Jake's Biggest Risk (Those Hollister Boys) (8 page)

“I love flowers, but you don’t need to bring them every time,” she said, letting him kiss her on the cheek.

“You deserve the best.” He’d never forgotten his mother’s delight whenever his father brought her a bouquet. Admittedly, that hadn’t been very often, but she’d treated them as rare treasures. Maria had loved them as well, and he was grateful he’d taken the time to get them for her.

“Well, they’re beautiful. Come in while Danny finishes getting ready.”

Brendan followed, and once they were inside where they couldn’t be overheard, cleared his throat. “I...uh, was wondering where you’d like to eat tonight. I made reservations at the Greek café in Lower Mahalaton, but it may not be the kind of food Danny enjoys.”

Hannah blinked. “We’ve eaten there, so it should be fine. But it’s nice of you to ask.”

“Uh, sure.” Yet he squirmed. The only reason he’d asked was because of Barbi’s comments. Oh, he would have said something before they got to the restaurant, but by then, Hannah might have felt she couldn’t object.

At least he’d already asked what movie Danny would like to see. Hannah had suggested they go to an old children’s flick at the Lower Mahalaton Classics Theater. Dating a mother was a new experience for Brendan. Usually he’d avoided women with kids since it made dating more complicated, but that was before he’d moved to Mahalaton Lake and met Hannah.

* * *

“D
ANNY
,
HURRY
UP
.
Brendan is here,” Hannah called.

“Awright. Coming,” he called back in a long-suffering tone.

She put the flowers in a vase and filled it with water. She hoped Brendan wouldn’t realize what Danny’s tone of voice meant. She also hoped he wouldn’t realize that she’d forgotten they were going out tonight. When she’d seen him drive into the yard she’d hurriedly changed into something suitable, telling Danny to change, as well. Luckily Barbi and Jake had kept him talking long enough for her to get moderately put together.

Life sure was different now. At sixteen she’d lived for date night, carefully dressing and doing her makeup, always ready on time so Collin wouldn’t have to wait when he arrived.

Collin
.

Her mouth turned down. It was the second time she’d thought of him in just a few hours, and it was mostly because of Jake. He seemed casual about taking risks with his life...just the same as her high school sweetheart.

Hannah jumped as Brendan put his hand on her shoulder. “Is everything all right?” he asked. “You seem a million miles away.”

“Yes, fine. Just admiring your flowers.” She smiled, feeling guilty that she’d been thinking about a man other than the one taking her to dinner. “I’ll see what’s keeping Danny.”

She found him playing a PlayStation game in his room.

“Do I hafta go?” he muttered. “Can’t I just visit Jake?”

“
No
. Jake isn’t a babysitter. Besides, Brendan planned this night for all of us. We’re seeing a movie after we eat.”

“I bet it’s something dorky.”

“It’s a film called
Charlotte’s Web
. I saw it when I was your age. Now turn the game off. Please.”

Danny sulkily did as she asked and sat silently in the backseat of the car as they drove to Lower Mahalaton. Hannah knew he didn’t like Brendan, but it wasn’t as if they were getting married. They were just dating; they hadn’t even gotten past a good-night kiss.

Unfortunately Danny’s dislike of Brendan had grown stronger since Jake Hollister’s arrival. After all, how could a lawyer compete with an adventuring photographer? And it was no help that Brendan didn’t understand small boys. Not that Jake understood them, either, but he had excitement on his side and the mysterious lure of the unknown.

But it wasn’t just his stories; Jake
was
exciting. He’d done things most people just dreamed about, and from a feminine perspective, he was the sexiest guy she’d ever met. He also had the wounded-lion thing going for him—the strong warrior, injured in battle but not defeated. She’d have to be dead not to feel a zing around him.

It wasn’t until they were at the theater that Danny cheered up, helped along by the big tub of buttered popcorn, soda and supersize candy bar that Brendan bought him.

“Gee, thanks,” he said, his eyes gleaming.

“You’re welcome. Would you like some, Hannah?”

“Uh, no, thanks, I’m still full from dinner.” She wished Brendan had talked to her before buying the treats. And fate obviously wasn’t on her side, because one of the previews of coming attractions was for the old movie
Crocodile Dundee
.

