make better sense to start with a map?”
“Well, that’s why it’s the first thing on the list.”
Kyla tipped her compass back and forth in her hand. “Obviously these guys have a warped sense of humor.”
“Clearly.” Hayley laughed. “Did you hear the warning about the moose?”
“Oh, sweeties. I think they were just kidding about that.” Jess looked from Kyla to Hayley and back. “Weren’t they?”
“Um, no. I don’t think so. Kyla, did you think they were kidding?” Hayley pulled out her own compass, rocking it back and forth to mirror Kyla’s actions.
Kyla shoved her water bottle in its pocket. “Unfortunately, I think they were actually serious. We do not want to meet one. Isn’t that why they changed the whole scavenger hunt?” She shuddered. “I never thought I’d say this, but I’d rather be on horseback if we’re about to be attacked by a moose. At least there wasn’t any warning about bears. Must be we’re not in bear country after all.”
Dead silence.
“Are we?” Eyes wide, she looked quickly from Hayley to Jess.
Jess was the first to answer. “No, sweetie. Of course not. Definitely no bears.” Hayley nodded quickly in agreement.
Kyla narrowed her eyes at both of them. “Seriously, you guys. Are there bears around here?”
Hayley sighed. “Well, think about it, Kyla. We’re in freakin’ Montana. Fifty miles from the Crazies, which are apparently the Rockies. Did you know that, Jess?”
“No, I didn’t. Thanks for the geography lesson.”
“Anytime.”
“Guys!” Kyla growled.
“Yes, Kyla, there are bears here. But it’s not mating season and they should be perfectly well-fed on berries and rabbits and small children, so you won’t look like a tasty treat. Actually, I’ve heard that in bear country, you’re supposed to talk really loudly or sing so they hear you coming and run away before you can get close to them.” She winked conspiratorially. “I didn’t tell that trick to Cheryl and Theresa before they left, though.”
Kyla pulled the straps of her backpack one last time. “Seriously? I’m hating you guys more each day of this vacation, you know. Have I mentioned that yet? Because I’m definitely feeling it.”
Hayley slung an arm around Kyla’s shoulder and pointed with her compass toward a path in the woods. “We love you, too, honey. But just think. If you’re singing, you’re not moping.”
“If I’m running away from a bear, I won’t be moping, either, by your warped logic.”
“Ooh, no running.” Jess chimed in. “They can outrun you.”
“Oh, yeah. And no climbing trees. If they can’t climb it to get you, they’ll just shake you out of it.”
Kyla growled again. “I’m not amused. So what are you supposed to do? Play dead?”
Hayley grimaced. “Depends on the kind of bear. I don’t remember which you’re supposed to fight and which you’re supposed to play dead with. Do you remember, Jess?”
“Shut up, both of you, or I’m turning around right now.”
Jess put her arm around Kyla’s shoulder, right on top of Hayley’s. “Don’t worry, sweetie. We don’t have to outrun the bear. We just have to outrun Hayley.”
* * *
Two hours later, Hayley stopped near a big pine tree, uncapping her water bottle. “Um, do you guys still hear the creek?”
Kyla and Jess stopped short behind her. Kyla raised her eyebrows. “Nooo. Haven’t heard it in a while, actually. Why?” Kyla held out her hand for the map Hayley held. “What’s wrong?”
Hayley looked around, then at the map. She pointed to a spot near the middle. “Here’s where we picked up the water bottles.”
Kyla nodded. “Right. And then we did all of these jigs and jags, right?” She traced her finger along the crooked line. She looked around them, but the pines and meadow grass weren’t talking. “We should have found the next drop spot by now. I think we may have overshot it.”
Jess uncapped her water bottle. “Should we backtrack?”
Kyla studied the map, eyebrows furrowed. “Jess, how far out did they tell us we were going?”
“Cole said about two miles northeast, one mile south, and then back, but not necessarily in straight lines. Said we wouldn’t go more than five miles total.”
“Hayley, do you have your pedometer on?”
Hayley pulled it out of its clip on her waistband and pressed a button. “Shit.”
Kyla looked up. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
Hayley pressed buttons, shaking her head. “Well, either my calibrations are off, or we’re in better shape than we thought. This thing says we’ve gone six point two miles already.”
