Mary jumped when a thud of some sort jarred her from her sleep. Blinking, it took a moment to realize the plane’s wheels had touched down.
“Wow. We’re here already?”
“Nah. Emergency landing,” Grant said.
Her mouth dropped open, and she sat up straight, coming instantly alert. “What? Are you serio–” One look at her husband, and she knew he had her.
His lips twitched, and a second later, he broke into laughter.
Her elbow connected with his, pushing it from the armrest between them. “Not funny, you arse.”
“That was quite a nap.”
“Well, we did leave the house before the crack of dawn, you know.” The early morning drive to Kansas City International Airport had left her feeling groggy. Probably should’ve gone ahead and driven up last night. Their plans had changed when Sara’s did. Normally, they would’ve spent the night in Kansas City, taken Sara to dinner, and left their car at her apartment complex while they were away.
Mary gave a lion-sized yawn and checked her watch. They’d landed right on time. With the time difference, they still had the whole afternoon ahead of them.
“So, you ditching me straight away for the pool?” Grant asked.
“Of course not. I’m going to let you feed me first. I’m starving.”
“My pleasure. Want to stop on the way or go to the hotel?”
“Hotel is fine. I don’t want to waste time driving around looking for something.”
“You mean you didn’t plan this out?”
She playfully curled her fingers as if to show her claws. “You are asking for it, Mister. You really want to mess with me on an empty stomach?”
His hands shot up surrender-style. “Reconsidering…”
A flight attendant interrupted with instructions for exiting the plane. While other passengers began the frenzy of collecting bags, Mary stretched as best she could, and bounced her legs up and down to make sure nothing had gone to sleep, hating that she didn’t automatically trust that particular body part as a matter of course.
Forty-five minutes later, Grant pulled the rental car into the hotel’s beautifully landscaped circle drive, the entrance almost hidden by the lush gardens that were still a vivid green. Mary opened the car door, and stood in the drive a moment, enjoying the blast of warm air that hit her face. Oh, yes. Eighty degrees in November.
“You all right?” Grant asked, coming around the back of the car, where a bellman stepped forward to retrieve their bags.
“Perfect.” The grin that spread ear-to-ear across her husband’s face reminded Mary that he’d looked forward to this as much as she had. Maybe for different reasons, but he’d earned his getaway. When he lifted the trunk handle, she put out a hand to stop him from assisting with the luggage. “Hey, you’re on vacation now. Why don’t you let the valet and bellman take care of this, while we find the patio?”
“You sure?” Grant asked.
“Of course. Let’s get checked in.” She waited while he gave the valet the key and a tip, then she took Grant’s arm, and nudged him toward the door.
Once they’d checked in, they headed directly to the terrace café. Mary settled into a bright green cushioned chair on the shaded side of the patio dining area and ordered an iced tea. “Ahh.” She let her head fall back. “This is gorgeous.”
“Pretty swanky,” Grant said. “So, pool for you. What’s on the rest of the agenda?”
“Well, I have some dinner recommendations. We talked about the arboretum or that nature park for tomorrow.” Mary watched for Grant’s reaction, as apprehension washed over her. Could she manage a hike? What if she got in then couldn’t get back out?
“That hiking trail sounds good, if you’re up for it.”
“We can check it out,” she murmured, turning her attention to the menu. She ordered a fresh market salad with grilled chicken, then rested her arms on the table. “Hey, the hotel does this fun thing where you can order a picnic or a cheese board with a bottle of wine. Why don’t we do that for the walk tomorrow and go late afternoon?”
That way, if she wussed out, they could salvage the experience and enjoy the beautiful vistas with a glass of wine.
“Works for me,” Grant said. “I’ll head over to the driving range while you’re working on your tan.”
Mary’s phone pealed from inside her purse, and she checked the screen. “Oh, it’s Claire.” She turned the phone so that Grant could see the photo of a smiley-face sun sporting sunglasses. “Just wishing us fun in the sun.”
She sent a quick “thanks,” and tucked the phone back in her purse. “I was hoping to hear from Sara today. She was so excited about that interview she had on Wednesday.”
“Takes more time than that.”
