Lover's Leap (12 page)

“Excuse me. I’ll just jump off the cliff now.”

“It’s okay, Cam. I was able to righteously nurse my grudge against you for years. I think that being able to blame you for everything from Lori’s diaper rash to the termites in the attic has made it easier for me to weather some of life’s more challenging times.”

He folded his arms and studied her. “So I was your scapegoat?”

“And my shield. When I did start dating, I carted you along with me.”

“A threesome, hmm?”

She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Actually, I tried very hard not to invite you into another man’s bed. I’d say we were part of a love triangle. It took time and a patient man to overcome that.”

“So this was a serious relationship? Someone other than the sheriff? Other than my cousin?”

“Yes, someone else.” Part of her wondered why she shared this information with Cam. Another part of her wanted him to know that her life had not stopped when he left. Not completely, anyway. “You don’t know him. He doesn’t live here anymore.”

“Is that why you’re not together?”

“That’s part of it. He worked for the National Park Service and was offered a promotion that meant a transfer. Maybe if we’d had more time together before he moved it could have worked, but my father had just died, and I couldn’t leave Mom and Eternity Springs. The long-distance relationship proved too difficult to overcome.”

His hands went back into his pockets. “I wish I’d come back.”

Sarah shook her head. “To what? A town where you couldn’t get a job? Where people were ready to lynch you because of the accident? And if we’d left town, how would we have supported ourselves? Child care was horribly expensive, even back then. And diapers?” She shuddered. “We got them wholesale through the Trading Post, and that was bad enough.”

Cam folded his arms and scowled. “I’d have come home to the girl I loved and our daughter.”

“Emphasis on
girl
. Let’s be honest. Cam, we were kids. Chances are good that if you’d come home and married me, we’d have been divorced by now.”

“We can’t know that,” he snapped.

“True, but I do know that I wouldn’t be who I am today if I’d married you at sixteen. And guess what? I
like
me. I’m proud of my independence and what I’ve accomplished. I own my own business. I am a good daughter and an excellent mother. I’m a fantastic friend. And what about you? You’ve done well for yourself. Shoot, Cam, you are living one of our dreams.”

He kicked at a stick on the ground. “But I gave up a lot for it.”

“You made choices. Life is all about choices. You made choices that changed your life. So did I. My parents made a choice that changed all our lives. But once those choices have been made, they’re made. We don’t get to go back for a do-over. You and me and Lori cannot magically become the family we might have been. The choice you made brought Devin into your life. Would you change that?”

“No,” he quickly replied. “Although there are times I’d happily sell him to the circus. He
is
a sixteen-year-old boy, after all.”

Sarah grinned at that. Cam bent and scooped a handful of gravel from the ground. He drew back his arm and began to toss the pebbles one by one out into the void beyond. Sarah couldn’t help recall how many times she’d watched him do this before.

He went through a whole handful of rocks before he spoke again. “When did you get to be so smart, Sarah?”

When she’d looked at the stars above Lover’s Leap, she decided. When she’d let the anger at parents and the past go and invited the peace of this place to soothe her troubled soul. Instead of trying to explain, she kept it light. “I’ve always been smart. I just hid it well in my youth.”

“You let your heart rule your head back in those days.”

“My heart and my hormones.”

“God bless teenage hormones.” Cam glanced toward the trees where they’d once traveled hand in hand toward “their” hidden spot. “You know, I’ve been a lot of places in this world, but this place is still one of my favorite spots.”

“It is beautiful.”

“That’s not it. The world has plenty of beautiful places. What made this so great is that I was happy here.”

“In Eternity Springs?”

“No. Here at Lover’s Leap. With you.”

He sounded so sincere. Sarah’s heart hitched. Was he trying to seduce her all over again?
Is that what this is about? What that kiss was about this afternoon?

She was vulnerable to him. Well, vulnerable to the old, or make that the young Cam. “I expect everyone is a little nostalgic about their teenage days to some extent.”

“I’m not talking about nostalgia. I’ve never been nostalgic about those days; I have nightmares about those days. I’m talking about happiness, which for me means Lover’s Leap. I never bought into the whole thrill of the forbidden thing. I hated sneaking around with you. This was the only place we were honest.”

He gave his head a shake, then said, “I’m sorry. I sound like a whiny kid. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m in the weirdest mood tonight.”

He’s talking about his feelings and emotions. He’s a guy. Of course he thinks it’s weird
.

“You know what I think? I think that you and I both recognize the need to put a period to that part of our lives and that’s what brought us up here tonight. It’s baggage for both of us, Cam. I know I’ve been toting it around since the day you left. I hate to use a buzzword, but I think we both need closure.”