“Cool, Mommy. Can we see that?” Danny asked.

“We’ll talk about it.
Later,
” she said before Brendan could offer to take them.

Crocodile Dundee
was rollicking good fun, but she wouldn’t let Danny see it until he was older. For weeks after watching
Old Yeller
at a friend’s house, he’d jumped in and out of bed for fear a rabid animal was hiding underneath, waiting to bite his feet if he got too close. He hadn’t even wanted Badger to sleep in his room.

All at once, as if in response to her thoughts, Danny frowned. “Mommy, do crocodiles climb stairs?”

“No, they don’t,” Hannah assured, though she couldn’t be positive one way or the other. On the other hand, she was quite certain there weren’t any crocodiles in Mahalaton Lake.

Thankfully, the start of the movie kept Danny from asking anything else. She’d sat in the middle so Brendan wouldn’t be in range of spilled soda pop or chocolate fingerprints, but it was nerve-racking to sit between them. Brendan wanted to hold her hand, which was sweet but inconvenient, and Danny had trouble juggling his bucket of popcorn, candy and soda. By the time the final credits rolled on the movie, she just wanted to crawl into bed,
alone,
though Brendan had hinted often enough that he’d welcome an invitation to join her there.

She missed sex, but life was a lot more complicated with her son in the next bedroom.

* * *

J
AKE
SPENT
THE
evening reading another book on the Cascade Range. He was impressed by the private library in Huckleberry Lodge. It contained a wide array of fiction and nonfiction, including dozens of books on the geology, fauna and plant life of the Cascades. Surely there would be something in one of them that would give him a flash of inspiration. Reading about the mountains wasn’t the same as experiencing them, but his leg wasn’t up to extended hiking yet, even around a place as tame as Washington.

This particular volume was about the volcanic history of the range. The eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 was well-known. And there had to be a million pictures of Mount Rainier—which according to his brother’s wife was no longer considered a dormant volcano. Layne was a fount of information as a researcher for the regional magazine
The Puget Sound Babbitt,
though she was going on maternity leave any day now. Matt had laughed about it, saying that the pregnancy had been the only thing to convince her to take time off since their honeymoon.

Marriage, fatherhood
...
end of career,
Jake thought dismally. But it probably wouldn’t have as big of an impact on Matt, since he’d quit the party circuit a couple of years before getting married. Instead he was running a multibillion-dollar charitable foundation for his maternal grandfather.

Jake turned a page and saw a photo of Mount Rainier. It was part of the Seattle city skyline, and close enough that anyone there could visit for a day’s outing. Maybe one of his own photo captions could be “America’s Mount Vesuvius.” But he dismissed it immediately. Somebody must have used that already, and he didn’t like comparing one part of the world to another.

Jake looked out at the lake, calm now that the recreational boaters had quit for the day. Evergreens grew down to the shoreline, and a lone heron stood in the shallows, hunting for its dinner. Making a face at the pretty sight, he pulled a piece of pizza from the box on the coffee table. It was cold, yet his sour mood faded as he recalled the exchange between Barbi and Brendan Townsend. They were an incongruous pair—Barbi in her sassy clothes and Townsend with his buttoned-down mentality.

Barbi had visited Hannah several times over the past week, staying for an hour or two in the evening before leaving, so she obviously wasn’t delivering meals from Luigi’s. Maybe if she came out to Huckleberry Lodge often enough, there might be more opportunities to watch her and Brendan striking sparks off each other.

Jake rubbed his aching leg. The doctors had told him he was lucky not to have severed one of the major nerves, but it was badly bruised. Enough sensation had returned to show it should heal, but Dr. McGraw and Dr. Shiffman, the nerve specialist, had both said it would take at least a year. Nerves recovered slowly, and no amount of strength of will or faithful exercising could change that.

With a sigh, he tossed the book aside and got up. He stripped and stepped onto the private deck, turning on the hot tub’s jets before sinking into the warm water. The swirling currents moved him back and forth, soothing his aches as he rested his head on the edge. All at once he chuckled, recalling Brendan Townsend’s expression when Hannah was invited to use the hot tub. It would have been even funnier if the words
clothing optional
had been included in the invitation.

