Rivers end boxset volume.., p.62
River's End Boxset Volume 3, page 62
He drank some water and ate a protein bar before stowing his tools and supplies at the worksite and starting his hike.
Going up the mountain took half an hour. Glancing at his watch, he noted it was five-thirty. When he dropped down below her camp at the creek, he called up. “Hey, Vee? It’s me.”
A dog, obviously Monty, immediately started barking and popped his head over the top of the incline. His big, floppy ears swung around and he tried his best to intimidate Gage by barking incessantly.
“Monty… buddy… hey… guy… it’s okay…” Gage called up, gently warming his voice to soothe the dog. Monty tilted his head. His barking stopped and he slunk back a few steps. Gage started across the creek and headed up the last bit of trail. Monty barked again as he ran back in a circle, slinking away and afraid. He was definitely no use as a watchdog. If Gage were there to harm Monty or the horses or Vee, well, good Lord, this dog couldn’t provide any protection. He was all but peeing on himself.
Gage chuckled as he kneeled down, putting one hand out and talking softly. “Hey… guy… it’s okay. It’s okay.” Monty stared at him, slinking forward a little, leaning his neck out and sniffing Gage’s open hand which he kept palm up as a sign of trust.
The dog nudged his hand finally, then jumped back. Gage smiled. He talked some more nonsense in a baby voice. The poor beast was so overwhelmed with anxiety at Gage’s unexpected presence that he couldn’t decide whether to be nice and trust Gage or run away in fear. Finally, he whimpered and licked Gage’s hand… barely. Gage smiled. “That’s it, buddy. See? I won’t hurt you. We’re friends. Come here…”
Monty finally came forward and Gage rubbed his ears and the top of his head. Only then did Monty roll over and expose his stomach in a submissive display of trust that could have broken anyone’s heart. Gage smiled as he scratched the dog, rubbing him enthusiastically while reassuring him over and over again, and saying what a good boy he was.
“He has terrible eyesight. He can’t recognize anyone until they’re right up on him.”
Gage flipped a glance over his shoulder to find Vee standing in the opposite direction of where she stood yesterday. She’d been down to the horse corral and was leaning against a tree. Had she been watching him for awhile? Listening to his monologue with the dog? Crap. Yeah. Seeing the small smile on her face, he knew at once she must have been.
“I had to talk to him. He was terrified of me.”
“Hard to miss all the ruckus. It drew me here.”
“Oh.” Gage rose to his feet. Monty flipped over and this time, his stubby tail kept wagging as he wiggled all around Gage. Great. Now he was a chump for talking baby language to her dog. But damn. The little guy was so sad and cute with all his barking and timidity. How else should he greet a terrified dog?
She stepped over the makeshift fencing that reached her crotch as she straddled it, stepping down on each side before flinging her other leg over. Monty spotted her and got all excited again with his butt and body wiggling while he rubbed against her legs. She bent down with a pat to his head and side as she kept walking toward the covered part in front of her tent.
“Didn’t think you’d make it tonight.”
“Am I too soon? Thought the walk would loosen my muscles before they stoved up.” Oh, sure. That was pure shit. He knew it. She had to know it too. His walk back to camp would do the job, except he had to walk three miles instead of one. Whatever.
She nodded towards the fire and quickly stoked the hot coals until a flame sprang up. She fed it some dry twigs and the fire greedily ate them like a child licking an ice cream except with snaps and crackles. She added some dry, rotten wood she took from the forest floor.
Putting her hands in the flames for warmth, she turned to the Coleman stove beside her, which she lit before setting a coffee percolator on it. She already had it all set and ready to go. Had she expected him or maybe even hoped he’d show up? And just in case he did, she wanted to be ready? Or maybe she simply prepared it that way every morning. She might always keep it clean and filled with water and coffee grounds for the next time.
Gage preferred to believe she’d hoped he’d show up.
“Sit down.”