“Closure?” He stalked back and forth in front of the picnic table. “How can we close anything? We have a daughter together. I’m not going to walk away from that.”

“No, of course not. But the Lori you may have a relationship with is Lori the college student. You can’t go back and have a relationship with the infant Lori or the toddler Lori or the totally unpleasant middle school Lori.”

He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, but he didn’t interrupt her.

Sarah continued, “We can’t go back and fix the mistakes we made when we were teens or create a family from the people we used to be. You know that. I know it. I think tonight is all about finally letting go of that baggage. Finally saying goodbye to that time of our lives. That’s why I’m here, and I believe that’s why you made the rounds tonight.”

He took a moment to think it over, then said, “I don’t know, Sarah. If that’s the case, then what was that kiss this afternoon about? Did that feel like a goodbye to you?”

No
.

“Yes.” Apparently, this was something she could lie to him about. “I think the teenaged Sarah and Cam deserved to have one last kiss.”

One. Last. Kiss
. The words seemed to hang there in the night air between them, and Sarah suddenly grew nervous.

She made a show of glancing at her watch, then climbed down from the picnic table, saying, “I need to get home. My day starts very early. Good night, Cam.”

He returned a subdued “Good night.”

As she walked, Sarah told herself that this exchange between them had been healthy and productive. She’d almost reached her car when he said, “Sarah, wait.”

His long legs ate up the distance between them, and before she quite knew what was happening, he’d taken her in his arms and captured her lips in a long and thorough kiss. When he finally released her, Sarah stood staring at him, her mouth gaped open in a somewhat dazed shock. Cam placed his index finger below her chin and closed her mouth.

“I’ll give you the first kiss as a goodbye,” he told her. “Consider that one my way of saying hello.”

NINE

Two weeks after he returned to Eternity Springs, Cam sat alone at a window-front table in the Blue Spruce Sandwich Shop. It was lunchtime, and he was halfway through a club sandwich. Across the table from him, Devin’s plate held only crumbs, and his chair sat empty. Cam’s son had gulped down his burger and dashed off after receiving an invitation from two of his teammates to check out the new shipment of fishing tackle at the Eternity Springs Auto and Sports Center before baseball pregame activities began at two o’clock. The kids had a big fishing trip to the Rio Grande planned for tomorrow. Devin had settled into town like a tick, and Cam told himself he was glad about it. Honestly, he was a little concerned.

Dev loved mountain life. He showed no sign of missing home or missing the ocean or even missing the felons-in-training he hung with at home. Surely the new would wear off at some point and the boy would itch to return to the
Bliss
and the
Freedom
, though that probably wouldn’t happen until after summer baseball ended. Dev had always liked playing baseball. This year, he loved playing baseball.

In order for Devin to join the team full-time, Cam had committed to staying in Eternity Springs through the end of baseball league play in mid-July. His teammates were a big part of the change in Dev’s behavior. The kids’ personalities clicked. The coach was a big factor, too. Dev was a little in awe of Colt Rafferty, who, in addition to instructing Dev on his batting stance, talked to his team about winning athletic scholarships to college. Cam noticed that Dev now said the word
university
without a sneer in his tone. Quite a change from a month ago.

“Speak of the devil,” Cam murmured softly when Rafferty walked in front of the Blue Spruce’s window. Colt spied him, then said something to his companion, Mac Timberlake, and the two men entered the sandwich shop.

“Care if we join you?” Mac asked, resting his hand on the back of the chair Dev had vacated.

“Be my guest.”

Colt called out an order for a burger to the waitress behind the counter as he took the third seat. “I appreciate the help at practice, Murphy. I didn’t know how badly I needed an assistant coach until you showed up.”

“I’ve enjoyed it.”

Mac requested iced tea, then turned a serious expression toward Cam. “We’re glad we ran across you. We need to talk to you about Dev.”

Cam’s stomach sank. Mac Timberlake was a lawyer and a former federal judge. “What sort of trouble is he in now?”

“No trouble,” Colt assured him. “This is good news. I hope.” He glanced at Mac. “You want to explain, or shall I?”

Mac said, “I’ll do the honors, since I’m the responsible party.”

Responsible party?
“You guys are worrying me.”

Mac grinned, then said, “Ali and I have friends visiting from Denver. While the girls indulged in a spa appointment this morning, my friend Bob and I caught Colt’s team practice. Devin’s arm caught Bob’s eye. He’s a MLB scout, Cam. He said Devin shows real promise.”

