Harte's Peak Read online

  

  Amazing how skiing for the right reasons had taken every last vestige of fear away. God had come through for him with the additional gift he’d never imagined he could receive. Renewed appreciation for the sport as it had been once, before it had taken over his life.

  Not only that. He’d become aware that he had nothing left to prove to Vera or anyone else. If she couldn’t see that he’d changed, it didn’t matter. The Lord knew how his heart had changed.

  He reached the bottom of the hill expecting to see Vera right behind him.

  She’d gained control of her speed and closed another gap between her and the other skilled skiers.

  He lifted his gaze.

  A small crowd gathered around a downed skier.

  He recognized the pink jacket and blonde hair spilling out the side of the helmet. No.

  He dropped his poles and unhooked from his skis so that he could race back up the hill, never an easy thing in snow. Adrenaline pumping, he fixed his gaze on Vera, who lay helpless on the ground. He fought against the rising sense of panic. He needed to trust God.

  Vera was too quiet in the snow, eyes closed in an unnaturally peaceful look for someone who enjoyed verbally sparring with him every day. He knelt beside her and gently removed her helmet, grateful not to see any blood.

  “Vera, can you hear me?” Ryan shouted.

  Vera’s eyes fluttered opened. She moaned as she sat up and reached for her ankle.

  He was afraid of that. “You must have twisted it coming down.”

  Vera’s eyes rolled in the back and she mouthed words with no sound.

  He feared she’d broken her foot or ankle, or had torn a ligament. Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed her so hard for one last run. All those workouts in the gym added to the days on the slope had perhaps pushed her body too far. He may have finally circumvented her attempt to win the race, but not in the way he’d imagined.

  Several more concerned skiers gathered around them. He handed one of the skiers her poles, and then cautiously removed her skis.

  He lifted her and carried her off the trail. “Can you call up a snowmobile?” he asked a fellow skier.

  Vera had fallen several hundred feet from the bottom of the mountain, and he wouldn’t be able to carry her down on his own.

  Vera opened her eyes.

  “How do you feel?” A dumb question, but her ability to answer would tell him a great deal.

  She sobbed against him.

  The crying wrenched his heart. She would miss the first qualifying race, effectively disqualifying her from going any further. She’d proved she had courage, but this was the end of the line. The injury looked serious enough that he prayed it wouldn’t sideline her from skiing permanently.

  He removed her boot carefully even as she slapped his hand away in a classic effort to protect herself from the pain. “I’m not going to hurt you, darlin’,” he soothed.

  The ankle had already swollen.

  He gently placed her foot in the snow and carefully created a pile around her ankle to ice it.

  The snowmobile arrived within minutes.

  He placed her in the back. He would get their equipment later. He didn’t want to leave her side until he had her with adequate medical personnel.

  The first-aid station at Dodge Ridge would not be equipped for this type of emergency.

  As a first responder, he knew that they normally referred everyone to the nearby hospital. The temporary medical staff and their equipment would probably arrive tomorrow in time for the tournament.

  The health clerk in the first-aid office took one look at Vera’s ankle and pronounced it broken. “You’ll need to get her to the hospital. Only an X-ray can tell for certain.”

  “No.” Vera moaned. “I want to go home.”

  The health clerk gave Ryan a puzzled look.

  “She’s not thinking straight. We need to get her warm. Does she look pale to you?”

  “We could call an ambulance. I wish there was more we could do.” The clerk applied an ice pack for the swelling, gave Vera over-the-counter pain medication, and placed the ankle in a temporary restraint.

  “I’ll drive her to the hospital.” There wasn’t any other option.

  Vera found her voice. “You will not.”

  He couldn’t stand one more minute of her bullheaded ways. “We don’t have a choice.” He took her face in his hands and forced her dazed blue eyes to meet his own.

  Against her heated implorations to put her down, Ryan carried Vera from the first aid station to his truck.

  “Put me down!” Vera shouted.

  “Stop acting like an idiot.”

  He carried her by a group of kids lined up with their snowboards at the entrance and placed her in the back seat.

  A kid Ryan recognized from church looked at him with wide eyes. “Is she under arrest, Mr. Colton?”

  Sometimes, he had to admit, the idea had its appeal. Ryan started to say no, but then shook his head. “I don’t know, kid. Maybe.”

  From the backseat Vera tried to slap his head, but he dodged her in time.

  “Someone else can take me to the hospital. You need to get back to the slopes.”

  “If you don’t quit, I’ll ask the doctor to X-ray your head, too. I’m taking you. That’s it.” He started the drive to the hospital they’d left only a few hours ago.

  “I’m counting on you now more than ever. You’re my only shot at winning.”

  Great. No pressure. He didn’t think he had much of a shot against Kyle, even though the local paper had ranked his odds as better than he believed them to be. Instead he worried he’d freeze up on race day. He hadn’t so far, but winning hadn’t been on the line. Yet.

  He’d mixed himself up in a crazy long shot for the sake of a woman who didn’t have the good sense to let him take her to the hospital. Sometimes he wondered why he bothered at all.

  Ryan pulled up to the hospital’s emergency room entrance. Opening the back door, he found a frowning Vera.

