Jenny Cussler's Last Stand (27 page)

Jenny’s knees shook at the objective assessment of the dance between her and Clint. She’d had no idea people had been watching them.

Can’t take your eyes off each other...
That meant Clint couldn’t take his eyes off her? Her heart swelled at the image.

“I-I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t actually going to ask you about Clint at all, but now that you mention him, I can’t quite remember what I was supposed to talk to you about.”

Women occasionally strolled past with a curious look in their direction, but Jenny ignored them.

“Oh! How silly of me. I thought that’s what you wanted to talk to me about. You can ask me anything you like about him. He’s pretty much an open book. He wouldn’t mind, though I’m sure he’d want me to put in a good word on his behalf.”

Jenny’s lips twitched in response to Lisa’s grin.

“I have to say I’m flabbergasted. I’m sure I have a million questions, but I can’t think of any at the moment.” She bit her lip and tried to erase Clint’s face from her mind. What was she supposed to talk to Lisa about? Love... Men... Steve!

“Oh, I know what I was supposed to talk to you about...though I’m having a hard time getting my thoughts together. Wait! Okay...there’s this guy. This is so ironic, you thinking I wanted to talk about Clint. It’s actually the other way around. Okay, anyway, there’s this guy who is interested in you.”

Lisa blinked and her cheeks reassumed the rosy color that had just dissipated.

“Oh,” she mouthed.

Jenny regretted her lack of finesse, but she was shaken by Lisa’s discussion of Clint.

She gave Lisa a shaky grin and laid a hand on her arm.

“Wait, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that! The thing is...he...this guy...likes you, and either I said I’d talk to you about him...or he asked me. I can’t remember now. Anyway, he asked me a couple of days ago, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to you alone.”

Lisa dropped her eyes and gave her head a slight shake.

Sensing immediate rejection, Jenny rushed in.

“Just hear me out. If you’re not interested in him, that’s absolutely fine. I would never think of pushing someone on you.”

Lisa looked up and gave Jenny a wry smile.

“Guys who have come to camp before have tried to hit on me. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to mix business with pleasure. Do you know what I mean?”

Jenny nodded and sighed. “I do, believe me, I do.”

Lisa turned to look behind her toward the camp, then threw Jenny a sideways look from under her lashes.

“So, what’s his name? Not that I’m interested. I’m just curious.”

Jenny’s lips twitched, and she broke into a broad grin.

“You probably know him. He was here last year. He seems quite smitten with you but appears to be on the shy side...at least in matters of the heart.”

Jenny watched Auntie Sis take down the flag as she and Auntie Martha emerged from the path. They threw Jenny and Lisa curious looks, nodded, and moved away toward camp. She realized Clint would come soon to stoke the fires for the men’s sweat, and her heart began to race.

“Let’s head back while we talk.” She stepped out. Lisa fell into step beside her.

“So, you were saying?”

Jenny heard the note of interest in Lisa’s voice which belied her earlier words.

“I’m sure you already know him. His name is Steve Carlton. Tall, blond, handsome, from the Portland VA.” She watched Lisa’s face carefully and was rewarded by a blink, a flutter of eyelashes and a shaky smile.

“Oh, Steve,” she said. “Sure, I’ve met Steve. I see him at the VA in Portland occasionally.” She shrugged her small shoulders but threw Jenny a curious look. “So, he asked you to talk to me?”

Jenny wasn’t sure whether she was having any success with Lisa or not. She nodded.

“I see,” said Lisa almost nonchalantly. “Just supposing I was also interested, what does he want me to do?”

Jenny furrowed her brow as she tried to recall her conversations with Steve. The image of Clint kept pushing Steve’s face out of the way.

“You know? I can’t quite remember what he said. I think I was just supposed to tell you he was interested.” She couldn’t hold back a nervous chuckle. “I’m kind of new at this matchmaking thing.”

They arrived at the path leading to Jenny’s cabin, and Jenny paused.

“What do you think?” Jenny asked.

Lisa bit her lip and looked toward the common area as if searching for someone. She turned back to Jenny with a lopsided grin.

“Tell him I’m interested.”

“Really?!” Jenny squeaked. “Just like that? That was easy.” She restrained herself from hopping up and down while she watched Lisa’s face turn bright red.

