Читать книгу Wilderness Reunion - Elizabeth Goddard - Страница 12

TWO

Griffin gazed into Alice’s dark blue eyes. “I’ll fill you in on the details, soon enough.”

The wildness in her gaze had always reminded him of the way the Rogue River churned and twisted. Her eyes could always stir him up inside, like the dangerous rapids. She’d secured her light brown hair in her usual ponytail, and a few sun-kissed strands had come loose and framed her face. The smattering of freckles across her pretty nose weren’t hidden beneath makeup. None of that for Alice. Another thing he’d always liked about her.

She hadn’t changed a bit since the last time he saw her, except there was something different in her eyes, and he wasn’t sure he liked what he saw.

This was the moment he’d dreaded and the reason he’d come to Gideon ahead of his uncle, but it was upon him much quicker than he would have liked. He’d had no time to catch his breath at the Gideon Lodge like he’d planned.

He hadn’t been sure how he would feel when he faced her again, and seeing her now could bowl him over, except for the turmoil written all over her face that brought his focus back.

“What happened, Alice? What’s wrong?”

She glanced over her shoulder again. So he’d read her right. There was more happening here than the anger he assumed was directed at him. Griffin fought the need to tug her to him, push her behind him, protect her. He didn’t think Alice wanted that from him. And he sure didn’t want the rush of unbidden feelings, but he should have expected the shock of seeing her that rolled through him.

Alice hesitated, then replied, “I think someone followed me.”

“The way you say that, sounds like you mean someone might have followed you to harm you. Is that what you mean, Alice?”

“Yes, I think so, but I can’t be sure. He disappeared between those buildings.”

Maybe she was overreacting, but he had a feeling she wasn’t. He hoped he was wrong about that. Hoped it had nothing to do with her stumbling on the illegal garden.

He started to take off in pursuit but she grabbed his arm. “No, wait. Don’t leave me. He’s long gone by now anyway.”

He hesitated, unsure what to do, but he didn’t want to leave her alone. Plus, they needed to talk. Alice didn’t know yet about his assignment, he assumed. And it sounded like there was much more about what had happened in the wilderness than Griffin knew, as well.

But before they could talk about that, he needed to address her on a more personal level. That was why he’d come. It would have seemed insensitive for him to just show up with his sheriff uncle tomorrow, especially considering how he’d left.

Three years ago, he’d come to the Wild Rogue Wilderness region to rest after a TBI—traumatic brain injury—had ended his military career and a job he lived for. After six months, he was well on his way to a full recovery and hoped to establish himself as a civilian photojournalist in conflicted regions of the world. Then...he’d met Alice. They’d grown too close, too fast.

He could still remember how she’d begged him to stay, but he’d been afraid of his growing feelings for her, so he’d taken the assignment in Kenya when an agency called looking for a freelancer. He’d assured her he would come back after the assignment and had told himself he meant it. But it had been all too easy to make excuses to never return. And now that he stood here with her, he had no clue how to bring it all up again. How to even broach the topic. Maybe Alice had moved on and had no interest in dredging it up, except her first words to him gave her away.

So you just appear out of nowhere, after two years? Why are you here?

Yeah, she wanted to talk about it.

Griffin scraped a hand down his face. He’d come to Gideon looking for her and now that he’d found her, he was tongue-tied and ashamed. He could face so many horrible things...but he couldn’t let himself love someone. Why was it so hard?

“Listen, I need to head to the lodge before it’s too late and make sure they have a room for me.” And yet he definitely wanted her to stick with him if someone was following her. “You want to walk with me? Then we can go somewhere and you can tell me what’s going on. Why someone followed you.”

She nodded. “Yeah, sure.” And looked over her shoulder again.

They headed off in the direction of the lodge. Dusk finally settled on the town. Griffin watched the shadows for Alice’s stalker, and at the same time he tried to come up with an opening about his departure before and the fact he hadn’t returned as he’d said.

