Love's Sporting Chance: Volume 1: 6 Romantic sporting novellas

by Janice Thompson

  You think you know me better, but you don’t. Not anymore. How can you, when I don’t even recognize myself?

  “Look, Keats, what do you say we go up to the cabin this weekend? Get it fixed up. Maybe do a little fishing.”

  “No.”

  “It’s in rough shape.”

  “And you know this how?”

  “I go by every once in awhile just to keep an eye on things. Been a hard winter. If we don’t repair the roof, it won’t last long,” Tom said.

  “Not your problem.”

  “I get that, Bro, but if you’re never going to use it, why not sell it?”

  “I can’t.”

  “I’m not talking get rid of it all together. Let me buy it from you. That way it’d stay in the family.”

  “No.”

  “Okay, then, how about coming out with Trish and me? She’s got a friend we want you to meet.”

  Keaton glowered at his friend, but Tom shrugged and smiled. “I’m never giving up. You are not staying in this apartment all weekend, even if I have to knock you out and kidnap you. It’s spring, and the weather’s supposed to be great. Besides, I promised my sister I’d look out for you.”

  “Leave Jess out of this.”

  “She’s been gone nearly three years.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter. I don’t need a pity blind date. And I sure don’t need a calendar!”

  “Well, excuse me for caring.”

  Keaton crushed his empty yogurt container in his fist just as someone hammered on the door. He flung the trash in the garbage, strode past his brother-in-law, and yanked open the door.

  “Hey, Keats. Hey, Tom. I’m not interrupting, am I?”

  Keaton glared into the grinning face of his best friend, Garrett. “No. Come on in if you feel you must.”

  “Thanks, I think. You sound like a bear just coming out of hibernation.”

  “Worse,” Tom joked.

  “Just checking to see if you might’ve changed your mind about coming with us,” Garrett said.

  What is it with everyone lately? Why can’t they just leave me alone? “I told you I wasn’t interested.”

  “Yeah, he’s coming with me up to the cabin and we’re going hiking with Trish and a friend,” Tom said.

  “In your dreams.”

  “We’re going, even if it kills you or me. You’ve lost your edge, Keats, so I’m betting I come out of this the winner… as usual.” Tom tossed his empty carton into the trash. “Two points.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Garrett said. “But I wish you’d change your mind, Buddy. We could really use you. We’re in a tight spot, but I get it.”

  Tom or Garrett? No way I can win this one. “Okay.” As soon as the word was out, he wanted to run in the bathroom, lock the door, and hurl. Instead he clenched his fists and nodded. He could do this. He had to, if only to get Tom, his friend-of-a-friend dates, and the cabin, off his back.

  “Okay what?” The gasping fish-out-of-water expression on Garret’s face was almost worth the cave. Almost.

  “I’ll go.”

  Garrett’s hiking boots clomped across the floor as he strode over and clapped him on the back. Keaton narrowed his eyes as a glance passed between his two friends. Set up! He’d been in on enough of them to know the signal. He shook his head. What did it matter? He’d go do his bit with Garrett and Bonnie, no big deal. Then maybe they’d leave him alone for awhile. I can only hope!

  “Fantastic!” Garrett’s voice buzzed in his ears like a bee worrying a flower. “We head out tomorrow, seven A.M. sharp. I can pick you up, or you can meet us at the western trail head for the Navigator Range.”

  “I’ll meet you there.” No way would he go without his truck and be at the mercy of anyone else’s time schedule. He loved Garrett like a brother, but the guy didn’t always get the meaning of personal space.

  “Oh, yeah, minimalist packing on this one.”

  Tom snorted at Garrett’s comment and swept his arm out toward the bare ecru wall a la Vannah White. “No prob there. All you’ve got is camera stuff and yogurt, period. Come on, Keats, the least you could do is put up a couple of your photos. Then maybe people wouldn’t take you for a total hermit.”

  “I like it this way.” Keaton grinned in spite of his annoyance. “Besides, I am a total hermit.”

  “Not anymore,” Garrett said.

  What did I agree to do? “What do you mean?” A tidal wave of suspicion swallowed up Keaton’s flash of humor. He glanced from one friend to the other.

