Reunion Pass: An Eternity Springs novel (21 page)

Something bulged in the front pocket. His keys. She reached into the pocket, hooked her finger through the key ring, and pulled. Some other things came along with the keys and fell to the floor—a dime, two quarters, three pennies. And something else.

“Oh.” Staring down at the object on her hardwood floor, Lori blinked.

The diamond glittered.

She recognized that ring. She’d seen it earlier that day on the left hand of the woman to whom she’d given a ride.

Holy Moses.

Did this mean what it looked like it meant? Was Chase and Lana’s engagement off? Is that why he’d looked like his favorite dog just … got lost?

Her thoughts whirling, Lori absently checked the other pockets of his jeans then tossed them into the dryer. She turned the cycle dial, punched the on button, and debated what to do. She peeked around the laundry room door into the kitchen. Chase wasn’t there. Neither was Captain. Neither was the bottle of wine and two glasses. So, probably, he hadn’t left.

Lori scooped up the ring and went looking for him. Call her crazy, but she didn’t think his current black mood was the result of a broken engagement. She’d score it as a contributing factor, but not the primary reason for his funk. This mood of his had a different vibe than one of rocky romance. She had personal experience in that particular area with this particular man, so she recognized the difference.

What had happened to turn the smiling, catch-playing man from this morning into the careless hiker who was ready to give up both his dog and his lady?

A friend would ask.
It’s friendship, not being nosy.

Yeah. Right. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

She found both of her visitors sitting on the porch swing. Chase had pulled on Devin’s T-shirt and he sat with one bare foot propped against the railing. The dog lay snuggled against the man, his golden nose resting on Chase’s thigh. Staring out at the steadily falling rain, Chase sipped his wine.

Lori lifted her own glass from the table beside the swing and debated her next move. The ring in her left fist burned like a hot coal. Once upon a time, she’d dreamed of the moment she would hold Chase Timberlake’s engagement ring in her hand. A little self-deprecating snort escaped her. She’d never quite imagined it like this.

Taking a seat beside him on the swing, she decided to ease into the subject of the ring. “Want to tell me what happened with Captain?”

For a long moment, he didn’t respond. She was searching for something else to say when he finally confessed. “I forgot about him. I left him alone on the mountain. I really can’t be trusted with him, Lori.”

Sarcasm dripped like raindrops off the roof. “I can see that he’s totally traumatized by your neglect.”

“He has no sense whatsoever. I looked for him for over an hour before I found him. It was pure dumb luck that I heard him crying. I never would have seen him on that shelf otherwise.”

“Shelf? What shelf? Did you climb to get him?”

“Not too far. About twenty feet down. Far enough that he could have been killed, though.”

What about you?

“I’m not trustworthy, Lori. He was all but paralyzed with fear of the thunderstorm. That, after I scared him by shouting. He’d have been better off with a front-row seat for fireworks in town. Seriously, Lori. You need to find another foster home for him. Hell, if that dead tree hadn’t stopped my fall, the poor little guy would still be up on that mountain.”

Because you would be at the bottom of it? What is wrong with you?
Lori stifled the urge to kick his foot off the rail.

But that wasn’t the way to treat a skittish animal, and Lori knew better than to be fooled into thinking that he was seconds away from bolting. Instead, a tender, gentle wound-cleaning effort was called for.

Keeping her tone light, she observed, “I think perhaps today isn’t the day to make that decision, considering.”

“Considering what?”

She extended her hand toward him and opened her fist, revealing the engagement ring. “This fell out of your pocket.”

“Oh.” He left the ring lying in her hand, his manner one of total disinterest. “I forgot I had that.”

Oh, wow. Lori honestly felt sorry for Lana. “That’s a pretty expensive item to forget.”

He shrugged, and judging by his wince, that had tugged at his stitches. “I forgot the dog today, too. That’s worse, don’t you think?”

What she thought was that something pretty terrible must be occupying his thoughts for him to have forgotten so much.

“I don’t have a use for the ring. Do you think one of the charities in town would take it as a donation?”