CHAPTER SIX

L
ATE
ON
M
ONDAY
evening
Hannah and Barbi were sitting on Silver Cottage’s deck, enjoying the summer sunset as they discussed the types of questions that would come up on the GED exam.

“I should have told you, I’m never gonna pass,” Barbi said, sounding discouraged. “It’s so stupid. My head goes blank when I see a list of questions and I can’t remember anything. You might as well stop wasting time on me.”

“Blocking on tests is a common problem,” Hannah assured her. “We’ll do practice exams to help get you more comfortable. You’re too smart to let this beat you.”

The color brightened in Barbi’s cheeks. “Smart?”

“Smart,”
Hannah repeated firmly. She was impressed with how much knowledge her friend had retained from her abbreviated school years, and she was picking up even more since she’d been studying. “And everyone admires how hard you work.”

A shadow seemed to cross Barbi’s face. “That’s nice to know. Um, how was the family night out with Brendan?”

“Not bad, though Danny isn’t wild about him, and it’s even worse now that Jake Hollister is here.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, neither of them is kid oriented, except Jake tells thrilling stories about exotic places he’s actually seen, not just read about.”

“Tough competition.”

Hannah nodded. “And get this—Jake was telling Danny a story about photographing crocodiles on Friday afternoon, then at the theater that night, they were showing a preview for
Crocodile Dundee
. Now Danny wants to see it.”

“Ooh, I love the scene where the crocodile tries to drag that blond woman into the water.”

Hannah shot a quick glance into the house. She’d put Danny to bed at eight-thirty, but there was no guarantee he hadn’t gotten up to ask for something.

“That’s exactly the scene I don’t want him to see,” she said. “By the way, I was wondering if you’re available to sell tickets at the ice cream social fund-raiser on Sunday.”

“Sure, I don’t have to be at Luigi’s until 4:00 p.m., and I love your huckleberry ice cream. But I thought Kim Barnes usually sold tickets.”

“She does, but Mark’s grandmother broke her leg waterskiing, so they both flew back to Florida yesterday.”

“Luigi is right—retirement is dangerous.”

Hannah grinned. “Hey, I hope
I
can go waterskiing when I’m seventy-four.”

“Me, too.” Barbi looked down at the book on her lap, her expression growing more serious. “Do you really think I can pass the test?”

“I’m
sure
you can,” Hannah assured her gently.

She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Barbi, losing her mother so young and having her father disintegrate into the town drunk. There were even rumors that Vic Paulson still knocked her around; he certainly got disruptive at the roadside bar on the edge of town. But whenever Hannah had tried to find out if there was a problem, Barbi shrugged it off.

She wouldn’t have asked for her help at the ice cream social, except Barbi usually attended the town events, and however busy she was, it didn’t seem right to assume she wouldn’t want to be involved.

“I still wish you’d let me pay you for tutoring,” Barbi said for the zillionth time since they’d started working together.

“Forget it. I’m enjoying the company.”

Barbi frowned. “But Brendan must want to spend more time with you. He seems awful serious.”

Hannah let out a long breath. “I don’t know what
I
want with Brendan, much less what he has in mind. I’m not even sure he plans to stay in Mahalaton Lake. Once I might have been okay leaving, but this is where I want to live now.”

“Was your ex-husband ever willing to move here?” Barbi asked curiously.

“He said he was, but I doubt he meant it.”

Hannah didn’t think Steven had planned to stay
married,
much less been honest about where they’d live and raise a family. Marriage was a game he’d played, and when he had gotten bored with the game, he’d wanted out. Of course, before then he had slept with any woman who’d have him and run up huge bills. She shivered, recalling his anger after they separated and he learned she’d canceled the credit cards. It was almost as if he’d truly expected to be able to keep spending money and just leave her with the bills; he certainly didn’t pay any child support, though it was court mandated.

She was no longer even sure she’d loved him. She’d just wanted the romantic ideal she lost when Collin died on Mount Mahala. That kind of love was addictive. She
still
wanted it—she just didn’t want it with someone who treated life like a game of roulette. And even if she could handle the stress herself, she didn’t want her son to get attached to someone who could vanish from his life on a whim. Danny already wondered if he’d done something to make his father leave.

