by Donna Alward
She kept shooting as long as the bear was in view, but once it disappeared into the tall grass and trees again, she lowered the camera.
Her eyes shone at him, hitting him square in the gut. So blue, a luminescent shade that reminded him of the aquamarine earrings his mother wore. Her excited energy filled the air around him, making him far more aware of her than he was comfortable with.
“Did you see that? He turned around and looked right at the camera. I got some amazing shots! I can’t wait to get back and look at them.”
“It was incredible. You’re incredible.”
The words were out before he could think better of them. Her cheeks flared as she blushed and her lips dropped open a little. He found himself staring at them, wondering how they’d taste. Thankfully, the moment passed and he distracted himself by slipping the pack off his back and reaching for the water bottle. “You should have a drink before we head back. I’m assuming that we’re not going farther, considering that there are bears in the area.”
With perfect timing, they heard an approaching group courtesy of the “bear bells” they carried, the tinkling echoing thinly through the trees.
“Thanks,” she said, taking the bottle from his hand. She kept her eyes from meeting his as she took the bottle, but she took a healthy drink and recapped it. “There’s another bottle in there if you want some.”
“I’m fine.” He was still unsettled by the moment they’d shared. Sure, he’d been attracted to her at the wedding. But now...she was off-limits. Besides, Harper was the most dangerous kind of woman—one who could sneak past his defenses. She was extraordinary in a most understated, natural way, and if he wasn’t careful he’d end up taking a wrong step.
They were quieter on the walk back, a new tension between them that hadn’t been there before. Perhaps this hadn’t been the greatest idea, even if he had enjoyed the few hours and watching her in action.
Tourists clogged the trail now, too, chatting and snapping pictures while posing in front of trees or the bridge, with the view up the canyon. The sheep from earlier was nowhere to be found, but they discovered several more on their way back to the parking lot, just as Harper had warned. As fun as it all seemed, Drew was glad that they’d gone as early as they had and avoided all the crowds.
She laughed as they neared her car, and he guessed it was because of the look on his face. “You were right,” he said, giving a small smile. “This place gets crazy, doesn’t it?”
She nodded as she took the camera from around her neck and popped the tailgate. “This place and Johnston Canyon are really popular, but at least here the trail’s a little wider. I really was planning a shorter outing today because I have a bunch of editing to do the rest of the day. But later, maybe early next week, I’m going to head up to Healy Pass and make a whole day of it. It’s about sixteen kilometers or so round-trip.”
But she didn’t invite him along, and he didn’t ask. First of all, he probably wouldn’t be here next week. And second, it wouldn’t do to spend too much time with her. Before he knew it he’d lose his perspective and start something he had no right to start. It was better if they went their separate ways.
He got in the car and put on his seat belt. Instead of going back the way they came, Harper drove around the other side of the “loop,” coming out by the pond and picnic area where a few cars of tourists stopped and took pictures of the elk wandering nearby.
“It wouldn’t be Banff without elk being everywhere,” Harper said, smiling a bit. “You never know where they’re going to pop up, either in town or in the fields or roadsides.”
“It’s like they’re part of the scenery,” Drew said. “Tell me, do you like tourist season? The town seems awfully crowded.”
“It’s a resort town, so that’s what’s expected. But you know, there are places around town that aren’t part of the bus tour stops and day trips. There are a few places that are more popular with townies than tourists. And honestly, I mingle with some of the other business owners near the studio. I have my assistant, Juny, who’s young and energetic and fun. I have Adele, and now Dan. So no, I don’t mind tourist season. It’s what keeps me in business, and the studio and shop do better business in the summer.” She turned back onto the highway and looked over at him. “Pictures like today? This canyon is a recognizable landmark. If any are worth blowing up, I’ll showcase them and sell them to tourists who want to take home a little reminder of where they were.”
“And the other shots?”
She grinned. “If any of those bear shots are worthy, I’ll mat and frame a couple.”
“Like your mama and cubs.”
“Which still hasn’t sold, but it’s good enough I’m not going to give it away.”
Good, he thought. As a businessman, he often saw people charging too little for their goods rather than commanding a price that was proportionate with the quality.
She dropped him back off at the Cascade, pulling up beneath the overhang at the lobby doors. “What’s on the agenda for the rest of your day?” she asked.
“Heading into town to look into a few businesses.” He deliberately kept his wording vague. Other than Dan, no one knew he was looking at a major acquisition, and that was how he wanted it. “I’m going to spend a few days doing that, actually. Maybe there won’t be room for another outfitter here, you know?”
“And then?”
He shrugged, his hand on the door handle. “I don’t know. There are lots of places in British Columbia I can consider. And northern Alberta...lots of good fishing up there.”
He couldn’t read her expression, but she didn’t look overly impressed. “What’s wrong?”
“Is it all about moving around for you?”
“Why not? I’m young and have all kinds of energy for this sort of thing. I love traveling and moving around. And man, the challenge in setting up a new store is really exciting.”
“But what about when that stops? When is it enough, and what will you do then?”
It was an odd question, he thought. And it seemed there was something more behind it than plain curiosity.