Mary reached out and put a hand over Grant’s. “Why don’t you text her, or give her a call while I’m at the pool? She’d love to hear from you.”
Grant was quiet, his gaze moving from Mary to somewhere beyond her.
“You know she thinks you’re disappointed in her.”
His brows rose as his glance snapped back to Mary’s face. “I am disappointed in her.”
“But you love her to pieces, right? You’d do anything for her.”
“Just not sure what to say to her. If I’m honest, she’ll hear the disappointment in my voice. Probably not what she wants to hear.”
Definitely not what she needed to hear, either. “True, but I’m not sure silence is any better. With no communication, you leave it up to her imagination. In times of stress and tension, that leaves things wide open. You can relieve some of that by just telling her you love her and you’re thinking of her.” When Grant didn’t respond, Mary rested a hand on his arm. “Let’s don’t make things worse by withholding support, Grant. Or making her feel bad about herself. That never works out well.”
She saw him tense.
“She’s making things hard on herself. There’s all kinds of ways this could go bad.”
“Exactly. She has enough to worry about already. Give her a call and let her know she doesn’t have to worry about letting you down.”
He blew out his breath before nodding. “Yeah. Maybe I’ll do that.”
Mary sat back, smiling inside and out – and hoping Sara would be free to talk when her dad called. “Annie and Blake will be home tomorrow. Did you see that last picture she posted?” Mary retrieved the phone again. “Look at this. So darn cute.”
They spent the rest of lunch time talking about the kids. No surprise there, Mary thought. The three of them always gave her and Grant plenty of material, whether it was good for their digestion or not.
In their room, Mary quickly changed into her swimsuit and cover up while Grant contacted the golf pro shop. She’d purchased a new suit for the trip, liking both the design and the fit, which almost constituted a miracle as far as she was concerned. The pink ombré suit started out a dark rose at the bottom and gradually shifted into lighter shades of pink until it hit her shoulders. Gathered lightly along the side, it had a slimming effect across the front. A definite plus. She tossed a bottle of sunscreen into her bag. She could take care of that at the pool. She just needed to get down there before the fatigue beginning in her head enveloped her.
With a little wave to Grant, she grabbed the bag, then headed for the elevator. Fortunately, it was a solo ride, and she leaned against the side and closed her eyes until the sharp ding signaled her arrival. Intense sunshine greeted Mary when she stepped into the pool area, and she had to stop, squinting as her eyes tried to adjust. To her relief, an eager-to-please pool attendant hurried to her side with a towel and glass of water.
“Lounge chair, ma’am?”
“Yes, please. One of these will be fine,” she told him, gesturing to a line of chairs within a few steps. Slipping her sunglasses on, she was finally able to look around. She put a hand to her chest. Oh, my. Crystal clear water shimmered in the pool as sunlight danced over the light ripples, and colorful umbrellas dotted the bright blue sky like a game of Twister.
Mary wasn’t sure whether she felt lightheaded or simply giddy over the sunshine and stunning pool before her. Did it matter? She dropped her bag and sank into her lounge chair. Bring on the vitamin D. Perhaps a deficiency in that area accounted for her sluggishness. She waited a short few minutes before a server arrived. “Can I get you something else to drink?”
“Absolutely. I’ll have one of those Hawaiian sunset frozen margaritas.” Hopefully that would take the edge off and she could skip the next dose of Advil. By the time the waitress returned with the drink, Mary had slathered herself head to toe with sunscreen and was ready to settle in for the long haul. Grinning, she reached for the drink, hoping it tasted as good as it looked. The skewer of fresh pineapple, orange and cherry did not disappoint.
After one sip, she found her phone and snapped a photo of the drink and sent it to Grant. “You’re missing out. Join me when you’re done there.” She was about to replace the phone when she noticed a missed call from Jane. Odd. Jane knew they’d left for vacation. Mary intended to unplug, but curiosity won out, and she pushed redial.
“You rang?” she asked when Jane’s voice came on the line.
“I did. I hope you didn’t pick up because you were in the pool.”
“Working on it. Enjoying a frozen libation as we speak. First things, first. What’s up?”
“Well. I want to run something by you. Allison Young called. Said she’d heard that Corey had gone to the employment workshop at the community center and wanted to know if I could copy the materials for her.”
