RAINBOW’S END: FOUR-IN-ONE COLLECTION

by Valerie Comer, Annalisa Daughety, Nicole O’Dell

  She spun and headed to the front door, and he caught Garrett’s gaze with a question. Hadn’t they been waiting on her?

  Garrett drove as Colton watched the blinking dot on the GPS. He glanced back at Reagan. She watched the terrain out the window, seeming not to really see anything.

  “Turn right in two hundred feet,” the mechanical voice grated.

  “Maybe there’s another voice.” Colton flipped through screens and hit buttons.

  “Turn right in fifty feet.” The male voice was even worse.

  Garrett laughed. “Turn it back. I’d rather listen to the woman.”

  Colton turned down the GPS’s volume. They skimmed the edge of the lake and crossed the bridge on State Highway MM.

  “Turn left now.” The quiet instruction reinforced the blinking dot.

  Garrett slowed, but Colton couldn’t see on the screen where he should turn. “Hmm. Maybe this expensive gadget isn’t working right.”

  A feminine snort reached him from the backseat. He turned and pinned Reagan with a stare. “Suggestions?”

  “You might put the gadget down and look.”

  Garrett slowed down even more. “I don’t see a turnoff.” “Up there.” Reagan pointed to a break in the trees. “You want me to take my car in there?” “I guess we could hike.”

  Garrett pulled as far to the edge of the road as possible then parked. As the boys hopped out, Reagan adjusted her camera then made sure she had extra batteries in her pocket. She held the camera to her eye and pointed it out the window toward a cardinal sitting on a tree branch. Examining the screen, she smiled at the sharp image then deleted the picture.

  After climbing from the car, she took a photo of Garrett and Colton as Colton adjusted his backpack. He’d filled it with enough water bottles and snacks to fuel a hungry Girl Scout troop. Colton turned as she pushed the shutter, and his grin stole her breath. He practically sparkled with excitement as he tossed her a water bottle.

  “Hang on to this, and be sure to take sips as we go. Dehydration can sneak up on you.”

  Reagan dropped the camera on its strap as she grabbed the water bottle. “All right.”

  He could stop acting like she’d never ventured outdoors. Maybe she should mention she’d been a Girl Scout. Nah, she’d let her comfort with the outdoors surprise him. She might be deskbound now, but that had sneaked up after college.

  Twenty minutes later, when she swiped yet another tree branch from in front of her face, she decided maybe it had sneaked a little further than she anticipated. Her breath came in short gasps, and she could hardly look around to notice any of the beauty. Keeping up with the guys and their longer legs just might do her in.

  As another branch snapped back, she ducked under it then stopped. “Hey, guys.”

  Both turned toward her, and Colton frowned. “What?”

  “You mind slowing it down a bit? Last I checked this was more a marathon than a sprint.”

  Garrett grinned at her. “Sorry, sis. Didn’t mean to leave you in the dust.”

  Oh, she’d like to dust him after comments like that. Instead, she unscrewed her bottle cap and took a nice, long swallow of water. Maybe Colton hadn’t been crazy to shove so much water in his backpack.

  “Can we continue?” He quirked an eyebrow. “Fine.” This could be a long summer.

  An hour turned into two before they finally reached a clearing with a picnic table. The car had better be waiting when they finally returned to the road because she was not hiking back to the apartment. Reagan inhaled a cleansing breath, pushing her frustrations with the two macho men in front of her out with the carbon dioxide. They’d barely stopped as they pushed toward the prize. If she’d needed any proof that men were goal oriented, she had it in spades.

  “So we’re here?” Garrett sounded skeptical as he studied the small clearing with its lone picnic table. “You’ve got to really want a table to hike here.”

  “Yeah.” Colton clicked a button on his gizmo. “Okay, here’s what the note says:

  The bread of life

  Cuts like a knife

  No meal, but find the cache

  At its base.”

  He frowned. “That doesn’t rhyme. At all.”

  Reagan walked past him to the picnic table. “No, but there’s your cache.” She pointed at the ammunition box tucked in the darkness under the table.