“As in Major League Baseball?” Cam repeated, more to buy himself time than because he didn’t know what MLB stood for.

“Yep,” Colt said, leaning forward, an excited gleam in his eyes. “He said Devin has all the right raw material, and that everything being equal, a full-ride Division One scholarship wasn’t out of the question.”

“Everything being equal?”

“There’s the little detail about your living in Australia.” Mac thanked the waitress who delivered his iced tea to the table. “Anyway, Bob also is excited about our pitcher.”

“Mike Hamilton?” Cam asked. “The kid can throw heat.”

“His slider is coming along, too. Bob has offered to hold a clinic for the kids while he’s in town.”

“They’ll love that.”

Colt nodded. “I thought it was important to give you a heads-up before he talked to the kids. Once I explained to Bob that Devin doesn’t live and go to high school here … well, sometimes if the status quo can’t change, then it’s easier all around if we don’t dangle impossible options in front of the kids.”

“You’re asking whether or not I want Bob to keep his opinions about my son’s athletic ability to himself?”

“Yeah.” Colt nodded. “That’s pretty much it. My goal as a teacher and coach is to help kids, not complicate their lives. Not knowing what your situation is, well, something like this could be a huge complication.”

Mac said, “International students can compete for college scholarships in the USA, but it’s difficult enough sending your son off to college in another state. Didn’t know how you’d feel about the prospect of sending him off to another continent.”

Cam frowned as he devoured another bite of his sandwich and considered the question. “Well, we do have professional baseball in Australia now. I imagine if he were good enough to get a slot on an American collegiate team, he could play baseball at home.”

“So you’re okay with Bob being straight with him?”

“Sure. I’ve had little success so far getting him interested in college. Maybe baseball is the answer. Besides, when you get right down to it, it’s his life to live, not mine. Although …” Cam slashed a grin. “I do plan on using every trick in the book to get him to complete his education.”

Next the conversation turned to more general subjects. When Colt complimented the meal he and Sage had had at the Yellow Kitchen earlier that week, Mac said, “Ali is toying with the idea of going Greek with her cuisine at her restaurant.”

“So that’s where the talk of a cruise of the Greek islands came from,” Colt said. “You guys have certainly caught the travel bug.”

Mac slashed a grin. “What can I say? There’s something special about vacation sex.”

“There’s something special about sex, period,” Colt returned sagely.

“Is there?” Cam asked, his expression glum. “It’s been so long that I’ve forgotten.”

Just then Celeste Blessing opened the door and swept inside. She greeted or waved to all the customers and staff before zooming in on Cam’s table. “Well, hello, you three. Care if I join you for a few moments? It’ll help my reputation to be surrounded by such handsome men.”

“Please,” Cam said.

Celeste took the seat Colt offered her and said, “It’s fortunate that I found you. I had intended to track all of you down today. I have new assignments for each of you in regards to our Redemption Plan.”

As she reached into her handbag and pulled out a notebook, Cam asked, “You’re actually calling it that?”

Colt shrugged. “Just go with it. She’s done wonders with her Angel Plan.”

“Yes, I am all about planning.” Celeste flipped through her notebook. “Let’s see, we can check off the interview. I got a sneak peek at it, dear, and you did an excellent job.”

Cam had spoken to the reporter two days ago, and the article was scheduled to run next week. He’d talked primarily about living in Australia and the tour company, though when Devin chimed in about diving, the reporter’s follow-up question managed to elicit the facts surrounding the adoption. Publicizing that private family business rubbed Cam wrong, but once Dev opened his mouth, the damage was done.

Celeste continued, “I happen to know that two of our more mature citizens commented in a positive manner after seeing you do all the toting and lifting for Sage for Vistas’s sidewalk sale last week. It always reflects well upon a gentleman to assist an expectant mother.”

“My man.” Grinning, Colt slapped him on the back.

Mac snorted and asked Colt, “Where were you while Murphy played step-and-fetch-it for your wife?”

“I was sitting around, drinking a beer. Just doing my part for the Redemption Plan.”

Cam rolled his eyes and explained to Mac, “He’s doing an online safety seminar for a bunch of chemical engineers meeting in Miami, so I stepped in to help. It was no big deal.”

Celeste tore off a sheet of paper and handed it to Colt, saying, “You can return the favor. Item number four.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Colt glanced over Celeste’s notes, then arched his brows. “A double date with Cam and Sarah?”

Celeste nodded. “Yes. And you should go to the Yellow Kitchen so that Mac and Ali can join you for a time. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take Sage on a date.”

“Hey, I’m not complaining. I love Ali’s cooking.” He flashed Cam a smile and said, “You can pick up the check.”

