Raising The Stakes (Heartwarming Romance) (9 page)

“A lot of fun. You should go,” she urged over her shoulder as she headed back to the house.

He hurried after her, picking up another bunch of pies. “Are you asking me on a date?”

When the boxes in her arms tilted, he steadied her, his hand lingering on her elbow. She had the softest skin...

“Excuse me?” Her wide eyes met his, a strange, spooked expression in them.

“Bad joke.” He kicked himself for the stupid comment. It was obvious she didn’t want anything romantic with him. He didn’t want it either, he reminded himself. So why did her negative reaction bug him so much?

They labored side by side, filling her cargo bed in awkward silence. At last, without an inch of space left, he slammed the tailgate shut.

“Guess you’re all set.”

“You can come if you want,” she blurted, studying her nails. “To the festival with me.” When her eyes lifted, he caught that wary expression again. It filled him with a curious need to protect her, but from what?

“Okay,” he agreed, then instantly wished he hadn’t. He had stuff to do before his trip. Packing. Paying some bills. Boarding Extra Pickles. Yet all of that faded into the background when he imagined a day with Vivie. One where they weren’t arguing about Button for a change.

Speaking of...

“How’re things with Button?” Was it his imagination or did a flash of guilt appear in her eyes?

“Good. I think—if my feeding slot views count.”

He pulled his baseball hat off and sweat trickled down the back of his neck. Today would be a hot one. A good day to be in the deep forest.

“Then you’re doing your job, Vivie. She can’t get used to humans.”

Vivie squinted up at a couple of ravens alighting on a nearby oak. “Did you know that a bear’s sense of smell is seven times keener than a bloodhound’s?”

Liam slapped at a mosquito and stared at her, puzzled. “They have the strongest sense of smell of any animal. Why?”

She reached down to pick a dandelion and twirled it in her hand. “Doesn’t matter if Button sees me or not. Either way, she knows a human is feeding her. I’d call that interaction. Wouldn’t you?”

He found himself staring after her as she hopped into her pickup and started the engine.

* * *

A
FTER
DELIVERING
THE
pies to the contest station, Liam wandered through the festival with Vivie by his side. The smell of roasted meat and wood smoke hung in the cool air. Locals and tourists wandered amongst booths where artisans displayed their crafts, gardeners sold homemade relishes and a syrup producer passed out maple ice cream and candy. A puppet show captivated a seated group of children while their parents stood behind them, laughing at the old-school Punch-and-Judy-style routine.

A high-pitched chain saw buzz grew louder as they neared a section of animal wood carvings. Shavings snowed around one of the sculptors who demonstrated his technique to avid fans. Vivie edged to the side of the thick crowd. They glimpsed a majestic eagle, half-finished, its wingspan nearly six feet, its head cocked, eyes sharp and knowing. Liam took in the feather detail on the wings and body, the scales on the talons gripping a tree branch. Hard to believe a chain saw created things like this. Liam couldn’t take his eyes off the artist as he whizzed around the piece, his helter-skelter white hair pushed back by a red bandana.

“Amazing,” Vivie whispered.

The sculptor’s chain saw flashed as he lifted it and slashed into another section of the statue, each movement deft and sure.

“It is.” Without thinking it through, Liam slipped his hand into Vivie’s and tugged. “Let’s go see some of the finished ones.”

Her hand felt small and fragile in his and he fought the urge to squeeze tight and not let go.

He forced himself to drop her hand. She was getting under his skin in the worst way. Her wide eyes met his and pink rushed to her cheeks. Was his touch affecting her the way hers impacted him?

“A bear!” She pointed to a sculpture of a life-size grizzly, not native to their area. “It looks terrifying.”

“They can be. Some have killed humans.”

Her small features creased. “But black bears don’t kill people.”

“It’d be very unusual. Usually they’re more interested in eating what’s in your cooler than in eating you.”

She let out a soft sigh, the floral scent of her perfume as fragrant as the wildflowers springing around their feet.

“Strange that people hunt them.”

“They do it for sport. The thrill of the kill.”

“Are you a hunter?”

“Some of my friends are, but not me.”

Her sudden smile took him by surprise. “Good.”

They grinned at each other until a small boy bumped into them, his father in tow.