Lori was grateful for the shift in topic. After a moment’s consideration, she visualized her refrigerator door where a dog’s-paw magnet held an invitation in place. “Actually, I do. The Rocking L summer camp fund-raising gala is this weekend up at Eagle’s Way. The ring would be a great addition to the silent auction if it wouldn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“Why would it make me uncomfortable?”

“It’s a recognizable ring.”

He gave the swing an easy push. “Good. Maybe it will bring in more money that way. That camp does good work.”

“Yes, it does.”

The Rocking L summer camp was a project of the charitable foundation established by Jack and Cat Davenport in memory of their daughter, Lauren. Each summer at the camp up on Murphy Mountain, the Rocking L played host to children aged seven to fourteen who had suffered a significant loss. They welcomed children from all across the country, from all walks of life, for four weeks of traditional summer camp activities in a place that the Davenports—like so many other locals—believed promoted healing of troubled souls.

“Can you get the ring to whoever’s in charge of the auction?”

Lori hesitated. The silent auction chairperson was none other than Ali Timberlake. “I can, but—”

“Do it. Please.”

Lori licked her lips, then nodded. In the long run, that might be easier for both Chase and Ali. “I’m sure your donation will be very much appreciated. My mom says the Davenports have quite a crowd coming in for the gala. They don’t open up Eagle’s Way to outsiders very often, so invitations are coveted.”

“Too bad Lana has already left town. An event like that is right up her alley. She could have talked up the ring and the breakup and probably boosted the amount it’ll bring by ten thousand. Maybe I’ll give her a call. She could send a video.”

Lori studied him as she would a bug. She didn’t understand this situation at all. How had it gone from wedding-gown purchase to good-bye so fast? “Jeez, Timberlake. That’s a bit cold, don’t you think?”

“You don’t know Lana. She’d enjoy it.”

“And you’d be okay having your personal business blabbered about?”

“It doesn’t matter. None of it matters.”

The hollow echo in his tone broke her heart a little. “What happened up there on the mountain today between the two of you, Chase?”

During the first minute of silence, she thought he actually might answer. During the second, she began to doubt. By the fifth minute, she’d accepted that he wouldn’t respond at all, and she allowed herself to relax. There was something infinitely pleasurable about the combination of a swaying porch swing, gentle summer rain, and a softly snoring dog lying next to you. Chase’s thoughts must have followed a similar path because as the swing’s chain settled into a rhythmic squeak, she sensed the easing of tension inside the man sitting on the other side of the dog.

They sat in companionable silence until the rain stopped falling and the western sky began to clear. “Look,” Lori said, smiling with delight. “A double rainbow over Murphy Mountain.”

A faint smile hovered on Chase’s lips. “Well, Ms. Murphy, there must be a message in that.”

“What sort of message?”

“What message would you like?”

Lori seriously considered the question, then spoke from her heart. “I don’t know. I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

Chase nodded, then lowered his feet to the ground and stood. “I think that’s my cue to head home. My jeans are in your dryer?”

“Yes.”

“Stay where you are. I’ll get them.”

Captain gave his tail a twitch, but didn’t lift his head as Chase disappeared inside. Once the screen door banged shut, Lori idly scratched him behind the ears as she took one more look at the ring in the palm of her hand.

The words “what if” drifted through her mind like a song.

She tucked the ring into her shirt pocket, lifted her wineglass in silent toast to the sunshine, and pushed with her foot to keep the porch swing moving.

The screen door hinges squeaked and Chase stepped outside wearing his jeans, his flannel shirt, and boots. Lori asked, “You found your keys?”

“I did.”

He paused at the top of the porch steps as Captain roused himself, jumped down from the swing, and plopped his butt down at Chase’s heels. The dog looked up and whimpered.

Chase looked down and sighed.

Lori stifled a smile.

Chase bent and scooped Captain up, cuddling him against his chest. “Ow,” he muttered as the puppy nuzzled the wound on his side.

“Keep the wound clean and dry,” Lori said, running her tongue around the inside of her cheek. “Change the bandage tomorrow. I’m sure your mom has a first-aid kit at the yurt.”

“Yeah.” Chase gave another long sigh, then stepped down the porch steps. When he was halfway down the front walk, he paused and glanced over his shoulder. “Thank you, Lori.”

“For what?”

“I enjoyed our conversation.”

