7. Maverick
Maverick
Can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. I love everything about these mountains, but right now, the thing I love most about them is sharing them with Corinne.
I’ve been taking her to my favorite spots.
Lion’s Peak. Windrunner Gorge. The wildflower meadow I came upon a few years back.
And then Pirate’s Cove—the small cave behind a waterfall that my brother and I discovered when we were kids.
Used to be our secret hideout. Kept all of our treasures in there, most of which were just cool rocks or sticks or toys.
We had a couple of hammocks in there, too.
Hadn’t been back there in years, but as soon as we entered it, I swear I was transported back in time.
Still had my little cave painting of two swashbuckling pirates going at it.
Corinne seems to be enjoying herself. All smiles, even though we’ve been at it for hours, and she’s likely tired. Lost track of time. Hard not to when I’m with Corinne.
I pause at a large boulder, tying the laces as I glance back at her.
She’s huffing, leaning on the walking stick Marge gave her.
We came across her and Jade on the trail a few hours back.
Apparently, Corinne gave her a shock of a phone call yesterday, and when she found out she never checked into the Inn, she went looking for her.
She left us with quite the care package, too.
We’ll dig into it once we make it to the lookout.
“We’re almost there.”
“Yeah?” Corinne pauses next to me. “I could go on all— hyackspuhyack!”
Corinne drops her walking stick and swipes at her face, coughing and hacking and spitting.
“You okay?”
“Fine , ” she stammers after another coughing and spitting fit. “Bug flew into my throat.”
I snort. “I know the feeling. Surprised, it hasn’t happened— hyackackksonofa!”
Spoke too soon.
Both of us take long swigs of water, and I try my best not to stare.
It’s been brutal keeping my eyes to myself.
Leading the way has forced me to keep my eyes on the path and not Corinne, but I can’t say it’s stayed that way all day.
When she was in her element, setting up her camera, looking for the right angles, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her.
And even now, when she’s hacked up half her lung, I can’t help but stare. The way her lips wrap around the bottle. The gentle movement of her throat as she swallows. The beads of sweat glistening on her chest, her?—
“Where are we headed, anyway?”
I clear my throat. “Going to see Wolfe.”
Her eyes bulge. “You’re joking, right. I can kind of understand a raccoon. Kind of. But a wolf as a pet?”
I shake my head, smiling. “Not a wolf. We’re going to see Wolfe. He’s the fire watcher in Whispering Winds. He’s got this massive lookout on the top of the mountain. Best views anywhere on the mountain.”
“Oh.” She bobs her head. “Okay. Cool… Cool. Cool.”
I climb onto the boulder and then reach back for her. “Come on. It’s going to be worth the hike.”
Corinne smiles, slipping her hand into mine.“It’s already been more than worth it.”
My mind blanks. I completely forget what I’m doing as she looks up at me. I thought the lookout would sell her on the mountain. I guess she’s already sold. Maybe there’s hope that she won’t just leave after the wedding.
“Maverick?”
I swallow. Right. I pull her up onto the boulder with me, and we continue making our way up the mountain, hand in hand.
I’m not letting her go.
“Blaze,” I shout as Wolfe’s fluffy dog comes barreling towards us.
Corinne leaps behind me just as Blaze jumps on me and then bounces away, bounding around us and barking excitedly. I drop to my knees, and Blaze takes the opportunity to lick my face and then sniff my back pocket.
“Smart pup,” I mutter, reaching back to retrieve the couple of treats I brought for him. I toss them to the ground to give me a little space, and he starts nosing for them, finding them almost immediately.
I get back to my feet, turn around, and find Corinne over by the field of poppies and other colorful wildflowers. Can’t help but smile.
“You weren’t wrong,” she says when I slide in beside her. “It’s gorgeous up here.”
I slip my arm around her without thinking. It feels right. Even better when she eases against me, as though I’ve held her like this a million times before.
“Few places better than this,” I mutter as we both stare at the valley sprawled out in front of us.
The canopy looks like an endless sea of dark green, undulating with the varied slopes of the mountain.
Birds are diving and darting all around, glad that the storm’s moved on.
A calm like I haven’t felt in years blankets me.
“Is there a better view than this?”
Yes. And I’m holding on to her. Everything is dull and lifeless compared to you. Black and white. A gentle murmur compared to the screams my soul makes when I look at you.
I smile, kissing the crown of her head. Another reflex.
It’s coming far too naturally, but I make no apologies.