Gage eyed the two blue, fold-up chairs before flopping down gratefully on one beside the fire. His body practically collapsed. He was ready to fall asleep in the chair, he was that tired. He hadn’t worked so hard all stinking day for many years.
Paddling his kayak, he had to use most of his upper muscles, and also when he worked in his yard, but that was nothing compared to this.
He consciously stifled the urge to release loud groans of pleasure just to be sitting. Resting, at last. In a lawn chair. His camp only had a hard log beside the firepit to sit on, or a little stool. He relished the present moment and sank into the luxurious comfort. Lounging there in the camp chair felt even better than his over-stuffed recliner at home. His most prized piece of furniture most of the time. But after his hard day of working and hiking through the mountains, this seemed like the most exquisite and relaxing chair he had ever sat in.
“You look like I just handed you a fistful of money. Does the chair feel that good?”
He couldn’t hide it. She stood, crossing her arms over her chest and stepping closer to the fire before staring into it.
“Yeah. Honestly? It feels that damn good. My sleeping bag would have to suffice for a chair at my camp. And six p.m. is a little early for bedtime, even as tired as I am.”
She snickered. He liked the sound of it. She was not acting suspicious or afraid of him now.
“So… can I offer you some dinner? It’s just freeze-dried chicken and rice. But it would fill you up with a hot meal.”
“I can’t take your supplies. I brought my own with me, probably even the same brand as you, but they’re down at my camp.”
“A good two miles away and at least an hour’s walk. Now, would you like some of this? I have enough. I can bring in a lot more than you can with two horses to carry it.”
“Okay. Yes. I’d really appreciate that.”
She smiled and clicked the other side of her small stove until the propane burner lit. She began heating a small pan of water.
“So, Vee, how long have you actually been here?”
She walked back and set a foot on the rock beside the fire. “Hmm… well, I guess it’s been three weeks.”
Startled at the duration, Gage jerked upright. “How? How is that possible? How can you have carried that much in?”
“Well, let’s not forget I can ride out and stop at the store anytime I need to. I’m not exactly stranded here.”
“Oh. Yeah. I guess your horses can carry a lot of food since the camp is already here.” He started looking around; there was no way in hell that she and one saddle horse and one pack horse could have brought even half the stuff he saw around the camp. Even with several trips. There were years of accumulation here. Totally something he should address in an official capacity… but he expected her to clear it out when she left, although he had no plans to check to make sure.
“How much longer do you plan to stay?”
She shrugged. “Not following any timeline.”
“Huh. Must have a pretty understanding boss. Or are you in college on summer break?”
“Nope. No college. No boss either.”
“Oh. Then you must be one of the lucky few who is independently wealthy?”
“Nope. Not that either.”
He put his hands up. “Okay, I give up. How can you afford to do this? How do you get this long off from work?”
“I work for the school district.”
“Teacher?”
“No. But I have my summers off.”
“Ah. Okay. What school district?”
Her head shook. “No. Nope. I’m not telling you any identifying facts about myself.”
“Okay. Why exactly can’t you tell me any identifying facts—as you call them—about yourself?”
“Well… no reason. You’ll never see me again outside of here. So no reason. I’m just a private person.”
He glanced around. “Uh… yeah, no kidding, mountain girl. I think that was obvious from the get-go. So… no last name either?”
“Nope.”
“And Vee? Is it a nickname?”
“Nope.”
“But it’s not your real name either?”
“No. Never.”
He sighed. The coffee finally percolated and she glanced at it, letting it bubble. The smell of roasting coffee wafted towards Gage and he almost groaned with pleasure. It smelled so good out there on top of the world, lost in the woods. He always cherished the homey, heavenly coffee aroma.
“Huh. You already know mine. Doesn’t seem fair.”
She stared at the fire and the side of her mouth lifted. “You offered it. I didn’t ask you for your name. And how do I know you’re telling the truth? Anything goes up here. It’s kind of what makes it fun.”