“Okay, I’ll tell him as soon as I see him...then I’ll leave it up to the two of you.” She hugged her towel to her chest. “I think you’ll like him, Lisa. He’s awfully nice...and loves it here on the reservation.” She lifted her eyes to the surrounding evergreen trees.

Lisa nodded. “I know. I can see that about him. It’s the only reason I would consider him. Any man I take on has to be comfortable with Indians and our way of life, because he’d be spending a lot of time here.” She met Jenny’s eyes squarely. Jenny blinked and looked away, certain that Lisa’s words were pointed at her.

“Well, good, I’m glad. I think you two will hit it off nicely. I’ve got to run and get some things before I head for the shower. I’ll talk to Steve as soon as I see him. He’ll be so pleased.” Jenny gave Lisa a quick wave and moved off toward the cabin. She tried to banish Lisa’s seemingly pointed words from her consciousness.

“Hey there! How did it go?” Kate was on her way out the door with fresh towel, toiletries, and clothes in hand. “Want me to wait for you? Are you going to the shower?”

“Yes, please. Wait for me. I’ll be right back.”

She wasted no time in grabbing her necessities and joined Kate at the door, anxious to share Lisa’s comments about Clint with her cabin mate. Since the walk to the shower rooms was of short duration, Jenny sped through an explanation of her meeting with Lisa, Lisa’s discussion of Clint, and Jenny’s subsequent efforts at matchmaking.

“So, what do you think?” Jenny said as they neared the foot of the stairs.

Kate shook her head. “I don’t know. Wow! I leave you alone for a few minutes, and everything breaks loose! I’ll have to think about it. We’ll have to talk later.” Kate climbed the stairs and pushed open the bathroom door, effectively ending the conversation. Many of the women who had participated in the sweat ceremony were finishing their showers, and Jenny and Kate slid into the shower room and secured showers. Jenny dropped her towel and hopped into the shower stall, giving only minimal thought to nakedness. Something about prancing around the forest without clothing lent itself to a revision of her idea of modesty here in the shower room.

They showered quickly, dressed, and dashed back to the cabin to drop off their wet towels and clothing to the tune of the clanking dinner bell.

“I’m starved. I thought I was just going to skip dinner, but my appetite is back.”

“Mmmm-hmmm,” Kate said as she hurried toward the dining room. “Appetite, my foot. Men... They can make you starve or make you fat. I’m telling you.”

Jenny laughed, though she gasped for breath trying to keep up with the fast-moving woman at her side.

“How’s that, Kate?”

“Well, look at you! You won’t eat if you’re upset, and you know men can upset a woman. Then, once you’ve got them, all you want to do is eat cuz you’re so happy.” They reached the steps of the dining room, most of the other diners having already entered. “Am I right?”

Kate wrenched open the door and almost bumped into Clint, who was on his way out. Jenny sucked in air and backed out to let Clint pass.

“Hey, Clint. Getting ready for the sweat? We were just there. Had a great time.”

Jenny stared at Clint’s gray hiking boots as he paused.

“I’m heading up there now to get it ready. Was the fire still going when you left?”

“I don’t know. Was the fire still going, Jenny?”

Jenny cleared her throat. “Yes, I think so.”

“Good, it won’t take me too long to get it going again.”

The boots stepped over the threshold and moved closer to her, but Jenny sidestepped them neatly and slipped into the entrance.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you all later...or maybe tomorrow. Good night.”

“Good night, Clint,” Kate chirped.

“Good night,” Jenny said as Clint’s hand let go of the screen door behind her. She finally raised her eyes to see him turn away, hating herself for her childish performance.

“What is wrong with me?” she whispered angrily.

“I don’t know, girl, but you ought to figure it out soon. He sure looked hurt.”

“Did he?” Jenny mourned. “I wouldn’t know. I couldn’t look at him.” She pressed her lips together while Susie and Sandra served them food.

“Why not?” Kate hissed as they moved away with their trays.

“I don’t know. I’m an idiot. If I knew stuff, I’d be happily in love and sailing on a cruise ship in the Caribbean somewhere with the man of my dreams.”

“The Caribbean? Where did that come from?” Kate moved toward an empty table. The dining room seemed to be thinning of men, most of them heading for the sweat, Jenny presumed. She didn’t see Steve.