And Corinne’s making no complaints, nuzzling even closer to me.
Blaze trots over to us, brushing against our feet, but neither of us moves as though we don’t want to break the magic of this moment. Although maybe that’s just me.
“Maverick?” A deep, rumbling voice shouts from behind us.
I sigh. It was magical while it lasted.
I turn my head, still refusing to let go of Corinne, expecting to find Wolfe, but instead, I see Heath leaning against the railing of the firewatch.
Corinne drops to her knees, giving in to Blaze’s whimpering as she scratches his scruff.
“You can be down there all day,” I mutter. “That dog will never get his fill of pets. Or treats for that matter.”
“Well, good for him that I’ve got an unlimited stock of pets to hand out. Don’t I, Blaze. Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?”
I scratch my head, wondering if I need to roll over on my side to get that kind of attention from Corinne. I’ll damn well bark too if it means I can get those hands on me.
“Heath?” I shout, heading towards the lookout. He’s already coming down the stairs by the time I’m halfway there. “What are you doing here?”
I pull him into a hug, each of us patting each other’s back before breaking away. Can’t remember the last time I saw Heath. Damn near a year, I think.
He slides his sunglasses up on his head, pulling back his lank black hair.
He’s a big man. Not quite as big as me, but he spends his days jumping out of helicopters and fighting fires.
Running and lifting and training in the off-season.
A well-oiled machine. Well, I guess my machine is well-oiled from the sheer volume of pastries I fill up on whenever I make it back to Whispering Winds.
But Heath’s the kind of guy who wouldn’t break a sweat racing in an Ironman competition.
I’m the kind of guy who can break a sweat just watching an Ironman competition. And eating cake.
“Where’s Wolfe?”
I see his gaze shift to Corinne, and well, some unhinged thoughts come to mind. Better keep his hands and eyes to himself. I don’t care if he’s got the body of a Lamborghini, I’ll take him to task with my Ford fuckin’ Bronco.
His eyes shift back to me, and I settle, exhaling sharply as I relax my fists.
Lamborghini? Bronco? Jesus, what am I thinking?
Heath’s a good man. A better man than me, given the thoughts that have been circling around my head since I met Corinne.
Thoughts that would send her running into the woods again if she knew.
“Taking over the lookout for a few weeks while Wolfe’s away.”
“He left?” Hard to imagine that man leaving his lookout for more than a couple of hours, let alone a few weeks.
“He’s got a girl now.” Heath gets a strained look on his face. “Margot? Yeah, I think that’s right.”
I snort. “How’d he find a girl out here?”
My cabin’s remote, but Wolfe’s lookout makes my cabin feel like it’s in the middle of town.
Very few people come out this way. And the people who do are either lost or a little crazy.
Guess I fall into the latter category, but I knew what I was getting myself into.
The views are worth every bit of muscle soreness I’ll be feeling over the next week or so.
“It’s a long story.” Heath smiles. “At least, that’s what Wolfe told me when I asked him the same question.”
Corinne sidles up next to me, hooking an arm around mine and making my insides somersault all over the place. Hot flashes. Cold sweats. I’m feeling it all with her hands on me. I should probably get myself checked out, but I know there’s no cure for what’s ailing me.
Except maybe Corinne’s lips. Just a taste would end this.
“You must be Wolfe,” Corinne says sweetly, offering her hand.
Heath smiles, and I hold myself back. Or maybe, Corinne’s holding me back with her arm still hooked around mine.
Heath takes her hand. “Heath, actually. Wolfe’s on a little vacation, so I’m taking over for him in the meantime.”
“It’s gorgeous out here.”
Corinne glances around, and Heath nods. “And it’s our job to keep it that way.”
“Heath’s a Hotshot.”
Corinne furrows her brow, and Heath laughs.
“Smokejumper to some. But really, I’m just a firefighter.
Although I don’t usually put out building fires.
” He looks out over the forest. “I try to put ‘em out here. Direct ‘em. Make sure the land and the people on it are safe. Sometimes we’re in Whispering Winds. Other times, we’re called out to help elsewhere. Never know where we’ll end up week by week during the fire season. ”
“Sounds dangerous.”
Heath doesn’t respond, still glancing over the valley next to us, and then clicks his tongue. “It can be.”
We chat for a few more minutes. Heath talks a little about his work as a hotshot. Corinne talks about her wedding photography, mishaps in the forest, Marge’s notorious maps, and our little chainsaw incident.
“I’d probably run too if I saw this guy wielding a chainsaw.”