Chapter 6
White and green scenery slid slowly past as they navigated the freshly cleared road. ”Where are we headed?” Frankie asked.
”There’s a section about five miles northwest of my cabin. It”s an area that has consistently struggled to regrow despite the best efforts of my father and grandfather. Everything we”ve done over the last fifty years has failed to take root.” John turned onto another obscure forestry road and slowly wound through the trees.
”There’s an old aluminum plant in Grant, a small town about ten miles away. It’s been there for over one hundred years and we believe they used this land as a waste dumping site over a half century ago. We don’t have any hard evidence, just local lore, and secondhand stories. Nothing obvious shows up on the soil tests but it’s the only thing that makes sense. For a long time, we ignored it while we focused on other areas. But I”m determined to make this one work. I’ll eventually figure out a way to make it respond.”
”It could be a combination of things, rather than just one issue,” Frankie offered, her mind switching into work mode as she ran through the list of typical suspects that harmed a forest. ”Maybe forever chemicals or some other imbalance.”
“I”ve thought the same thing. Minimal pollution levels came up in the testing, but that wouldn’t cause this type of damage. It has to be something deeper.”
”Hmmmmm…” Frankie chewed on her lower lip. ”If it were pests or disease, it would have spread. I”m assuming it hasn”t done that?” She glanced at John who gave her a nod.
”Nothing I”ve found so far.”
”Do you have a map?” she asked as an idea sprung to life.
His chin nudged toward the dash. ”In the glove compartment. What are you thinking?”
Frankie retrieved the map and unfolded it as much as possible in the truck’s cabin. ”Let’s see…five miles northwest of your cabin,” she mumbled out loud. ”Okay. That puts it here.” She tapped the spot with her finger, then traced the several creeks that ran through the area. One in particular caught her attention, and she followed it upstream to a small town several miles west of Long Lake. ”Huh.”
”What?” John”s gaze ping ponged between her and the road. ”What are you thinking?”
”This stream runs right through the section, and just upstream is Grant. Is the steel plant near the water by any chance?”
A strong brow arched over John’s eye. ”Yes, it’s right on the stream. But they test the water regularly.”
She held up a finger. ”They test it now, but what about fifty years, or even one hundred years ago? I studied a spot near Liverpool in uni that had a similar scenario. Individual testing was always negative. But when we put everything together, it became clear that a combination of factors drove the decline, many of which had happened almost a century before.” Frankie carefully refolded the map until it was one large rectangle on her lap. ”It”s just a theory. I haven”t even seen the area yet. But it may be something for you to research.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.” The corner of John”s mouth tilted up, giving her an excellent view of that sexy groove in his cheek.
Frankie’s gaze lingered on his arms as he turned onto another dirt path. It was fascinating the way the muscles and tendons bulged, working in tandem as he maneuvered the truck through the ruts and rocks.
Her eyes drifted to his hands, noting the way his weathered and scarred fingers grasped the steering wheel. They were strong, most likely capable of successfully wielding an ax, among other things, with the backs lightly dusted with the same dark brown hair that moved up his arms.
I bet they”d feel heavenly moving over my body.
Heat exploded in her cheeks. She was a respected environmentalist in her field, for cripes sake, working in her element. This was a work trip, not a holiday. And yet here she was lusting after the man who’d graciously agreed to help her, spending her precious time fantasizing about a fling. This was not why she flew all the way to Wisconsin.
Remember that, Frankie. Stay focused on the work!
She gave herself a resolute nod, focusing on the mission at hand.
”What was that for?”
Frankie blinked. ”I beg your pardon.”
”You keep doing that—nodding, squeezing your eyes together, or making weird faces. What was that one for?” John threw her a curious glance.
”I”m just reminding myself to stay on track here,” Frankie answered honestly. She had accepted long ago that she was the world’s worst liar. It was too easy to get caught in a web of lies that were impossible to remember from one moment to the next. But this was close enough to the truth without revealing too much. John did not need to know how much he affected her.
