by Jeulia Hesse
Chapter 16
Much later, after they had said their goodbyes and thanks for Claire’s helpful visit and connection, Kevin found Christina in the office. The dog gave absolutely no warning of his approach; and instead, lazily wagged his tail when Kevin appeared in the doorway.
Kevin took her in for a moment, taking advantage of the time before she noticed his presence. It seemed so natural to have her sitting at the small desk as her eyes took in the information on her computer screen. He smiled at the furrow in her brow as she seriously studied what appeared to be a spreadsheet on her computer. She had always been a studious and contemplative individual when she was young, so it was nice to see that hadn’t changed.
He was concerned about the sketches he had seen earlier in the dining room. They depicted the creations of the development in the pristine woods that he worked so hard to protect and preserve.
He had such an aversion to the development of wild land that it made his stomach roil. The ski condos at Haystack Mountain and further north exemplified his hatred. They housed a few hundred luxury seasonal residents. And therewithin was the issue; they were largely unoccupied. Their development had razed several acres of natural forest and disrupted the ecological landscape, and yet they didn’t even fulfill their purpose. Instead, they’d only created an ugly scar of building along what used to be a scenic ridge.
Kevin wasn’t opposed to the overall concepts of development and housing but felt that corporations should do so responsibly and where there was need. Destroying the overall nature as past developers had done was a major mistake. Selling a bill of goods and building expensive subpar buildings that created vacancies – and eventually rundown buildings – marred the landscape.
Honestly, this kind of development hadn’t happened that much in the state, due to the regulations that took developers through their environmental and economic impact. A most recent memory was the debacle with the ski resort developer up north, who defrauded his partners and the investors with poorly constructed real estate that was nothing like the buildings he’d promised. He’d left the state and the courts to settle things while the buildings lay empty and decaying in what was pristine wilderness.
Kevin also knew that even though the landscape would be marred, there was something of an economic boom to the local area if more people would be brought into town. Restaurants and shops did well during the season, which then carried them through from foliage to springtime. Some of the region’s ski resort developers had also built resort restaurants and shops, creating no need for the visitors to go into town for their dining or shopping needs. The interdependencies of business for the well-being of the local economy were vital to the survival of the small town. He saw the impact of tourism firsthand. He loved the local area and intended to remain there, making it his lifelong home, so its survival was important to him.
The hope was that the development and the economy could be in balance, so one did not damage the other. Kevin fostered the hope that Christina would see this issue from his perspective. The inn had a chance to be successful by capitalizing on the natural environment it sat in the middle of, as Claire had suggested. It would take a lot of work and some investment, but it was possible and likely to be a success. It would be easy, he knew, to sell the land she had no connection for development, but he hoped she wouldn’t do it.
Claire had mentioned to him that she was extremely interested in the property, should Christina decide to sell. That had surprised him a little. He had forgotten that Claire was related to the Stone family. He wondered what that relationship had been like, as she seemed overtly intent on the overall plans.
He glanced at the proposal sum when the papers fell on the floor in the dining room. It was a tantalizing figure. Christina could cash it in and leave, never looking back.
Kevin realized that the decision was not his. He hoped that Christina would make the right choice, not only for what would be right for her and the business of the inn, but for the town and for conservation. His stomach roiled as he realized he couldn’t push her in either direction. If he pushed, or encouraged her at all, it would drive her away. It was the last thing he wanted.
She was so close. She had come to him the other day, and he had been ecstatic to have found her in his bedroom. He was overjoyed when they made love, and he knew as soon as she came to her senses, she would overthink the situation and pull away. So he had withdrawn instead, and it had nearly killed him to do so. In that moment, he had what he wanted most, but he had let it go. He had spent the last few days on the trail, doing the hard labor of repairs just to give her space. He hoped he could prevent himself from screwing things up between them by showing her his true feelings.
But now he realized that the situation was changing. He felt that she was about to make a serious mistake. He would need to balance the need to protect the pristine forest and the driving need to have her back. He would have to convince her to see it his way.
His heart thudded in his chest as she noticed him at the door. She glanced up at him with a friendly smile on her face. All he ever wanted was feet away. He wasn’t sure he could live through losing her again, even if it meant marring the wilderness he loved. He swallowed, his voice catching in his dry throat, and said, “Do you have time to go for a walk or a ride?”
She continued smiling at him, from the distracted look on her face he imagined her mind whirling with ideas and thoughts on the discussions from the morning. “Actually, I think that would be nice. I’d like to get a fresh perspective on the layout of the land.”
An idea occurred to him. It was a glimmer at first, and then it became a full-fledged solid idea. It may just be what he needed to show her his perspective. And there was still enough daylight left for his plan.
“I have just the thing, if you can spare me the rest of the afternoon.”
Speculatively, she nodded. “I hope you aren’t suggesting a hard press hike through the woods.”
