Summer on the Mountain (17 page)

“Have you found any recent evidence of poaching activities?”

He nodded sadly. 

She sighed and he kissed her on top of the head.  “How’s the painting coming along?” he said, swiftly changing the subject.  She told him she seemed to find inspiration around every bend and he grinned widely.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were born to live on a mountaintop.”

“Maybe I was,” she said, frowning slightly.  “I might have even been born on a mountain.”

Jarrod raised his eyebrows questioningly. 

“I was adopted,” she explained.  “You never know, maybe I have alpine roots.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me a bit,” he said, wrapping her in an embrace. 

“What time do you have to go?” Summer asked, bracing for his answer.  She already missed him and he hadn’t left yet.

“I have about forty-five minutes and then I’d better hit the trail.  I’d better get busy fixing lunch.”

“Let me,” she offered with a smile.  Jarrod looked so tired.    

He reluctantly released her and followed her into the kitchen where she quickly assembled sandwiches.  The twosome ate, enjoying one another’s company.  Summer marveled at how comfortable she was with him, and he marveled at his ease of conversing with her, when he really
was
typically a man of few words.  He grimaced when a glance at his watch confirmed it was time to go.

He left her for a moment and returned with fresh clothing and then dashed into the kitchen for assorted nonperishable food items.  “It looks like you’re packing for a long trip,” she observed, her heart sinking at the prospect. 

“There’s no telling how long I’ll be gone,” he admitted with a sigh.  “I hate to leave you,” he said, punctuating the statement by pulling her into his arms and kissing her on the lips.  When he pulled back, his eyes bore into hers.  “Doggone it, Summer, I need to know you’re going to be safe up here alone.”  He shook his head.  “Do you think…?”

“I should go home?” she said, finishing his sentence.  “I’ve thought about it, but I don’t want to.  Besides, I have Brutus now, so I’m not as worried.  And too, Rick said that two deputies are stationed up here each night.  One is parked just north of your place.  If I get worried, I’ll call 911.” 

She didn’t mention that burglars had cut phone lines in a nearby cabin.  If that were to happen here, she wouldn’t be able to call for help. 

Jarrod suddenly strode out of the room, returning a moment or two later with a small canister in his hand.  “This is pepper spray,” he said.  “Keep it with you at all times.  It’s effective against both animals and humans.  At minimum, it’ll buy you time to get away from either threat.”

She studied the canister curiously as he explained how to deploy the fiery spray should she need it.  “Looks easy enough,” she said.  “Thank you.”

***

Summer had hoped Jarrod and the other law enforcement officers would apprehend the poachers soon, but it wasn’t to be.  Another week passed and she realized her stay at the cabin would probably have to end sooner than later.  As she puttered around the kitchen tidying up, the phone rang.

“How are you, dear?” Gwendolyn inquired, and she immediately heard the weariness in her boss’ voice.

“I’m fine.  Is everything all right?”

“Oh, I’m feeling overwhelmed.  Holly has gone off on vacation with her family for the remainder of the summer and I’m short staffed again.”

“You need me.”  It was a statement, not a question.

“Well, of course, I need you.  I can’t manage without you, frankly.  Of course, Holly has been a tremendous help—her knowledge of the art world and this gallery is amazing considering her young age, but … she isn’t you.”

“Well, thank you for the vote of confidence,” she said warmly, but fearing what her boss was about to say.

“I’ve spent a couple days considering whether or not to hire someone on a temporary basis, but I’m not prepared to invest intensive training in a short-term employee,” Gwendolyn informed.

“I understand.” She braced for the inevitable.

“How’s Jarrod?” 

Summer was thrown off a bit by the swift shift in the conversation.  “Oh, uh, he’s still on his stakeout.”

Gwendolyn sighed heavily.  “When will he return, do you think?”

“There’s no way to know,” she told her, and Gwendolyn didn’t miss the wistful inflection in her friend’s voice. 

