Love 'Em or Leave 'Em (14 page)

"Jenny, Kate, and Rachel" Ashley hurt inside when she thought of losing Rachel's friendship over this debacle of a game.

"But you're still in?"

"Yes," she sighed in resignation.

"How do you feel about that?"

"Gosh, I don't know. Confused more than anything, I guess."

"Talk, honey. I've got all the time in the world"

Ashley stood and walked over to the open balcony door. She stared out into the distance, unable to focus on any one thing. "You know how much I've hated this. Well, at some point it started to be fun. I found two great friends in Liz and Rachel. Or I should say I had two great friends. I don't know anymore. I'm pretty sure Rachel hates me. She thinks I was playing them to get closer to Luke"

"If only she knew the truth"

"No kidding. And now spending time with Luke ..." She paused, trying to pinpoint how she really felt about him. "He's growing on me. Nice guy, sensitive and smart, great sense of humor. And easy on the eyes."

"Of course"

"Kelli, I think I'm crushing on him." She smiled to herself, embarrassed.

"Oh really?"

"Okay, yes, I have a big, stupid, annoying crush"

"Hey you, listen up. He's a great guy and you've been put in a position where you're supposed to like him. It would be odd not to"

"You think so?"

"Definitely. Don't beat yourself up. Go with the flow."

"All right, but Kelli, I'm in the final three. This is getting scary"

"Don't let yourself go there. Take it one day at a time and live in the moment. That's who you are. Stay true to yourself. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Now, what's up next?"

"You're not going to believe this." Ashley paced the length of the room.

"Tell me "

"We're going on overnight dates!"

"Where are you going?"

She stopped pacing. "Costa Rica, baby! Hiking in the rain forest!"

"Yes! This gig isn't looking so bad right now, is it?"

"Not bad at all."

'Whatever you do, don't look down. When you're ready, go ahead and jump"

Oh yikes! How do I always get myself into these things?

Ashley used all the courage she could muster. She chewed on her lower lip as she looked into the distance, trying to put a lid on her fears. It wasn't working. Her palms were sweaty and her knees shook. Each second seemed like minutes.

Okay, it's now or never. She took a big breath, jumped off the platform, and screamed louder than she ever had in her life.

The free fall seemed like it lasted for several minutes, although in reality it was only a second or two before the cable leveled out and she flew along the zip line high over the rain forest. Ashley's screams turned from terror to delight as she relaxed and began to enjoy the breathtaking experience of gliding over the lush greenery of Costa Rica. The zip line was three hundred feet above the valley floor and almost a quarter-mile long. She felt like a bird soaring over the trees. Far below, the foliage of the giant plants and trees appeared as tiny as houseplants. The rushing river was a tiny trickle of water.

After a couple of minutes, Ashley approached the next platform and the end of the line. She squeezed her gloved hand on the cable as she'd been instructed to do, and her speed slowed down in time for the guide to reach out and pull her up onto the platform.

"Whew! That was amazing," she said to the Costa Rican guide. "Muy Bien."

He quickly unhooked her safety strap from the zipline cable and rehooked her to the security line on the tree platform.

She heard hooting and hollering, and turned to watch Luke sail high over the abyss she'd just traversed. He flew quickly toward her, his approach fast. Too fast.

"Luke, brake! You're coming too fast!

"Brake, brake," yelled the guide, holding his hands up in the position taught to them minutes before.

At the last possible moment, Luke squeezed his gloves tightly on the cable and jerked to a stop right at the safety catch, causing him to swing wildly.

"What a rush!"

The guide pulled him to the platform and rehooked his safety strap to the tree.

Luke held on to Ashley. "Wasn't that awesome?"

"I was scared at first, and then it was wonderful. I couldn't believe how high we were. I was actually looking down on the birds flying below me."

"I know. How about the speed? I had no idea we'd be going so fast"

"Do we get more? I want to do it again."

"You bet. There's about a dozen zip lines."

They spent the next hour and a half riding one zip line after another. Each line began from a tall tree on the top of a hill and went over a valley below. The cameraman alternated filming their takeoff or their landing at the platform. He either went before them or filmed them as they went by. Ashley didn't even notice him anymore. The experience was exhilarating, like nothing Ashley had ever experienced before. This was something she'd shared only with Luke, just the two of them. After finishing the last ride they removed their harnesses and safety gear.

"I've never dreamed of doing such a thing! In fact, I never even knew something like this existed," Ashley said.

"Doesn't it make you feel like you could do anything now?" Their eyes met and held as they shared the excitement.

"Sure does. Bring it on!"

"What'd you have in mind?"

"I don't know-bungee jumping, river rafting, maybe mountain climbing." Heck, she'd fly to the moon if it meant Luke would do it with her. Now, where had that thought come from?

"Down, girl. I think we've created a monster."

"What's next?"

"Let's go check with Jim."

They walked over to the producer. He was saying good-bye to the canopy tour guides.

"So, what's up next?" Luke asked.

"Well, as soon as we get you some gear, we should be ready to go. We'll be hiking deeper into the forest to where camp is already set up and waiting for you. It's a beautiful hike, and it should take about two hours to get there. It takes four hours by car. I can't wait for you to see it. The spot is spectacular." Jim handed each of them a backpack. "Everyone carries a small pack of provisions in case anything unexpected happens along the way"

Ashley bubbled with anticipation. Sharing these new experiences with Luke made them even better. She couldn't wait for the rest of the day to unfold. They exchanged smiles, eager to continue on.

What a gorgeous sight! Ashley couldn't remember the last time she'd been surrounded by such natural beauty. It no longer rained, and the plants and grass grew lush and green. The raindrops dripping from the leaves and the wet forest floor made everything smell fresh.