“Hey. That’s the lady from the restaurant! And see, Dad. There’s a bear.”

The father nodded politely at Liam then gave all of his attention to Vivie.

Moved by some irrational need, Liam stepped in front of him. He held out a hand, his grip extra firm before he released the guy.

“I’m Jack,” the man said, shaking out his hand. “And you’re Vivie. I remember from your name tag.”

She nodded. “Glad to see you two made it. Your son’s enjoying the fair.”

Jack angled his body, facing Vivie directly and shutting Liam out. “He’s had a rough summer.”

“I overheard about your divorce,” Vivie said, her voice too warm for Liam’s peace of mind. “Sorry about that.”

The man adjusted his safari-type hat, giving Vivie a sorrowful gaze that irritated Liam. Please. The guy was appealing to Vivie’s sympathies. Hitting on her.

Possessiveness forked through Liam, electric and sudden. He slipped his hand into hers and met her startled glance. A grin spread across his face. He was glad he’d staked his claim—even if he had no right to it.

“We should get in line for the author before he sells out of books,” Liam said. “Nice to meet you, James.”

“It’s Jack,” the man protested as Liam tugged Vivie away.

She pulled herself free after several steps. “Hey. What was that about?”

Liam forced a casual shrug. “Thought you’d want a copy of the book. That guy climbed all forty-six of the high peaks after turning fifty. Inspiring.”

She stepped over a jutting rock and scrutinized him, one eyebrow raised. “If you say so.”

He put a hand on her arm and stopped her, curiosity filling him. “Haven’t you ever climbed a mountain?”

A shuttered expression stole over her face. “I don’t get out much. With the diner and all...”

“You must get days off. And you can’t live in the Adirondacks unless you’ve been on the top of one. It’s like, like—” He grappled for the words to describe the awe that struck him when he viewed the world from extreme heights. “Knowing what it must have felt like to create this place.”

His eyes tracked a balloon that scuttled along the tree line.

“You should come with me. I’ve got three more to climb before I make my 46er status.”

They joined the line for the scribbling author. “I’m not sure.” Her uncertainty made him all the more determined. Maybe if Vivie could better appreciate the wilderness around her, she wouldn’t be as reluctant to see Button released when the time came.

“Look. I’m going away for three days, but when I get back we’ll climb Mount Marcy. The hike in leads to a waterfall and picnic area at the base. You’ll have time to change your mind there before we climb. What do you say?”

Her teeth caught her bottom lip. “We’ll see. How far away are you going?”

He nodded, suspicious of the sudden light in her eyes. Was she planning something with Button? A break with policy?

“Out West. But you still need to follow protocol. Nothing changes.”

A kid pulling a carved wooden truck on a string careened into them, pushing Vivie into Liam’s chest. His hands slipped around her waist and for a breathless moment they froze, staring at each other. He imagined what it would be like to bend down and cover her lips with his. Would they be as soft as the skin of her shoulder? Softer? She moved away from him slowly and his hands fell to his sides. “They’re starting the greased pole–climbing race. We should go.” She hurried to a row of upright logs that rose twenty feet in the air.

Trying to shake the image of kissing Vivie out of his head, he caught up to her and put a hand on her arm. “Vivie. You heard what I said, right?”

A horn blew and a wild cheer rose from the group surrounding the climbers. Men slipped and shimmied up the greasy poles, some using belts for extra leverage, others relying on brute strength. What a spectacle.

“Vivie?” he repeated, needing to hear that she wouldn’t do anything that might endanger the cub or herself. His memory of the snake’s visit was still too fresh.

She turned and her eyes skimmed past his. “Yes. I heard you.”

Suddenly a clanging bell rang out and a man whooped atop one of the poles. The rest slid down, some waving their hands and jeering while others pounded the winner on the back.

“Do you want to go back for the book?” He glanced at the shortened line.

Her hands fiddled with the lace hem of her tank top. “No. Maybe it’s better to experience things firsthand than read about them.”

She contemplated him for a long moment before turning and heading to a small hill where men hefted logs to toss.

Once again he found himself hurrying after her. Playing catch-up.

Would he and Vivie ever be together...on anything?

CHAPTER EIGHT

Dear Ms. Harris,

What a delight to receive your note. I’d be happy to discuss your situation on the phone at your convenience.