Alice strolled next to him and palmed the gun tucked at her side. Wary. She was definitely wary about something.

Inside the lodge, she stepped back and waited for Griffin to check in. His call to find a room had been last-minute—risky during peak tourist season—but the woman had thought a guest planned to leave early and had said she would hold the room for Griffin.

When he announced his name, the woman paled. “I’m so sorry, sir. I thought we’d have a vacancy, but it didn’t materialize. I left you a message on your cell.”

Right, and he hadn’t checked his messages while on his motorcycle.

“It’s okay. Not your fault.” Worst case he could head back to Gold Beach and stay with Uncle Davis. But he was glad he’d come, if Alice needed him.

Griffin left the registration desk to stand next to Alice, unsure what to do now. He didn’t want to leave her alone if someone had followed her and she was in danger. Where were her brothers?

“You can stay in the apartment above Wilderness, Inc.” Her words took him by surprise.

“What about your brother Coop? Isn’t that where he lives? Don’t you think you should ask him if I can stay with him first?” Though Griffin didn’t relish the idea.

“He got married. He and his wife, Hadley, live in a beautiful new cabin across town. He’s out on a wilderness-training excursion, and she’s off at an art show. Gray and his wife are gone, too. Wilderness, Inc. is busy in the summer. But the apartment is vacant. We keep it for guests and situations like this.”

Right. Her words served to emphasize what he’d missed since his departure.

“Well, then, looks like I have no choice but to take you up on that offer.”

Disappointment surged in her eyes. He’d made it sound like staying there was a last resort. Well, it kind of was. But it was still an option he was glad to have if it meant that he could stay close and keep an eye on her as she dealt with a possible stalker. And given what he already knew about her situation, he wouldn’t leave her alone.

Still carrying his bag and gear, the day began to wear on him, and he knew it was far from over. She led him to the Wilderness, Inc. offices and inside the house-slash-business, up the stairs to the apartment.

He dropped his bags on the sofa and turned to face her. “Okay, so what’s going on? Why did someone follow you? Who is it, do you know?”

“You first.” Her expression said she was loaded for bear. “I asked you why you came back to Gideon, and you said you’d fill me in on the details soon enough. How about now?”

* * *

Griffin frowned and shrugged out of his leather jacket. Clearly, he wasn’t ready to offer his explanation. But after two years Alice needed answers. She needed closure.

It had taken all of the last half hour for her to regain her composure. To control her anxiety, both over the man following her and over her reunion with Griffin—the shock of seeing him in the flesh.

And now, she wasn’t sure how to tell him what she’d seen in the woods, or if she even should. She’d have to if she were to explain why someone followed her tonight.

But Griffin could give his explanation first.

Earlier, she’d just been glad to have his sturdy, protective form to walk next to in case the man she’d run into in the woods had actually followed her to Gideon, but she reminded herself she could not trust Griffin. He could disappear and leave her hanging.

Alice had always been strong and self-sufficient, but at the moment she felt weak and exposed. She wasn’t sure how to get on top of this apprehension that had followed her out of the wilderness and into Gideon.

But she needed to tell him about what was going on. What had happened. So he wouldn’t be taken by surprise if a bad guy showed up. It’s just...she’d needed answers from Griffin first.

“Well?” she asked.

He frowned.

Would he answer her question or not?

Pulling his professional-grade camera out, he fiddled with it—his attempt at procrastination while he measured his words. And while he took his time answering, she took him in. His shoulders and biceps stretched his polo shirt, and he’d cut his shaggy brown hair to a shorter, crisp cut. He looked good. Too good, in fact, and she was sorry because that made it impossible for her to ignore her attraction to him. She shouldn’t be thinking about his hair or his muscles or how good he looked.

Then his gaze snapped to hers, as if he’d known what she’d been thinking about him.

Alice couldn’t hold his intensity and averted her eyes.

“I’m working with my uncle, Sheriff Kruse,” he finally said. “Going into the wilderness. I’m a freelancer, documenting the increasing use of public lands to grow marijuana and covering the hazards both to the environment and to the public, especially hikers.” His gaze and emphasis intensified on that last word.

