Chapter 3
3
MILES
S tepping into the conference room, I scanned the few faces of the people already here for the company meeting. Uplift Adventure and Rescue had over twenty people working there, either as guides, rescue teams, or various support staff. I counted only a handful in the makeshift conference room, which was about normal.
Keeping to the wall, I made my way around the long table toward the back of the room, dodging the few chairs not tucked under. Catching someone’s eye, I hitched my chin, acknowledging our temporary hire, Hudson. Temporary, as in he moved here for one reason, which would hopefully be wrapped up quickly. He was a detective back in LA, served as a SEAL with Uplift’s owner, Brandon Taylor, and was recently brought here by Brandon to help investigate the uptick in unsolved deaths along the trails and several missing female hikers.
Beside him stood Oliver Johnson, our small town’s deputy sheriff, whose father, the sheriff, wasn’t too happy about his son’s eager acceptance of outside help in the unsolved cases.
Which was suspect as fuck if you asked me.
As I lowered into the metal folding chair, Baylee and Liam both smiled my way from across the table, which I returned. The two had recently started dating, which was fine with everyone, even Brandon, the owner. Baylee was a kind, gentle soul who was left devastated after the loss of her high school sweetheart and fiancé. She deserved everything that could make her smile again, and if our broody cowboy, Liam Wilson, could do that, then they had my support.
I arched a brow at Langston as he fell into the metal seat beside me, grumbling under his breath. I swore the ground shook beneath his heavy weight, and that was saying a lot, considering I wasn’t a small guy with my solid six-foot-three frame. Lang was Uplift’s captain of all things that float, so any adventures involving the water were his specialty.
The grumpy fuck shot me the finger and slouched down in his seat like an upset toddler. I fought the twitch of my lips, knowing full well what got my coworker all riled up. He was never outgoing, but his persistent grouchiness started when the company hired the new scheduling coordinator and social media guru, Juno Jones, who arrived last month.
The sexual tension between the two was almost laughable. Toss West, our genius mechanic and Langston’s friend with benefits, into the mix, and the rest of us had stockpiled popcorn to watch them avoid their attraction to each other. At some point, it would bubble over, and I, for one, couldn’t wait. Maybe then Langston would pull the oar out of his ass and go back to being his regular irritable self instead of an all-around asshole.
“Your buddy is an instigating bastard,” Langston griped as he watched Juno step into the room.
“Guess he’s taking tips from you in that department,” I said, unable to hide my smirk. “What did he do this time?”
“I called him out on being a grumpy dickwad to a new resort guest.” A heavy hand slapped my shoulder as the man in question folded into the chair to my left.
“You wouldn’t have cared if you weren’t trying to get into her pants,” Langston snarked, his gaze still locked on Juno as she talked with Hudson and Oliver. His glare darkened when her laugh sounded around the room at something Oliver said.
Fuck, the man had it bad, and he had no damn clue.
At the perkiness in my best friend’s tone, I shifted in my seat to face Aiden and angled my head, studying his face. He was in way too good a mood, considering he normally hated making resort guest runs and complained about it afterward. But instead of being pissy, Aiden looked happy—ecstatic even, if that wide smile was any indication of his real mood.
“He’s wrong,” Aiden said, reaching across me to shove Langston’s shoulder. “It’s not just about getting in her pants.” His smile fell. “She’s fucking amazing, man. The whole package, and there’s just something different about her, Miles. Whatever the fuck it is pulled me in the moment we met. I swear I could see her fitting in great here.”
I swallowed hard and nodded, trying not to let my disappointment show. If he wanted to pursue a woman on his own, he could. Just because I needed our unusual setup didn’t mean I would hold my friend back if he wanted this woman. And if she could chase away the demons he constantly fought, which seemed to have faded at the moment, then I was on board.
His light brown eyes searched my face, lips dipping into a deeper frown, telling me I didn’t do a great job of hiding my disappointment in knowing our past fun was done.