  “I can walk,” she snapped.

  “No way. You shouldn’t put any weight on it.” He ought to let her try. Maybe then, she’d believe him.

  For once, she was leaning on him, but it was only out of necessity. She hopped alongside, keeping her injured foot off the floor.

  By the time she was admitted and in a room in ER, her ankle had swollen to about twice its normal size.

  He paced the room and asked for help several times before the physician finally appeared.

  “Ski accident, eh? It is that time of the year.” The physician examined her ankle and immediately ordered an X-ray. Then he called a nurse in to give Vera some pain medication.

  An orderly appeared soon afterward and began to wheel Vera away. She glanced behind her. “Are you coming?” she asked.

  He hadn’t planned to, but this woman of mystery seemed to need him now. He walked beside the wheelchair as it rolled down the hallway, surprised when Vera reached out and grabbed his hand. Fear emanated from her and he held her hand until they were separated at the X-ray room.

  Alone, he finally had a moment to think and bent his head in silent prayer for the woman who seemed to have a knack for driving him crazy.

  In a way, the problem was resolved.

  Vera, sidelined from the competition, would be safe now. Despite her broken ankle, he would consider that an answered prayer.

  Now, all he’d have to do was qualify for the finals and win the tournament for her. Just that small thing. Right.

  

  After the X-ray, Vera was thankful to be back in the emergency room. Ryan hadn’t left her side even though she’d done her best to get him to stay on the slopes. Now, she didn’t want him to go anywhere. He’d brought her here to a hospital, her least favorite place in the world, and by golly, she didn’t want him to leave her here without a friend.

  And he was a good friend.

  Unfortunately, she was beginning to care a little too much for this good f
riend and that troubled her. But soon the tournament would be over and they would go their separate ways. Hopefully, they’d still be friends after all she’d put the poor guy through.

  She’d been a fool when she insisted on entering the contest, especially since Ryan had volunteered to take her place. Now all she had to show for her efforts was a possibly broken ankle, weeks of recuperation, and more bills to add to the pile. And quite likely, she would lose her home, anyway.

  Ryan paced the room with long strides as they waited again for the doctor. He drew a hand through his close cropped hair and heaved repeated sighs followed by glares at the clock. Fourteen years ago, she’d been in a hospital a long way from home for a much more serious reason, and yet no one had made half the fuss over her that Ryan made now.

  “How shorthanded can they be, for crying out loud? I’ve had faster service at the DMV,” Ryan complained. “Are you doing OK?”

  “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” The room seemed to spin a little, but in a good way.

  He gazed in her eyes as though he’d pulled her over for being under the influence.

  “It’s the meds they gave you. Hope they don’t make you loopy.”

  “I’m not loopy, snoopy.” Ryan. How could she have missed the best man in town, right under her nose the entire time?

  Ryan stared at her. “Great. They gave you way too much medication.”

  “Don’t worry about me, buddy. I’m not driving.” She shook her finger.

  “You can say that again.”

  “Come here.” He now stood by the door, way too far away. Her index finger beckoned him to her side.

  He moved closer. His eyes narrowed. “What’s up?”

  She took his arms, pulled him even closer, and framed his face in her hands. “I want to kiss you.”

  “Vera…”

  Their lips met for a glorious moment before he pulled away. “No, Vera. This isn’t right. You’re not yourself.”

  “I’m very much myself. Who else could I be?”

  “That’s it. I’m getting you some coffee. Be right back.” He turned and marched out of the room.

  While Ryan was gone, the doctor entered with the X-rays. He placed them in the viewer, hit the switch, and she observed the view of her ankle and its contrasting patches of darkness and light.

  “You’re a lucky lady.”

  “Thank you, Doctor. I agree.” Now if only she could get Ryan to shut up and kiss her.

  He frowned at her. “It’s actually a hairline fracture. So the good news is you can wear a medic boot. The bad news is you can forget about skiing for a while.” The doctor pointed at the small fracture.

  “What about work? I own a café, and I have to get back to it.”

  The doctor scrunched up his nose, which made him look like a rabbit.

  She pinched her arm to keep from laughing.

  “You need to stay home for a couple of days and rest. Then you should be able to resume regular duties as long as you promise to take it easy on that foot. But you’ll need to keep the boot on for several weeks to heal properly. I’ll get the nurse to fit you, and then we can release you. And don’t forget to follow up with your own doctor.”

  The bad news sobered her. She’d already spent too much time away from the café and couldn’t possibly stay away any longer. Annie was racking up the overtime. Still more bills to pay.

  Ryan appeared with her coffee. Things could be worse. His soulful brown eyes, dark hair, and even his beard stubble made her heart do a strange flip. Oh yeah, I could be falling in love with my friend, a good man who deserves someone much better than me.

  He handed her the coffee. “This will sober you up. I heard the good news. It’s only a hairline fracture.”

  “You have a funny idea of what qualifies as good news.” Vera stuck her tongue out at him.

  “Hey, I’m only trying to look at the bright side. Amazing, since you acted like your foot had been cut off.” He sat in the chair next to the exam table and smirked.