Most of the production team had been left behind, not to mention the catty women and the stress of house life.

This was definitely paradise.

They'd hiked for about half an hour when the path became slippery and treacherous, thanks in part to the recent rains. As Ashley navigated around a small crevice, she heard Roger, the cameraman, swear. The rest of the group turned to see as he sat on the wet path with a grimace, holding his knee in pain.

Luke ran back and kneeled next to him. "Let me take a look."

The producer, Jim, took the heavy camera strap off Roger's shoulder and carefully placed the equipment to the side.

More colorful words came out of Roger's mouth as Luke expertly examined his knee and gently applied pressure to check the extent of the injury.

"What do you think, Doctor?" Ashley asked, peering over his shoulder.

"I'm not an expert, but I'd bet my lunch you've got a sprained ACL"

"Do you think you can walk, or are we going to have to carry you out of here?" asked Jim.

"I don't know. Let's give it a try," answered the wirylooking cameraman.

Together, Luke and Jim helped him to his feet. He gingerly put weight on the injured leg.

"So far so good," he offered.

"Try a small step," Luke instructed.

Roger took small, tender steps. When he turned to come back, though, he cringed in pain.

"We see this kind of injury a lot during games. As long as you don't pivot or turn on it, you should be able to get around"

"What are we going to do?" Ashley asked, worried about the future of the date.

"Looks like we'll have to scrap the hike and head back to the trailhead," Jim said. "We can catch a ride when the next canopy tour comes through"

"Does that mean the whole date is over?" Ashley asked, devastated. The day had been going so well and she hated to see it end this way.

"No, no. Once we get Roger checked out, we'll reschedule. Maybe we can start again tomorrow. In fact, there's a back road we can drive to get into camp in the morning. Takes a while, but it'll work."

Luke stepped forward. "I agree. Roger needs to get his knee looked at as soon as possible. However, I don't think it's necessary to reschedule the rest of the day. It's taken us hours to get this far, and I know he captured some great footage of the zip lines."

Roger nodded.

"Why don't Ashley and I hike ahead to camp? Jim, you can carry the camera while Roger hobbles back to the trailhead. It shouldn't take long. The only thing you'll be missing is our arrival at camp and we can refilm that in the morning. No one will ever know."

Ashley loved the idea. They could enjoy their time together without anyone watching every move they made or listening to every word they said. She crossed her fingers behind her back.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Luke," Jim answered. "The whole point of being here is to get it on film"

"No, the whole point of being here is for Ashley and me to have an extended date with time to get to know each other. It's been great so far, but I don't want to put the skids on now and try to fake our way through it tomorrow. It's not fair to her or to me. Plus, the other overnight dates didn't have to be rescheduled."

Ashley looked from Luke to Jim and back again. It was hard to tell if Luke was gaining ground or not.

"Well, I don't think it's a wise idea."

"Listen, Jim, I've been flexible through all the shenanigans and last-minute surprises. I'm going to have to insist we stay on-schedule. Sorry to be difficult, but this is how it's going to be"

Ashley held her breath. Jim eyed Luke, then Ashley and then Roger.

"All right. I'm not pleased about it, but I'll let it go your way."

"Good choice."

Ashley couldn't detect any excitement in Luke's voice, but he did reach over and squeeze her hand tightly.

"The setup team will be gone, but you should have everything you need. There is no cell service here. On second thought, if one of you gets hurt-"

"Jim! I can handle this." Irritation rang strong in Luke's voice. "Do you want us to hike back with you?" he offered.

"Okay. What do you say, Roger? Could you use some help?"

Roger continued to walk slowly, testing his leg. "No, I think it'll be okay. Like you said, it's only a problem when I twist or turn. So I guess I won't do that"

"Are you sure?" Ashley asked with true concern.

"I'll be fine. You go enjoy the rest of the day" Roger winked at her.

She thanked him with a big smile.

"Watch your step" The path became steeper and was slick with wet leaves over a thin layer of mud.

"I've got it." Ashley reached out and grabbed a tree as she stepped around a large boulder. "It's a good thing Roger didn't take this hike. I don't know how he would have done it with a heavy camera."

"No kidding. It's not exactly for the faint of heart"

A gentle breeze kept them cool under the midday sun as they made their way along the trail. Ashley was content to walk in peace. The terrain gradually grew more rugged and the climb became more difficult.

"Take a look at that drop-off!" Luke pointed.

"Holy moly, I'd hate to fall off that"

"No kidding. Here, take my hand."

Ashley placed her hand in Luke's. He carefully guided her over a narrow stretch where the path was nearly washed away.

"Are you sure this is the trail?"

"I think so" Luke scanned the area. His gaze continued down the path and focused on a break in the plants and trees. "There it is." He pointed ahead to a spot where the trail leveled off and widened up again.

Ashley stepped with care and stood next to Luke. "I see it now." Her eyes followed the path backward to where they stood. "Luke, I think we have a little problem. A section of the trail is missing."

"I see what you mean"

"How are we going to get across?"

"Very carefully. Follow me" He took her hand in his and led the way over the slick, narrow path until they came to where part of the trail had literally slid down the side of the hill and out of sight. The break in the path was about two and a half feet wide. On the left was a deep ravine. On the right, the hill climbed sharply with a natural spring flowing down the side to where the path had washed away.

"What do you think?" Ashley studied the break.

"We jump over."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah" He raised his eyebrows at her in challenge. "No guts, no glory."

"Hmm" She examined the path ahead, or the lack thereof, trying to locate the best place to land after she jumped over the small crevice. "Okay. Let's go" She stepped past him.