The big gulp Mary took gave her brain freeze, and she grimaced while she wrapped her head around that request. Some nerve, was her initial reaction. She slipped her foot in and out of her sandal, and took a smaller sip of her drink, considering the implications. Perhaps people were beginning to realize that landing a new job required more than filling out a few applications these days.
“Really. That’s interesting,” she said, for lack of anything more intelligent to say, and aware that she’d left Jane dangling on the line.
“I told her I wasn’t sure if there were any copyright issues, and I’d have to clear it with the agency. But I really meant you.”
Mary snorted. “I paid for fifty copies, and only used a few, so I’d say they owe me.” She hadn’t thought to keep some of the kits for herself. Hadn’t expected anyone to reject the workshop and then come asking for the information. Closing her eyes, she let out a heavy sigh. The petty part of her said too bad, too late. But the rational side knew that response was petty. The objective, after all, had been to help people find a new job. She pushed her hurt feelings aside. It wasn’t about her. It’d probably been hard for Allison to make that call to Jane. Probably cost her some pride. Maybe a friendship.
“I’m fine with it,” Mary told Jane. “The thing is, there was an online component, with some videos and role-playing. I don’t know if the code was individual to each packet, or to our event.”
“I could try it on my computer,” Jane offered.
“Sure. That’s a good idea. Let me know if it doesn’t work, and I’ll contact the gal at On Track and see if we can get a few codes in case we get any other requests.”
“Sounds good. Hey, Mare?”
“Mm-hmm?”
“That’s– it’s really nice of you to let Allison and Rick have this stuff.”
Her throat tight, Mary brushed off the compliment. “I guess you caught me in a moment of weakness.”
“Have fun out there. Remember those of us shivering in coats and sweaters while you’re basking in your bikini.”
“Oh, right.” Mary chuckled. At this point in her life, she vowed only Grant or the coroner would gaze upon the white flesh of her tummy.
Ending the call, she switched the phone to vibrate and closed her eyes, basking in her not-so-sexy, but classy, one-piece as the sun warmed and soothed her aching muscles. Her pool bag held her digital reader and a stack of magazines, but she chose to ignore them for now. Even reading sounded like too much effort. Lifting the margarita glass to her lips was the only physical activity she cared to engage in for the next thirty minutes, at least.
As she became aware that her skin felt warm, Mary shifted onto her stomach and continued dozing until a dip in the pool became necessary. She wanted to enjoy her time in the sun, not cook. Swinging her legs to the side of the chair, she pushed off. And nearly lost her balance. What in the world was going on? Her foot wasn’t asleep but felt funny. She stepped forward gingerly, and found herself dragging her left foot, as though a weight held it back. Concentrating on each step, Mary made her way across the concrete surface to the pool. Clutching the handrail, she lowered herself to the steps, and blew out her breath. With her elbows on her knees, she let her head fall into her hands. This was ridiculous. How could seven steps be so difficult? Swallowing hard, her thoughts went to the blood tests. When would the results be in, and what would they reveal? Her breath caught in her throat. Oh, God. She couldn’t be sick. There was too much–
“How’s the water, gorgeous?”
Mary jumped, her head snapping up to see Grant crouching at the side of the pool, a grin covering his face. Quickly, she straightened and flashed him a smile. “Hey, didn’t expect to see you so soon. How’d you do at the range?”
“Think I’m ready for the tour.” He gestured around the pool. “Everything good here?”
“Perfect. Did you talk to Sara?”
Grant sat down and let his feet dangle in the cool blue water. “Sure did.”
“Can I get you something to drink, sir?” The pool waitress interrupted.
Grant looked at Mary. “We got time for a beer?”
“Of course. And I’ll have an iced tea, please,” Mary told the young woman. “What’d Sara say? Did she sound all right?”
“Yeah. Says she feels good. ’Course she’s not getting up at six o’clock and working eight hours every day.”
When their drinks arrived, Mary floated to the side of the pool next to Grant. “Actually, it’s good that she’ll be past the first trimester before she has to do that. She should have more energy and be over any morning sickness. I think she’s working hard at job-hunting, though, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Sounds like she has her heart set on this one job. Might make it harder to get excited about other ones. Did you know her friend is moving out and wants Sara to sublease her space?”