“I’ll get sample tests for you to take,” Hannah said, wanting to change the subject. “Just don’t expect the same questions to be on the official exam.”

“I won’t. Uh, you haven’t told Brendan about me not having a high school diploma, have you?”

“Of course not. That’s your business.”

“Good. He’s snotty enough without knowing that.” Barbi pushed back from the table. “I’d better get going. I have to be at the bakery at 2:00 a.m.”

“Is that a new job?”

“Yeah, I make the breads and stuff for them two mornings a week. See you Thursday.”

Hannah walked her out, marveling at how matter-of-fact Barbi was about her varied jobs around town. She had a killer schedule, but hopefully some of that would change once she had her GED.

* * *

O
WEN
K
ERSHAW
ARRIVED
at eleven on Tuesday as promised and put Jake through a thorough therapy session.

“Cut back by half,” he said when Jake explained how often he was doing his exercises. “I said you had to work hard, but your body is still healing. I’ve reviewed your medical file—don’t forget that leg needed two surgeries to put it back together.”

“I was
there
. How can I forget?”

“Your impatience is normal. But right now I’m the traffic cop, trying to keep you from going too slow or too fast. Your leg’s range of motion should improve as the nerve heals, but you need to be careful. I know you don’t want to use a cane, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

“No.”

“At least consider it.” Owen began packing his equipment and Jake watched moodily.

Ordinarily one of his trademarks was patience. He could sit for hours watching a weather front develop over a mountain, waiting until that perfect moment to start shooting. Days or weeks could pass between sightings of a rare animal, and he knew his willingness to wait meant he’d get the photos no one else would. But this wasn’t the same.

“You’ve made remarkable progress,” Owen added. “The only reason you’re doing so well now is because you were in prime physical condition at the time of the accident.”

“They tell me that’s why I survived,” Jake muttered.

“Yes, I understand your side of the plane took the heaviest impact. You’re lucky to be alive.”

Ice formed in Jake’s stomach and an image of Gordon’s face, gray as he gasped for breath, flashed through his mind. “Luck is a matter of opinion. If you live, you live. If you die, that’s it, you’re dust. Everything is pure chance. I don’t believe in karma or fate or any other metaphysical explanations for my existence.”

“That’s too bad.” Hannah’s voice came from the open door of the sunroom behind him.

He looked at her. “You believe in karma?”

“I believe in something beyond myself. Your work is technically brilliant, Jake, but how can you take the best photographs if you don’t see the soul beyond the beauty? No wonder some of them seem a little cold to me.”

“I didn’t know you were a critic.”

“Everyone is a critic. Or don’t you care about how the average person sees your work? Anyway, I’ll be back later to clean, I just came over to say hi to Owen and see the pictures of his family.”

“I’m glad you did,” Owen said. He reached into his bag and pulled out an envelope. “I love to show them off.”

Hannah laughed as she looked at the first shot. “I see you have two Picassos in the making.”

“That’s right. And I don’t care what the package claims, finger paint stains fabric.”

“Don’t I know it.” She looked at the second picture.

“That’s Cheryl,” Owen said. He tapped the next photo. “And there are the boys in their Halloween costumes. They both wanted to be Superman.”

“Danny was Batman last year. I’m going to hate it if he starts wanting to dress up as the villain instead of a hero.”

“Me, too.”

Jake’s eyes narrowed. Owen had made a point of saying he needed to leave promptly after their sessions. What was it with people wanting to look at snapshots of people they’d never met? It was a phenomenon he’d seen several times before—even getting trapped in the ritual once or twice himself. And Hannah had come over specifically to see them, so she wasn’t just being polite.

She handed the pictures back. “You have a beautiful family, Owen. Cheryl is lucky to have you.”

“I’m pretty fond of them.” He checked his watch. “I have to hustle to make my next appointment. See you soon.”

“Drive safely.”

When they were alone, Hannah smiled politely. “Sorry to intrude.”

