Chapter Six
CHAPTER SIX
As Doug had warned, when they neared the top of the trail it grew narrower. But Katy was delighted to be closer to him. Moments later they were entering a lush meadow with the magnificent mountain peaks seeming to loom over them. While Butch ran around sniffing the ground, she stared in wonder.
“It doesn’t seem real,” she murmured. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve never even imagined anything like it.”
“When winter sets in and they’re covered in snow, on a sunny day they sometimes glow gold,” Doug said softly. “The best time is right before sunset. But then you have to get down the hill pretty quick otherwise it can be treacherous.”
“I’m sure. It must be very dark”
“Yep, and you have to watch the ground to avoid any icy bits. I came up with Blake last year and he knew exactly how to ride it safely.”
“They seem so close,” she remarked, unable to shift her eyes away. “It’s almost as if I can reach out and touch them.”
“I know. It’s ominous and breathtakin’ at the same time.”
“Do you come up here often?”
“When I need to think or find some peace,” he replied, lowering his voice. “On days when the Danville nightmare became too much I’d come up here and it would calm me.”
“I can understand why. I feel calmer too.”
“Sometimes I think there’s magic in those mountains.”
“There’s something,” she whispered. “Just the idea of how long they’ve been here…it’s kind of…”
“Overwhelming?”
“Yeah.”
“I hate to say it but the light’s fadin’ and we need to start back, but we can always come up again.”
“Thanks, Doug. I’d love that.”
“Come on, Butch, time to go.”
As the dog trotted towards the trees they followed, and Katy was surprised just how much darker the trail had become in such a short time.
“You were right about losing the light,” she remarked. “I’d hate to be up here late at night.”
“If there’s a full moon and it’s clear, it’s very different. It can be—”But Butch suddenly began barking and charging towards the trees. “Butch, stay here!” Doug ordered sternly.” Though the dog stopped, he continued to bark. “Don’t worry, Katy,” Doug said hastily. “It was probably just a—”
“D-Doug—I just s-saw a...a...a creature…,” she stammered breathlessly, trying not to panic.
“What kind of a creature?”
“It had to be what Butch was barking at. It was through there, and it was upright. Like a man, except I’m sure it was furry.”
“Damn, it must’ve been a bear. We need to keep goin’.”
“But it didn’t seem like a bear. It wasn’t built like one—at least, I don’t think it was.”
“Well it’s gone now. Come on, Butch, we’re goin’ home.”
“That was so freaky,” she muttered as they continued on.
“Your eyes can play tricks on you, and the light’s not great right now.”
“But Butch barked. I wasn’t seeing things.”
“You probably saw something, but I guarantee it wasn’t Bigfoot.”
“No, I guess not.”
But even as she agreed with him she remained unconvinced, then abruptly recalled what the bartender had told her.
Actually, some hikers who were staying here recently said they had seen a crazy looking animal that they claimed resembled a man. It scared them so much they ran all they way down.
“Although,” she continued slowly, “there were some guests at the campground who saw something strange as well. They told the bartender it resembled a man.”
“I doubt those hikers would have been on this side of the forest. It’s only reachable from the ranches, so they would have been closer to the lake. Maybe they just saw another hiker.”
“Maybe, but what I just saw wasn’t any hiker.”
“Then it was a bear, because one thing I know for sure, we don’t have any gorillas here, or men covered in fur,” he added with a chuckle. “Like I said earlier, your eyes can play tricks on you and its that time of the day.”
“You’re right about that. It’s much spookier than it was coming up.”
“Exactly. We’re almost at the bottom, then you and I are goin’ to have a chat.”
“About what?”
“You’ll find out.”
As he shot her a look she couldn’t decipher, goosebumps popped across her skin. But it wasn’t unpleasant. On the contrary, the enticing comment made him even more captivating.
** * **
By the time they returned to the barn the sun had set and the sky was darkening. With Big Ben in the cross-ties, Doug began to remove the saddle while Katy stood in the aisle. Thinking about what he was going to say to her once they were in the house, he couldn’t help but grin and stare at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothin’.”
“It’s not nothing. I can tell.”
“We’ll talk once we get inside. You can take off Mindy’s saddle and put her in the empty stall next to Ben. I’ll grab her some hay.”
“Why is the stall empty?”
“Doug keeps three available for folks who like to come for the weekend. In the summer he’s booked up. We have no guests now because he’s away.”
“Oh, I see,” she replied, leading Mindy into the cross-ties next to him. “What a clever idea. I assume they stay at the campground.”
“Yep. I take them on the trail rides, and he gives them lessons if they want. Usually they just like to enjoy the open spaces.”
He couldn’t deny her appeal. She had a mischievous glint in her green eyes, something he hadn’t noticed when he’d seen her in the pastry shop. But he’d been living in hell and wouldn’t have noticed anyway.
She also had a cute figure, and it had been far too long since he’d held a woman in his arms. He just wasn’t sure he should give the conniving female what she wanted. But as his eyes fell on her curvaceous backside, he realized he could add some spice to the hot chocolate and teach her a quick lesson!