“Oh. No, I didn’t. Did she say she would?”
“Not yet.”
“Hmm. That would leave her there with a roommate who’s not really a friend. I was hoping she could get through the pregnancy with some friends to help her.”
“Help her what?”
“Just to be there for her. You know, be the one to take out the trash, or grab her a blanket or something to drink without her having to get up. Little things like that.” Her voice trailed off, and once again she considered a trip to Dallas. Even if Sara’s friends were there, they might not know that much about pregnancy. Maybe they wouldn’t think to help her out.
Truth was, Mary wanted to be there to pamper her daughter. But could she manage it? What about this ridiculous thing with her foot? Would she even be able to shop or look at apartments? Maybe on Monday Dr. Bates would have some answers, and Mary would have a prescription and be on the mend by the end of the week. That thought bolstered her spirits.
“Hey, I’m having second thoughts about our Thanksgiving plan. Maybe we should go see Sara instead.” Since they’d all gathered for Annie’s wedding, they’d decided that everyone would stay put for Thanksgiving, and come to Whitfield for Christmas. That way, Annie and Blake could see his parents for Thanksgiving, but be home for Christmas. At the time, it had seemed like a good idea.
“And ditch Kent and Dana?”
Mary screwed up her face. “Well, I don’t think I would put it quite like that.” The current plan was to help serve the noon dinner at church while Dana and her son Chase had Thanksgiving lunch with Dana’s dad at the senior center, then meet up late afternoon for cocktails, football, and supper. Easy and low-key. If they changed the plan, Dana would understand.
“We could still have Sara come home,” Mary said, thinking out loud. “Or what about going down on Friday and staying the weekend?”
“Darlin’ I’m game for whatever. You and Sara figure it out and let me know.”
Mary let out a long sigh. Of course, she couldn’t back out on her commitments. Going to Dallas on Friday made the most sense. She’d rather be on the road than in the stores on Black Friday for sure.
“I’ll talk to her in a day or two. Who knows, maybe she’ll be invited to dinner with a friend.”
“She didn’t mention anything,” Grant said.
Mary linked an arm around Grant’s leg. “I’m glad you talked to her. I bet that made her day. You’re the role model for what she’s looking for, you know.” She flashed Grant a smile. “Mr. Good Guy.”
“Huh. And I thought you married me for my looks.”
Laughing, Mary, let her fingers drift up his leg. “It was the whole package, love.”
Grant slid into the water, tossed an arm around her shoulders, and leaned in close. “You think you can say something like that and not have me want to haul you out of here and up to our room?”
She looked at his plastic beer cup and smiled. A few more gulps, and the beer would be gone. “Looks to me like we’re almost done here, anyway.”
And hauling her might not be far from the truth.
Grant took her hand, and helped her up the pool steps, allowing her to test the waters, so to speak. Her foot took the weight, but still felt sluggish. “Go slow,” she told him as they made their way to the lounge chair.
His brows shot up. “What do you mean?”
“My foot’s bothering me, so let’s not sprint up to the room, okay?”
“What’s wrong with your foot?”
“I don’t know for sure. Grab my bag, would you?”
About half-way to the lobby, Grant stopped. “Mary-me, you’re limping.”
She took a step forward, tugging on his arm. “I’m aware.”
“Does it hurt?”
She shook her head. “Doesn’t hurt, just feels unsteady. This is the foot that’s been falling asleep.”
They ambled to the elevator, where Grant let out a heavy – audible – sigh. “Get this checked out when we get home.”
“Yes, yes. But for now, let’s just take it easy and enjoy the trip.”
He pulled her close, nuzzling his face in her hair. “That’s the plan.”
* * *
Mary woke to find Grant dressed again and standing in the doorway of their balcony, a slight breeze moving the curtains. She propped herself up on one elbow. “Hey.”
He turned, his brows pulled together in a frown. “You feel all right?”
She ran a hand through her hair, coming more fully awake. “Yeah. You ready for dinner?”
“Whenever you are. Where we going?”