  After plopping it on the table, Colton opened the case and pulled out the logbook. The guys entered their names while she snapped a series of photos. Colton handed it to her. “Your turn.”

  “No thanks.” Only a handful of people knew she’d traveled here. No way would she enter the information in a logbook anyone could find, especially one not well hidden. No reason to give her stalker a road map to where she was in case he decided to follow.

  Nope, she preferred anonymity. Lots of it.

  Chapter 3

  Reagan had some spunk—Colton had to give her that as he watched her sit down and rub her feet. He’d avoided blisters the other day with thick socks, but she hadn’t fared as well. The hitch in her steps illustrated how much her heels must cry for relief. Yet she hadn’t asked to stop. Garrett plopped down next to her, disinterest on his face. He already looked bored with the hunt, something Garrett had talked Reagan and Colton into.

  Had Colton pushed too hard?

  Based on the entries on the website, he didn’t think so. They were in the hunt, but barely. Some Hadley girl must be living and breathing the treasure hunt. The number of caches she’d entered online boggled him.

  Maybe they’d have to settle for second, but he wouldn’t concede in the first week. His dad always said life was a long ball game, and this hunt lasted almost two months. That gave them plenty of time for Hadley whats-her-name to flare out.

  If her experience mirrored Reagan’s, she’d give up soon enough.

  Until then, he’d keep pushing.

  Maybe not. Reagan carried her camera every day, but he hadn’t noticed her taking many pictures. Instead, the camera hung around her neck like a weight rather than a tool to capture images of the area.

  She raised it and clicked in his direction.

  Maybe she’d gotten more shots than he’d noticed. Might as well pose. He tilted his chin and planted his hands on his hips. Maybe he’d look like a conquering prince. Wouldn’t mind if she thought of him that way. A hero. He’d never had anyone call him that.

  A giggle escaped her lips as she clicked. “You ham.”

  “Yep, that’s me.” He shook free of his thoughts. That was a road he didn’t need to travel. Especially with his law school roommate’s sister.

  She cocked her head as if trying to get inside his thoughts. “You okay?”

  “Fine and dandy.” He adjusted his pack. “Come on, Garrett, daylight’s wasting.”

  His friend groaned good-naturedly. “I picked this hunt so we could have fun, not hike every last inch around the lake.”

  Colton turned toward the lake, picking out the brilliant blue water through the trees. “I can think of worse ways to spend our summers before sacrificing our lives to law books.”

  “When you put it that way …”Garrett pulled on his backpack as Reagan laughed. The sound was magical, a tinkle of fairies.

  Yeah, he could get used to this.

  Reagan watched Colton follow Garrett as they moved down a trail. He pushed hard to hit at least two caches a day, but it was okay. Her muscles didn’t protest as much today as they had a couple of days ago, and she didn’t mind feeling more toned.

  She even found her thoughts straying to her stalker fewer times as the days progressed. Maybe she could shake him off permanently. She’d thought Garrett was overprotective when he decided to spirit her away from St. Louis for the summer. Now she thought he might be a genius.

  Her steps felt lighter, her load less burdensome, as each day she delayed the need to look over her shoulder.

  Her shadow had disappeared.

  It would be hard not to s
oak in the peace when she spent her days out in creation. The sound of the wind whispering through the leaves soothed her as the play of the light through the branches intrigued her. The constant chatter of birds alerting others to their unwanted intrusion brought a smile to her lips. This is what she’d needed.

  She couldn’t wait to get home with a few hundred or thousand photos capturing the various spots they’d visited. The guys might care about the hunt, while she relished the time exploring.

  “Still with us?” Garrett’s teasing tone pulled Reagan’s gaze to his. He pointed to the trail. “Let’s get moving again. Shouldn’t be far now, according to that little machine.”

  “Right behind you.” She raised the camera, adjusted the lens, and snapped a shot of an Eastern bluebird on a limb of a flowering dogwood. She checked the viewfinder then raised the camera and snapped another one. That’s better. The camera dropped, and she picked up her pace.