From the corner of her eye, she saw him look at her again. ”Why would you need to remind yourself of that? You”ve been gung-ho about getting my help from the moment I met you.”
”Oh, you know...” Frankie flailed her hands in front of her face, her mind scrambling to find an answer.
Way to look like an idiot. He”s not going to think you”re crazy at allllll.
”Sometimes a person can get distracted by things. And I find this…” She swiped her hands toward the windshield in her best game show hostess imitation. ”Incredibly distracting.”
”Mmmhmm.” A cute tilt was played at the corner of his mouth and his sapphire eyes twinkled. Gah! The man was infuriatingly gorgeous.
”We”re here,” he announced as he put the truck in park. ”Wait there. The ground is pretty slick, and I want to make sure you have good footing before we get started.”
”Okay.” Frankie watched as he sauntered around the front of the truck and opened her door. He held a hand out to her, gazing at her expectantly, and her pulse picked up a beat or twenty. At this point, she was starting to wonder if she was having heart palpitations.
”I was right,” he added as she placed her hand in his. ”It is slippery out here, so be careful.”
”I”m sure the spikes on these shoes will do the trick.” She swiveled in her seat until her legs dangled heavily out the passenger door. The drop to the ground was a few feet, and the footwear was awkward. But both John and the store clerk had assured her they were exactly what she needed for hiking in Wisconsin’s snow and ice.
”They will and they won”t, so don”t get too cocky. You still need to be careful. Now, come on.” He tugged lightly as he stepped back, leading her toward him. One shoe caught on the ice and held while the other slipped out from under her, propelling her into his brawny chest.
”Oomph.” Frankie”s face planted into his heavily muscled chest. Those strong arms she”d been daydreaming about only moments ago wrapped around her, pulling her close as one hand rested dangerously low on her back. His manly scent, a mixture of soap, sweat, leather, and the woods was intoxicating.
”Careful,” he muttered against her ear, sending out a delicious wave of goosebumps all over her body. ”I”ve got you, baby.”
If it had been any other man, in any other place, Frankie would have scrambled away. Instead, she leaned in harder and practically melted against John as he cradled her, murmuring reassurances. Her brain short-circuited and her body simply refused to move. This moment felt right, existing within John’s embrace…like the connection she”d been missing her entire life.
”Are you okay?” he asked after several long seconds, his hands smoothing up and down her back, as if he were lulling her to sleep.
Frankie straightened, clearing her throat, and gave him a miniscule nod and a pat on his chest. ”Uh, yes. Yes. Thank you for catching me. You’re a true gentleman.”
When he didn”t respond, she looked up and caught her breath at the heat in his eyes. They twinkled as he planted a soft kiss on the back of her hand, sending a jolt of electricity straight to her core. ”It was my pleasure.” Then he moved back, releasing her, and unknowingly leaving her body in flames.
Damn the man. I don’t know what’s worse: that he has this effect on me or that I LIKE it.
She wobbled slightly, arms out, until she realized that her shoes had a good grip, then took a tentative step and another. ”They work!”
”Good. Let”s get moving. We”re losing daylight.” He stepped onto a narrow icy, snow-covered path. ”That section is back here about a half mile in, so it”s not a long hike.”
”I assume you have no idea how long the dumping had gone on, yeah?”
”That’s correct. We’re unsure of the timeline.”
She scanned the ground as she followed him. “What has been done to rejuvenate the soil so far?”
John continued moving forward, his broad shoulders blocking out everything ahead on the narrow trail between the trees. ”There are certain plants we can introduce to help the process along. What we really need is time.”
”Are you familiar with New Forest National Park?” she asked.
“Southwest of London? Sure.”
“That’s right,” Frankie answered. “Well, there were several sections of the New Forest that had been contaminated or outright destroyed from weapons testing during World War II. The soil and water had been so badly polluted that nothing grew in patches.” She slowed as she approached a downed log, and a rush of pleasure warmed her chest when John stopped to give her a hand. ”My grandmother was instrumental in developing the methods for their rejuvenation.”
