Guiding the Fall
“Guiding the Fall Chapter 20Lyle swore when the hammer slipped from his hand and landed on his big toe. He hadn’t taken the time to put on his work boots, and it felt as if his toenail split in two under his flimsy tennis shoes. He hobbled around the cabin before going outside to find his boots in the back of his SUV.The sun was bright as he laced up his boots. He planned to do an hour’s worth of work on the cabin before heading over to Jack’s for more interviews. The man was a charismatic story...teller and Lyle found himself thinking about his life more than he cared to admit. What would he do, Lyle wondered, if he woke up one morning and couldn’t see? He certainly didn’t have the fortune or high stress job Jack had at the time of his vision loss, but that didn’t mean his life wouldn’t change. Big time.Jack had chronicled his humble upbringing as the son of a janitor drowning his grief over his dead wife in bourbon. He and Erica lived hand to mouth in a home filled with grief and alcohol. Jack left home at seventeen, worked his way through school, and never looked back. Lyle wondered what that was like for Erica. She was only seven when Jack flew the nest, leaving her alone with an alcoholic father. Jack was careful to leave Erica and her journey out of his story, but that didn’t stop Lyle from wondering. If anything, he’d thought of her more since the night of their uncomfortable dinner. He and Olivia hadn’t been able to get out of there fast enough.And he had to go back. He wanted to go back. Jack was nearing the part of the story where he lost his vision. Lyle had a pretty good idea what life was like for him before: crazy work hours, an adrenaline rush from high stakes deals, and all the perks that come from wealth and good looks. He couldn’t wait to hear first hand how bad the fall felt and what Jack did when it happened.If only he didn’t have to see Erica. He’d overplayed his hand by admitting he couldn’t get her out of his mind. Lyle wasn’t one to play games. If he liked someone, he told her and made a move. Erica had not only rejected his move, but she’d thrown it back in his face with more force than she’d dropped the lasagna on the table.So why was he still interested? Why did she fascinate him so much? She wasn’t beautiful, not in the classic sense of the word. Sure, her hair was long, dark, and silky—not that she’d ever let him feel it. Her skin was pale as milk and as smooth as a baby’s butt, not that he’d felt more than the brush of her fingers when he’d taken the pitcher. Her features were plain: straight nose, regular mouth except for that lush bottom lip, and bold brows dark and angry as her.Crap. She wasn’t beautiful, but she was striking. And her voluptuous body made him want to drop to his knees and beg for whatever scraps she’d throw his way. He got to his feet and willed her from his mind. He’d just ignore her. There was no other way to keep his sanity in her presence. With that decision made, he went back to work.An hour later, after driving the four miles from his property to Jack’s, he pulled his car along the path to Jack’s house by the river. A skunk ran in front of his truck and scuttled into the brush, drawing Lyle’s attention to the field where Jack, Erica, and another man huddled around the back of a white truck. Lyle stopped to watch the three shake hands before Jack and Erica walked back to the house.Lyle couldn’t have been more surprised when Erica broke away and met him when he opened the door to his truck. He tried to mask his unease by gathering his computer bag. Clearly, avoiding her wouldn’t work.Erica stepped back as he climbed out of the vehicle. She’d braided her long hair into a tail down her back, and wisps of loose curls floated artfully around her face. “Want to punch me in the stomach before I meet with your brother?” he asked.Erica looked at her feet before jerking her head up to meet his stare. He’d expected to see fury in her dark eyes, not the vulnerable tilt that left him feeling like an ass. “I owe you an apology,” she said without preamble. “I was rude the other night and I’m sorry.”“Did Jack make you apologize?”“Jack doesn’t make me do anything. He may have pointed out that fighting with you is going to make my life here miserable—more miserable than it already is. I don’t want to be more miserable. So, I’m sorry.”“Well, apology accepted.” He held out his hand. Where he was from, an apology didn’t mean anything without a handshake.It was worth all the fighting to watch her struggle with her pride. When she slipped her hand into his, the only thing he saw in her stunning face was worry. The woman was a bundle of contradictions. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t the only one distracted by their attraction.