Best regards,

Phillip Vogel, PhD

V
IVIE
COPIED
D
R
. V
OGEL
’
S
contact information from below his electronic signature and powered down her computer. Jinx wove in and out between her legs, fur tickling Vivie’s ankles. At last her cat stopped, hunkered down, then sprang onto her lap. She butted Vivie’s stomach, arching her back and purring the instant Vivie stroked her.

“What do you think, Jinx? Should I call Dr. Vogel?”

Jinx’s good eye closed in bliss, her body now sprawled across Vivie, her nails digging into Vivie’s thigh.

“I take it that’s a resounding, ‘don’t care.’” Vivie scooped up her cat and resettled both of them on the couch. She eyed her watch, then the phone. Eight in the morning. Early, but most were up at this time. If he didn’t pick up, she could leave a message. Maybe get a call back from Dr. Vogel when he had free time later today. With Liam away, this might be her only chance to connect with Button. Last night, when she’d dropped food through the slot, the cub hadn’t come over, and glimpsing her curled up, listless, beneath the tree had filled Vivie with sadness.

Determination made her reach for the phone and dial his number. After four rings, a phlegm-filled cough sounded. She pulled the receiver from her ear until the noise died down.

“Hello?” a voice rasped.

“Dr. Vogel, I’m so sorry to wake you. I’m Vivienne Harris. I was planning to leave a message, but you picked up and now it seems I’ve woken you and—”

A deep rattling chuckle came through the receiver. “Miss Harris. A pleasure. And please don’t get worked up on my account. I’ve been up for hours with the ferrets. A hobby. You had a question about rehabilitating your orphaned cub?”

Vivie tucked her feet beneath her and settled into the plump cushions. The story poured from her now that she had a knowledgeable and sympathetic ear.

“And Button doesn’t even come to the food slot anymore,” she finished, her voice shaking.

“I’m sorry to hear that, my dear.” The gurgle of a coffeemaker sounded through the phone line. She glanced into her kitchen, wishing she’d thought to start a pot. Jinx kept up her relentless kneading, working Vivie’s empty stomach like fresh dough.

“Is she—she—giving up?” Vivie choked out, imagining all that Button had lost. What would give her the will to go on if she only had herself for company?

A long sip sounded followed by an
ahh
. “No. Not that. Not yet, anyway. But you’ve called me just in time. Much longer without contact, and her social skills would be completely lost.”

“What do I do? The DEC will take her if I don’t stick to their rules.”

“Then you need to show them that you’re right.”

She shoved her tangled hair from her face when Jinx began to bite the ends. “They won’t believe me.”

“But they’ll believe the results. Follow my rehabilitation plan whenever you’re sure you won’t be discovered. If the officer in charge catches you, remember the media is a powerful tool. A cub about to lose its life because a well-meaning rehabilitator didn’t follow the rules is not a headline the DEC wants to see. Trust me. Hopefully it won’t come to that, but I’ll come and support you should a protest be necessary. I do have a way of attracting national attention.” He cleared his throat, sounding pleased with himself.

She couldn’t help but find him endearing. Warmth filled her. Here, at last, was the support she wished she’d gotten from Liam. “Thanks, Dr. Vogel. I have one more question if you have time.”

“Of course.”

“What if I don’t release Button? She has a dislocated jaw that’s healing slowly. She eats, but strangely—from the side of her mouth. Wouldn’t she be safest, and happiest, if she grew up used to the enclosure and me?”

He sputtered for a moment and she wondered if he’d swallowed wrong. “Dr. Vogel?”

Scooter scratched at the door then turned to glare at her. She held up a finger, hoping he could wait to go out.

“Yes. Sorry about that. I was taken aback by your comment, Miss Harris. The jaw will need to be watched, but never forget that the animals’ natural habitats, not ours, are their homes. Being safe does not guarantee quality of life.”

She thought of the carefully constructed world she’d made for herself, far from the danger that’d nearly killed her in New York City. It’d brought her happiness, but lately she’d felt less satisfied. Dividing her time between home and the diner, rarely venturing elsewhere, closing out others—even Maggie to an extent—wasn’t really a fulfilled life.