“Fitting in great with us , Miles.” I just nodded as relief flooded my veins and turned my attention across the table. “Don’t worry. You’ll see what I’m talking about tonight. I bet even you won’t be able to resist her pull.”
My neck cracked from how quickly I snapped my head around, eyes wide. The asshole just chuckled and slapped me on the back instead of explaining what he meant.
“What are you talking about?” I said through gritted teeth. “What about tonight?”
An uneasy feeling grew in my gut at the mischievous smile that tugged at his lips. The bastard had gotten me into too much damn trouble after that look.
“Tonight, we , as in you and me, are taking her out for drinks at Dave’s.”
“Why?” Sigh. I could tell he was excited, but fuck, he knew we didn’t mess around with guests. It was either locals, which were few and far between, who were okay with our specific needs or going to Anchorage. The hard-and-fast rule was created three months ago after a resort guest we messed around with grew concerningly clingy and outstayed her welcome here in Anchor Bay. After that shit show, we decided never again. “You know the rule. Or do you want a repeat of Jessica Scroggins?”
Aiden visibly shuddered and checked over both shoulders like she might pop up out of thin air. Which, to his credit, wasn’t too far off. The woman had followed us both around, appearing everywhere we went for a month after her trip to Anchor Bay was supposed to end. It was when we got home to our cottage after a four-day camping excursion and found it trashed that we finally did something about her stalking.
“She’s not like that, man?—”
“What’s put that dopey look on your face?” Ethan, our survivalist expert and trainer, said as he swiveled a chair around and straddled it, laying both arms over the back. “Did you finally see that bird you’ve been talking nonstop about?”
“There is no reason to make fun of me because I’m an ornithophile,” Aiden said with a smirk, knowing full well we hated it when he used that term. Which, of course, made my best friend use it in conversation any chance he could.
“Don’t admit that out loud with an officer of the law in the room,” Oliver, laughed from where he leaned against the wall. “Keep your kinks to yourself, Aiden.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked over Aiden and Ethan bantering back and forth.
“I asked him to attend the meeting with us.” Everyone stopped talking when Hudson stood. With Brandon away, checking out that potential new site in Montana, he’d put his old SEAL buddy, Hudson, as lead. I would say I resented the idea of us needing supervision, but sometimes it felt like Brandon ran a daycare instead of an adventure and rescue company staffed mostly with his military buddies and other veterans.
Like me.
Just thinking about my time in the service had the scarred skin on my back pulling uncomfortably. I shifted in the seat, trying and failing to hide the pain-filled grimace from my best friend. I waved off the concerned look he shot me and turned my focus back to Hudson.
“The remains of another male hiker were found early this morning on this side of the Soul Trail.” Muffled curses filled the room. Not wanting to miss a single detail, I leaned forward, resting both forearms on the long wooden table. It wasn’t much of a meeting room, but since we only used it once a week, Brandon didn’t see the need to make it pretty. “The remains are on the way to the coroner in Anchorage now. We won’t know anything official for several days, but I assume he’ll be like the others.”
“What the fuck is going on out there?” Ethan snapped, his anger-filled gaze locked on the single window as if monitoring for danger. “This is the third male this year alone. That’s not counting the female remains and those still missing.”
We all waited, breaths held, for Hudson to respond.
“With Hudson’s experience and my authority”—Oliver’s worried eyes flicked between Juno and Baylee—“we’ll figure this out. I’m working with the law enforcement rangers inside the national park to make sure we haven’t missed any victims, but that’s going to take some time. Until then, I don’t want anyone going out alone.”
Baylee held up both hands. “You won’t hear any pushback from me.”
Liam looked at her with concern and hugged her even tighter to his side.
“Or me,” Juno piped up while tying her blonde ringlets into a high ponytail.
“Shocking,” Langston muttered under his breath. I rammed an elbow into his side, hoping to hit his damn reset button.
“That goes for everyone in here.” Hudson scanned the room, lips pulling down in a frown. “Where is Caroline?”
