Page 17 of Make Mine Sweet
“Are you in the marijuana business?”
His eyes widen a touch, his eyebrows lifting. “The marijuana business?”
I flail a hand around. I don’t know the proper terms for it, I just know it’s out there. “You know. Colorado. Oregon. I thought maybe…”
I’m not really sure what I thought, but the stunned look on his face tells me I’ve guessed wrong.
He barks a laugh. It’s more exhale than true laughter, but it’s a start.
“No. I’m not in that business.” He shifts in his seat, looking away from me. “The mountaineering business.”
“Like actually climbing mountains?”
He nods, his gaze still on August and Dutch.
That makes sense for him. I don’t know him super well—okay, at all—but before, he’d seemed fearless.
Compared to me, everyone did.
But I could see that working for Ian. The old Ian, anyway. Brash and confident, he would have made a good climber ready to forge his own path just to prove he could. He had the kind of carefree energy that matched the extreme sports enthusiasts I’ve known.
And probably a certain amount ofcarelessness, too. That seemed to go along with guys who sought out jobs like that. Rock climbing instructor. White water rafting guide.
Ski instructor.
I draw in a deep breath and shiver despite the warm breeze. I definitely do not need to be thinking abouthim. No point in ruining a perfectly nice evening.
“Is that why you’re out here?” I ask, eager to steer my thoughts any other direction. “To climb in the Cascades?”
I’ve got a little too much enthusiasm in my voice, like I’m a late night host leading my guest to launch into a story to charm the audience.
He whips his head around to me, his gaze narrowing. Once again, I get the feeling my guess is all wrong.
“No,” he finally says. He turns back to watch August and his dog.
This guy would be an absolute bust on a talk show.
August runs around inspecting the big, decorative rocks that ring the yard. He squats down, gazes at the ground for a while, and then moves to the next rock. Dutch follows him like they’re explorers on a mission.
“What are you finding?” I call out.
“We’re looking for bunnies in these holes!” he shouts back.
This kid and his animal kick. We saw a bunny at the park a few weeks ago, and he’s been hoping for a repeat ever since. Every little creature delights him. Squirrels, deer, even the tiny frogs that come out near my mom’s house every spring. He’d bring every last one home to live with us if I let him.
“Tell me if you find one.”
“Seems more likely he’ll find a rattlesnake under those rocks,” Ian says.
I snap my attention to him. “Rattlesnakes?”
Do rattlesnakes live in holes under rocks like that? I’d seen August inspecting them the other day, and I’d just assumed they were caused by rain or something. Maybe insects. Not snakes.
“It’s too hot for rabbits to be out, but it’s perfect for a snake looking for something to…” Ian catches whatever horrified thing my face is doing and leaves off the rest of hisWild Kingdomcommentary.
“Should I be worried about rattlesnakes?” Funnily enough, my voice comes out a low hiss. I don’t want to scare August if I don’t have to. But there’s no scenario in which I’m prepared to deal with a snake.
Ian doesn’t seem too concerned. “Dutch has been barking up a storm all afternoon. He probably scared away anything that might have been in the yard.”
