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The book signing went well and the crowd was a healthy size. In fact, it grew almost all afternoon. Bret posed for photos, signed books, and answered questions. It inspired him to see many children who were getting into the outdoors because of him and his show. To think he was helping to shape a new generation, inspired him to keep going and to get new ideas. By the end, his throat was dry from all the talking but he helped Tracy pack up the view books that weren’t purchased.
The Sips and Flips owner shook his hand warmly. “Thank you so much for picking my store for your book signing. It’s been a real treat having you here.”
“It’s been a pleasure. Your place is one of the coziest things I’ve ever seen. Your town is lucky to have such a nice place to pick-up books.”
She laughed and scrunched up her nose. “And have a warm place to sip tea on a rainy day. We do live in the mountains, after all. We get that rain and drizzle when you least expect it.”
“Thank you again,” Bret said. “I won’t forget this place anytime soon.” His words were honest, even if he wasn’t the biggest fan of small towns. If he wasn’t out hiking or exploring, he liked his cities to be big. So he could get lost without getting noticed. In a town the size of Sweet Falls, it was like being under constant surveillance.
He picked up a stack of boxes and followed Tracy out to her van out back. “You got everything taken care of at the TV station?”
“I did. I even got them to promise an in-person apology from that news anchor lady.”
Bret slid the boxes into the back of the van and cringed. He slammed the back door shut. “Oh heck, Trace. I didn’t ask you to do that. I don’t need her to come back groveling to me.”
Tracy shrugged and didn’t look bothered by it. Her facial expression remained neutral. “I figured it couldn’t hurt. I mean, she owes it to you. People can’t just go around talking to you that way. You’re one of my biggest clients.”
Was that it all came down to? Brett’s money? He hadn’t exactly resisted using it to get what he wanted but he didn’t want to humiliate anyone. Whatever he said, wouldn’t change Tracy’s mind no matter how much he protested, so he let it go. “You take care of things, I get it.”
“Only the best for you. How long are you hanging around here?”
“Just until the morning. I want to take in a hike and maybe grab some photos. I need to center myself before I head into another book signing. All these people....”
Tracy stared at him intently but Bret didn’t want to bore her with his sob story about his anxiety for crowds and people. She didn’t know about Jaime, how he had lost her and it was a story that he just didn’t like to get into. “I’m going to have dinner with a few friends. Maybe pick up some girls,” he lied, but he found that lie was always pretty convincing.
She laughed. “Of course you are. Live it up. I’ll see you in Groveland in three days.” Tracy slipped into the van.
“Drive safe.”
“I always do, boss.”
Bret stepped backward so Tracy would have room to make a U-turn. The van sped out of the cramped backlot and Bret thought of his plans for the evening. Going over to Christopher’s place and meeting his girl, Lana. Who knew that Christopher Sinclair would settle down before he did? Bret always thought he’d be the one to meet a nice girl. Of course, he had and life...life had a way of poking the bear.
“Picking up some chicks, huh?”
Bret jumped at the sound of the woman’s voice. He had thought he was alone and his heart skipped a beat. Startled, he spun around. It was Stephanie, stepping out of the bookstore’s back door behind him. Her arms crossed, she skipped down the steps and stood to face him.
She didn’t say anything right away. Was she there just to scare him or was she really there to apologize?
“Listen, I know what happened. My assistant told me about her demands. She over reached, I’m sorry. You don’t need to apologize.”
Stephanie seemed unphased by his words. “She over reached. You can’t take responsibility yourself?”
“It’s the truth,” Bret said plainly. He tried to keep his voice as level and sincere as possible. “I don’t want to humiliate you, I just didn’t want you to run that video.”
“It was re-edited and it was shown at lunch. Everything I asked was basically stripped away and they added a voice over down by my colleague, Candy Mason.”
Bret scrunched up his nose. “Candy?”
“Don’t belittle her because of her name. She’s a meteorologist. Her name came from her parents. And to be honest, it kind of fits her bubbly personality.” Stephanie scowled. “I don’t know why I’m explaining that to you.”
Bret didn’t know either. “We got off on the wrong foot, you have my sincere apologizes about that. I don’t do well with people and small towns make me nervous.”
Stephanie’s eyebrows soared up. It seemed to be the only way she knew how to emote. “Small towns make you nervous but riding in helicopter’s don’t? Parachuting down into the wilderness?”
“Generally not. A tree never set out to destroy me on basic cable TV before.”
A chuckle escaped Stephanie’s throat. “I’m sorry, Mr. Mitchell that you perceived my questions as an attempt to destroy you. However, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear, which to me makes you look very guilty.”
Some apology, Bret thought. He soured as she turned toward the bookstore. “Let me prove to you that I’m honest and I’m telling the truth. Let me show you I’m on the up and up.”
Stephanie turned with a playful smirk on her face. “Oh? And how exactly are you going to do that?”
“I’m heading out on a hike tomorrow morning. Come with me.”
She laughed. “Come with you? I have a job, Mr. Mitchell. I can’t just take off, considering how upset my boss is with me right now.”
