He shrugged. “I have a generator that keeps the refrigerator going, but I use kerosene lanterns for light and I cook on the woodburning stove.”
She slowly turned around in the middle of the room, seeing the loving attention to detail that was displayed. “You’ve never shown this to anyone?” she finally asked.
He frowned at the question, before suddenly busying himself with removing the backpack and unloading it. “No,” he finally replied without looking at her.
That’s when it occurred to her that she was looking at the entire cabin. “No plumbing, I take it,” she offered dryly.
“No guest room, either,” he replied in the same tone.
She shrugged. “That’s no problem. If you have a bedroll I can—”
“No, you can’t. You’ll take the bed, of course. In the summertime I generally sleep outdoors, anyway.”
“May I point out that this isn’t summertime.”
“I know. But I’m used to camping out, sleeping on whatever surface is available. You aren’t.” He handed her the clothes and files she’d given him at the truck.
She took them without comment. It didn’t matter, anyway. The point was that she was here now. She couldn’t believe her luck. She forgot her aches and pains in the knowledge that she was actually with Jake. She’d accomplished her first goal. She’d found him.
She’d known it wasn’t going to be easy to convince him to return, but she was bolstered by the fact that he’d made an exception in her case by allowing her to visit his mountain home.
That must mean something, even though she wasn’t quite certain what.
She would have to play out the scene one step at a time. Somehow, someway, she had to convince him that he had to return to Seattle.
She needed him—for the good of the company, of course.
Four
Rebecca was relieved to discover that the skills she’d developed during her earlier hiking and camping experiences came back to her and she was able to help Jake prepare their meal. He’d lit the kerosene lamps once the sunlight was blocked by the high cliffs surrounding the meadow.
She’d even been able to be nonchalant when he’d shown her the latrine he’d constructed not too far away.
Now they companionably cleared the table and washed their dishes with some of the water he’d brought in from the stream earlier. He’d filled a large pot sitting on the back of the stove so that the water was heated by the time they needed it.
“It’s like living in another century, isn’t it?” she said, her voice sounding loud after the silence that had seemed to wrap around them like an unseen presence. She hadn’t noticed the silence until it was broken, because she’d been comfortable with the routine they had unconsciously fallen into.
Rebecca was startled by the insight. She never would have believed she could be so at ease around Jake Taggart, at least, not the one she thought she knew.
But this Jake was not the same man—he neither looked like him nor acted like him, although admittedly Jake had never been one to talk much.
“I suppose,” he acknowledged, carefully folding the drying towel he’d been using. “I suppose it makes a change from what you’re used to.”
He hadn’t looked at her, but there was a new edge to his voice, one that was reminiscent of the Jake she had known in Seattle.
She crossed her arms, folding them around her waist. “Yes,” she agreed slowly, “I doubt that many people living in cities today could imagine a place like this.”
He turned away from the kitchen area and went over to the potbellied stove. After checking the fire, he placed several more pieces of wood inside.
“Jake, you’ve made it clear that you have little use for me, but at least keep an open mind when you look through the files I brought. I’m not asking you to like me, or approve of me, but if you have any feeling for what the company meant to my dad, you’ll at least read the reports.”
His jaw tightened as he stood from his kneeling position in front of the stove. He looked at her for a long moment, then away. He shoved his hand through his hair.
“Look, ‘Becca. I’m not exactly proud of myself for dragging you up here. You’ve been a good sport about it. I guess my little prank backfired on me. I fully expected you to demand that we go back before we ever reached the valley.”
His eyes appeared even darker in the soft lamplight.
“Are you apologizing to me?”
Jake’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yeah. I guess I am.”
She smiled. “Guess we’ve both learned something. I never expected to hear you admit to being wrong about anything.”
“I’ve been wrong about a lot of things.”
“Like leaving CPI?”
He turned away from her, picked up a chair and joined her in front of the warm stove before answering. “No. I can’t say that leaving was wrong. Maybe the way I did it, but my reasons were sound.”
“Tell me about them.”
He stared at her for a long time before replying. “It wasn’t because of any one thing, it was because of the philosophy behind the business. I don’t mind taking risks, but not at the expense of people’s lives!”
She sat forward. “What are you talking about?”
He got up, as though too restless to sit still. He walked to the window and looked out, although she was certain he could see nothing but the night past the reflected light of the lamps. He’d stuck his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, calling her attention to their snug fit.
She blinked, then glanced away from his lean, muscled figure.
“The government was pushing us to provide parts for an experimental craft,” he finally said, still facing the window. “There was to be some kind of hearing, and they wanted to be able to produce positive results in order to keep their funding.”
She waited, but he didn’t say any more. Jake was finally talking to her, finally letting her into his life in a way she hadn’t been sure he would ever do. In no way did she want to distract him.