The words to tell her how successful he was were on the tip of his tongue, but he held back. If he were honest with himself, he felt more like his pre-millionaire self when he was with her. No expectations or trappings of success. An easy hike in the mountains. Jeans and T-shirts and a little dust on his boots. Hell, he hadn’t looked at his cell phone since last night, and that was nearly unheard of.
So he kept the words back and shrugged.
“I haven’t thought that far ahead. I like my life. I like the challenge and the variety and the ability to move around. I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.”
“I see.”
“You don’t sound convinced.”
They were idling in the passenger drop-off, but it wasn’t overly busy at the moment so he waited for her answer, removing his hand from the door handle and placing it back into his lap. The last thing Drew ever wanted was to feel trapped in one spot. Drew loved his parents, and they’d provided a good, loving home for their children. But sacrifices had been made and resentments had taken root because of it. His dad in particular had sacrificed his dream job for his family, and seeing the defeated look in his father’s eyes had stuck with Drew all these years.
Harper sighed. “It’s a personal thing for me is all. Travel is one thing, and I get that. Who doesn’t love a vacation, going new places and seeing new things? But moving around all the time, that rootless kind of existence? I did that for most of my young life, and it was hard. Really hard. I like having some stability now, is all. But that’s my life, not yours.” She smiled encouragingly. “Of course you should live yours how you want.”
“As should you,” he replied. “I guess we’re not much alike, are we?”
Her gaze touched his, and that spark sizzled between them again. “No
, I guess we’re kind of opposite in a lot of ways.”
“Except we like the outdoors.”
“Except that.”
“And the fact that we both love Adele and Dan a lot.”
Her eyes warmed. “That, too.”
And with that he knew he had to leave. Harper had complication written all over her and as much as he was enjoying this...interlude, he knew it wouldn’t last. “I’d better let you get out of here before the next tour bus lands. Thanks for taking me with you, Harper.”
“You’re welcome.”
He got out and shut the door, then lifted a hand as she drove away.
He couldn’t let himself think about her or why she’d been bounced from place to place, or how her eyes darkened to nearly sapphire when awareness flickered between them.
He was here for three or four days, tops. Surely he could avoid her for that long, couldn’t he?
CHAPTER FIVE
HARPER SAT AT the computer and went over the photos from the morning. There were two that she particularly liked: one of the whisky jack sitting on a spruce branch, and one of the shots of the grizzly looking right at the camera. That had been a lucky, lucky thing and would take only a little editing to make it sing.
Then there were the ones of Drew and the bighorn sheep. She paused over those, unable to suppress a smile as she looked at the one where he’d turned and spoken to the animal, their eyes locked on each other. Then there was another where he was laughing about something and it made her heart give a strange thump. It was unfair he had to be so damned handsome and charming.
He’d been a good sport, too; patient and quiet when he needed to be. And he’d minimized her embarrassment when the nausea had gotten the best of her and she’d been sick.
He was a good guy; she knew that. But that was where it ended. It wasn’t just the awkwardness of the situation. It was his whole lifestyle, traveling for work and opening new stores and not being rooted in one place. Nowhere was really...home. That kind of nomadic existence simply wasn’t for her.
Home was the one thing she’d always wanted. Not that hers hadn’t been full of love; it had. She couldn’t have asked for better parents. But the nature of her dad’s job had been one of moving from base to base, or being alone with her mom while he was deployed. It had been hard to put down roots, and instead of roots Drew had wandering feet.
Good to look at. Even talk to. Not boyfriend material. In March she hadn’t been looking for a fling. She rested her hand on her still-flat stomach. She certainly wasn’t looking for one now, either.
Juny came into the back room to grab her water bottle and did a double take at Drew’s picture on the screen. “Oh my gosh. Who is that?”
“Dan’s brother, Drew. Remember? From the wedding?” Juny had helped her go through the photos, and together they’d chosen the best ones for a portfolio for Dan and Adele.
“Sure, but he was all done up in a tux then, and his hair was shorter. He’s hot.”
“I didn’t think that hot guys were on your radar.” She grinned up at Juny, waggling her eyebrows. Juny’s girlfriend, Renée, had just moved in with her in an apartment in Canmore.
“Depends on the radar. I can appreciate a fine form, no matter the gender. And Drew Brimicombe is a fine form. I like his outdoorsy look.”
“Me, too,” Harper replied, then realized she shouldn’t have said anything. Juny got a speculative look on her face and pulled up a chair. The bell over the door would ring if someone came into the storefront. There was no way Harper was going to be able to avoid Juny’s prying.
“Spill,” Juny commanded, and leaned forward, ready to get the goss.
“There’s nothing to spill. Like you said, I can appreciate a fine form.”
“Yeah, but he’s on your radar.”
“Not really.” Harper made sure she flipped through another few pictures. “I mean, he flirts but I’m not really interested. I’ve got other things going on.”
She hesitated after that last bit. Juny didn’t know about the baby, but Harper would have to tell her soon. Maybe in a few weeks, when the first trimester was officially over. It felt odd, keeping something that special a secret from the employee she liked so very much.
