Page 16 of Rescue
Chapter 9
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Miles
This is the last time I volunteer for anything. I’m sitting here in the Mayor’s dunking booth. Amy talked me into it months ago when she was going around town asking folks to add their name to a time slot. I remember thinking that 30 minutes wasn’t that long, but it seems like every minute I’ve spent in this chair lasted an hour. It’s nice today, about 72 with a mild breeze, but that is way too cool to be wet. I haven’t been dunked yet, but a couple of the kids from work are in line to buy some throws and I know Adam has an arm on him. Rumor is he’s being scouted by the major leagues. I knew hiring him was a bad idea.
The guys line up and start throwing. None of them are very good and I find myself relaxing and getting into it. If they’re going to try to dunk me, you better believe I’m going to tease them for missing. It’s almost Adam’s turn to throw when I get a weird feeling like I’m being watched. I look around and am startled to see Penelope standing by the tent, staring. I can tell she’s been watching a while, and it seems like she’s enjoying my torture. I surreptitiously take her in while she’s not paying attention. My eyes travel over her brown hair almost glowing red in the sunlight, her trim figure on display, and her long legs in those shorts that on anyone else would look average, but on her, make her look like a model. The sun is practically glowing on her skin and I find myself worrying if she put on sunscreen.Who am I?I shake my head a little to pull me out of the stupor I’ve found myself in. I smile when she catches me looking and she immediately looks away and starts talking to Amy. I don’t know what to make of that but decide to push it aside.
Adam ‘the arm’ steps up amid chants and laughter and pulls my attention back to the matter at hand. A breeze ruffles my hair and I’m reminded of how cold that water underneath me really is. “Now, Adam . . .” I say as he winds up. Right as the ball connects with the bullseye, I make eye contact with Penelope, her green eyes dancing with mirth at my expense. Something passes between us and heat rushes through my body. The chair drops out from under me and I’m plunged into the frigid water, cooling my body, and bringing me back to reality. I come up laughing and everyone cheers at my demise. Fortunately, my time in the chair is up. When I get out and look around, thinking that I might try to find the gorgeous woman that makes my heart speed up, she’s nowhere to be found.Bummer, I think, but no big deal. I’ll dry off and go find the twins who are sure to entertain me this afternoon.
The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur of friends, food, and fun with my brothers. Mason has come down off the mountain for the afternoon, so we spend the afternoon having some Carter brothers time. By the time the firefighter wet t-shirt auction is set to begin, I’m exhausted, but it looks like the twins are just getting started. I wave them off, knowing I don’t want to see the show they, and their friends, are going to put on. I know most of the ladies in town are going to want to see this, but I think I’ll pass. It used to be funny, but now that my brothers are a part of it, it just seems a little gross to me.
About the time they call Brody’s name for auction, Mason and I are heading home. He drops me off at my place since I’ve been with the twins all day, and I shower still thinking about Penelope. Something about that girl just won’t let me be.
After the long weekend, I’m the first customer at Mabel’s Manor when they open at 6. Today is the day Dad and I meet with the Callahans and I have to be at my best. That means getting up early, doing my routine, getting my cup of coffee, and then getting to the office to go over my presentation as many times as possible before we head to their office for the meeting at 10. I know it's 4 hours away but my anxiety about this deal is through the roof and I barely slept last night thinking about all the ways this could go wrong.
When I woke up at 4:30 this morning after several hours of tossing and turning, I decided to just give up. I got up and ran for an hour, then showered and dressed just in time to be here as Penelope is unlocking the door.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit that her sleepy smile and sweet “Good morning” is one of the best parts of my day now. Since the cafe was closed yesterday, I had to go an extra day without, and seeing her makes my day that much better. Maybe that smile will be my good luck charm today, I think to myself.
I order my usual and as she makes the drink, I watch her. She’s confident and comfortable in her surroundings. She moves effortlessly through the area like it’s her own as though she’s done this a thousand times. I can’t help but say something to her about it.
“You seem like you were born to do this,” I say, the words flying out of my mouth before I can stop them.
This seems to perk her up a bit. “Thanks,” she says, earning me a shy smile, “that means more than you know.”
I wonder what she means by that, but before I have a chance to ask, she’s handing me my drink and sticky bun and the person behind me is stepping up to order. There’s really no way to have an actual conversation with her here and that’s starting to frustrate me. There’s not much I can do about it now though. She’s moved on to the next customer and I need to get to work and start practicing.
