Chapter 39
Jason
I stare down at the sheet of paper as I read it for a third time, the last snowfall of the year starting to cascade through the lot.
I brush my thumb over the message, appreciating Sunday’s pretty pink kiss-print, but wishing that we could have done that in person instead of through a note.
I understand why she didn’t want to make a big deal about saying goodbye but, the fact of the matter is, I already miss her like crazy.
I cast a glance over my shoulder, seeing that the guys have this job covered.
And then I look back toward my truck, knowing exactly what I want to do.
If she wants to head to Nashville, fine, but I should at least hold her before she goes.
And I definitely have enough time to catch her at the airport.
I round the hood to the driver’s seat, satisfied with my plan, but then my phone vibrates in my back pocket and I pause to pull it out.
And when I read the text alert, my heart comes to a stop.
I exhale hard and glance skyward.
You have got to be kidding me .
I tap the search-and-rescue contact number and, after two rings, Waylon – the team head – picks up.
“Bear Pass?” I all but growl. “There’s a hiker up fucking Bear Pass?”
The most dangerous mountain in the whole of Phoenix Falls, not only for its steep incline but for the well-known inhabitants that it’s named after.
Waylon sighs quietly, sounding as exasperated as I feel.
“Jace, we’re lucky they even had a sat-phone on them. But it’s low enough down the mountain to not need a plane, and I was hoping you might be close by and able to get the snowmobile up the trail.”
I steel my jaw as I glance back at Sunday’s note.
“Really bad timing, man,” I tell him gruffly.
“We can get another guy there in forty, if you’re held up,” he says, but I’m already shaking my head as I gently tuck Sunday’s note into the chest pocket of my work jacket.
Exactly where it needs to be. Right over my heart.
It shouldn’t take too long to get to my place and grab the snowmobile, and, if the hikers are low down, the mission might not even take two hours start to finish.
Meaning that I can still catch Sunday before she leaves.
It’s cutting it fine but I want her to know how much she means to me, and that I’ll be right here, counting the minutes ’til my girl’s back home.
And hopefully she won’t be too mad when she hears that I had a mission up Bear Pass.
I gesture to Madden across the lot and he jogs over, the snow sticking to his long dark fringe as it drifts through the square. Then I show him the alert on my phone before letting him know how long I’m going to be gone.
He jerks his chin at me in response and I give him a nod before he heads back to the crew.
Then I hunch down inside of my truck and say into my cell, “Give me the coordinates.”