  “Come on.” Garrett motioned her forward. “I’ve got a coffee date this afternoon at Common Grounds.”

  “A date? For free coffee?” Colton shook his head with a sneer. “Not sure that qualifies. Usually, you have to lay out some coin.”

  “Not when I’ll soon be a starving student.” Garrett patted his back pocket. “I might have to snag a part-time job to last the summer.”

  Reagan quickened her pace until she walked behind Colton. “Don’t believe him. Grandma left each of us a trust fund for school. Why do you think he’s refused to join the real world like us poor slaves?” They walked in silence a minute before Reagan slanted a glance toward Colton. She knew why Garrett had decided to go back to school. The more she learned about Colton, the more she wondered what would prompt him to make a change. “Why head to school now?”

  Colton glanced at her as if trying to gauge her interest. A clump of dark hair had fallen into his eye, and her fingers itched to brush it free. Her breath caught at the thought, and she stepped back.

  “I guess engineering stopped being enough. I used to love the challenge of checking structures for problems, but it stopped giving me a sense of fulfillment. I want to make a difference. Law seems like a good way to do that.”

  “Right the wrongs of the world?”

  “Something like that.”

  “That’s a change from engineering.”

  “Yes. I guess it is.” Colton shrugged. “It’s one of those times where the decision just felt right. It’ll be interesting to see what God does with this.”

  Reagan nodded, letting his words soak in. “Garrett’s motivation isn’t quite so altruistic.”

  Garrett hooked his hands on his backpack. “Not me. I want to make money. Corporate law all the way. I’ll leave the bleeding heart cases to you, Colton.”

  “Sounds like you two would make good partners.”

  Colton studied Garrett then shook his head. “Nah. I can’t imagine combining my cases with corporate law. That area sounds mind-numbing.”

  “Like accounting.” Garrett needled her with a grin.

  “You have no idea. I like being a CPA.” Reagan slipped in front of the men. “There’s something amazing about getting numbers to cooperate and tell a cohesive story.”

  Colton quirked an eyebrow. “I’ll leave that to you.”

  A couple of hours later, they returned to the condos with two more caches added to the list. “Meet you out front in an hour to head to Common Grounds?” Colton asked as he left the others at their door.

  “I’d rather head to the outlet mall.” Reagan batted her eyes then froze as if she caught herself. “Since Garrett’s abandoning me for his ‘date,’”—she put quotes around the word with her fingers—”I need someone else to go with me.”

  She said the words with a light touch, but he could hear her uncertainty. Maybe she wasn’t as over the stalking as she appeared. No other reason she’d insist on company to go shop.

  Could he do it? It didn’t sound relaxing at all. Not when he’d rather collapse in front of his television for a few hours. Is this what women did in their spare time? His mother didn’t like shopping much or had learned quickly she was better off without dragging her boys along.

  Reagan’s eyes clouded, the light disappearing.

  “Sure. I’d be glad to take you.” How bad could it be?

  Two hours later, all he wanted to do was wring Garrett’s neck. He should be the one walking beside Reagan as she entered every store they passed. She even spent time in a store that sold only sunglasses. Seriously! A store filled with hundreds of pairs of glasses, and she felt the need to try on at least half.

  He stifled a groan when she entered a children’s clothing store. “Looking for anything in particular?”

  Quiet longing filled her eyes as she touched an impossibly tiny outfit. “I never know when another friend is going to get pregnant.” She sighed as she picked up a pink frilly thing. “Isn’t this adorable?” “I guess.”

  “You guess? This would make some little girl look like a princess. And this.” She tugged out a blue-and-white outfit decorated with baseballs. “This is perfect for a little baseball player in training.” She brushed a piece of lint from the sleeve.

  “If you say so.”

  “Guess your mom does all your gift shopping.”

  “Guys aren’t expected to buy baby gifts.” He shifted his feet as he wondered how much longer he’d have to wait.

  She rolled her eyes and replaced the outfit. “Fine. We can leave.”