On the short drive to work I’m thinking of Penny and how much more I want to know about her. I thought I wasn’t ready for a relationship, but I’m starting to rethink that. It’s been years since I’ve been interested in anyone and I’m nervous to get back out there, but maybe Penelope Collins is just the woman I need to draw me out and back into the world. The electricity I feel when I’m with her makes me feel like she’s someone worth taking a chance on. I consider turning around right then and going back to the cafe to ask her out, but decide against it. First of all, she’d probably think I was crazy, and secondly, I don’t have the time today. I marvel at the fact that Penelope was able to distract me from arguably the biggest deal of my career. If that isn’t a sign that I need to ask her out, I don’t know what would be.
When I pull up outside the dark and quiet store, it’s still a couple hours before we open. I slip into the store and lock the door behind me, heading straight to the back to start practicing. I’ll use these couple of quiet hours to my advantage and make sure that I have my proposal memorized backwards and forwards.
I’m still looking over my notes when Dad shows up a few hours later. I hear him before I see him, as usual. I must look crazed because Dad gets a weird look on his face and comes into the office and shuts the door. I shore up my courage knowing that in the next hour, I’ll be standing before the Callahans prepared for them to hand me my ass.
“Morning,” he says as he sits down in the chair across from my desk.
I nod my head at him and look back down at my notes, hoping he can’t see the anxiety written all over my face. I’m no match for my dad though, I can tell that he sees right through me as a look of concern grows on his face.
“Listen, son, I know you’ve been awfully hard on yourself since the accident, but I want you to know that I’m proud of you, no matter what happens today.” His normally loud and gravelly voice softens a bit. “Yes, this deal is important, but it’s not more important to me than you are. If they don’t see that you are a different man than you were 10 years ago, then we’ll find another way to grow the business. Your worth does not hinge on this deal, or on that freak accident that happened so long ago.”
Tears well in my eyes, but I blink them back. Knowing how much my family supports me despite my mistakes means the world to me. I know I’m to blame for what happened on the side of that mountain, and no one will ever convince me otherwise, but to know that I still have the support of my dad is a huge comfort. The relief I feel is astounding. I feel better just knowing that no matter what happens with this deal, I’ll still have my family in my corner, cheering me on.
Dad and I decide to just walk over to the Callahans property. Since they’re our neighbors it’s a short walk. The property is about 5 acres with 15 cabins of varying sizes available to rent. They’re all set in a semi-circle around a big fire pit that sits in the middle of the property. It’s quaint and homey, while still giving you a true mountain experience. The shuttle service they offer comes with a cabin booking and they run every hour or so, depending on the time of year and how many guests they have. It seems to be a well-run business that is fairly profitable. The Callahans have put a lot of work into this place and it shows.
The main office is just inside the perimeter of the property. My mouth instantly dries up and somehow my anxiety ratchets up a couple more degrees as we get closer. Once we reach the door, I take a deep breath, trying to get myself together. Dad seems to notice my stress and pats me on the back in a fatherly way. “You’ve got this, son,” he says clapping me on the back. I’m anything but confident.
He opens the door and lets me walk in first. The office is small and quaint, though there’s not much to it: a desk with one of those large calendar planners, a computer, and a small bell. There are pictures on the wall of the mountains covered in snow and along with a few brochures for local tourists' traps. Two chairs sit in front of the desk for guests to sign paperwork when they check in. Everything is very neat and orderly without a lot of fuss, which I appreciate.
Behind the desk is a door to what I know is Tom’s office. Dad chooses to settle into one of the chairs as though he hasn’t a care in the world, but I’m too anxious so I opt to stay standing. I can hear the murmur of voices in the office, but it’s too low to make out what is being said. Just as I’m about to ring the bell on the desk, the door opens and Mrs. Callahan comes out of the office.
“Well! Hello, Bob!” she says with a welcoming smile and voice. “Miles,” she says in a noticeably cooler tone. The feeling of dread in my stomach only grows. Something in my head tells me this meeting isn’t going to go well, but I know I can’t back down now, so I ignore my gut and just go for it.
Dad tips his ever-present hat at her. “Morning, Kathy,” his voice booming once again.
“Mrs. Callahan, how are you?” I try not to let my nerves show, but I’m not sure it works. She gives me a polite smile and waves us into the inner office.
“Tom,” my dad says, friendly as ever, first hugging Kathy, then shaking Tom’s hand over the desk. The office isn’t much different than the lobby, and with the four of us squeezed in here it’s pretty cramped. The desk takes up much of the room with a couple of chairs that sit in front of it, this set much more comfortable than the previous chairs. Tom gestures for us to sit down and I swallow hard. It’s the moment of truth and I can feel the sweat building from the panic that is continuing to build in my stomach.