“We didn’t do much talking.”

“Wasn’t it great?”

Chase disappeared up Fifth Street. Lori raised her gaze to the west where a glorious explosion of crimson and gold marked God’s signature across the masterpiece called Earth.

Then she shifted her focus to the east—and the promise of tomorrow.

Chapter Twelve

Mac Timberlake’s Porsche 911 topped the summit of Sinner’s Prayer Pass and began weaving its way down the hairpin curves toward Eternity Springs and home. He’d spent two nights at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs while attending an Alternative Dispute Resolution conference in an effort to improve his mediation skills. As Eternity Springs’s only resident lawyer, he was often called upon to assist in the settlement of disputes, thus avoiding the expense of going to court. The trip had been planned for months, and originally, Ali had intended to go with him for a pampering at the five-star resort. Chase’s situation had changed all of that.

Mac downshifted and gunned the gas.

The stress of the past six weeks had been brutal, and he’d enjoyed getting away for a couple of days. He regretted that Ali had chosen not to come along. She needed a getaway as much, if not more, than he had, but she was in full Mother Bear mode. She believed that as long as Chase remained holed up at the yurt, one of them needed to remain close by at all times. Mac understood the sentiment, and if he harbored the tiniest bit of resentment about her unwavering focus on their son, well, he’d get over it.

He was worried about Chase, too. The boy had something more going on than grief for the loss of his friends and the breakup with his fiancée.

Chase wouldn’t meet Mac’s gaze.

Mac knew Ali hadn’t noticed, because she would darn well have said something about it. Mac himself was in a quandary about what, if anything, he should do. Was he being an enabler by giving Chase a place to hide away from the world, giving him time and space to come to terms with whatever troubled him so much? Mac simply didn’t know.

He reached the spot where the road widened with an exit to a scenic overlook with a view of Hummingbird Lake and the town beyond. Without making a conscious decision, Mac pulled his car into the overlook. He put the Porsche in park and exited the driver’s seat.

His home … his heart … was straight across the valley. His family was in crisis. Chase had been home almost a month now. What should he do? How did he make things right?

When Chase was missing, Mac had a mission with a certain goal. Find his son. Now, it was a different situation altogether.

Ali’s father used to say that growing old was not for sissies. Mac would add that parenting adult children in this day and age required an extra set of balls.

Mac and Ali had been typical “involved” parents, though due to his heavy workload that was allied with his position at his father-in-law’s law firm, she had been more involved than he. He’d coached Little League baseball a time or two. She’d been active in PTO at the children’s schools. But they both had made a conscious effort to encourage independence in all of their children. They hadn’t wanted to raise “snowflakes,” and for the most part, they’d succeeded. If Mac thought the cell phone kept Caitlin tethered a little too tightly to her mother, well, he didn’t think anyone would ever use the words “helicopter parent” to describe his wife.

And nobody would ever call Chase a snowflake.

From the very beginning, he had taken independence to a totally new level. Always, the boy had itched to go and do. Never still, constantly trying new things, turning everyday events into adventures. Mac would never forget Chase’s eighth birthday when he decided he wanted to explore the city of Denver. By city bus. The entire family had spent the whole day seeing the city in a brand-new way. The experience had been both educational and exhausting.

That’s how life as Chase’s parents had rolled.

Now, more than twenty years later, Mac struggled with the parent/child relationship like never before. Yes, Chase was an adult. It was his life to live, his choices his to make. However, some choices were different from others. His decision to continue working as a river guide after college graduation hadn’t made Mac happy, but in the big scheme of things, Mac’s opinion didn’t matter. His choice to marry Lana—and then, not to marry her—did have a direct influence on the family, but most families had growing pains of one type or another. The Timberlakes would adjust to new additions. Some adjustments might take longer than others, but the family would deal.

Chase’s choice to go to Chizickstan was another thing altogether. That decision had come close to destroying the Timberlake family. It had been hard enough dealing with Chase’s disappearance himself, but watching Stephen and Caitlin go through that misery had been a bitch. Seeing the pain that Chase’s decisions had caused Alison damned near killed Mac. Had Chase vanished without a trace, Mac knew without a doubt that the family never would have recovered.