He reached out and took her hand. “Come on, let’s go. I actually have a plane – but don’t get too excited, because I’m only a science teacher, not Christian Grey. It’s a communal plane, so I own it with a couple of college friends. It’s a four passenger Cessna.”
She hesitated. “You fly it?”
He smiled, tugging on her hand. “You’ve missed a lot since you’ve been gone. I have my pilot’s license now, so it’s perfectly safe.”
He noticed her hesitation and smiled. “Really, it’s the quickest and clearest view you can get to see your whole property. Bring a camera, or your phone if it takes good pictures. You can refer to them later.”
He smiled his most dazzling smile and said, “you know you want to.”
Chapter 17
As they arrived in his restored ’72 pickup to the tiny airstrip, Kevin appeared to be excited to demonstrate a side of himself that she had never seen. “Are you nervous?” he asked, noting she was rubbing her palms on her thighs.
“A little. I’ve never been in a small plane before,” she replied. “Kind of both nervous and excited all at once.”
She had gaped when she saw the tiny plane in the hanger, but then quickly hid her surprised expression from him as he proudly showed her around the plane. He seemed giddy to have her to himself and to be showing her the view from a few thousand feet in the air. “It’s a crystal-clear day, there’s only a little wind, so the flight should be generally smooth. We might run into some turbulence once we’re over the mountains.”
He went through his pre-flight inspection of the small engine, and all along the perimeter of the aircraft. She didn’t understand what he was doing. He saw the puzzled expression on her face. “Routine safety inspection. It’s normal procedure for any flight. Not just in this tin can.”
Kevin helped her to get into the small plane and took a seat in the cramped cockpit. Christina took in a deep breath. “Oh boy! I guess we are really doing this....” She wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs.
Kevin started the e
ngine and taxied them to the small runway. They both donned their headsets, as Kevin connected with the air tower and completed his pre-flight check list. Then they took off down the runway, rapidly gaining speed as they felt the nose of the plane lift. She took in a rapid breath. As the ground disappeared beneath their feet, her stomach fell and her brain tried to keep up with the sensations and the absolutely stunning view. “Holy cow! OMG!” she exclaimed. “It’s so beautiful!”
It was a gorgeous late spring day with all the fresh green leaves showing in contrast with the deep colors of the pines and granite of the mountain rocks as they soared overhead. Beneath them, a river sparkled in the sunlight as it meandered into the distance. Homes with mowed yards and farms with plowed fields dotted the landscape. “Can you make out where we are?” he shouted over the noise of the engine.
She studied the earth beneath them. Her nervousness seemingly taken over by the awe-inspiring beauty below. “There’s town, and the highway,” she replied, pointing below.
He banked and climbed the plane higher, causing her to grip onto the seat. He shouted again, “There, just coming into view. Got your camera ready?”
She could make out the road to the inn as it appeared through the trees, and then the building came into view. It looked stately sitting on the mountain high above the town. Kevin gestured, saying, “All this land around the building is the inn’s... so, it’s yours.”
She took in the immense space of green that surrounded the old building. It was overwhelming to realize the vastness of what she now owned and was responsible for. The plane bounced in a sudden burst of turbulence from the mountain air as Kevin again banked the plane so she could have a better view. She took advantage of their stalled position and snapped a few pictures as they coasted over the countryside.
Kevin pointed again. “Going further west and north is national forest land. That all continues through to East Arlington and to the north is the Glastonbury wilderness.”
Christina snapped more pictures. It was likely she didn’t know exactly where one ended and one began, as she was absorbing the overall expanse of her property. Kevin banked the plane again, turning back to fly over the inn and toward the east. “I think I see Gina down there!” Christina exclaimed. “It looks like she’s in the garden, could I see her from up here?”
Kevin laughed. “It could be her. You have good eyesight to make out that it was her. You can see people pretty well from up here.
Now we can see the east and north end of the property. There is a strip of national forest between your land and the mountain ski area to the north.” Kevin had apparently intended to show her the land from the sky, but his brow furrowed as they flew. She knew he really wanted her to see what he saw as they approached the developed land.
Shortly, a huge open ski area came into view. The open land was like a treeless gash on the mountain and had lifts and buildings dotting the landscape. Beyond the ski area was a large development of buildings, likely condos and a larger building that looked like a hotel. Parking lots dotted the surface beneath them.
Kevin again banked to the left, taking them closer to the mountain peak. The tiny aircraft shuddered in the winds. He glanced her way and smiled, saying, “Turbulence. It’s the mountains, so you will always get it when you get this close. But I want to show you something.”
They flew past the ski area and over a vast space of green. “See below?” he said. “That’s all national forest. It’s all protected into perpetuity. People still use the land for hiking, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, and even some camping. But it will stay as it is now and remain a resource for everyone – undeveloped.”
“I’m really not against overall progress,” he added. “These forests help the fight against climate change. They absorb the carbon from pollution and keep the air and water clean, now and into the future.”