John bobbed his head and then turned back to the trail. ”I researched her work extensively when I was looking for solutions. You should be proud of what she accomplished in such a short time, and with very limited resources. Meredith Blake was a trailblazer.”
”She was.” Frankie focused on her footing as she plodded along behind him, overwhelmed at the emotions that clogged her throat. She missed her grandmother desperately and some days it was difficult to speak about her without tearing up. ”She was my mentor and my biggest cheerleader. I think she always knew I would be the one to continue her legacy. I’m humbled to be a part of it, but it’s also been a lot to shoulder if I’m being honest,” she added, trying, but failing, to keep her tone light.
”I understand that.” John”s voice was supportive. He raised his arms to the side. ”I grew up knowing I would eventually be responsible for protecting all of this. It”s a tough mantle to bear if you”re not ready, and it helps if it’s your passion.” He paused for a moment. ”So, I prepared myself.”
Frankie watched his broad form as he continued along the snow-covered path, amazed at their connection, the total understanding of responsibility, tradition, and legacy. They were things that most people ignored unless it suited their own passion or pleasure. But John and Frankie had both been cut from a different cloth.
Maybe that was why it was so easy to talk to him. He was just…comfortable. Like a mirror image in so many ways.
***
They continued for several hours, with John leading Frankie through areas that had flourished from his efforts and others that still flagged no matter what he tried. Still, his experience was vast and he seemed to instinctively know what would work and what wouldn”t.
Frankie could have continued all day without stopping if John hadn”t brought her to a sudden halt. There was an amused twinkle in his gorgeous ice blue eyes. ”You”re hungry.”
”Huh?” She wrinkled her nose. ”No, I”m not.” No sooner were the words out of her mouth than her stomach unleashed a torrent of growls that rivaled a pack of starving hyenas. Frankie grimaced, holding her stomach as it rebelled against her.
”Are you sure about that?” John chuckled. ”We were so caught up in this—” He gestured at the trees around them. ”That we forgot to eat the lunch Maysie packed us.” His hands rubbed up and down her arms, the motion soothing. ”Besides, it”s getting late and the sun will be setting soon. We should head back.”
Her chin dipped in assent, hypnotized by the deep sapphire of his eyes. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something else, but he hesitated then pressed his lips into a firm line. His hands squeezed her shoulders before moving around her. ”Come on. The truck isn’t far.” They had been out all day but had moved around on paths that circled the trailhead. In reality, they”d never been farther than a mile or two away in any direction.
Frankie shivered. She’d been so caught up in their exploration that she hadn”t noticed the temperature dropping. And the cold in northern Wisconsin was on another level than what she normally experienced.
As expected, they reached the truck in minutes and Frankie shivered as John turned the heater on high, the air warmed quickly and the heated seats were a godsend to her half-frozen backside. John grabbed the bag Maysie had packed for them. ”Here. I”m sure there”s something in there that will tide you over until we can make dinner.”
He put the truck in drive and maneuvered forward, then came to an abrupt stop. He leaned both arms against the steering wheel and turned his magnetic gaze on her. ”I can take you to the inn if you”d prefer.” There was a long pause as she stared at him, catching her lower lip between her teeth. His gaze dipped to her mouth and darkened before moving back up to meet hers once again, only this time with a smoldering intensity. ”Or you can stay at the cabin,” he finally added, his even tone belying his smoky gaze.
”The cabin,” Frankie answered without hesitation, her heart suddenly racing and voice breathy. A bolt of heat tore straight to her center.
His eyes flared wider and his mouth tipped to the side in a lopsided grin. With a nod, he continued down the road, the chains making a low crackle as they bit into the icy path.
Frankie continued to worry at her bottom lip, wondering if she”d made the wrong choice. She didn’t delude herself—there was no mistaking where they would end up tonight. She knew deep in her bones if she went back to his cabin, they would be in that glorious bed together. And she craved that in a way she never had before. It both frightened and excited her all at once.
The question was—would she regret this decision?