“I don’t know. I like the Caribbean. I’d love to take a cruise there.”

Kate slid into a bench across from Jenny.

“Do you think Clint would like to go on a cruise? I sorta see him riding a painted horse across the prairie in a loincloth kind of thing.” She winked at Jenny and began to eat.

“Oh, please,” Jenny said and bit back a smile.

“Oh, don’t tell me you haven’t visualized the same thing.”

“Never,” Jenny lied and stuffed her mouth full of food. Several other women who had been at the sweat joined them, and the subject of Clint was dropped, much to Jenny’s appreciation.

Dinner with the other women was a chatty affair, and Jenny relaxed among her peers. The cares of the day eased as she laughed and joked within the shelter of the females. She realized how much she missed the companionship of women...especially her mother. She worked too much and mostly with men. A good chat with the girls was just what she needed.

The clanking of a bucket and the appearance of a mop in the hands of a young man indicated dinner was over, and Kate and Jenny said goodbye to their companions and left the dining room.

“Well, if it’s all right with you, I’m going to skip the fire tonight.” Kate raised her hand to stifle a yawn. “I think I’m going to read for a bit in bed and then pass out.”

Jenny scanned the community area.

“I don’t see Steve, so I guess I’ll skip it, too. I might take a walk down to the river.”

“Well, be careful. Do you think it’s safe?”

“Sure, it is. What would I have to worry about?”

“Oh, I don’t know... Darkness... A woman alone... Things like that.”

“I’ll be fine,” Jenny wrinkled her nose and grinned. “Nothing is going to happen to me here on the reservation...not up here in the mountains.”

Kate shrugged and fought back another yawn.

“Okay. I’ll see you later. Get some sleep tonight!” She waggled her right eyebrow at Jenny and moved off. Jenny surveyed the camp briefly and turned around to head past the dining room and down the path through the forest leading to the river. Dusk had fallen, and a blue-gray light provided a quiet backdrop to the darkening trees. The last voices died away as she crossed the gravel road and moved closer to the river. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, and she stopped for a moment and hugged herself.

Perhaps it hadn’t been a good idea for her to come down to the river at night. She had no flashlight and would struggle to find her way back as the last haze of dusk disappeared and left her in complete darkness in a short while. The gurgling sound of the river caught her attention, and she moved toward the edge of the embankment where Cliff had held her hand. She gingerly climbed down the path and emerged onto a scene quite different from the riverbank she’d seen in the daylight.

The moon—round, full and bright—shone down on the river rocks, turning them into a bed of oval silvery stones. Light danced off the water as it moved away from the pond. She kicked off her shoes and stepped into the water, gasping at the shock of the cold. Within a moment, her feet grew accustomed to the temperature, and she moved farther out, up to her knees. The large downed tree in the middle of the lake enticed her, and she found its lure irresistible. The pale bark of the tree captured the moon’s rays and reflected a ghostly white.

Giving in to a tantalizing urge to swim out to the tree trunk, Jenny lowered herself into the water with a wince and struck out with a quick stroke. Unaccustomed to swimming fully clothed, she kicked harder to make up for the weight, reaching the log in less than a minute. She pulled herself out of the water, resting on her stomach while she wondered how she was going to rotate to a sitting position. In theory, the idea of jumping into the water and swimming out to the log had seemed easy, but logistically she was finding the reality a bit challenging. She couldn’t possibly remain draped over the log in her present uncomfortable position. It resembled little of the vision she’d had of perching on the tree in the middle of the lake like some water nymph. Grasping a small tree limb, she managed to rotate and plant her backside onto the log in one swift movement. The night air had grown cool, and goose bumps pulled her skin taut. Oh, for a dry, warm towel...

She pulled her legs up against her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees while she scanned the shoreline, willing a deer to come and drink.

A sound from the opposite embankment caught her ear, and she stiffened. Could she have actually materialized a deer? But in the grayish gloom of early night, she recognized a human shape climbing down the hill. The person emerged from the trees and approached the river’s edge, river stones clicking against each other underfoot.

Jenny cringed, certain the newcomer would see her soon. She was uncertain whether to call out or remain still in the hope the person would turn away and leave.