  “Wait.” If it was that important to her, he could endure a bit more. “How about I wait for you in the Nike store?”

  “Never mind.” She sagged as she pushed the door open. The humid air hit him like a blanket as he hurried to follow her.

  Once outside, he touched her shoulder, and she stopped. “Reagan, help me out. Remember, I don’t have sisters. What just happened? I want to understand.”

  A soft smile touched her lips as she looked up at him. “Shopping isn’t fun alone.”

  He’d do anything to make her smile genuine. “I’ll go back in with you.”

  Her cheeks flushed as if she was embarrassed that she needed anyone with her. “No way. You don’t want to look, so we won’t. We can hit the Nike store. I shouldn’t have expected you to ooh and ah over baby clothes. Garrett wouldn’t have even gone in.”

  Colton nodded. The Nike store would work. It’d qualify as shopping with a purpose since he needed a couple more T-shirts. As they walked, her shoulder brushed his arm, and a shock of electricity zinged from that spot. He paused and stared at her.

  She slowed to a stop and looked at him with a quizzical expression. “What?”

  “Nothing.” Nothing other than the fact that the last thing he needed right now was to be interested in a woman. No matter how gorgeous or perfect she seemed. No, he couldn’t do that. Not with something as all-consuming as law school starting in a matter of weeks.

  He squared his shoulders and urged his brain to forget the rush of attraction.

  Too bad it refused.

  Chapter 4

  A couple of mornings later, Colton left his efficiency early. The morning air was damp and cool as he crossed to Garrett and Reagan’s condo. He stilled when he approached.

  Reagan sat in a rocking chair on the porch. She wore a pair of capris and a T-shirt, her hair pulled back in its customary ponytail. What would it look like if she ever wore it down? He itched to tug it free and find out.

  She must have heard his approach, because she looked up with a smile. “Good morning.”

  “Hey.” Hey? That was the great opener he came up with? He resisted slapping his forehead. He glanced at the stack of pictures in her lap. “What are those?”

  “Just a few photos.”

  “Yours?”

  She nodded, a soft look falling on her features. “May I see?”

  “Sure.” She straightened the pile and handed them over.

  Colton flipped through them slowly. Some shots showed Garrett and him in various stages of th
e hunt. His intense look in a few surprised him. Maybe he’d taken this whole game thing more seriously than he intended. He’d have to do something about that. Relax a bit.

  Reagan cleared her throat. “Well …?”

  “You’ve got quite an eye.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I’m impressed.” He tapped a photo of a bird clinging to a branch, beak open in midsong. “I can almost hear this guy.” “Actually that’s a female.”

  “Wow. How do you know that?”

  She blushed and looked away. “I picked up a bird book. Wanted to make sure I knew what I was photographing. Hard to scrapbook it when all you can say is ‘here’s another bird.’” Her voice rose in a funny way as she said the last words.

  He laughed and handed the photos back. “I’m glad you’re taking these. They really capture what it’s like out here.”

  “A far cry from the city.”

  “You could say that.” The thought of heading to the Washington U campus didn’t exactly excite him anymore. He’d gotten spoiled by a couple of weeks spending time outdoors every day. “You going to the Fourth of July shindig?”

  “Shindig? Seems like a little more than that.” Reagan counted off on her fingers. “The Elden Family Day events are on the third. Followed by six sets of fireworks on the Fourth. I have a feeling I won’t want to see or hear fireworks for at least a year after that.” She studied him.

  Yeah, he’d kept his distance the last couple of days. If he didn’t make plans with her, would she slip out on her own? He didn’t think so but decided to be certain. “Garrett taking you?”

  “No.” She looked past him as if worried. “He has plans but won’t tell me what they are.” She shrugged. “Guess I’ll stay home.”

  “On the Fourth?” That seemed wrong. It would be terrible to sit alone listening to the good times. One night wouldn’t matter. He could spend it with her … and remind himself every five minutes they couldn’t be more than friends. Surely that would work. “Let’s go. Maybe we can find a spot on the beach to watch the fireworks.”