Kyla’s stomach tightened as she looked around. They were in a valley filled with pine trees and huge rocks. “In two hours? We are going to win the award for highest-maintenance guests ever. How did we screw up a map this simple?” Her temples started prickling as she realized they might really be lost.
“They should have sent us with GPS, not a lousy compass.” Hayley took a long swallow of her water.
Kyla did the same, then capped it quickly, realizing it might be smart to conserve it, depending on how lost they truly were. “Do we want to try to figure this out ourselves, or do we want to call the ranch?”
Jess frowned as she held out her cellphone. “No service.”
Kyla put her water bottle in her backpack pocket and took a deep breath, willing the prickles away. They could handle this, dammit. They were three intelligent women. “I guess that decides it, then. I’d say let’s try following these compass directions backward, but obviously we screwed up somewhere, so that might just get us more lost. We’ve got to be north of the ranch still, right?” She pointed south. “Let’s head up the valley on that side. Maybe when we get to the top we’ll be able to see something that’ll help us.”
Fifteen minutes later, they crested the top of the valley. To Kyla’s dismay, all she saw was more grass, more pine trees, and the mountains to their right.
Hayley shaded her eyes. “Okay, Kyla. We’re at the top of the hill. I still don’t see anything. Jess, how about you? You’re the tallest.”
“I’m only two inches taller than you, Hayls. Sorry, but I can’t see anything, either.”
Kyla consulted the map again. “Well, if it’s any comfort, as long as we don’t traverse the Crazies over there, we’ll still be on the same side of the mountains as the ranch.” She pointed at the peaks on the pencil-drawn map.
Hayley laughed. “Got it. No mountain climbing.”
Jess leaned over Kyla’s shoulder, pointing at the map. “If I were to take my best guess, I’d say we’re right about here.”
“Says the woman who got us lost the second night we were here.” Hayley peered over Kyla’s other shoulder. “So you’re thinking if we keep heading directly south, we should run into the ranch eventually?”
Kyla looked at Jess’s compass and again at the map. “It’s as good a guess as any at this point, right? Let’s head that way and see what happens. If we’re gone for too long, they’ll come looking for us, right?” As she looked toward the mountains, she shivered. What time of day were they most likely to see a moose? A coyote? Or, dammit, a bear?
Jess shouldered her backpack and grinned. “Should we sing so they can hear us if they do?”
“Again?” Kyla grimaced. “Haven’t we tortured the wildlife enough already? I’m not sure Decker was really serious when he suggested that.”
“C’mon, darlings. Brave faces. Let’s sing. It’ll make the time pass faster, if nothing else.”
Kyla had been practicing her brave face all vacation, but as much as she didn’t want to have to be rescued, she kind of hoped Cole and Decker were saddling up to come find them right now. She eyed the clouds gathering quickly south of them “Eek. Looks like we’d better move it, or we’re going to be sopping wet.”
Jess looked up, shading her eyes. “Those are not friendly-looking clouds.” She started quickly down the hill. “But it gives me a great idea for a song!” Hayley and Kyla groaned as Jess launched into the first verse of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” then laughed and joined in. Just as they reached the first pine trees at the bottom of the hill, Jess halted quickly, grabbing Hayley’s and Kyla’s arms. Once they’d stopped, she pointed just ahead and to their right.
“Shit, shit, shit,” Hayley whispered.
Kyla started shaking, her breath coming in short little gulps. “That’s a bear, isn’t it?”
* * *
“I hate to say this, Deck, but the Boston gals aren’t back yet.” Cole leaned against the paddock fence while Decker put supplies back into the medical kit. The air had cooled considerably as a bank of clouds rolled over the mountains.
“I know.” Decker frowned, closing the bag. “They should have been back by now.”
Cole tipped his hat up, checking out the sky. “Not liking those clouds, either.”
Decker looked up at the darkening sky. Storms here came up too fast for his comfort. One minute it was sunny and seventy, and the next minute you could be in a raging downpour. The mountains did crazy things to the weather. “Dammit. I can’t believe we got so sidetracked with Cheryl and Theresa.”
“I told you they’d find a way to need a rescue.”
Accidental Cowgirl Page 9