Yet she couldn’t imagine her life without those protective limitations. She remembered the electric feel of Liam’s hand in hers at the Woodman’s Lumberjack Festival. It had felt good. Right. But she wasn’t ready for a relationship...might never be ready. Not when it meant making herself vulnerable. Especially with Liam. He’d slipped past her guard so easily that it petrified her.

“Miss Harris?” The scientist prompted her.

Gently dislodging her cat, she carried the phone with her, unlocked the front door and let Scooter out. Before she could shut it, kamikaze Jinx streaked through the narrowing crack. Two pets down. Her mind returned to Button. One to go...

“Yes. I see your point.”

“But you don’t completely agree.”

“I—” She hesitated, not wanting to lie to this kind man. “I guess I don’t. She can have a good life here and never want for anything, not have to struggle for survival with a misshapen jaw.”

She eyed the coffeemaker through the kitchen archway, wishing her phone cord reached it. Why had she gone with a vintage replica over practicality? A cordless would have meant caffeine.

“A good life for whom?” Dr. Vogel’s voice was soft but pointed, and Vivie felt herself flush. Was he suggesting she was thinking selfishly? He must know the challenges that Button could face on her own in the woods if she had a handicap.

“For both of us,” she replied, though she acknowledged it sounded more like a question than a statement. Was she less certain than she thought? Surely she would never let Button go unless she was completely sure the cub had every chance of thriving.

“I see.” She heard the sound of a match being struck, and after a few exhales, Dr. Vogel’s voice returned. “Vivie, your heart is in the right place. Why don’t you begin with bringing native food to her enclosure? Demonstrate the right kinds of things to eat. Maybe hide things and show her how to find them.”

Her tight shoulders relaxed. That she could do and it’d give her an excuse to spend time with Button...if she wasn’t caught.

“Okay.”

“So what’s on the menu for today?” Dr. Vogel asked, a smile in his voice.

Her head drooped, knowing what eating season it was according to Dr. Vogel’s website.

“Bugs.”

* * *

L
ATER
THAT
MORNING
, after delivering her baked goods and checking that Maggie had a full staff, Vivie entered Button’s cage.

She caught no sight of the cub and peered into the small wooden shelter. It touched her to see Button’s small, dark sides heaving as she slept, the rubber turtle in her mouth. Good. It’d give Vivie time to clean up the enclosure before she tried her feeding experiment.

She peered at the gray sky, the green trees muted to olive and khaki without the sun. Still, it was a pretty spot. Would Button grow to love it or yearn for more if she stayed here for good?

Vivie walked the enclosed area, scooping up scat and dropping it in a bucket. To her dismay, she saw that none of the other toys she’d bought had been touched. What had Button’s long days been like in here? She peered at the three boarded-up walls, the other now half-covered. If she was stuck in here alone, she’d go insane. How had Button coped?

A grunt behind her made Vivie whirl. At the doorway to her shelter stood Button, the rubber turtle dangling from her mouth. Her heart swelled when the cub leaped down and galloped her way. She skidded to a halt, but crashed into Vivie’s legs, anyway, knocking her down. Dirt flew up around them.

“Hey, Button!” Vivie sat up and held out her arms, hoping the bear would crawl into her lap. Instead she sniffed Vivie’s feet, casting a wary eye over her and jittering away at any slight movement she made.

Poor thing. Her time alone had cost the cub. Button’s fur was matted, her size a fraction smaller, and she’d lost her playful, adventurous spirit.

Vivie kept herself very still when Button moved higher up, snuffling along Vivie’s rib cage and even her armpit. At last, the cub reached its front paws up to Vivie’s shoulders, her nose inches from Vivie’s.

She kept her expression calm, despite the pain she felt beneath those sharp claws. Button needed to get to know her again and, in an instant, Vivie vowed that separations like this week would never happen again. She was Button’s pet mom—or wild animal mom. Time to start acting like a caregiver instead of a DEC policy enforcer.

She was here for an animal, not a bureaucratic institution. If Liam caught her, then she would call in the press. Raise the alarm with animal lovers everywhere. She’d find a way to keep Button safe from predators. How sad that her number-one danger was humans. Vivie shuddered. She could relate.

