Come To Me (Dare With Me Series Book 3)

by J. H. Croix

  I opened my mouth to press the issue. “I never meant to lead you on.”

  Natalie rolled her eyes. “I know you didn’t, but a girl can hope. We had fun. I’m also a sucker for unattainable men. The worst is when someone unattainable becomes attainable for somebody else.”

  “Hey,” I began, only to shut up right quick when she shook her head sharply.

  “For God’s sake, don’t apologize. You must like this girl. Is it serious?”

  I was nodding before I even formulated my answer. Maybe we had only had two official dates, but so much more had passed between Gemma and me. Just thinking about her now led to a shaft of fierce longing. I wished I was back in Diamond Creek. I hadn’t liked leaving with everything so unsettled. I hoped Gemma was doing okay and that my sister had enough sense not to make more trouble than was necessary.

  “Good. If you’re gonna fall, I want it to be worth it.”

  I chuckled. “It is. Here’s hoping I don’t screw anything up.”

  “Don’t forget to tell her how much she means to you. That’s pretty key,” Natalie offered helpfully.

  The following morning dawned cool and so foggy we couldn’t even see the sky. The fog was a thick mist, draped over everything like a dense blanket. Normally, I was good at rolling with the weather. That was part of being a pilot in the wilderness of Alaska. The weather dictated everything. In this case, it meant me searching out the family I was supposed to be flying back to Diamond Creek this morning.

  “We’re not going anywhere yet,” I said to the father. “This might burn off this afternoon, but we need it to burn off in time for us to get up in the air and back. I’m going to check in with the staff here and find out what the weather report is. I’ll also radio out to the resort. They’ll have an update too. Best part, you guys can get some more free views. I hope you didn’t have anything too expensive scheduled for tomorrow back across the bay.”

  The mother grinned. “We knew the weather might affect timing, so we made sure to leave two days open on either side of this trip.”

  “Smart plan,” I replied. “Stay close, so I can find you easily if the sun breaks through this fog.”

  I headed back toward the plane to radio over to Flynn. A few minutes later, I had Flynn on the line. “For the moment, we’re fogged in.”

  “Figured I’d be hearing from you soon,” he replied. “On this side, you might be socked in for another day or two. There’s a rain system crossing through. It’s not supposed to clear up until tomorrow afternoon. I think that’ll be too late for you to leave.”

  “Fuck,” I muttered.

  “What’s wrong? You usually roll with the weather.”

  “I know, but I’m worried about Gemma. Do you have any news?”

  “I’ll check with Daphne. Harley cooled her heels.”

  “Thank God for small favors,” I replied with a chuckle.

  “Have any messages you want me to pass along? I’m sure I could get a message to Gemma,” Flynn offered.

  All I wanted was to see Gemma. I didn’t want to be passing along a message through a friend about how I felt. Not now. “Hopefully I’ll be back tomorrow, and maybe the weather report’s wrong.”

  Flynn barked a laugh at that. “Right. It’s usually only wrong when the weather’s supposed to be nice,” he said dryly.

  I sighed. “A guy can hope.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Gemma

  “Yes!” Cat declared as she came running out of the ocean water dragging a net behind her.

  I stood on the sand, damp from the rhythmic roll of the waves breaking onto the shoreline by the river that flowed in from the ocean. Dipnetting was an activity I’d never witnessed and a sight to behold.

  Cat swiped her braid off her shoulder as she grinned up at me while she untangled the salmon from the gillnet. With quick, efficient moves, she clubbed the fish and only moments later gutted it. Gulls were calling raucously in the air above us. One swooped down to pick up the fish waste.

  I’d met Nora in town early this morning to go with her and Cat to the mouth of the Kenai River, north of Diamond Creek. The shoreline was getting more crowded by the minute with new people arriving with coolers, many fully dressed in hip waders, and some in wetsuits. They stood in the icy cold waters with long handled nets to catch the salmon that were racing up the river to spawn.