Finally he said, “I told Brock that we hadn’t tested one of the parts sufficiently. That we needed more time, regardless of the pressure. He insisted that we’d done enough.”
“So the flight went as scheduled...” she finally said softly.
“And the pilot was killed,” he said, finishing her sentence.
“Did it crash because of the untested part?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. The crash was still being investigated when I left.” He turned and looked at her. “At that point it no longer mattered to me. I’d told Brock what I thought. He brushed away my objections, saying that we couldn’t afford to offend our biggest customer by delaying production of our parts. He was willing to allow the government to be accountable for their decisions.”
“You disagreed.”
“Of course the government is accountable for what they do. All I was saying was that CPI needed to accept responsibility and accountability for what we produced and the conditions surrounding our production.”
“Do you think the part was defective?”
Once again he ran his hand through his hair. “God, I hope not! I’ve spent a lot of sleepless nights wondering—wondering if we could have saved the pilot’s life, if we could have delayed enough to make absolutely certain—”
He walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. Holding it up to her, he silently offered her one. She shook her head. He removed the cap and took a long drink before joining her in front of the fire once more. “That was a year ago. I’m sure they know more about the matter now.”
“If you come back, Jake, you will be in charge of all decisions with regard to manufacturing and testing products.”
He glanced at her. “If I came back, I’d insist upon it.”
She got up from where she’d sat watching him and walked over to the bed where she’d placed the files. Silently she handed them to him.
“What do you want me to do with these?” he asked, looking at
them suspiciously.
She smiled. “Read them, of course.”
“I’m no longer associated with the company, ‘Becca. I have no business looking at classified documents.”
She sighed and shook her head. “Damn, but you’re stubborn. If I thought you were going to steal company secrets I wouldn’t be here in the first place, Jake. These reports cover the last twelve months and will tell you more concisely and precisely than I can where we stand and why I’m here. Please look at them.”
He stared at her for a long moment before he slowly reached to take the files in question. He dropped them on the table in front of him, propped his booted foot on the edge of the table and pushed his chair back so that it was balanced on the two back legs. Then he picked up the first file and flipped it open.
She watched him become engrossed almost immediately in what he was reading. She wasn’t at all surprised. According to her father, this man had an uncanny head for business details, for visualizing what was happening to the operations of the company by scanning reports.
While he read, she looked around the snug cabin once again. She could see the hard physical labor that had gone into making the place as comfortable as it was. His attention to detail was another trait that made him good at whatever he set out to do.
Quietly she got up and slipped into her jacket before she walked over to the door. When she opened it, he looked up. “You want me to go with you?”
She looked out at the black night. The light cast by the lamps shining through the windows formed squares of glowing yellow on the ground. Past the comforting light she could see nothing but blackness.
“Are there animals out there?”
His smile was lopsided. “You won’t get mugged, but yes, there are some predators that might consider you a tasty morsel for an evening snack.”
She swallowed, looking out into the blackness. There were some definite drawbacks to a primitive Eden.
“Then, yes, I’d like you to go with me. Thank you.”
“No problem.” He dropped the chair back on all four legs and stood, grabbed his denim jacket, then followed her out the door.
The air was crisp and cold now that the sun no longer warmed it. Rebecca inhaled, astonished at how clean and clear everything seemed to her. Once away from the cabin, the night no longer seemed so black. She looked up and saw the sky overhead was full of brilliant stars. They looked so close that she felt as though all she would have to do to touch them was to scale the walls of the surrounding cliffs and stand on tiptoe.
“Oh, Jake. This is so beautiful.” She kept her voice hushed.
“Yeah,” he finally answered in a gruff tone.
“Do you ever wish we could take off and visit all those twinkling lights? Do you ever wonder if there are others like us, seeing us as a twinkling light, wondering if they’re alone in the universe?”
She saw his shadowy figure pause, his face turn to her. She couldn’t see his expression. “Never gave it much thought,” he admitted, looking up. “I suppose it makes sense that we aren’t the only ones around.”
When they reached the small outbuilding he took her hand and placed a cylindrical object in it. “I brought a flashlight for you to use once you get inside, just to make sure you don’t have any company.”
She shivered as he placed the light in her hands. She hesitated, not wanting to turn it on and reduce the beauty of the night with artificial light. The moonlight cast a silvery sheen across the meadow, guiding her steps, while Jake waited beside one of the trees, saying, “I’ll wait here. You’ll be safe enough if anything should show up.”
She took the flashlight with her, but waited until she opened the door to the small shelter before turning it on. She didn’t want anything waiting for her inside there, either.
When she got ready to leave, she turned off the light and stepped back out into the silvery enchantment of the night.
Instead of returning to the cabin, Jake silently took her hand and led her in the other direction, toward the stream. He drew her beneath the blackness of the trees and nodded toward the water.
At first she didn’t see anything. She was too conscious of the fact that he had nonchalantly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest, enfolding her in his warmth. He rested his chin on the crown of her head, seemingly content to lean against the tree with her in his arms.