“Things like what? Wedding season?”
“Sure. It’s busy around here, or haven’t you noticed?”
Just then the bell rang, announcing a new arrival. “Saved by the bell,” Juny advised drily, arching an eyebrow.
“Yeah, yeah,” Harper replied, but she laughed a little.
* * *
The next few days were busy ones, and Harper spoke only once to Adele and not at all to Drew, not that she’d expected to. She’d had a wedding rehearsal and then wedding day, and on Sunday she’d been exhausted. Monday she had a doctor’s appointment in Calgary.
Adele went with her and Dan met them at the office. At a little over eleven weeks pregnant, she was close to being past the first trimester, and she knew everyone would feel some relief. When the doctor put the Doppler against her tummy and moved it around, she flinched a little. Dan and Adele looked so excited and expectant. If something happened and they couldn’t find a heartbeat today, they’d be so disappointed.
But it came through loud and clear. Bu-bump bu-bump galloped in her ears, much faster than a grown-up heartbeat. Adele started to cry. Dan held her hand. And Harper stared at the doctor, marveling that a little human was growing inside her.
For someone else.
It was right and she was glad of it, but something strange and new blossomed in her chest. Maybe this baby didn’t have any of her DNA, but he or she was still a part of her even if she wasn’t a part of them. She bit down on her lip and kept listening to the rhythmic sound of that tiny beating heart. She didn’t want it to stop.
Dan took out his phone and hit the record button. “Today we get to hear our baby’s heartbeat!” Excitement rang through his voice as he angled the camera at Adele’s beaming face and then over at Harper, who felt a little self-conscious with her belly exposed.
But she smiled anyway, unable to resist the joy in the room. The tears on her best friend’s cheeks told her what she needed to know. This had absolutely been the right decision.
The doctor took away the wand and Harper suddenly felt bereft. She loved the sound of that heartbeat, a quicker version of her own. It touched her in ways she had expected and yet couldn’t possibly anticipate. Everything was suddenly so real.
In six months, she would birth this little human and put him or her in Adele’s arms.
Was it wrong that she felt the need to hold them close until then? That she should feel so...attached?
“Harper, are you all right?”
“What? Oh, of course!” She put on a bright smile. “I’m so relieved everything is going well, you know?”
The doctor nodded. “It is. Everything is right on schedule. Are you still feeling sick?”
Harper nodded. “Yes, in the mornings. But it’s nothing I can’t handle. By midmorning I seem to come around okay.”
“Okay, but if this goes on for many more weeks, come back in. We can look at some medication. Mostly we need to make sure you and the baby are getting good nutrition.”
“I will,” she promised. “And I’m eating well, I promise. I’ve been following a vegetarian prenatal diet quite closely.”
The doctor looked at all of them. “Well, you’re good for another month. You can make your next appointment at reception if you like. You’ll get booked for an ultrasound at that appointment, as well. Have you thought about having an amnio?”
Adele looked at Harper, then at Dan. “I know using my eggs was possibly a bit risky, but I’m not sure I want to take the chance on anything going wrong. I know there are risks with the amnio, too, and I...” She reached over and took Harper’s hand. “I think this whole thing is a miracle and we’
ll take the end result, even if that means special challenges.”
Dan put his hand on her shoulder in silent support.
“Well, there’s no need at the moment, and from all indications everyone seems to be doing fine. We’ll chat again at the next appointment, unless something comes up between now and then.”
The doctor paused to give Harper’s shoulder a squeeze and then left the room.
“That was pretty amazing,” Dan said, tucking his phone in his pocket.
“I know. But guys...” Harper looked up with a wry smile. “I really want to get this goop off my stomach.”
Everyone laughed, and then Dan and Adele left the room to let Harper put herself back in order.
She wiped the gel off with a tissue, but before she pulled up her yoga pants again, she put her palm against her stomach. “I heard you today, little one,” she whispered. “We’re in this together, you hear? So you stay healthy in there. We’re almost a third of the way there.”
And if the backs of her eyes stung a little, she’d blink it away and be thankful. She needed to embrace this experience and not hide from it, even though she suspected that when it was all over her heart was going to be a little bit tender.
* * *
On Tuesday, Drew showed up at her studio.
“You’re still here,” she said, her voice friendly as she greeted him in the showroom. “I wondered if you’d headed back to parts unknown.”
“Not yet. Actually, I think I’ve found a location. I spent most of the day yesterday on conference calls with my executive team. I’m meeting the property owner at three today to see if we can hammer out a deal.”
“That was fast.” She blinked and stared at him. He’d been here only a week.
“When I see something I want, I don’t waste time.”
She pondered that. Drew definitely didn’t seem like a patient kind of guy. Not necessarily reckless, exactly. But he definitely wasn’t the kind of man to sit and wait around for opportunities to come to him. Which was kind of funny, because a lot of her day-to-day existence consisted of just that. Sitting around. She’d learned patience that way, and trust. “Sometimes I think the best plans happen when you’re willing to sit in the quiet and wait for them. Like the grizzly the other day.”