  Since I was a new resident in Alaska, I could only watch. Cat had explained the dipnetting regulations and process on the drive up. She’d put me in charge of the cooler once she and Nora were ready to go in the water. I poured fresh ice over the next fish she placed in there, watching as she ran back into the water immediately.

  Roughly an hour later, Nora grinned over at me as she sprayed a hose on her boots and waders in the parking area. “Wow, today was quick. We got our limit inside of three hours.”

  Everything had happened so quickly this morning, I was having trouble keeping up. “I can’t believe you have forty-five fish in those coolers.” Aside from being in charge of the coolers, I’d also been put in charge of the count. At first, I’d thought we were talking about maybe ten fish, but then I realized I actually needed to keep track unless I wanted to be pawing through slippery fish after the fact to count them. I’d used my phone to jot down the rapid increase until they reached their total.

  Nora chuckled. “It seems like a lot, but we’ll eat it all this coming winter. Me, Flynn and Cat count as a household. You can get twenty-five salmon for the head of the household, and ten more for each additional member. The guys in the staff house count as a separate household, but they’re coming up another day.”

  With Diego across the bay, and me feeling unsettled and worried about our last conversation, I’d been relieved when Nora had texted to invite me along on this jaunt. I couldn’t say I’d completely banished Diego from my thoughts today, but he hadn’t loomed as large as he had lately. The day was simply too busy with activity and the scents and sounds of the ocean and the birds calling. I’d even watched an eagle land on the shore to snatch a fish from someone only moments after they brought it ashore.

  “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. I thought salmon was a big deal in Seattle and Portland,” I commented.

  Cat stopped beside me, her smile wide. “I love dipnetting. It’s my favorite thing every year. Next year, you’ll get to do it.”

  “Can we plan ahead for me to come with you all?” I asked.

  Nora nodded as she tossed her now rinsed gear in an empty bin in the back of one of the resort trucks. “Of course. It’s fun no matter what, but it’s more fun together, and it helps to have extra hands. We ready to roll?” Her gaze shifted to Cat.

  “Yep. Let’s get some fresh ice at the convenience store on the way out,” Cat replied.

  Once we were in the truck and driving back toward Diamond Creek and the mad rush of the morning receded, Diego came strolling into my thoughts again. I felt twisted up inside over him.

  Cat was driving because she got her license, apparently only days prior. She’d explained to me this morning that this was their only automatic truck. Even though she knew how to drive a stick shift, she was more comfortable driving an automatic.

  Nora turned sideways in the seat in front of me, hooking her arm over the back of it. “So, how are things with Diego?”

  I heard myself confiding before I had even considered it. “I don’t know. I’m guessing because Harley is the type of person to talk that you probably heard about those weird calls.”

  Cat glanced over her shoulder, smiling sympathetically. “It’ll be fine. Diego really likes you.”

  “Keep your eyes on the road,” Nora prompted warmly.

  Cat obeyed, and Nora cast a smile at me. “Diego does really like you. He’s a great guy.”

  “I know he is,” I said, my heart aching a little in my chest. “I feel like I kind of screwed up. It wasn’t a big deal, but he tried to talk to me, and I blew him off.”

  Nora’s brown eyes r
egarded me warmly. “You can talk to him the next time you get a chance.”

  Cat snorted in the seat beside her.

  “What?” Nora asked.

  “It’s just funny to hear you telling someone to talk. You haven’t talked to Gabriel for weeks now.”

  Nora actually growled at her sister, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.

  “How about you stay out of my business?” Nora returned, not even noticing my unintended laugh.

  “Never,” Cat countered quickly.

  When Nora looked back at me, I took pity on her. “Siblings. It’s a thing. I get it. I have a brother. It gets better when you’re older.”

  Cat kept her eyes on the road and called back to me, “Does it? Because I have three older siblings, and they all have an opinion on everything I do.”

  Nora cuffed her lightly on the shoulder. “It’s because we love you.”

  “Exactly why I think you should talk to Gabriel,” Cat replied.

