Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“She’s an important part of our community,” Summer adds. “She’s so active with volunteering and with clubs and groups. I see her in town all the time. I can’t imagine Joy being gone most of the time and missing out on all the things happening in Bitterroot Valley.”
“I can’t either. But she’s earned a vacation somewhere tropical.”
Summer grins over at me, and soon, we can hear the water.
“Is that a waterfall?”
I can’t believe we’ve already made it this far on the trail, but I nod at Summer. “Yup.”
“Oh, my God, I want to see it.”
She practically skips farther down the path and turns a corner, and there it is. The top of the falls is at least thirty feet in the air, and the water rushes down into the creek below.
“I didn’t even see the creek,” she says as she sets her hands on her hips and watches the water.
“We were walking perpendicular to it. We’ll walk along it on the way back.”
She turns to me and then rushes over and jumps up into my arms. My hands land on her ass as she loops her arms around my neck and kisses me, pressing herself against me as we listen to the water, and the cool spray fills the air around us.
“I take it you like it,” I murmur against her lips.
“Chase, it’s gorgeous.”
“And you’re not even looking at it.”
She laughs, and I let her slide down my body, my hands still glued to her ass, and then she turns to take it all in again.
“I love water,” she says, her eyes pinned to the rushing current before us. “I always have. Lakes, rivers, waterfalls. I love visiting the ocean. It’s the sound of it, you know?”
I slip my hand in hers, linking our fingers, and stay quiet as she goes on.
“It’s as if the sound of the water drowns out all the noise in my head, and I can just be. I don’t have to worry or overthink anything because the water calms all those chaotic thoughts.”
She turns to me again.
“How did you know that I needed this today?”
I shrug a shoulder. “The season’s winding down, and I know that the summer was full of stress for you. Between the shop, the weddings, and the bullshit of someone trying to scare you, I figured it was time for a break. For some quiet. Even if it’s just for one day.”
She nods slowly, turning her gaze to the waterfall once more. “I guess it really has been a pretty crazy summer, huh?”
“Pretty crazy,” I agree. “But I’m glad that it has been. Because if those idiots, whoever they are, hadn’t tried to scare you, we might not be here like this.”
“Oh, I like to think that we would have found our way here eventually.” She laughs and moves over to the small wooden bridge that my brothers and I made about ten years ago so we can keep moving on the path. “I would have figured it out. Speaking of figuring stuff out, are there any new leads on my case?”
“No.” I refuse to sugarcoat it for her, and I hate that that one word has some of the light draining from her eyes. “I’m sorry, sugar, we’re still investigating.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Feels like it is,” I reply absently, but then she’s in my arms once more, her hands framing my face.
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t do those things, Chase. Some asshole did. It’s their fault. You’re doing everything you can to keep me safe, to make me feel safe, and I appreciate it so much.” She nuzzles my nose with hers. “So stop feeling guilty, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
She smacks a playful kiss on me, wiggles out of my arms, and leads me down the trail.
Is it any wonder that I’m completely in love with her?
“Oh, look!” Summer points down the trail. “This path empties out down by the lake!”
“Yes, it does.” I grin, excited about what I have to show her next. I haven’t brought her out here since before Rem’s wedding, and there have been some changes. Actually, a lot of changes.
“That view is just so great,” she says. She’s panting a little from the exertion of the hike, but her eyes are bright with happiness, and being with her today has been amazing.
Of course, every day with Summer is the best day of my life.
We come out of the woods near my property, and Summer props her hands on her hips while she tries to catch her breath.
“We’re going to have to check for ticks later,” she informs me.
“I can’t wait.” I laugh and take her hand, leading her toward my piece of the lake. “I have more to show you.”
“Are those…is that a foundation?”
I’m all smiles as I guide her to the concrete foundation, and we stop, looking it over.