She could feel her heart racing. She never knew what this man was going to do next! Standing stiffly in his arms she tried to appear relaxed while she wondered why he’d brought her here. Then a movement caught her eye and she squinted, trying to see through the enveloping darkness beneath the trees.
She saw a procession of small night creatures venturing down to the water. When she leaned away to look up at Jake, he nodded and smiled. Fascinated, Rebecca returned her gaze to the watering hole and watched in silent awe as various animals performed what must be a nightly routine.
When they suddenly scattered, she waited to see what had startled them. A darker, much larger shadow silently moved along a path to the bank. She held her breath as she watched the animal drink, then disappear back into the undergrowth without making a sound.
She shivered, and Jake silently drew her away from the stream and led her back to the cabin. He continued to hold her hand until they reached the door.
As soon as they were inside, she turned to him. “How did you know they would be there?”
“I know their habits, their feeding places. They’re part of my environment, as I’m part of theirs.”
“You mean they knew we were there?”
“Yes.”
“And they didn’t mind?”
“Not as long as we were still. If we’d made any threatening moves, they would have disappeared in a flash.”
She smiled at him, determined to ignore the feelings he’d invoked by holding her in his arms. “Thank you for sharing all of this with me.”
“It’s the least I could do since I dragged you up here.”
“I volunteered, remember?”
“Without having a clue what you were getting yourself into.”
“True enough.” She rubbed the front of her thighs. “My muscles are already stiffening up on me. I probably won’t be able to move tomorrow.”
He nodded toward the bed. “You’re welcome to go on to bed.”
She looked longingly at the bed. “You wouldn’t mind?”
He shook his head. “I’ll give you some privacy,” he motioned to the door. “If the light won’t bother you, I think I’ll continue looking at the files you brought with you. I’ll admit you have me intrigued.”
She almost hugged him. He stood there, his hand still on the door, wearing his denim jacket with the collar turned up, not looking at all like the corporate officer who could save her company if he only agreed to return. He seemed to be a mass of contradictions to her.
“I doubt that anything will keep me awake once I get into bed,” she admitted, grinning.
With a nod, he opened the door and stepped outside, leaving her alone.
She wasted no time in slipping out of her clothes and changing into warm pajamas before getting beneath the covers with a sigh. The heat from the stove made the room feel cozy, and she almost groaned aloud with the pleasure of finally being able to stretch out and allow her muscles to relax.
She sank into the comforting softness of the bed and closed her eyes, vaguely aware of a new sense of well-being that had been absent from her life for a long time.
* * *
Jake stood in the shadows and watched the wildlife continue to move toward the rippling stream. He was shaken by the realization that he was enjoying sharing his retreat from the world with Rebecca. She’d continued to surprise him all afternoon as she’d gamely followed him into the mountains, pushing herself to stay up with him.
He’d been as guilty of stereotyping a person as he’d once felt stereotyped. He’d allowed his experiences at college to color his views toward
any woman who had been brought up with all the privileges money can buy.
He’d seen Rebecca through the distorted lens of his past experiences. The unexpected insight into his own motives and character didn’t make him feel very good. In fact, he felt lousy.
In addition, he’d made the uncomfortable discovery while holding her in his arms that he was physically attracted to her. Given their isolated intimacy, the timing of his discovery wasn’t the greatest.
Now he had to go back to the cabin and ignore the fact that she was cosily tucked into his bed. Silently moving away from the water, Jake headed back to the cabin. He’d had long enough to look at the reports she’d brought to understand that the company was headed for serious trouble unless something was done very quickly.
He pushed the door open and noted that Rebecca appeared to be sound asleep. No doubt she’d wake up with stiff muscles after their hike. He pushed away the guilt he felt, knowing there was little he could do about it now.
Instead, he allowed the uncomfortable feeling to spur him into returning to the reports she’d been so determined that he study. At least he could tell her in the morning that he had read them and perhaps make some suggestions to help during the transition period, before sending her back to Seattle.
Hours later he wearily rubbed his eyes and balefully stared at the reports scattered across the table. If Brock had had any idea— Well, it was pointless to speculate on what Brock would have done, but at least Rebecca’s motives for seeking him out were much clearer. Jake knew that he was the only one who could fully understand what Brock had been doing with the company, where he had been guiding it and what he had hoped to accomplish.
Someone was working diligently to destroy the company. If he could find out who, he would probably know why. Or vice versa.
Despite all his reservations, he was intrigued enough to consider returning to Seattle to do some investigating. Not on a permanent basis, of course. Just long enough to physically inspect what the documents were reporting. Costs were rising, production was falling off, unexplained accidents were happening with alarming frequency, and nobody seemed to have any answers to offer to the new owner of the company.
Mysterious Mountain Man Page 5