Jake shrugged. “You’re coming over to clean anyway. How was your date on Friday with the lawyer? He seems too dull for you and Danny, but that’s your business.”

She scowled. “Brendan is a decent and responsible man.”

“He’s a lawyer.”

“That doesn’t make him dull.”

“The lawyers I’ve met are all tediously conventional.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “How many could that be? I didn’t realize yetis or African lions went to law school.”

She had a point, however reluctant he might be to admit it. “By the way, has Danny had any nightmares about crocodiles?”

“None that he’s told me about, though he’s asked if they can climb stairs and wants to sleep with the lights on. I know you didn’t mean any harm, but he has a vivid imagination. Besides, at his age he doesn’t need to know the grisly details. He’ll find out about them soon enough, along with all the other realities.”

“What sort of realities are you talking about?”

“Never mind, that’s not important. I just don’t want Danny to be forced to grow up too fast.” She stopped and looked so sad that Jake frowned.

“Did you grow up too fast?”

Hannah shrugged silently, yet she crossed her arms over her body in a protective gesture that told him more than words.

“Is it possible you’re being overprotective?” Jake asked carefully.

She shook her head. “No. We go hiking together and camping with my parents. I even let him swim in the lake as long as there’s a responsible adult present. I want him to love the Cascades as much as I do.”

Hiking, camping...Jake was surprised. Hannah didn’t seem like the outdoorsy type. He’d figured she loved the mountains simply because it was where she lived.

“What about speed boating?”

She made a gagging gesture. “I wouldn’t dare. We hate having them on the lake, but summer tourist traffic jumped once they were allowed. Dad goes out on a small motorboat to fish sometimes, but it’s the putt-putt variety with oars as backup. Anyway, I’m going to see if Danny is done eating his lunch, and then we’ll come over to clean.”

Jake nodded and watched her leave. Her backside was just as attractive as her front, and he felt the usual stirring in his gut at the sight. She was a desirable woman, but while he wasn’t opposed to a night or two of uncomplicated passion, he had a feeling that nothing would be uncomplicated with Hannah.

Barbi, on the other hand...?

Jake pictured her the way she’d looked on Sunday afternoon in low-riding jeans so tight it was a miracle she could sit down and a halter top that did nothing to conceal her ample charms. She was blond, blue-eyed and thoroughly appealing, but it was obviously Brendan Townsend who got her blood moving.

And Barbi didn’t affect him the way Hannah did, which made absolutely no sense.

A few minutes later Hannah returned with Danny, who grinned widely. “Hi, Jake. How are you feeling?”

“Pretty good.”

“I’m glad. I gotta get the trash. Talk to you when I’m done.” He hurried toward the opposite side of the lodge.

“I’m going to get busy, too,” Hannah said as she went through the kitchen into the living room, a laundry basket filled with neatly folded linens balanced on her hip.

Jake thought about their earlier conversation. She was obviously worried he’d tell Danny a story that would scare the kid, but he didn’t know if that meant she was being overprotective or not. Jake was hardly an expert in child rearing—his upbringing with Josie had been unique, to say the least.

Admittedly, he hadn’t learned to relate to other people effectively, but what he lacked in interpersonal skills, he made up for in experiences. By the time he was eighteen, he’d been on every continent on the planet and observed rare sights and animals that few people knew existed, much less would ever see. What was wrong with that?

Once again, domestic sounds filled the lodge. It was ironic that the highlights of his week were when Hannah came to clean with Danny. Normally Jake wouldn’t want some kid and his mother hanging around, however shapely the mother might be, but he didn’t have much to do aside from physical therapy, exercising and reading. Aside from Hannah’s visits, his days had a monotonous rhythm, broken only by two or three short walks daily. He’d explored various trails leading out from the lodge, without bothering to take a camera, but eventually he’d start taking photos again.

Eventually?

Jake got up. There couldn’t be anything eventual about his photography. It had been his passion since he was a boy. If nothing else, he wouldn’t let the naysayers be right about him losing his touch. Money wasn’t the issue—he’d made enough to live comfortably for the rest of his life, even without his trust fund. It was about the art. As for Hannah’s comments about his photos seeming cold, it was just one person’s opinion. It didn’t mean she was right.