  Tom shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I’ve never been on one of these peak races; that’s strictly Garrett’s territory.”

  Keaton pierced Garrett with a sharp stare.

  “You’re gonna love it, Buddy. Trust me. It’s just two teams going all out in a head-to-head race to claim the designated peak. We won’t know the exact route or the ultimate destination until we get to the trail head.” He held out his hands palms up. It was Garrett’s tell when he wasn’t giving you the whole story.

  “So what are you not telling me? Spill it.”

  Garrett smiled. “Nothing. I’m just thinking you could use a little brush up on your people skills there, Hermit; and with Bonnie around, she’ll help sand off the rough edges before we make our first night’s camp.”

  “Great.”

  “Speaking of Bonnie, I’ve gotta go pick her up from the grocery store so we can get to work bagging jerky and polenta and all those other goodies. See you at seven sharp tomorrow.” Garrett walked to the door but turned before he put his hand on the knob. “Don’t forget, Keats. No camera lenses and all that stuff. We’re going light and fast. First team to the peak wins.”

  Light and fast, no worries. With any luck, I’ll be up that mountain and back here before I know I’m gone.

  Chapter 2

  Darby got out of her car and wrapped her hands around her second cup of high-priced, high-octane morning coffee. Fog sat on the pond behind the house, and a chilly breeze cut through her polar fleece. She should be in bed right now, sleeping in on the first free Saturday she’d had in years.

  Her cousin, Bonnie, rushed over and gave her a quick hug, ignoring Darby’s protective grip on her coffee fix. “Just like the old days! This is gonna be so much fun.”

  Bonnie’s husband, Garrett, waved a hand but barely paused in loading gear into the SUV.

  “I don’t know about that.” Darby took a sip of coffee. “I’m already having second thoughts.” She’d used this trip as her “other offer,” letting Haskel believe it was a legitimate job waiting for her so he agreed to just one week’s notice.

  “You can’t.” Bonnie pulled a mock frown. “Seriously? You’re gonna love it.”

  “Maybe, but with all that’s going on in my life right now, I’m pretty sure I’m not fit company to be around.” Darby took another swallow of the dark rich coffee but it had cooled to bitter sludge in the hour since she’d left the city. “And don’t take this the wrong way, Bonnie, but I’m not sure I can handle seeing the perfect couple every day. It’ll only remind me of Haskel and what we used to have. Besides, I haven’t been hiking in awhile.”

  Bonnie grinned and her blond brows rose into arched peaks. “Is that all? Forget about what’s-his-name; he’s definitely not worth it. As for the rest, sorry we’re so perfect, but we can’t help it!” She laughed.

  Darby squelched a little spurt of annoyance at the newlyweds’ bliss.

  “I think this is exactly what you need to get your mind off… well, everything. You don’t have to worry about being tied down to work and that slave driver any more.”

  Darby groaned. “Yeah, right. I only have to worry about finding a new job.”

  “Like I said, this’ll be great. Think of it as a little getaway to clear your head and get some perspective on where you want to go in life.”

  Go? How about home? Pull the blinds in her apartment, get into her pajamas, loaf in bed with ice cream and chips, and binge-watch old movies for the next week
or so. And then? Who cares? Darby nodded politely to mask her mental mutiny.

  Garrett hustled over and gave her a quick hug. “Let’s get your gear and hit the road.”

  She opened up the trunk and he hesitated. “Which one we taking?”

  “All of them.”

  Garrett’s wide eyes and open mouth said it all.

  Darby laughed. “This is the last five years of my life, G. It’s not much, but I oughta have something to show for working my life away at Roth Sports.”

  “Agreed, but you didn’t need to bring the entire inventory for the past five years with you.”

  “Garrett…”

  Garrett shrugged and gave his wife a sheepish grin coupled with what Bonnie referred to as his “puppy dog eye” look. “Sorry.” Cute. No wonder her cousin had fallen for this guy.

  Darby shook her head. “No, you’re right, but in my own defense I wasn’t sure what you guys had and what we’d need. We don’t have to take it all, but we can use whatever you want. I’ve got some cool state-of-the-art gear here, light and compact.”