“She mentioned being gone for a day or two,” I offered, remembering the odd conversation from yesterday. “Something about wanting to find a more challenging location for our more skilled rock-climbing clients.”
Hudson nodded but seemed hesitant. “Wish she would’ve come to me first, but nothing we can do about it now. Considering we believe women are the targets, we want you to be extra careful out there when female clients are involved. Even if they just booked a day hiking trip, Brandon and I want at least two of you out there with them.” He ran a hand over his short dark hair. “We don’t know how deep this goes yet. But we will. With my past experience as a detective and Oliver’s knowledge of the area and people, we will get this solved.”
I had no doubt he’d put all his energy into solving the mystery of what was going on in our town and along the trail, considering he had some skin in the game. When Brandon asked him to come help out, Hudson brought his wife and their young daughter up too. If women in Anchor Bay were in danger, so was his wife.
“Just wait until you meet her,” Aiden whispered after leaning in close. “You’ll see what I’m talking about. She’s different.”
“All right,” Juno said with a loud clap, gaining everyone’s attention. “Now that we’re all caught up on the creepy shit going on around here, let’s talk about this week’s schedule. It’s a fairly light week since we’re transitioning from the snow adventures and fewer rescues to the summer activities…”
As she went down the list of excursions and who would lead, I zoned out, considering I’d already memorized the schedule and where I was needed. Everyone had their own specialty, so anytime something was put on the books, we knew who would take that reservation. Aiden and I were responsible for the motorbike and snowmobile trips, along with any snow-related rescues. As a retired SEAL, being out in the wilderness, surviving on what little we brought or foraged for was second nature.
“And you’re never going to believe who she left behind in Seattle,” Aiden said out of the side of his mouth with a smirk.
“I’m not going to ask how you already know all this.” I chuckled. When he just kept staring at me, I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Fine. Who did she leave?”
“James fucking Peoples.”
I huffed a humorless laugh. “That pretend survivalist shithead?” Aiden nodded. “And why should I care about that? Or her, for that matter? Come on, Aiden, you know better?—”
A knowing grin tugged at his lips, cutting me off.
Fuck. That wasn’t good.
For me, at least.
“You should care about this new guest because she’s someone special… someone you’ve heard of.” I continued to glare at my friend, urging him to get to the fucking point. “Her photos, those pages you ripped out of magazines, are still somewhere in your room.”
I blinked at him, trying to catch up with the conversation, when suddenly it clicked.
“You’re telling me Aspen Carter is this guest you’re going on about?” Aiden gave me a smug nod and crossed both arms over his chest, leaning back in the metal chair until it rocked precariously on two legs. “Are you fucking with me?”
That smirk fell. “I wouldn’t do that to you, Moose.” My lip twitched at the nickname that came from my time as a SEAL. “I know what those pictures meant to you while you served, what they gave you.”
Hope.
That was what those amazing photos in the outdoor magazine my mom occasionally sent had given me. Some nights bunkered down in a foxhole, waiting until the perfect moment to strike our target, I’d stare at the glossy pages ripped from the spine. I’d smooth out the wrinkles on my thigh and stare at the breathtaking landscape she’d captured on film. It reminded me of what I was protecting, of what I was sacrificing years of my life for.
I’d never seen a picture of her, but I was already halfway in love with the unknown woman because of her talent and clear love and awe of nature.
Which was a huge fucking problem since she was now here. In Anchor Bay.
And I was going to have drinks with her and Aiden tonight.
“You can thank me later,” he murmured and then turned his attention back to Juno.
I continued to stare at his profile, debating whether he was right or not. Meeting her for drinks was one thing, but I knew Aiden had deeper intentions with the woman than just a few cocktails. Which was where the problem was in his plan.
I wasn’t sure I’d recover if the woman I almost idolized for her brilliant talent turned away in disgust when she saw my battle-scarred body. Ran away when she realized how broken I truly was—more on the inside than out.
So, no, this couldn’t happen, no matter what Aiden wanted.
I had to protect myself.
Because if that flicker of hope died inside… that would shred what was left of me.