Chapter 17
Ryan stood inside the front office, watching as Kate climbed out of the Lamars’ gray rented Lexus. Gary drove off, leaving her standing there in black leggings and a jacket. Dressed to climb. He’d hardly been able to believe his ears when she’d called to ask if he could fit her in for a lesson this morning. After the way they’d left things the other night, he’d never expected to hear from either one of them again.
Ryan picked up the bag with their gear and stepped outside. “Good morning, Kate.”
She met his gaze, her gray eyes steady. “Good morning, Ryan.”
Since she didn’t seem eager to rehash their argument—or to apologize—he decided to stick strictly to business. He wanted her to have a good time on the rock, but he was done trying to forge a relationship with her. “Great morning for a climb.”
“Yes,” she said. “It is.”
“Right, then. Let’s get going.” He led the way down the path into the woods with Kate beside him. The morning was brisk and alive with spring, birds twittering and squirrels leaping from branch to branch overhead.
“It’s really peaceful out here,” she said after they’d walked in silence for a few minutes.
“Yeah. There’s really nothing quite like it.”
“I’ve never climbed outdoors.”
“You’re in for a treat then. This is a whole different ballgame than an indoor wall. A bit trickier, but so much more worth it. When you get to the top, you get to look out over the forest, not down at the gym floor.”
“I think I’ll like that,” she said with a hint of a smile.
They arrived at the rock face, and Ryan was encouraged by the excitement on her face. He opened his bag and helped her get geared up in the harness and helmet. They didn’t talk about anything other than the business at hand while she started to climb. The rock intimidated her at first. He could tell. Her movements were timid and stiff, and she fell several times before she made any progress.
But after a little while, her prior experience seemed to come back to her, and she began to climb with more confidence. She had an advantage over Emma during her first lesson in that Kate already knew how to keep her weight in her feet and her body flush with the rock, thanks to her time spent on the indoor climbing wall.
Forty-five minutes after she’d started, she climbed over the top.
“Wow,” she said as she stared out over the landscape before her.
Ryan stayed put at the bottom of the rock, one hand on the belay rope, and let her enjoy the moment. She sat up there for several minutes, her expression quiet and pensive. When she looked down at him, she looked like she had something to say.
He just wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it. “Something else up there, isn’t it?”
“It sure is.”
“I’ve climbed indoors, too, but it just isn’t the same once you’ve done this,” he said, raising his voice slightly to carry to her thirty feet above his head.
“No, I don’t imagine it would be.”
“The view from up there gets in your blood. Nothing else will do,” he said.
“Ryan—”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“You’ve done your best. I know that.” She stared out at the treetops behind him.
He didn’t say a word, had nothing left to say on this topic.
“And so have I. I’ve always tried to do what’s best for Trent.”
Ryan was silent for a long moment, but his tongue finally got the better of him. “You ever consider that the best thing for Trent might be getting to know his brother?”
“No,” she said faintly, the word almost lost in the chasm between them. “But maybe I should have.”
Emma staredat the unopened email from the University of Georgia on her phone, hoping desperately that it was good news.
Good news. Her stomach cramped, and her heart raced. Suddenly, she wasn’t sure what she wanted the message to say.
Attending the University of Georgia had been her dream for so long. When she’d first graduated high school, she’d have given anything, anything for the chance to go to college. To truly learn her trade. Oh, how she wanted a diploma to frame on her wall, something that said she’d made it.
But did she still need that diploma? Was it worth the mountain of debt that would come with it in student loans and leaving behind all her friends—and Ryan—in Haven?
She smacked herself on the forehead. What in the world was the matter with her? This was her dream!
She clicked on the email.
Congratulations. We’re extremely pleased to extend an invitation to the University of Georgia’s Landscape Architecture Program…
She’d done it. She’d gotten in.
Despite the fact she’d been having mixed feelings a moment ago, she realized she was smiling. Actually, she felt like jumping up and down. She must have made a sound because Smokey gave her a disgusted look and headed in the direction of the closet.
Emma minimized the email and dialed Ryan. His phone rang until voice mail picked up, which meant he was probably either with a client at Off-the-Grid or on his bike. She hung up, knowing he’d call when he saw that he’d missed her.
Needing to share her news with someone, she took a screenshot of the first few paragraphs of the acceptance email and texted it to Gabby. Moments later, her phone rang.
“Oh my God!” Gabby said. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m so proud of you. For the record, I never had any doubt that you would get in.”
Emma laughed softly. “Well, for the record, I had plenty of doubt, but I’m glad I got in. I’m relieved. I’m really excited.”
“I bet you are. Did you tell Ryan yet?”
“I called, but he didn’t answer.”
“He’s going to be so proud of you, too. We should get everyone together and go out tonight to celebrate.”
Emma felt herself grinning like a fool. “Actually, that sounds really fun.”
“Great. You tell Ryan. I’ll rally everyone else. See you tonight.”
Emma hung up, her gaze returning to the acceptance email. Gabby was right. Ryan would be proud of her. Would any part of him want her to stay? Or would he just feel relieved that their relationship had a clear end in sight without a messy breakup?