Mary plopped back onto her pillow. “Not sure. It’s written on my list.” She closed her eyes again. Was she even hungry? It was tempting to snuggle back into the covers.
“Sure you want to go out?”
She forced her eyes open and sat up. “Of course. Let me hop in the shower real quick.” Hopping was a stretch, she thought, pushing off from the bed, her muscles aching in protest. How many silly verbs people used for doing ordinary stuff. She was going to take a shower, not jump or hop or run or dash.
Grant tossed her one of the plush robes from the closet. She shrugged into it and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Wait. Was there a time change? She looked at Grant. “What time is it, love? This can’t be right.”
With a slow nod, he confirmed the time. “It’s right. You’ve been asleep awhile.”
Mary’s face warmed. Apparently, she’d fallen asleep at the pool and again after their late afternoon tangle in the sheets. Ignoring the implication of that, she flashed him a saucy grin. “Whose fault is that, I wonder?”
She slipped past him and the half-hearted smile that didn’t quite make it to his eyes. “Be right out,” she told him in a sing-song voice.
Ten minutes later, Mary wrapped a bath towel around her, and sank onto the lid of the toilet to rest a moment. She rubbed her temples, trying to find the energy to move again. Finally, she pushed off and faced the mirror, giving her hair a quick fluff. Get going.
She slipped into the red-and-white maxi dress she’d planned for tonight but decided to go with the beaded black flats instead of the strappy heels. Hopefully she wouldn’t trip on her dress.
“Ready?” She asked, perching a hip on the armchair where Grant was waiting.
She was rewarded with a true smile. Standing, he grazed a hand across her shoulder, then pulled her up. His lips met hers in a long, slow kiss that had her spine tingling. “Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t want to go out?” Mary asked against his lips.
Chuckling, he pulled back. “I do. I’m starving.”
“Apparently.”
He gave her a light swat and nudged her toward the door.
The sun had already dipped beyond the horizon by the time they arrived at the upscale Agave Bistro, making the patio too chilly for Mary’s bare shoulders. They took a table near the window where they could see the twinkling lights outside as well as the distant lights of downtown Phoenix.
They were well into dinner before Grant broached the subject of the next day’s walk. He took Mary’s hand. “Want to make a new plan for tomorrow?”
Mary took a sip of wine. She knew exactly what he meant. And it was probably the smart thing to do, but she couldn’t bring herself to cancel. The nature preserve had been high on Grant’s list of things to do. Smoothing the tablecloth, she shook her head. “No. Let’s give it a try. Besides, I’ve already ordered the wine and cheese cooler.”
She looked up to see his clear blue eyes leveled on her. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Of course, he’d understand if she cancelled. He wouldn’t be resentful or make her feel bad. Instead, he’d do everything he could to make sure she was happy and comfortable. She squeezed his hand. “I’m game, as long as you realize you might have to carry me out.”
He shot her a wry smile. “I appreciate that you think I could manage that, but babe, does it make sense to push when we don’t really know what’s going on with your foot? Or why you’re so tired?”
“Are you kidding? Isn’t more exercise the cure for everything? Look, how ’bout a compromise? When we get back to the hotel let’s get online and take another look at the preserve areas. Let’s make sure we go to one that has good access by car and the easier trails. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds like you’ve made up your mind.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’ve got my visor and sunscreen, and I brought my little yellow backpack, so we can take plenty of water and–”
“The real question is, did you bring proper shoes?”
Mary sputtered a laugh. Ah, the man knew her well. No doubt he was remembering the time she’d been caught wearing sport sandals in a too-close-for-comfort encounter with a copperhead on a walking trail. As if she’d ever forget that mistake – or anyone else would, either. “Checked and double-checked.” She picked up her glass and sat back with a smile on her face. “Stop worrying.”
* * *
At three-thirty the next day, they pulled into the entrance of the Lookout Mountain Preserve, which claimed to have breathtaking vistas without the crowds or steep elevations of the northern mountains. Already the views were magnificent, with one peak casting shadows against the other, and tall saguaros standing like soldiers among the assorted boulders and brush.
“Beautiful,” Mary said, squelching the apprehension that flared in her chest, as she peered at the rocky landscape. She hoped the trails would be solid, worn dirt without a lot of loose rock and gravel on the ground.