“You and Jarrod seem to have hit it off,” Gwendolyn commented, knowing full well the statement didn’t do justice to the couple’s feelings for one another.  It was as clear as the sky above the mountaintop that they had fallen in love.

“Oh, uh, yes.”

“You know what,” Gwendolyn said suddenly.  “Forget I called.  It’d probably be a good idea for me to consider hiring someone,” she added too cheerfully.  “I’ll be fine here until then.”

She hung up before Summer could respond and she stared at the receiver, mouth agape.  Gwendolyn had taken such a quick turn, it left her head spinning, but she viewed the conversation as a reprieve and felt grateful for it.  She simply wasn’t ready to leave the mountain yet.  And she wasn’t ready to leave Jarrod. 

She dropped into a chair.  She realized with absolute certainty—she loved him.  How had it happened? 

After spending time with him, she knew he was nothing like the person she had originally thought him to be.  Maybe it would have been better if he had been.  She could leave him then, without so much as a backwards glance.  But now…

She spent the remainder of her morning contemplating her feelings for him, wondering if he felt similarly for her.  He seemed to—but she hadn’t proven particularly adept at reading the opposite sex in the past.  She had thought she and her last boyfriend had been headed for some sort of permanence in their relationship, but he had seen things differently. 

Summer forced thoughts of her ex from her mind, focusing instead on Jarrod again.  The mere thought of him caused a smile to spread across her face.  She made a quick decision to forgo over-thinking their relationship—were they, indeed, in a relationship.  Time would tell if the two had a future, though time wasn’t on their side presently. 

If only Jarrod was home, she would have the opportunity to spend more time with him getting to know him better, before she left her temporary mountain home behind. 

With a sigh, she rose, deciding to take a walk around the lake.  She felt a quick pang, suddenly missing Brutus, too.  Rick had returned from his honeymoon and reclaimed his dog, much to the chagrin of his new bride. 

Summer nearly chuckled aloud when she remembered the happy homecoming—at least Rick and the dog had been happy.  Rick’s wife, Meg, had been another matter all together. 

Rick had asked Summer if she might be interested in keeping Brutus permanently, and she had been forced to decline his kind offer.  Although his wife had clearly been disappointed, Rick had seemed downright pleased to have his big buddy back. 

She sincerely hoped the couple could manage to keep the dog, but knew she couldn’t have him.  At home, she lived in a tiny condo with no yard to speak of.  It just wouldn’t be fair to keep Brutus confined in a tight space, inside or outside, considering his immense size.     

Summer walked a good portion of the lake path and paused to allow a couple to pass.  She was surprised when they stopped to visit with her.  The man gestured back the way they’d come.  “There’s a mother deer and her fawn ahead,” he told her, smiling.

She glanced ahead, hoping the deer would still be there.  She delighted in watching the wildlife on the mountain, since she had never seen wild animals in their natural habitat before this trip.  

“We’ve been putting salt licks out back of our property to attract the deer,” the woman volunteered.  “It’s so much fun to see them—particularly the babies.”

“Oh!” Summer said.  “So salt will draw animals closer?”

The man nodded.  “We watch several deer every evening from our kitchen window.  I’m Chris Benton, by the way.  And this is my girlfriend, Heather.”

Summer introduced herself, and then smiled.  “Where do you find salt licks?”

“There’s a place in town,” the man told her, giving her brief directions to the store.  “You really should get some if you enjoy watching deer.”        

She bid goodbye to the couple and headed on her way.  After she’d completed her walk, she decided to drive into town and purchase salt in hopes of drawing deer closer to the property.  She eagerly anticipated viewing the animals from the cabin’s enclosed back porch.

She purchased the salt in large blocks at the store in town.  She drove home, eager to set them in place for the deer.  Once done, she painted for several hours until evening fell, and then she went to bed.  She woke the next morning, delighted to see several deer at the salt licks she had dispersed behind the cabin.  She couldn’t believe her good fortune to see these beautiful animals so close, in their natural habitat.    