  Garrett’s eyes flicked over the contents of the trunk. “I like the sound of that, but where abouts is it? Can you narrow down your light and compact to one backpack and do it in five minutes, maybe?” He glanced at his watch.

  Bonnie put her hand over the watch face and an intimate smile flashed between them. “Sure she can. Just put it in the back of the SUV, and Darby and I’ll repack on the way to the trailhead.”

  “Good deal.” Garrett picked up the internal frame pack in one hand and a day pack in the other. Bonnie leaned in and tugged out the loaded duffle. “These packs look brand new.” She passed the heavy bag off to her husband.

  Darby shrugged. “Actually most of the stuff inside is, too. I was always working so much I never got a chance to use it.”

  “That’ll all change now.” Bonnie linked her arm with Darby’s and towed her toward the loaded vehicle. “Remember when we camped out as kids? My brother constantly teased us.”

  “Yeah, he accused us of having chronic over-packing disorder. But in our defense we had cool outfits for every camping and hiking occasion. Pictures don’t lie.” Darby smiled at the thought. Maybe coming out with Garrett and Bonnie would be just what she needed to rediscover herself.

  “Back in the day, we were the fashion hikers on every trail.” Bonnie sighed and squeezed Darby’s arm before she let go. “Garrett has kinda put the kibosh on that. I love the guy, but he’s such a jock when it comes to fashion.”

  Garrett claimed the duffle, stuffed it into the cargo hold, and slammed the gate. “Ready to go, girls? We’re burning daylight.”

  Darby squinted over the pond at the barely risen sun.

  “See what I mean?” Bonnie whispered and winked. “Okay, Hon. We’ll get in the backseat and pack while you drive.”

  As Garrett drove, Darby opened her bags and hauled out pairs of silk long underwear, merino wool socks of every style and height, wind fleece tops, wind pants, waterproof breathable shells, and enough fleece to clothe an army. Soon the space between them, and part of the back cargo area, was filled with nearly every product Roth Sports carried and some that had been discontinued. Maybe Garrett had a point. Some of the gear was in original packages; most was brand new, never used. When did I become a fashionista and stop being a person?

  Darby’s cheeks grew warm, whether from the smother of fleece or her depressing thoughts, she definitely didn’t want to examine the cause too closely. “Wow! I’m a little embarrassed by all this. I guess G was right.”

  Bonnie laughed. “It’s great. I wish we were back at the house so we could try on all this stuff and have a fashion show like we used to do. I’m so glad you agreed to come with us. I’ve missed you, Darby.”

  “I live practically right next door. Only an hour away.”

  “I know, but with all your work we never get together anymore. Now that’s all gonna change.”

  “We’ll see.” Darby stuffed one more nylon polyprop spandex shirt into the top of her pack. She zipped it tight, then turned in the seat and pulled the pink anorak onto her lap. This she had ordered for herself in defiance of Roth Sports. She would wear it every day as a reminder of who she was.

  Bonnie reached over and touched the bright array of lizards on the sleeve. “I love this.”

  “Thank you!” At last a little vindication, even if it was from her lifetime best friend. Darby shook her head. She hadn’t realized how much she missed Bonnie; how much she needed this time with her cousin, but had she been a drop out in their friendship for too long? Bonnie had Garrett now and, in her experience, a guy in the mix always changed things. “After this trek you may wish I’d never come. I have a feeling I’m going to be the weak link on your team.”

  “Are you kidding me? This is one of those sporting challenges where you only need to be motivated and, Girl, you are one of the most motivated people I know. When you set your mind to something — boom! — it’s done.”

  The tires rumbled as the SUV hit the rutted gravel road. Darby looked out the window at the tall firs framing a row of peaks ahead. Snow glittered in the ravines and on the tops of the highest mountains in the range. “Maybe, but you and Garrett hike all the time. You’re in great shape.”

  Bonnie patted her arm. “Don’t worry. You’re not going to hold us back. Besides, I’m sure Garrett’s friend will give you a hand if you need it. He’s amazing.”

  “Garrett’s friend?” Alarm bells went off in Darby’s head. Garrett and Bonnie were family, but no way did she want to be hanging out with strangers right now. “Why am I hearing about this for the first time now?”