The little tug she felt in her chest was definitely all about him. It was her poor heart cracking at the thought of leaving him behind. But she wouldn’t let it break. Nothing was going to ruin this for her, and no man was going to derail her dreams.
Chin up, she brought her laptop into the bedroom and curled up in bed to browse apartments in Georgia. A half hour later, she heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching. Not necessarily Ryan, but…
She hurried to the front door, where indeed his Harley came into view at the bottom of the hill, winding its way up to her driveway. He pulled in and killed the engine, giving her a wicked smile. “Lookin’ for me?”
She nodded, motioning for him to follow her inside. She handed him her phone with the acceptance email open on the screen, watching as his expression went from guarded to ecstatic. He grabbed her and spun her around, a huge smile on his face. “Holy shit. You did it!”
She nodded, wrapping her arms around him.
“I am so fucking proud of you, babe.”
“Thank you. I can’t quite believe it.”
“If anyone understands how much this means to you, it’s me,” he said, his expression earnest. “Kids like Trent…they get college pushed on them so that it feels almost like an obligation. For you and me? It was the impossible dream. And now you’re living it.”
“I am.” She pressed her face against his neck.
“You’re going places.”
“Sometimes I wish they weren’t such faraway places,” she whispered.
“Yeah, me, too.” His voice sounded a bit gruff. “But Georgia’s not so far away. You can still visit, and we’ll come see you, too.”
“Yes.”
They were quiet for a few beats, just clinging to each other while she tried to think of a way that leaving him behind in Haven didn’t totally suck.
“We’re going out tonight to celebrate,” she said.
“Yeah?”
She nodded against his neck. “I don’t know the details yet, but Gabby’s rounding everyone up.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ve got some business in town this afternoon, was on my way there when I saw your missed call. I’ll come by and pick you up later?”
“Okay.”
He pulled back to look into her eyes. “Not that I ever doubted you’d get in, but seriously…congratulations. This is great news.”
Her eyes grew misty. “Thanks.”
“I’ve got to run, but I’ll see you soon, okay?” He pulled her in and kissed her, hard, then headed for his bike.
Emma watched him go, her emotions tumbling like a whirlwind inside her. Maybe she was feeling a little homesick about leaving them all behind—Ryan especially—but she wasn’t going to let it ruin her celebration tonight or her plans for the future. She was going to get her degree and start her own landscape design company. And hopefully the rest of her life would fall into place behind it.
Ryan pulledup in front of Emma’s apartment a few hours later and cut the engine. She walked out her front door, dressed in snug jeans and a blue jacket, her eyes wide.
“What’s this?” she asked, eyeing his new ride.
He swung out of the cab and grinned at her. “We needed a way to move equipment and gear around the property, and I knew a guy selling a truck.”
“So you bought a pickup truck?” She ran her hand over the hood.
“Sure did. What do you think?”
“I like it. It suits you, I think.” She glanced over at him, her lips curved in a soft smile.
“The bike suits me better, but it sure doesn’t help me move lumber across the property to make repairs on the zip-line platforms.”
“I think there’s room in your life now for the bike and the truck.” She was still smiling, and he got the feeling she was talking about something more than just moving lumber. But okay, yeah, it had been frustrating that he couldn’t drive Trent anywhere. Ryan wasn’t a lone wolf anymore. Sometimes a man needed a passenger seat.
And a truck bed.
He glanced at the empty truck bed, then at Emma. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“We might need to christen it at some point,” she said with a wink.
“I think that’s a definite.”
She giggled as she walked around to the passenger side. “So I hear we’re meeting everyone at The Drunken Bear.”
“That’s the plan. Ethan and Gabby will be coming late after he finishes coaching the swim team at the high school.”
He cranked the engine and drove them into town. Climate control was nice and all, but he missed the rush of riding on his bike. Holding Emma’s hand as he drove through town was pretty nice, too, though. Maybe she was right. Maybe there was room for both vehicles in his life.
“This worked out well for tonight,” she said after he’d parked. “I love riding with you, but it really does a number on my hair.” She ran her fingers through its blonde lengths.
“Don’t get too used to it,” he said, leaning in for a kiss. “I don’t plan to drive the truck all that much.”
“Didn’t think you would.”
They walked down the street together and found Trent standing outside The Drunken Bear, busily texting on his phone.
“Hey, Trent,” Emma said, “I’m so glad you could make it.”
He looked up with a smile. “So you’re going to college, huh?”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Ironic, right?”
“Yeah,” Trent said. “It really is.”
“It’s never too late,” she said, hooking her arm through Trent’s as the three of them walked inside The Drunken Bear.
They were seated at a table near the window. Emma ordered a Celtic Sunrise—a house special with Irish whiskey, Grand Marnier, orange juice, and a splash of grenadine. Ryan wasn’t big on mixed drinks, but this one wasn’t half bad. He’d tasted everything on the menu when he started tending bar here. Tonight, though, he stuck with beer. Trent ordered a Dr Pepper.
“I do think it’s cool that you’re doing this,” Trent said.
“That mean you’re going to re-enroll in the fall?” Ryan couldn’t help asking.
Trent shrugged. “Still thinking about it.”