“Anytime at Ali’s place,” Cam replied, accepting his own list from Celeste. “If it were the Bristlecone Café, that would be another story. The food is half as good and twice as expensive.”

“Only thing keeping it open is the tourist trade. I doubt it lasts through the winter,” Mac observed.

While the residents discussed the restaurant, Cam glanced over his list. He didn’t mind showing up for the stuff Celeste had planned for him. None of it was onerous, and he enjoyed spending time with Sarah. The qualities about her that had appealed to him as a teen remained part of her today. She was friendly, feisty, and fearless, with a quick wit and a practical sense. Beautiful, both inside and out.

The conversation they’d shared up at Lover’s Leap had marked a change in their relationship. When they’d met again the following day during a prearranged “public” meeting at the Angel’s Rest hot springs, they’d done so sans the baggage that had weighted their interchanges prior to that. They met as acquaintances, not lovers, which allowed them both to relax and get to know each other as they were today. Cam wasn’t surprised to discover that he liked the grown-up Sarah. The fact that the grown-up Cam was attracted to her didn’t surprise him in the least. Hadn’t he been looking for a woman like Sarah almost since he left her?

No, the activities on Celeste’s list didn’t bother him, but the reason for them was beginning to chafe. He was just about done with this whole begging for Eternity Springs acceptance BS.

His trip down memory lane to the Bear Cave and Lover’s Leap might have been the first step on the road to making peace with his past, but he still had miles to travel. The snubs and slings and arrows aimed his way pretty much bounced off his tough hide, but seeing Devin caught in the undertow was wearing on him. He got closer by the minute to telling people like Pauline Roosevelt and other friends of the Cook family to yank the sticks out of their asses and get over themselves. His concern for Lori held him back.

Dev claimed not to be bothered by what anyone thought of him, and Cam didn’t doubt him. Devin didn’t care about much other than baseball these days. Cam recognized the lucky break there. What would he do if Lori’s best interests collided with Devin’s? He didn’t want to even think about that.

He set his list on the table and said, “I appreciate your efforts, all of you. Everyone has been kind to pitch in and help. But I wonder if this is really the right approach. Maybe—”

“It’s the perfect approach,” Celeste interrupted. “Believe me when I say so. I have excellent instincts, Cameron, and my Redemption Plan is important for the happiness of your family—your entire family. Now, I understand you’re frustrated with Lori’s stubbornness, but remember that patience is a virtue. Besides, never forget that you know not what the Big Guy”—she hooked a thumb toward the sky—“has planned for you.”

Celeste’s words floated through Cam’s mind an hour later as he walked toward the baseball diamond to meet the team for their pregame warm-ups. She certainly spoke with authority. He wished he could be as certain as she—especially when it came to the top item on the to-do list she’d given him.

Celeste had instructed him to show up with Devin at the church of his choice in Eternity Springs. Cam’s gaze sought and found the tall white steeple of St. Stephen’s, and he sighed.

It made sense. This was a Redemption Plan, after all.

Cam didn’t have a real objection to going to church. He was a religious man. A man couldn’t sail the ocean or dive the deep or climb mountains like the Colorado Rockies and not believe in a higher power. He and Devin attended a nondenominational congregation at home, one Dev had chosen due to the pancake breakfasts they served every Sunday after the service.

They hadn’t been to church since arriving in Eternity Springs. There was history there, though Cam doubted Celeste knew it. His mother had taken him to St. Stephen’s every Sunday. His father never went, but he and his mother never missed. Cassie Murphy’s faith had been a comfort to Cam, and he had continued to go to church for months after she died. That changed after a particularly bad beating from his dad when he’d finally worked up the nerve to ask for help from the pastor.

Turned out the old codger had been a drinking buddy of Brian Murphy’s. He’d refused to interfere, and Cam had quit going to church. Rather loudly, as he recalled. He’d caused quite a stir with some of his pronouncements.

He suspected he’d cause quite a stir walking back into St. Stephen’s after all these years next Sunday. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Celeste.”

He turned the corner onto Spruce Street, and as he caught a glimpse of the baseball diamond backstop half a block away, his thoughts turned to Devin and baseball.

Baseball. Well, what do you know
. Cam had recognized that the kid had an arm, but he never would have guessed that his son could catch the eye of a major-league scout. The boy was a water rat, not a ballplayer. Baseball had never been a focus of his. Oh, he’d played casual games in the neighborhood when he was younger, but he didn’t play for his high school team. Baseball wasn’t popular at his school, or at least, not with his running buddies—those sorry little ratbags.