  This time, Nora sighed and looked back toward me with a shrug. “Maybe I’m no expert, but Cat’s right, Diego really likes you. Whether I follow my own advice or not, you should talk to him when he gets back.”

  I looked pointlessly at the clock mounted on the wall at the yoga studio. Class had finished only moments ago, so I knew perfectly well it was a few minutes past six. Glancing out the windows, I sighed. I was alone in the studio as I tidied up. The sky was foggy and a steady drizzle had been falling all afternoon.

  Although I wasn’t a pilot, I had enough sense to know it was highly unlikely Diego had flown back to Diamond Creek today as planned. That knowledge didn’t change how much I wanted to see him. It added a layer of worry to the jumble of emotions tangling inside me.

  On the way home, I checked in with my parents and my brother. My mother had taken the news about my choice to testify with calm support. I suspected my brother had told her to stop jabbering on about how “freeing” it would be for me. My dad wasn’t much of a phone person, but he hopped on the line to tell me he loved me. It was strange, but all my anxiety about testifying had eased. Something about the process of actually preparing to do it helped. I was doing something concrete instead of merely worrying about it. I also hadn’t heard another word from that attorney. I laughed to myself when I thought about that because Harley had apparently told them off and called me to make sure I knew.

  I headed home that evening and decided to take an evening ride with Charlie. I was growing to love the long summer days because I had more hours after the end of my workday to spend with the horses and do other things.

  “Hey, bud,” I said, patting his neck lightly once I was situated in the saddle.

  I adjusted the reins in my hands and gave him a light tap with my heels. Ever since the incident where he’d tossed me off, I stuck strictly to riding in the pasture. I’d set up a few rails to trot over and a small jump.

  After a few minutes of walking and practicing halting and turning, we set off at an easy trot. I took a breath, savoring the spruce scented air and his comfortable gait. Charlie was a great horse and had the most comfortable trot. I posted in an easy rhythm as we circled along the fence. After several passes over the rails, I decided to try the jump.

  “Let’s do this,” I murmured to Charlie as I gathered the reins a little more firmly in my hands.

  He cleared the low jump smoothly. “Good boy.” I patted him on the neck and circled back for another jump.

  This time, he came to a jerking stop, so hard that I tumbled over his neck, landing right on the jump. “Oof!”

  Piercing pain radiated from my elbow, which had landed against the railing. Not that it was very high off the ground, a foot if that.

  I stayed still and took stock. My hip was throbbing and my elbow hurt like hell, but otherwise I felt fine. Charlie stood exactly where he stopped, staring down at me curiously as if he couldn’t figure out how I’d ended up there in front of him.

  I moved carefully and climbed to my feet. “Well, I guess we weren’t ready for more than one jump,” I murmured to him.

  He snorted and nudged my hip. I was wearing my riding pants, rather than my jeans where I usually had treats in my pocket. “We’re gonna have to get back to the barn for a treat.”

  I limped back into the barn with him, a little concerned about my elbow. Although it throbbed, I made sure to get his tack taken off and brushed him down before putting him in his stall. I decided to feed the horses an early dinner and call it a night. I didn’t think I was up for coming back to let them out.

  When I was in the shower a short while later, I glanced down to my hip to see a bruise already forming and inspected my elbow. It was bruised as well, but I hoped that was the worst of it.

  I woke the following day, uncomfortably sore. I thought my hip was going to be okay despite the nasty bruise, but my elbow had swollen more during the night. I was going to need to call off my yoga classes and visit the doctor.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Diego

  I stared at the note taped on the door at Gemma’s yoga studio. “Classes are canceled for today. Thank you for your understanding.”

  What the fuck was going on? Worry stormed through me. Gemma hadn’t replied to the text I sent after I landed and no one seemed to know where she was.

  This wasn’t like her. Returning to my truck, I tapped the screen to call Daphne as soon as I was driving. “Have you heard from Gemma?”

  “Uh, no,” Daphne said slowly. “I didn’t even know you were back yet.”