“Where to?” Grant asked.
“Let’s drive as far as we can and get a feel for it, then choose where we want to walk, and where we want to be later.” The winding road took them above the city. Mary strained to see the walking areas, also keeping an eye out for rock formations with easy access that would make a good perch for watching the sunset. “Oooh, that looks good,” she said, pointing to a large flat boulder that extended outward, but didn’t look like it would require much climbing.
“Okay. This place could work. Want to park here for now and look around?”
“Sure.” Grant brought the car to a stop, and Mary reached for her backpack. Rolling her neck, she opened the door, and stretched her legs, willing them to cooperate. Was that too much to ask? Was it? She reminded herself that she’d asked before. She’d put off dealing with whatever was wrong with her foot until after the wedding. Just a few more weeks. Just this one more trip. She slammed the car door harder than she intended and ignored Grant’s questioning eyes.
The stiffness in her muscles was harder to ignore, but Mary slid her sun visor into place and scanned the trail ahead. Hopefully the Advil she’d taken before they set out would kick in soon. “Hey, hon,” she called to Grant. “Can you grab the camera?”
“Sure thing. Want me to take that backpack, too?”
“Nope. I got it.” She tucked her cell phone into the front pocket of her pack to take a few fun photos. The bigger, “real” camera was for the scenic shots Grant had in mind. Another reason for hiking in the late afternoon – more dramatic light for better pictures.
As they started along the trail, Mary recalled her impatience with Grant’s photo-taking on previous hikes – his determination to get the right shot slowing them down. He’d wait for the sun to hit his subject at just the right angle or sit still for what seemed like hours for an animal to poke its head out of a hole or from under some rock so that he could capture its image. She had a feeling she’d be grateful for such dilly-dallying today.
A few minutes later, when Grant stopped for a close-up of a cactus, Mary plopped onto a large rock nearby, taking advantage of the opportunity to rest. The trail was gentle, but still an uphill climb. “Hey,” she called when Grant lowered the camera. “Come here. We should be in some pictures, too. Show the kids that old empty-nesters can still have fun.”
Grant knelt beside her, and Mary stretched her arm as far as she could in front of them for a selfie. “Smile!” She pushed the button a couple of times, then handed the phone to Grant. “Okay, you try. Maybe we can get some scenery in the background.”
He took a few more, then Mary positioned herself in front of a cactus so that she appeared to have a crown of needles. “How’s that look?”
Grant chuckled. “Painful.”
She took the phone from him and thumbed through the images. “Haha. I have to post that one. Looks like an encounter with a porcupine gone bad.” At least it looked like they were having fun. No one would know the smile was forced, or they’d stopped for any reason other than a funny photo.
“We done here or do you want more pictures?” Mary asked.
“We can move on,” Grant told her. “As long as you’re doing all right.”
“Sure. But you go ahead and take pictures, so I don’t slow you down.”
He turned with a grin. “You slowing me down? That’s got to be a first.”
As Mary began to feel the effects of the walk in her legs, she took a keen interest in the boulders along the way. Another thirty minutes, and she felt as if she were furniture shopping – sitting on each rock she encountered as though sampling the feel and fit of a new chair.
“Looks like I’ve got a couple of bars of service, so I’m going to post these,” she said, dropping onto a boulder with a smooth indention in the center. She’d bet she wasn’t the first to have a little rest here. “You go ahead and shoot while the sun is hitting this side.” The towering rock formations were impressive, and the light enhanced the deep red coloring. She removed her visor and swiped at the perspiration beading her forehead. The sun was into its early evening descent, but still plenty intense.
After several more minutes, Grant joined her. “You about ready to find that outcropping we passed?”
“Sure,” Mary said a little too brightly.
“We can follow the trail on around and see if that puts us close or go back out to the road.”
“Up to you,” she said. “Going back is more of the same. Do you think there’s anything different to shoot up ahead?”
He grinned at her. “Won’t know until we try. I could go back and get the cooler out of the car, but I hate to leave you up here by yourself.”