He watched her face as she took in the vast greenness beneath them, and her expression became solemn. “I know you are trying to get me to see what you do,” she said looking at him as he flew the plane. “It’s really reassuring to see you’re still passionate about conservation. It’s nice to see that part of you hasn’t changed.” She smiled at him. It was reassuring and comforting.
They flew, not speaking for several minutes while taking in the incredible view beneath them. A large mountain loomed in front of them with its bare granite peak clearly visible. Kevin guided the plane higher, saying, “Let’s see if anyone made it up to the top this afternoon.”
Shortly, they passed the peak to the right, as a small group waved at them from the summit. Christina waved back, thrilled at the experience of being at eye level with people on top of a mountain.
“You don’t see that every day!” Kevin exclaimed, laughing loudly, and smiling at Christina’s ear to ear grin. Then he continued, “All right. time to get some work done. Keep an eye out for smoke or fire below. We can do a sweep to make sure all is well.”
“Looking for forest fires, you mean?” she asked incredulously.
He nodded. “It hasn’t been a big issue here, like in California. But there is always a chance that someone has lit a fire that got out of control. It’s happened before.”
They spent the next several minutes scanning the landscape beneath them, while Christina continued to appreciate the view. “I never expected to do this in a million years,” she said. “I’m so glad and grateful that you brought me up here. It’s thrilling!”
He smiled widely at her. She could tell that he was happy to offer her this experience. She knew that he had his own reasons to bring her to see the beauty of the land she now owned. Lands he apparently hoped that she wouldn’t choose to develop.
After a time, Kevin turned the plane, so they were heading back to the airport. “Want me to pass over your land one last time?”
She smiled at him and nodded. He held her gaze for a moment, a grin growing on his face. He reached out and squeezed her hand. “I am so glad you came.”
He quickly returned to the activity of flying the plane, concentrating on the numerous dials and buttons in front of him. She continued gazing at him after he turned away and she felt herself drawing closer to him emotionally.
She was not blind to his attraction since she had known him through his teens. This adult version of him was a captivating mix of rough outdoors and fine wine. His chiseled chin was freshly shaven after the dress-down by Claire. She detected a small nick just under the ridge of his jawbone and she resisted the urge to reach out and touch his face. His long fingers were wrapped around the yoke of the plane, and his wide shoulders brushed hers as it jostled through the air. She recalled how those muscles felt under her palms. She felt herself drawing toward him, recalling their passionate interlude a few days ago. A yearning began to grow in her belly.
He turned his head back toward her, and their eyes connected. She was watching him intently. The look in his eyes changed rapidly from surprise to sensuous intent and the air crackled in the small cabin.
A sudden jolt of turbulence dropped Christina’s stomach and Kevin turned his attention back to flying the plane. “Distracting the pilot may be a federal offence,” he joked. Then he pointed to the inn on his left. “Look there, beautiful view!”
Christina nodded and snapped some more photos with her phone, hoping they would do the spectacular view justice. The plane banked and they were again rocked with the air currents from the mountains, so she gripped the handle over her head. He turned and smiled at her; the earlier passion kindled in his eyes. She returned the smile, a promise passing between them, and she wiped her hands on her thighs as her stomach flipped. She felt her heart turn ever so slightly, creating a new tenderness toward him.
She enjoyed the feeling for a moment before pulling herself back to reality. She could not let ‘whatever this was’ with Kevin cloud her decisions or make her come back to stay. She had been given this once in a lifetime chance and she needed to make the right decision. There were a lot of opportunities for her
to consider, as well as some big mine fields for her to avoid. She needed to be clear and pay attention to what was happening in front of her.
He again banked the plane to head back to the airport. His smile wide as he turned to her, seemingly unaffected by her self-inflicted coolness. “Time to come home,” he said, prepping for a landing.
She had never realized how simple and complex flying a plane could be. The checklists and the procedures that Kevin followed to ensure their safety as the tiny tin can flew in the sky were necessary. After all, there was just a thin metallic sheet between them and the earth that was thousands of feet below. It was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. She had never expected nor thought of taking a ride in a small plane – certainly never with Kevin piloting it. He was full of surprises.
He landed the plane efficiently at the tiny airport, pulling back into the hangar they left from earlier. He secured the plane as she waited for him, thumbing through the photos she had taken from their flight. Most were good and gave her an excellent perspective of the land surrounding the inn. This would make her decision-making so much easier as she considered all the options laid before her over the past few days.
“Hungry?” he asked as he pulled the hangar door shut and secured it. “Never mind, I forgot who I was talking to. Of course you’re hungry!”
They laughed together, the light mood surrounding them. He took her hand, saying, “there is a new restaurant near here. I think we should stop by and give them a try.”
She was hungry, but that seemed to be her permanent state of being. He opened the truck door for her as she slipped inside. She liked that about him – that he had impeccable manners for someone that spent most of his time alone in the woods. You would not have known that by looking at him, especially as he steered the antique truck out of the airfield lot. He was self-assured and at ease in his own skin.