  “You have no idea how much it hurt,” she protested.

  “I don’t doubt it, darlin’.”

  She loved the sound of that word on his lips, as if it were meant only for her. “And by the way, I don’t want you to compete tomorrow.” As crazy as that sounded, she’d given it enough thought in the past few minutes. She didn’t want him to win because she might have to find out that he’d never give her that purse. Their friendship would not survive.

  And she couldn’t be responsible for him. She couldn’t stand the thought if he got hurt because of her. Her foolish plans had to stop now.

  “That’s the meds talking.”

  “No, Ryan. I mean it.”

  “What’s this? I thought you didn’t even want me to take time away to take you to the hospital. Now you don’t want me to compete?” His brow furrowed.

  “You don’t have to anymore. It was a crazy idea, and I see that now.”

  “Now you see it? Did anyone ever tell you that you have lousy timing?” He didn’t know the half of it. “I’ll accept help from the foundation, if it’s not too late. I’ll call them right away. I’m already on the list.” Thanks to Maggie.

  “What changed your mind?” He narrowed his eyes.

  “This.” She looked at her foot. “You finally got through to me. Aren’t you happy?”

  “Sure, but apparently my timing also leaves something to be desired.” He ran his thumb along the rim of his foam cup.

  “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Oh, yes, I do. I’m not a quitter. I started this thing. I intend to finish it. And besides, if I win the money, it’s yours. If you don’t want it, it can go to the foundation. Either way, it will help someone in need. Kyle has enough money. I probably should have thought of it the minute I heard about the purse. I don’t know what my chances are, but I’m going to try. I’ll get as far as I can, and hopefully, I’ll win.”

  “I can’t talk you out of this?” She didn’t like the determined look on his face, the set jaw, the steely look in his warm brown eyes.

  “Two can play the stubborn game. I’m pretty determined, too, when I want to be.”

  Maybe they truly were two of a kind, as Maggie had said.

  “I don’t want you to get hurt again. I’ve asked too much of you already.”

  “You didn’t ask, remember?” His penetrating eyes melted her resolve. He brushed hair from her forehead with such tenderness that she wanted to cry.

  Too bad she had not met him long ago, before she’d made the kind of foolish choices that would make it impossible to be with someone like Ryan.

  

  “Not exactly stylin’, are you?” Ryan grinned at the huge black boot on Vera’s foot. For someone who always looked like she’d stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine, whether she wore an apron or ski garb on the slopes, it had to be difficult.

  “I’ll accessorize somehow.” Vera shrugged.

  He’d brought his truck around to the front curb and opened the door for her as she rose from the wheelchair and tentatively stepped toward the car. He held the crutches they’d given her, worried she’d trip.

  As soon as he got her home, he had to get back to the slopes and recover their equipment. Tomorrow, he would have to report to the slopes early for the first competitive run. If he advanced, and he thought he would, then he would be in Kyle’s league.

  The old competitive energy rose up unbidden. He hadn’t fallen for Kyle’s taunting, but when he possessed the desire to win for a good cause, every bit of spirit was there for him. Just like God had promised it would be.

  Now he had to make sure to keep his own fears in check. And if Vera had the courage to do it, he could, too.

  He scanned Vera’s neighborhood to make certain that Kevin was not parked anywhere near her house again. Then he told her all about Kevin’s unexpected visit.

  “He thought I’d hired you for security?” Vera laughed.

  “I’ll just say I didn’t diss
uade him from thinking that.”

  “I hope you scared him off.”

  “I think maybe I did. Let’s hope so.” He opened the door for Vera and held out his hand. She accepted it without slapping it away. Progress. He helped her get inside the door to a waiting and jumping Stin, who promptly jumped on her boot.

  “Ow. This is where obedience school would have come in handy. Down, Stin.”

  “Are you going to be all right?”

  “Of course I am. I’m not an invalid.”

  Still, the way she gritted her teeth as she ambled forward led him to believe otherwise. She staggered along with slow and unsure steps.

  He took her hand and led her to the couch. “Here, sit down.”

  Stin sniffed the boot and then jumped up on the couch beside Vera, resting her head on Vera’s lap. “She knows I’m hurt.”

  “I’ll feed her before I go.”

  Stin jumped off the couch and followed him into the kitchen.

  He hated leaving Vera now, but he had so much to do before the tournament tomorrow. Maybe even call the church to be placed on the prayer chain, something he’d never done before, but he would need all the help he could get.

  “If Kevin shows up again, call.”

  “Ryan, wait.”

  He stopped in his tracks near the front door. The woman who sat on the couch looked diminutive somehow, as though the injury had knocked her down a peg or two. The usually beautiful and proud Vera looked defeated, and that ripped away at his heart. “What is it, darlin’?”

  He loved the light in her eyes when he called her darlin’. For once in his life, he wasn’t playing. These feelings were real.

  It might be friendship, and it might be true love. He hoped somehow the Lord would tell him because on his own he had no clue.

  Vera patted the space beside her on the couch. “Give a damsel in distress a break.”

  He would sit next to her any day of the week, but there were other matters to deal with now. “I’m sorry I can’t stay. Should I call someone?”