At last, Button’s wet nose found its way to Vivie’s ear and, unable to hold back, she hugged the cub. Button’s warm belly pressed against Vivie and shook. From fear, relief or both? she wondered. Vivie pressed her cheek against the bear’s as a tear slid down her face.

“I’m sorry, Button,” she whispered. “I’m not leaving you again. Ever.”

As if she understood, the cub settled on her four paws, picked up her turtle and showed it to Vivie.

“Is this your friend?” She gingerly reached out and touched the heavy-duty rubber. “She seems nice.” When Button opened her jaws, the slimy toy slid across Vivie’s palm. “Thank you.” Then inspiration struck as she eyed Button’s dull coat. “You know what turtles really love? The water.”

She jumped up and ran to the small waterfall and pond, tossing in the turtle then leaping after it. The shallow, cold water nearly knocked the wind out of her, but she kept her composure. This was supposed to be fun, so she splashed around with the turtle, making it zoom across the rippling surface.

Button galloped after her and stopped on the pond’s edge. She leaned in for a drink, but otherwise watched Vivie cavort. The bear’s angled face practically shouted, “You look nuts, lady!”

And maybe she was, but Button needed to see all of the fun things to do in the enclosure. This could be her home for life. As much as Vivie understood the bear should learn to fend for herself if released, her first priority was making Button love it here.

Vivie floated the turtle close to Button. When the cub reached out a paw, Vivie zoomed the toy farther out so Button had to stretch until—

Sploosh.

A wave of water erupted around Vivie as Button hit the water. Her paws scrabbled through the liquid, her face dipping below the surface. Before Vivie could reach her, however, Button steadied herself and blew a stream of water from her mouth, the gesture so comical, Vivie laughed. The cub reached her turtle, scooped it up in her mouth then made for the rocks where she pulled herself up and regarded Vivie.

“Did you like that?”

Button lowered her head to the water then slid, on her belly, into the pond again.

Vivie bounced back a few steps. The cub was still small, but it didn’t pay to get that close to a splashing bear with its claws out.

Button circled, her chin touching the water, small nose pointed skyward.

“Feels good, right?” It was a humid day and the gnats were already out in full force.

Now that Button seemed settled, Vivie got out of the water. She watched avidly as the cub played a game with the turtle. Button pushed it beneath the surface then snatched the toy with her mouth when it rose, shaking it as if she’d caught a fish. She missed more often than she succeeded, her jaw working awkwardly, but she pranced a bit with every “catch.”

Cute. Practical, too. She’d need to be able to catch fish if returned to the wild. Fear snaked through Vivie as she imagined a hungry Button struggling to catch enough trout. An upcoming vet visit would tell them more about Button’s jaw. If it’d healed properly, she’d be released in September. If her mouth didn’t work effectively, however, Vivie would need to think of a strategy to keep Button permanently. Only a little over eight weeks to figure it out...

She got to her feet and paced, her mind turning over possibilities. Minutes later a dripping Button joined her, disrupting her thoughts. Button followed Vivie and they stopped at the tree with the rubber tire.

“Have you tried this yet?” She peered at the unblemished swing and guessed not.

Vivie swung herself up onto a tree branch and Button followed her, scrambling up the trunk. Vivie clambered up a few more branches and sat inside the leafy fortress. Below, Button’s black face appeared and, in a moment, the bear joined her on the thick limb.

“It’s nice up here. I used to have a big tree like this in a backyard once.” Vivie puzzled over which of her mother’s marriages that’d been, which house that’d never really belonged to her. She sighed and studied the area. It didn’t matter, she supposed. This was her home now, one that could be Button’s, too. If the bear wasn’t fit for release by Vivie’s judgment, no one could take Button away. Vivie smoothed a hand down the bear’s back.

Not even Liam.

* * *

L
IAM
HOPPED
OUT
of his SUV a couple of days later, his pulse speeding too fast for just a routine visit to a rehabilitator.

But this wasn’t any wildlife caregiver, a voice whispered, it was Vivie.

He’d cut his Yellowstone trip short for reasons he couldn’t even explain to himself. He’d planned to camp out one of the days, take in the sights. Instead, his mind had returned to the Adirondacks and the woman and bear in his charge. Had he rushed here out of a sense of responsibility or something more?