  “I landed a half an hour ago. I went to find Gemma at her yoga studio because I figured she had an evening class, but there’s a note on the door saying classes are canceled.”

  “Have you tried calling her?” Daphne asked helpfully.

  “Obviously, I tried calling her. That’s why I’m calling you.”

  Daphne was quiet for a few beats before offering, “I’m not sure who else to call. She lives alone. Maybe go check out at her house. I’ll try to call her too.”

  I didn’t like this, not at all. Aiming my truck toward her place, I drove faster than I should to get there. Her car wasn’t there, and the house was locked. The horses eyed me from the pasture.

  I paused to greet them, all of them hanging their heads over the fence for me to pet them. “Don’t suppose y’all know where she is,” I murmured.

  I felt unsettled and didn’t want to drive all the way out to the resort until I knew where Gemma was. I pulled my phone out, calling again. I got her voicemail. Again.

  “Gemma, it’s Diego. I tried to catch you at your yoga studio, but it says classes are canceled. I’m just checking to see if you’re okay.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Gemma

  “It’s sprained?” I asked the friendly doctor.

  The doctor, who insisted I call him Quinn, nodded. “Yep. That’s why the swelling’s so bad. You’ll be fine, but this kind of sprain actually takes as long to heal as a bone break.”

  “You’re kidding,” I sputtered, glancing down at the offending elbow.

  Quinn chuckled. “The elbow’s a busy joint. Fortunately, it’s not weight bearing. You’ll need to keep it stable in a sling for a few weeks. I’ll give you some exercises to do. You’re the new yoga teacher in town, right?”

  He spun on his stool, opening a cabinet door beside the counter. He stood to reach something higher on the shelf, bringing down a sling packaged in plastic. “Let’s see if this one fits.”

  “I’m the yoga teacher,” I offered with a smile when he faced me again. “I had to cancel my classes today because this was bothering me too much. I guess I’ll be teaching in a sling for a little while.”

  “That’ll be perfectly fine. You can do yoga with one arm and two legs,” he replied with a wry smile.

  “Dr. Haynes—” I began

  He shook his head and tapped his hand on his name badge, which said Quinn Haynes, M.D.

  “Call me Quinn. This is a small town and I run
the only family practice here. I am your doctor, but it feels strange to stand on ceremony when I’m also going to see you in the grocery store and maybe even out for a drink sometime.”

  I smiled, emotion welling inside. I was starting to feel like I belonged here, like I might be someone he saw and knew in the grocery store. I didn’t want to burst into happy tears in my new doctor’s office, so I took a breath.

  “Quinn, I really need my elbow to get better. I can deal with the yoga limitations, but I also take care of four horses.”

  “Ah, you’re the person who rented Claire’s old place. I heard she’s thinking of selling.”

  “Really?” I was completely derailed by this topic and barely noticed as Quinn expertly fit the sling on my elbow.

  “That’s the word. My wife’s mother knows everything and is close with her. They stay in touch via text, email, and phone. It’s a great piece of property. If you like the horses, maybe you should call her.”

  Our conversation was cut off by a nurse popping in to let Quinn know they had a new patient, a little boy who apparently had a fish hook in his hand.

  Quinn glanced my way after adjusting the sling. “Off to the next patient. I think you’re all set. The main thing is to be careful and not overdo it with this arm. Check in with my receptionist and make sure to schedule a follow-up appointment in a few weeks. Otherwise, it was great to meet you. Perhaps, I’ll find some time to get to your yoga class soon.”

  He rushed off, and I did as instructed and scheduled my next appointment. On the way out, I met Quinn’s wife, Lacey, although I didn’t know who she was at first. She stopped me in the parking lot.

  “Hey,” she said enthusiastically. “You’re the yoga teacher, right?”

  “I am.” I paused, unsure what to say to the woman approaching me.

  “I’m Lacey Haynes.” She paused, glancing to my arm in its sling. “Are you okay?”