He sighed as he moved over to slip his hand in his pocket before he brought it out with his wallet. He leaned towards her. “I figured it might come up. So there. Proof I’m not lying.”
She stared at his wallet, then at him. “What?”
“My ID. Look.”
“I—I don’t need to. I already believed you.”
“Please, I would feel better knowing you have no reason to be suspicious of me.”
She stared into his eyes as she reached out to grab the wallet, but curiously, her other hand immediately rested on the butt of her gun. Damn… like a reflex, it was automatic. “That’s smart.”
“What?”
“I asked you to reach towards my hand. I could have grabbed you, pulled you down and out-manned you with my strength but you had your gun at the ready. You’re well trained in self-defense. I like seeing that.”
Her eyebrows rose. “You do?” She was slightly incredulous.
“I do. I wish more women took those kinds of precautions. It sucks that as a woman, you’re relegated to doing that, but I can’t stand hearing stories about women being overpowered and harmed. Or worse. Disappearing. Did a few Search-and-Rescues in my career when we enlisted anyone who was willing to help look… some ended well, but some didn’t and not because of the exposure or the terrain, but from a jealous husband or angry boyfriend… so, yeah.”
Vee tucked a lip under her teeth and nodded. She took the wallet and leaned back in her own space before she glanced into it. She read the license and said, “Gage Sullivan, age thirty-three as noted. You live in Winthrop? Local here, huh? For some reason, I didn’t get that.”
She leaned over to hand the wallet back to him. He nodded, taking it and putting it back in his shorts pocket. “Uh-huh. Sure. Family’s been here for years. Born and raised.”
“Are you very close to your family?”
“Yeah. I still live near my mom and dad. Like three miles away. I have a sister in Pattison and another one in Winthrop. I see them regularly and they also email, text and call… a lot. So much. Oh, my God, do I have meddling, gossiping sisters.”
Her head tilted. “That’s sweet, actually. Are you married?”
It seemed to just occur to her. “No. You?”
Her face tightened. A flush crawled up her neck and reached her cheeks. She suddenly turned to grab the bubbling coffee in the percolator. Finding two tin mugs, she poured the coffee in each before handing him one. Staring into the dark liquid, she swirled it and shook her head. “No. Never. Never plan to or want to.”
“Oh, yeah? That seems boldly determined.”
“It is. You doubt me? Everyone tells me I’ll change my mind and blah, blah, blah… like I can’t possibly want that later on. Staying unmarried. How scandalous.”
He stared at her, tilting his head as he considered her comment before he replied, “Actually, I believe you. I’ve never met a woman like you, with different goals and life choices than most of the women I know or meet. There are a limited scope of people I know and associate with, so not a broad sampling of society when it comes to scientifically speaking—but anyway, you’re like no one I’ve ever met. So yeah. I see that. I believe that.”
She sipped the hot coffee and nodded, dropping her gaze down. “That’s a nice change… you believe me. You aren’t trying to talk me out of it or set me up with your cousin or best friend or neighbor…”
“For real?”
“Constantly. Are you single?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t ever happen to you?”
“Not much. Though, I’m more than willing to be set up, so sometimes yes, but it’s not unwelcome.”
She shuddered. “Why would you ever willingly set yourself up for such an excruciating, humiliating experience? People send their cast-offs to you. I can’t stand the phoniness, pretending it’s fine. The weird habits, jobs, personalities, oh, no! Never.”
He let out a laugh. “Sounds like you’ve had some nasty experiences that you could make me laugh about.”
Her frown dipped her mouth. “No. No funny experiences with dating for me.” Her tone was harsher. He got the hint and backed off that line of questioning.
“Yeah… I have some whoppers. Want to hear one?”
Her gaze returned. Was that relief he glimpsed in her eyes? “Yes. Actually, I would.”
“Okay… you should sit down because you’ll laugh so hard at this.”