  Her cousin wrinkled her nose and grimaced, but on her pixie face, with her pink cheeks, it looked more like those times as a kid when she was about to explode into laughter. “Oh, sorry. I thought I explained it to you. We need to have two guys and two girls on each team — that’s the rules.”

  Garrett turned slightly in the driver’s seat to join in the conversation. “Our usual teammates, Geoff and Carol, are having a baby, so they used that as an excuse not to hike. Go figure.”

  Bonnie rolled her eyes and patted her husband on the shoulder. “He’s so sensitive sometimes it melts your heart, doesn’t it? But seriously, Carol had to go on bed rest last week. She’s doing much better now, but keep her in your prayers.”

  “Our alternate go-to, Lisa, couldn’t make it either. She broke her leg skydiving,” Garrett said as he downshifted and turned onto a narrower dirt track.

  “So let me get this straight. I’m not exactly your first choice, and I have to live up to a pregnant wife and a skydiver?”

  Garrett laughed. “Something like that.”

  “He’s such a charmer. You’ll be fine,” Bonnie said. “How much farther?”

  Darby listened with half an ear to Garrett’s answer. Instead, she watched the couple— Garrett’s eyes in the rearview mirror meeting Bonnie’s gaze; the slight flush rising in her cousin’s cheeks; Bonnie’s hand resting on her husband’s shoulder; his fingers reaching back to cover hers. And all the while they spoke to each other, at turns teasing, joking, just talking, best friends, obviously more in love today than they were on their wedding day.

  Darby closed her eyes and drifted back to that day last October. The small wedding party had biked up the side of some old extinct volcano. Bonnie and Garrett had gotten married with the Pacific Ocean below and tropical breezes wrapped around them. It had been a magical moment but, looking back, it was all bittersweet for Darby. She’d been so happy for them, blessed to be Bonnie’s Maid of Honor, dreamy eyed as she caught the bridal bouquet.

  But Hawaii wasn’t reality, and catching flowers was as easy and depressing as catching a cold. Darby’s plus-one hadn’t made it. Haskel canceled last minute and stayed behind to put out some sort of fire at the business. She should’ve been more concerned but, at the time, she thought him so sweet not to bother her with the details, insisting she make the trip solo and
have a wonderful time — a “well deserved mini-vacation,” he’d called it.

  Five days later Darby returned to the city and an early snowfall, but more than the weather had changed. Haskel had found someone new: a fellow business owner who shared his passion for the outdoors… and merchandizing, it seemed.

  Darby had met Felicia Jamison only a handful of times when she came into the store, hanging on Haskel’s arm and monopolizing his attention. Mostly Felicia was always out on the road with Haskel on buying trips, or networking, or whatever name they decided to call it.

  The truth stung, even now. Haskel referred to the situation as a trial period to see if the time was right to merge Roth Sports with Outdoor Expeditions so together they could tie up a larger percentage of the sporting goods market. It was a merger, all right, and not just business. Haskel had obviously been seeing Felicia for awhile before Darby left for Bonnie’s wedding. Looking back she could see the signs: no more power walks in the park, no more “business” lunches where they’d linger in the back booth and hold hands and make plans. He’d become too busy to come over to her place on Sundays.

  She always wondered what might’ve happened if she hadn’t gone to Hawaii without him. Could she have stopped Felicia from moving in on her guy? Would she have gotten the diamond Haskel threatened to put on her finger to cement their personal and professional relationship?

  “Hey, Darby.” Bonnie tapped her arm.

  Darby looked out the window of the stopped car. They sat in a parking area. The brown sign with white letters proclaimed: “Navigator Range Western Trail Head.”

  Garrett was already getting out of the vehicle. He stretched and inhaled. The cool air seeped by him into the warm interior. “Here we are, and look who’s ready and waiting.”

  Bonnie grinned. “Of course.”

  Darby shook off the melancholy memories, pulled on the new anorak, and focused on the new surroundings. She needed to put the past behind her now. Bonnie was right; this was her time to look ahead and start a new chapter in her life.

  ~

  “Hey, Buddy!” Garrett was out of the SUV and over to his truck in a flash. Keaton straightened from leaning against the pickup in time for Garrett to put one arm around him and pound him on the back. “Glad you could make it.”