Page 58 of Colton in the Wild
Her friend hesitated, but Hetty could tell by her wrinkled brow she was on the verge of saying more.
“Out with it, girlfriend,” she said.
“I just… I know it’s none of my business, but you’ve always been there for me about Troy and…” Hetty stayed silent, knowing Lakin would get there. And when she did, it came out in a rush. “You’re sure it’s not just…what happened? I know crazy feelings can happen when you go through something like that together. And my brother Eli has talked about how all that danger, and tension, and the rush of relief when you survive can skew your thinking and your emotions.”
Hetty stared at her friend. “You think…it’s not real?”
“Oh, no, and I hope it is!” Lakin took a deep breath. “I’ve always thought there was something else behind all the annoyance and the little jabs you fired at him. I just don’t want either you or my cousin hurt.”
Hetty leaned forward, ignoring the tug from her leg, until she could take Lakin’s hand in hers. “My brother is a very lucky man. And he’d better wake up darn soon or my next therapy exercise is going to be to kick his butt.”
Lakin laughed and could barely stop to say, “I want to watch that.”
“I’ll be selling tickets,” Hetty promised.
Yes, she was going to be having a long talk with Troy when he finally got that butt she was going to kick off that oil rig.
Chapter 31
It had been a bit of a rough ride on the ATV, but Hetty gauged the slightly increased ache in her leg and labeled it worth it.
But then, this spot would be worth almost anything. And Spence had said it wasn’t even in the top three on his list, so she couldn’t even imagine what incredible place held that number-one spot.
He’d arranged his work schedule so that he had time to make this trek. Changed everything for her, as he had for days on end now. She knew he had made a run to take some regulars up to one of the family-style camps they had set up this Friday morning, but didn’t have to go back for them until Sunday afternoon. And so here they were, in this place she’d never been and that he apparently never shared.
Until now.
It was strange, she’d always thought she had the best views possible of this beautiful land she lived in. Because what could be better than flying high above it, able to see for miles and miles in all directions? What could be better than truly realizing the size and scope of this state she loved, which was bigger than the next three largest states combined?
But she had overlooked the things she didn’t get from altitude, from her plane. The caress of a summer breeze, the scent of things growing so madly fast since they had so little time, the vibrant life of the birds and animals making the most of this short season.
The distinctive calls of a pair of bald eagles, talking to each other, cut through the silence that she’d realized wasn’t really silent at all. It had been Spence who had told her to just sit there, quietly.
“Wait and listen,” he’d said when they’d reached the top of the rise that overlooked their hometown in one direction and a small verdant hillside in the other. She had, and soon had realized she could hear the rustle of leaves and branches where there was no wind, the differing calls of so many birds and, as they’d waited, eventually the chatter of other, grounded creatures also making the most of the sunshine and warmth.
Things she was never aware of from the cockpit of an airplane. She’d been so busy flying over this land, she’d forgotten the wonder of walking it. She wouldn’t let that happen again.
Hetty smiled inwardly as she thought that Spence would see to that.
“Thank you,” she said softly, not wanting to disturb their temporary neighbors. “I’d forgotten how different it is…down here.”
“If you only see the big picture all the time, you can miss the little details that make it worth it.” Spence spoke as quietly as she had, barely above a whisper, but with the rough edge that made her skin tingle.
“I’m realizing that,” she answered. Then, with a smile, she added, “They must be used to you, the locals up here. They barely turned a hair—or a feather—when we motored up to this spot.”
He gave her a smile. That slightly crooked one she treasured. “They are, I think. This is my closest secret spot, so it’s the one I come to when I need the break but don’t have time for one of the others.”
“Will you show me those, too? When I can make it that far?”
“Everything,” he said in the tone of a vow. “No secrets, not from you.”
Her throat tightened. When Spence Colton made up his mind, he obviously didn’t do it halfway.
“Well,” she said, turning in the ATV’s surprisingly comfortable seat to look straight at him, “in that same vein of no secrets, I had a little chat with my doctor this morning.”
Spence went very still. He of course knew she’d been for a follow-up, since he’d been the one to take her there.
“Not bad news?” he asked, sounding rather endearingly anxious.