“So, bring a small camera. Film what we do. Maybe turn it into an expose piece. He’d let you go then, wouldn’t he?”
“Maybe,” Stephanie conceded. “And we would do what?”
“Hike. I’ll show you the ropes. We’ll spend a day, find shelter. Eat a meal. Light a fire. I’ll teach you how to survive—an abbreviated crash course.”
“You’re insane.”
“Maybe but it’ll be your chance to prove to everyone what a fraud I am, right? Unless you really don’t want to do that. Maybe it’s not my show you have a problem with.”
She squeezed her jaw tight. “I’ll think about it. I’d have to get approval.”
“I’m meeting my pilot at the airport at seven AM. If you want to come, bring a backpack with water, a change of socks, a few granola bars, and some sunscreen. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Stephanie scrunched her nose up. “You really think I want to spend any time with you in the wilderness?” Stephanie shook her head. “We barely made it five minutes in the bookstore.”
“Maybe,” he gave her his best flirty smile. “I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”
“And you won’t bringing a crew? No cameraman? Just you and...me?” Her face changed. If Bret didn’t miss his guess, she almost smiled.
Her answer surprised him. He couldn’t help a sharp intake of breath. “Me, the sunshine, the mosquitos—if you have any, and whatever we find out there in the mountains.”
“All right,” Stephanie smiled. “All right, Mr. Mitchell. I’ll see what I can do. If it all works out. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
Bret couldn’t believe it as they shook hands. He hadn’t pegged her for crazy but maybe she was as nuts as he was. Well, his stay in Sweet Falls just got a whole lot more interesting.
*****
Bret picked up a bottle of the best wine he could find before heading to Christopher’s for dinner. The house smelled of garlic and tomatoes in the best possible way. Beautiful and fierce, Lana was different than any girl Christopher had ever dated in college. Smart, confident and witty, she wasn’t arm candy. In fact, Bret thought maybe Christopher could’ve been her arm candy.
She was smart and the way she smiled at him....Well, it was clear it love was alive and well. It reminded Bret of painful memories but despite that, he was happy for his old friend.
The food was fantastic and they laughed over dinner. Bret noticed Christopher didn’t drink any wine and stuck with seltzer water. Of course, Bret heard the stories of his old friend’s rehab days but he thought it was mostly rumor. Christopher had always been a partier and now what? He had just given it up?
After dinner and the dishes had been cleared, he sat at the table and glanced around at the home Christopher had decided to settle down in. It was sprawling, a home a Sinclair would be comfortable in but it was the exact opposite of sleek and contemporary. Rustic with wooden beams and a large stone fireplace, it was more like an elaborate cabin.
Bret himself loved the feel and the warmth of the place but it seemed unlike Christopher. Could he really have changed so much since the last time they had seen one another? Or had he changed for Lana?
As he and Christopher sat around the table, he asked him as much. In the background, the sound of clinking dishes came from the kitchen. Christopher frowned and shook his head. “Lana and I make choices together. We liked this home and it’s still in the city limits, but gives us privacy. We both are happy here but do we compromise sometimes? Sure. Did I when I bought this house, no.”
Bret nodded. He hadn’t been in a serious relationship since college and after that, swore the concept off. Life was too short for emotional complications. “Well, I’m happy for you. She’s a great girl. It’s clear you guys work, even if I don’t understand it.”
“What’s to understand?”
Bret hadn’t meant to offend Christopher but he tensed as he said it. “She’s not your usual type. She’s smart, outspoken. I mean, she’s the sheriff. The sheriff! That’s pretty tough.”
Christopher grinned. “She keeps me in line.”
Bret chuckled. “And it’s all true? No more drinking?”
“No more,” Christopher agreed. “I lost a lot of time drunk. I did things I don’t even remember. I’m not going back to that. Life’s too short. So, tell me about this female reporter. She’s really going on a hike with you? Does she know what she’s getting herself into?”
“Probably not,” Bret said and rubbed her chin. “But it’ll settle once and for all if I’m a fraud. A phony.”
“It really bothers you she thinks that.” Christopher leaned back in his chair and drummed his finger on the table top.
Bret nodded. “Thing is I don’t know why. I know people make their own judgements all the time but she let hers be known pretty publicly.”
“Your ego was bruised. You were embarrassed. Can’t say I blame you.”
“I don’t know if she’ll really show but it might be interesting.” As Bret said that, Lana came out with a platter of cookies.
“Stephanie?” Lana nearly snorted. “If she said she’s going to do something, she will. She just wanted to talk to her boss first about the day off. Trust me, she’ll be there. She loves herself a challenge.”
“So am I the challenge?” Bret asked. “Or is it the hike?”
Lana laughed as she sat down. “Maybe it’s both.”
Bret reached for a chocolate chip cookie and thanked Lana for her hospitality but inside he already felt claustrophobic. A day in the small town was almost too much for him. He needed to get some air, soar above the tree line of the mountains, and get away from Sweet Falls—delicious food and good company not withstanding.
Tomorrow would be fun. And if Stephanie really did show, it’d be even more interesting. He liked a woman who put her money where her mouth was. Who knows, maybe they’d even have a little bit of fun.