Mary glanced around. They’d only passed one other couple on the trail so far, which gave them a nice, quiet hike, but she didn’t love the idea of being alone, either. “Oh, let’s keep going,” she said. Surely if they kept moving that direction, they’d have to come to both the rocks and the car, since they’d parked nearby. Standing, Mary stretched her back, which brought Grant up behind her.
He kneaded her shoulders, each squeeze sending a lovely feel-good kind of ache from her spine to her head.
“I think we’re pretty close,” he said.
Good, she thought, stepping away from his hands. Much more of that, and she’d collapse into a limp heap at his feet. As they moved forward, Mary’s right leg began to tremble, and it took more effort to lift her foot. Grant noticed immediately.
He took hold of her arm. “What’s wrong?”
“Ah, this leg’s getting weak.” She stopped and propped herself against a boulder. “Why don’t you go ahead a bit and see what’s around this curve. I’ll stay right here.”
Indecision clouded Grant’s features as he looked around them.
“I’ll be fine,” Mary assured him. “Go take a look.”
“Okay,” he said, with a resigned sigh. “Be right back.”
He returned a few minutes later wearing a smile. “Almost there, babe.”
He moved in close beside her. “I can carry you.”
Mary gave a shaky laugh and pushed at him. “You will not. If it’s close, I can manage.”
He held out his arm instead, and she clutched it. Relief whooshed through her only minutes later when the ledge of rocks she’d seen earlier appeared before them. “There it is! Woo-hoo! We did it.” Thank God. She could perch there in the shade and send Grant to the car, which might even be visible from her vantage point.
But as they got closer, she realized it was more of a climb than she’d originally thought. Hands on her hips, she turned toward Grant. “Well, big guy,” she said grimly, “do you want to push or pull?”
“You go up. I’ll spot you then go to the car.”
With a shake of her head, Mary climbed onto the first rock. “You’re going to get a view, that’s for sure,” she muttered.
Laughing, Grant hopped up behind her. His arms circled her as he pulled her against him. “I love the view.”
He helped her onto the next rock, following once again, and then he braced her feet as she made the next two steps and practically crawled onto the flat rock at the top. Breathing hard, Mary dusted the sand from her jeans. Not exactly graceful, but she made it.
“Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute,” Grant said. He left the camera beside Mary’s backpack and retreated the same way they’d come up.
Uh, yeah. “Not going anywhere.” Mary pulled her knees up to her chin, curled her back against the rock behind, and closed her eyes. A nap sounded good. Oh, wait. She forced her eyes open. They were here for the view. Her eyes scanned the dusky sky, just starting to take on some gold tones. Movement below caught her eye, and she peered forward. Grant was already heading toward her. The trail must’ve followed the road more closely than they thought. That meant only a short walk in the dim light after their sunset picnic – a thought that cheered her immensely.
“Here you go,” Grant said, clambering up the rocks. He sat beside Mary and set the soft-sided cooler in front of her.
Mary smoothed the paper placemat on the ground between them, then lifted the platter of cheeses with grapes and dried fruit. “This looks fabulous,” she said. “Such a great idea.” She handed the bottle of wine to Grant. “You can pour.”
In less than five minutes, they had a spread of food, and glass of chardonnay each.
“This is the life,” Grant said, holding his glass toward Mary.
She clinked her glass against his. “To us.”
The sunset met all expectations, and Mary sipped her wine with a satisfied sigh. “Absolutely gorgeous.”
As the bands of blue, orange and pink intensified, she dumped the remnants of the picnic into the cooler and scooched in front of Grant. Then she noticed the camera on the ground. “Oh, hon. Don’t you want to get some shots of this?”
“Nah. I can remember.” He pulled her against his chest, and a peaceful stillness enveloped them, the rest of the world disappearing along with the sun.
Mary didn’t stir again until Grant whispered against her hair. “We probably better get going before it’s completely dark.”
“Oh, but that means I have to move.”
Grant landed a quick kiss on the top of her head. “’Fraid so, darlin’. Why don’t I run all this stuff to the car then come back for you? It’s not far.”
“That’s not necessary,” Mary told him, even though her muscles contradicted her as she attempted a standing position. “Assuming I can get up,” she added with a chuckle.
Grant helped her to her feet then gathered up the cooler and camera. Mary grabbed her backpack and took a few steps toward their access to the trail.