Alice sagged. Deep down, she’d been expecting a much different answer. Had she honestly thought Griffin had finally come back for her after two long years? Or that his uncle had notified him of what she’d been through and he’d come running to her rescue? She plopped onto the sofa next to his duffel bag and his expensive camera case. Of course. Of course, he would be here for the action. This had nothing to do with Alice.

Griffin was all about action.

But, wait... “You mean your uncle called you? But why did—”

“I contacted him weeks ago along with other West Coast county sheriffs to let them in on my assignment. Let them know to contact me if they learned of any activity. I want to be there when things go down. I knew I could count on Uncle Davis to let me know if there was activity, but honestly I hadn’t expected to hear from him. Nor did I want this to happen so close to him or...to you.”

Weeks ago.

He’d been on the West Coast for weeks and had made no effort to contact her. Alice let those words sink in but refused to let them hurt. She had obviously thought much more of what they’d had together before than Griffin. And the importance of this situation far outweighed her pathetic actions of the past.

“He called to tell you about the marijuana farm so you could go in with him and film the whole thing?” He’d obviously told Griffin that Alice had been the one to find it, too. “But that’s so dangerous. Those men don’t just have guns. They have automatic weapons. They know their location has been discovered and they’ll be expecting you. They’re going to try to kill you, if they haven’t already moved out.” Alice couldn’t help the dread edging her tone. She didn’t want to go through losing Griffin again, though she’d never had him to begin with.

He blew out a breath, clearly frustrated. “Remember, I was a navy combat photographer. That means I was trained to operate alongside combat units in all military branches. I’ve worked alongside Special Forces, Alice. Documented critical missions. And now? I take on similar assignments, which you already know.” He scraped a hand through his hair. “Why do I need to explain this to you? You know this. But the reason...”

Working up the courage, she finally looked at him. His intense gaze took her in, reading her like always.

“Go on,” she said.

“The reason I came here tonight ahead of Uncle Davis is that I wanted to talk to you first.”

“You want to interview me about what I saw in the woods?”

“Well, that, yes, but I need to explain...about what happened before.” He cleared his throat. “Two years ago.”

Alice squeezed her eyes shut. Pictured herself begging him not to leave. What kind of person lowers themselves to beg? She hated that memory. She’d hated herself for the longest time after that. Still, he’d told her that he would return. And when he hadn’t, she felt all the more pathetic. She’d been worried about him. It took Cooper finding out the real story from the sheriff—that Griffin was still traveling on assignment and was fine. Her brother had to break the news to her like that...she cringed inside at that memory, too. She would never let herself be that vulnerable again.

She got it. He’d only left her the reassurance of his quick return to shut her up.

At first she’d wanted an explanation from him. Now? She wanted to just drop it. “I’d prefer it if we just forget about that.”

“Sure. I think that’s best. But not before I apologize for behaving like I did. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Alice.” He frowned, hesitating as though he struggled with the words. “I’m...sorry.”

His words jolted her. The regret in his gaze stripped her bare. She hadn’t expected a heartfelt apology from him.

But he’d gone to Kenya.

And you never came back.

Alice definitely wouldn’t say those words out loud. Oh, why do you have to be such a great guy, I mean, to apologize, even? How many guys were willing to accept responsibility for their mistakes?

Regrettably not many, at least that Alice had met.

“So, are we good?” He flashed his irresistible grin.

And she wished he hadn’t. He was entirely too charming and her emotions betrayed her to respond to him like this. Still, she returned his smile and wanted to say it was so. They were good and she understood and had forgiven him. If only the pain from his departure didn’t still linger. If only he wasn’t sitting there again in the apartment, much too near for her. If only she could actually trust him.

“Alice?”

What kind of person would she be if she didn’t truly forgive him now? Maybe the words would bring her heart along. “Yes, all is forgiven.”

But not forgotten.