Her raised eyebrows and skeptical expression suggested she didn’t believe him. “I was set up with a woman I used to work with, a friend. We met at a restaurant, doing all the usual, boring stuff you do on a first date. I sat down and it started off good. We ordered drinks. We were chatting about her job and mine. It was a few years ago, and at that time, I was doing fundraising in Washington DC for the Forest Service. Telling this woman about it, I said I was bi-coastal right now.”
“Okay, so far not funny.”
“Nope. She stopped, hesitated and said that was acceptable to her. She had no judgments. I was confused by her answer. I mean, how controversial can it be to work on the east and west coasts? But okay… I thought perhaps she was picturing us dating in the future and just reassuring me she wouldn’t mind if I traveled. I don’t know, honestly. Then with no segue or transition, the next thing she literally said was, ‘Well, I slept with a woman my junior year in college. She was a friend and she asked me to…’ Then she went into graphic detail all about how the hook-up happened. After that, she asked me to describe my times with men.
“I was so startled, I could only gape at her, unable to even answer. Struggling for words, I said I have never been with a man and even if I had, I wouldn’t share that experience with her… and definitely not on a first date.”
Vee’s gaze sharpened and she leaned towards him, assuring him he finally had her undivided interest. She tilted her head. “Well… no judgment there. Lots of people experiment. You can tell me.” Vee’s snarky laugh and comment made him glare at her. “Seriously, what were the woman’s issues? Why was she so awkward with social cues?”
“After a few more sex stories from her, I finally asked why she was telling me all this stuff. She said it was so I would feel more comfortable knowing it was okay with her if I were bi-coastal.”
Vee’s smile blossomed all over her face and genuine laughter escaped from her lips. Lots of laughter. She couldn’t talk or breathe. Finally, she held up a finger and coughed. “Oh, my God, the woman thought you were confessing your bisexuality. She thought bi-coastal meant bisexual.”
He grinned, feeling glad he could make her laugh so hard. “Yes, that’s exactly what she thought. It took me a few minutes to convince her they were not the same thing. Bi-coastal simply meant I was working on two coasts: east and west. Her embarrassment was visibly instantaneous. I’m sure that’s why she couldn’t admit her ignorance of the word. I assured her I wouldn’t have expected, much less, wanted to discuss another person’s sexual history on a first date.”
Gasping, Vee hiccupped between laughs. “How stupid could she be? And even if you did tell her that, why would she launch into the details of her own sexual history? I mean… yeah, it’s weird you’d pop being bisexual in the context that she took it, yeah, but nothing about it suggested you wanted to hear a long, detailed history of her own. Quid pro quo, I guess?”
He chuckled too. “I tried not to let on how… yeah, how stupid I found her. I tried to reassure her that it was fine, just a misunderstanding and all that… but holy shit. Did she go into detail. TMI. So much I was uncomfortable and I decided I never wanted to see her again for fear of all the strangers she’d tell about our date in gory detail.”
“No, that’s just plain stupid. There is no confusing those two words. And what adult doesn’t know the difference? I love that story. It would have been worth the stupid date just to have that experience, I’ll give you that.”
She laughed again. It was a husky, spontaneous giggle. “Got any more that good?”
“Not that good… but some that are amusing and harmless…” The other stories were cute, innocuous anecdotes that neither mocked him nor the person he was describing. While Gage talked at length, Vee poured the boiling water into the foil packages and let it sit for the requisite eight minutes. She also massaged the packages to spread the moisture and cook the meal in the bag. All the while, Gage’s stomach nearly cramped with desire for the hot, mouth-watering meal. So much better than the cold jerky and power bars he filled up on all day. He ate a warm breakfast but that was more than twelve hours ago, at six o’clock this morning.
She divided the package into two bowls for each of them and handed him the tin bowl with a fork. He grabbed it eagerly, ending his story nearly mid-sentence, forgetting the amusing anecdote of a woman who wanted him to meet her cat before they went on their first date. When he said “meet her cat,” he was deadly serious. The woman formally introduced them and assumed the cat understood.