“Let me go first,” Grant told her.
Her brain agreed, and she intended to step back. But her leg buckled. It happened so fast. The next thing she knew, she was slipping. Almost in slow motion she felt herself falling, heard Grant shout her name, and vaguely heard the camera slam against the rocks. Her thigh hit first, then the underside of her left arm, her exposed skin scraping against the side of the ledge. And then strong fingers wrapped around her right arm like a vise. With a fierce yank, Grant pulled her to safety.
Mary trembled against him. “Damn, damn, damn,” she said into his shoulder.
“Shh,” he murmured, though he’d let loose a few expletives himself. He bent to meet her eyes, pushing the hair from her face. “You all right?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
“Okay. Let’s get out of here.”
Grant practically carried her down the stair-stepped boulders. She felt the soreness in her thigh and the sting of raw skin with each step, but she managed to get to the car.
At the hotel she considered a hot bath, knew she should at least clean the abrasion on her arm, but all she wanted was to climb into bed and feel the cool sheets around her.
* * *
Mary awoke to some rustling sound behind her. Rolling over, she let out a soft groan, and Grant’s kiss brushed her cheek.
“Hey, I’m going for coffee while you sleep a little longer.”
“Okay,” she murmured. Pulling the sheet around her, she curled into a ball.
“It’s eight o’clock,” Grant said. “Want another hour?”
“Mm-hmm.” Didn’t really matter, she thought, drifting between consciousness and going back to sleep.
“Mary?” A voice whispered in her ear.
“Hmm?”
“It’s nine-thirty. You ready to get up?”
She attempted to stretch out her legs but pulled them up again. She held up a hand. “Five more minutes.”
A moment later, his heavy arm circled her waist, and Grant nestled her against his chest.
“Mmm.” Mary let out a soft sigh.
“What time is your massage?”
Oh. She’d forgotten about her appointment. She tried to clear her head enough to think. “Ten-thirty.”
“Do you still want to go?”
Yes, but did she want to get out of bed? Every muscle screamed in protest at every move she made. It would be the perfect time for a massage, right?
“Yeah. I’ll get up.”
Grant stood, and Mary attempted a sitting position.
“You feel okay?”
Mary ran a hand through her hair. “I think–”
“Oh, baby, your arm is all scraped up. We should’ve got that cleaned up last night.”
Mary waved him off and swung her legs to the side of the bed. “It’s fine. Aren’t you supposed to be playing golf?”
“No. Remember, they couldn’t get me in this morning, so I decided on tomorrow morning instead of afternoon.”
“Oh. Right. It’ll be cooler then.” Ugh. She didn’t really want him hanging out in the room while she hobbled around like an old woman.
“Hey. Why don’t I run a warm bath for you?”
She let out a choked laugh. Maybe she did want him hanging around after all. “Yeah. That’d be great.”
When she was done, Grant met her with a robe and a fresh cup of coffee. Her smile was automatic. “Thanks, sweetie.”
Seemed kind of silly to dress simply to go to the spa where she’d slip into another robe, but she pulled on some exercise capris and a soft tunic. When she ventured back into the bedroom, she stopped short. Taking in the scene, she stared at Grant. “What are you doing?”
Troubled eyes met hers. He dropped the pair of slacks he’d been folding into the suitcase in front of him. “Mary-me, let’s go home. There’s a three o’clock flight out this afternoon. We can be home by ten, and first thing in the morning you can call your doctor. Or go to the clinic. Something.”
“Oh. But– No. You’re supposed to play golf tomorrow morning.”
His face softened. “I can play golf another time.”
She swiped at unexpected tears. “But–”
“Mary. It’s done. I cancelled my tee-time, and I rebooked our flights.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Well,” she said, finally. “You’ve been busy.”
Grant came around the bed and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “I had some time last night to look into it while you were sleeping. I think it’s the right thing to do. Let’s get you downstairs for your massage. We can have lunch by the pool, and then call it done.”
Mary swallowed hard and nodded. Her voice came out a hoarse whisper. “Okay.”
He was probably right, she conceded. But in truth, the thought of going home – and facing reality – filled her with dread. What news was waiting for her at home?