After a quick breakfast, she sat on the back porch, watching the deer enjoy the salt.  It was interesting to her how the assorted deer seemed drawn to the blocks.  She wondered, would other animals be drawn to the salt licks, as well?

She found herself more and more entranced by the beautiful animals as she watched them in awe from the porch.  She grasped her coffee mug in both hands, enjoying the warmth that permeated them.  She realized, she could sit all day, but she finally rose to go back inside. 

She decided to work on her current painting, and headed for the easel on the front porch.  When Jarrod drove up in his work SUV an hour later, she smiled with pleasure.

She watched him exit the vehicle, returning her smile as he approached.  She met him at the top of the stairs, delighted when he drew her into an embrace.  “I’ve missed you,” he said in her ear.

“I’ve missed you, too,” she said, pulling back to study his face.  “You look tired.”  Indeed, he looked weary, as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.  “You haven’t had any luck catching the poachers?”

He shook his head.  “No, I’m afraid not.  But let’s not think about that now.  I’m home for a couple hours to collect supplies and I’m hoping to spend the time with you.”

She smiled widely.  “I think that can be arranged.”

“Good,” he growled, pulling her against him again, but then pulling back suddenly.  “Where’s the beast?”

“Beast?  Oh, Brutus.  Home with Rick and his wife,” she told him.

“Wow, I half-expected to hear you’d decided to keep him.” 

“I considered it,” she admitted ruefully, “but then I remembered my condo is tiny

 with no yard to speak of.”  She sighed.  “I really miss him.” 

Jarrod nodded sympathetically, but then eyed her curiously.  “I can’t imagine you living anywhere but here,” he muttered, his brows furrowing in a frown.  “I just don’t see you as a city girl anymore.”

“I don’t either,” she said, smiling softly. 

“Do you still love it up here?” he asked.  “
Really
love it here?”  He took her hand and led her to a chair on the porch.  She sat down and he dropped into a chair beside her.

She nodded.  “I do.  I really do.”

Jarrod leaned forward and took her hand again.  “I’ve been thinking a lot about you—about you and me, really.”  He smiled self-consciously, snaring her gaze.  “We haven’t known each other for very long, Summer, but I feel…”

Suddenly, his words trailed off as a deer strolled out from behind the cabin, pausing to glance at them briefly.  With the flick of its tail, it turned and strode back behind the cabin.

Jarrod seemed taken aback.  “I haven’t seen a deer so close to the cabins in a long time,” he said, frowning.  “I’ll have to run her off.”

He rose and Summer stood up, watching him curiously.  “Why do you have to run her off?  I love watching them,” she said.  “They’re so beautiful.”

“Them?”

“Yes.  Come on.”  Summer led him through the house and to the back porch.  “Look!” she said eagerly, gesturing toward the grouping of deer out back.

To her astonishment, Jarrod’s manner sobered considerably.  She noted his mouth was set in a hard line.  “Are those salt licks?” he asked, eyes narrowed as he appeared to count the deer.

She nodded.  “Yes.  I happened to run into a couple who live on the lake and they mentioned they use salt licks to draw the deer to the back of their property.  They like to watch them, too.”  She smiled, but realized Jarrod did not return her smile.  Instead, he continued to study the deer with concern.

She watched him with a cautious alarm.  “Jarrod, what’s the matter?”

“We have to collect the salt licks.  You’re liable to bring in brown bear, and we can’t have them hanging around the lake.  It isn’t safe for them or for us.”  He sighed loudly.  “Bringing either deer or bear this close to the lake properties makes a poacher’s job that much easier.  Do you have a garbage bag?” he asked. 

She gasped, realizing she had made a horrible mistake by bringing the animals close to the cabin.  She swallowed over a lump in her throat as she retrieved a garbage bag from the kitchen.  She passed it to him. 

“Wait here,” he told her.