Emma pressed her hand over his. “You’ve got plenty of time.”
“So you’re moving to Georgia?” Trent asked.
“Yeah.” She glanced at Ryan.
“That’s a bummer,” Trent said.
Tell me about it. Ryan was still smarting over that information himself, even though he ought to be thanking his lucky stars because this gave him an easy out with Emma before things got any more complicated between them than they already were. A clean break.
“Well, if you’re ever in the Atlanta area, look me up,” Emma told Trent with a smile.
“I will.”
“So you guys have been really busy at Off-the-Grid lately, huh?” Emma said.
“Booked solid on the weekends and doing decent business during the week,” Ryan said. Now that the weather had warmed, business had definitely picked up, and he expected it to keep growing as they headed into summer. This would be their first full summer in operation, and if things kept going in the direction they were going, they were in pretty good shape.
“And how are things at the club?” Emma asked Trent.
The kid’s eyes lit with real excitement. “Sweet. I’ve got a regular gig there now on Tuesday nights. Iris has really been awesome. I’m learning so much.”
Emma leaned forward with a conspiratorial grin. “So if I came by one Tuesday, would you introduce us?”
Trent’s eyes rounded. “Uh…”
Ryan grinned.
Trent glanced between them. “Yeah, sure.”
“We’re really proud of you. You know that, right?” Ryan told him.
Trent ducked his head. “Thanks.”
They kept on like that, talking about all the things going on in their lives, and it felt really good. He, Emma, and Trent shared such an easy rapport together. It was hard to imagine not having either of them in his life, yet they were both going to leave Haven in the coming months. Sure, he’d still see them from time to time but not like this.
And he didn’t like it one fucking bit.
Emma whispered something in Trent’s ear, and the kid almost fell off his chair, doubled over in laughter. She winked at Ryan.
He just shook his head. “Yo, you better watch it, you two.”
“Or what?” She raised an eyebrow in his direction.
“Or I’ll start whispering some things of my own.”
Trent shook his head with a grin. “You guys are weird.”
“Family’s supposed to be weird, right?” she said with a laugh.
“Yeah.” Trent’s head bobbed, a wide grin on his face.
The door opened, and Mark stepped inside. He slipped his shades into the pocket of his jacket and scanned the room until he spotted their table. He walked to them and put a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Congrats.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a warm smile.
Mark took the seat next to Trent, then glanced at Ryan. “Saw the new truck. Should come in real handy.”
“Yeah. I’ll drive it tomorrow so we can get lumber out to that platform in back.”
“Great.”
Mark ordered a beer, and the conversation turned to Off-the-Grid’s upcoming obstacle course race, the Adrenaline Rush. It wasn’t too much later when Ethan and Gabby arrived. They ordered a fresh round of drinks for everyone.
Emma leaned in to whisper in Ryan’s ear, “This is great, right? It almost feels too good to be true.”
Emma was feeling pretty gigglyby the time she’d polished off her third Celtic Sunrise. She’d eaten dinner, too—fish ’n’ chips because they were delicious here—or else she’d probably be on the floor already from the amount of alcohol she’d consumed.
“I booked us spa treatments on Saturday afternoon,” Gabby said, polishing off her own Celtic Sunrise. “I figured we’d need some pampering after I drag you around with me all morning looking at wedding dresses.”
“That sounds perfect. I can’t wait to help you try on dresses.”
Gabby got a dreamy look on her face. “I have no idea what I want. I guess we’ll just see what looks right once I start trying them on.”
“We’re going to have so much fun,” Emma said. “I see you in something kind of light and flowing. Flowers in your hair.”
Ethan leaned in, a big smile on his face. “I think Emma just nailed it.”
Gabby swatted at him playfully. “Shh, you’re not supposed to know anything about my wedding dress.”
“I can as long as the dress is still hypothetical.”
Emma noticed that Trent had retreated from the conversation, busy texting on his cell phone. Whether the wedding conversation had gotten too boring for him or his girlfriend was just distracting him, she wasn’t sure. “You playing at the club next Tuesday?” she asked him.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“Cool. I’ll see if any of my friends want to stop by with me. It’s a lot of fun dancing and listening to you play.”
“Thanks. I think I’m going to head out. Congratulations again.” The sheepish look on his face made Emma pretty sure he was sneaking off to meet up with his girlfriend, but she couldn’t say she blamed him.
“Thanks, Trent. I’m so glad you came out with us to celebrate.”
“Any time.” He said his good-byes to the rest of the table and headed out.
“I think he’s meeting up with Iris,” Ryan said, watching him go.
“Me, too. He seems really into her lately.”
“Yeah.” And Ryan didn’t look too pleased.
“So what’s the plan, Emma?” Gabby asked, butting back into the conversation. “When do you think you’ll be leaving us to head off to Georgia?”
“I think I’ll probably leave after the memorial opens. That will give me time to get settled in an apartment and find a part-time job before classes start.”
“I’m already planning my first visit,” Gabby said with a smile. “Girls’ night out in Atlanta.”
“Definitely.” She glanced over at Ryan, who’d gotten suspiciously quiet.
Would he visit? Or would it be a final good-bye?