“So, what’s going on over there?” Lyle tilted his head to where the white truck was pulling away from the overgrown pasture.She turned as he did and walked toward the house. “Jack’s got some hare-brained idea about testing wind power.”“Wind power?”“He thinks there might be enough wind in the valley to sell wind power to the new ski development at Bear Stream.”Lyle’s step faltered as realization dawned. He’d inadvertently brought a man to the valley who intended to profit from the development most everyone fought tooth and nail. Olivia’s own brother headed up the group fighting the development of the area’s only non-commercialized ski lift. He stopped dead in his tracks. “Is Jack involved with the group trying to develop Bear Stream?”“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” She jerked her hands to her hips, emphasizing the gentle curves in her well-worn jeans. “Ask him.”He’d have to do that or risk getting run out of town when the truth came out. She opened the screen door for him and ushered him in with an exaggerated wave of her arm. “Can I get you anything?” she asked.“You got any more of those lemon sugar cookies?” He was rewarded by the first genuine smile he’d ever seen on her face. All the sharp angles softened right along with his heart as it slammed into his ribcage with an almost painful force.“I’m sure I can rustle up a few.”***Erica slipped outside the house with her guitar after she’d chopped the onion and peppers for dinner and straightened up the kitchen. She couldn’t listen to Jack recount losing his vision. He’d gotten pretty good at acting as though it wasn’t as big a deal as it was, but she knew better. Anything that stopped her brother from moving onward and upward had the force of a tornado and the bite of a great white shark. She didn’t want to listen to him relive those first painful weeks alone but for an assistant frantically searching for ways to help him as the business he’d built from scratch slipped through his fingers.She dragged the Adirondack chair from the patio into the sun and strummed a slow and mournful tune. She didn’t like to look back. Everything in her past before moving in with Jack held pain, regret, and sorrow. The only thing she felt proud of in her life was helping her brother. With the publication of the book and the outing of his vision problem, she could only wonder what would happen to her. How long could she keep living with him, making meals and running errands? He couldn’t function in Hailey on his own, but back in Denver, it had become clear she wasn’t needed. She worried that when the book was written and they returned to Denver, she’d have to make plans to move out and move on with her life.But what kind of life would she lead without the basic skills required for employment? She was a decent cook, but would a restaurant ever hire her? She shook her head and hummed along as her fingers created music from her heart.She saw the shadow on the ground when she opened her eyes and knew she wasn’t alone. She turned, held her hand up to shield the sun, and stared up into a set of too-appealing brown eyes.“You’re really good.”She looked out at the river, afraid of slipping under his spell if he was nice to her for too long. “I’m just messing around.”“I can’t wait to hear you when you’re really trying.”She slipped the guitar strap from around her neck and stood up, needing to find level ground when speaking to Lyle. He had a way of unnerving her during the most mundane conversations. “You all done for the day?”“We are. Jack wanted to do more, but I could tell he needed a break.”“It’s not easy for him, reliving those days. He’s moved on, accepted his vision loss, but that doesn’t make it easy to look back.”“I could tell.” He took a deep breath and stared out over the water. “It’s one hell of a story.”Anger bubbled to the surface. “It’s not a story. It’s his life.”He whipped his head around and glared at her. “I know it’s his life. I sat there and watched how difficult it was for him to tell me. For that I’m sorry, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s got an experience worth sharing. Whatever his motives, whatever his intentions, I’m glad I get the chance to tell it.”“I hope you’ll be gentle. I mean, what I’m trying to ask is…” She rubbed her forehead. Sometimes she just couldn’t think of the words to express what she wanted to say. “Please don’t turn his nightmare into some kind of trashy soap opera. Like when everything comes crashing down on the rich and powerful golden boy. That’s what they used to call him, you know. The golden boy. He’s as dark as I am, but everything he touched turned to gold. He’s clawed his way back through hard work and determination. I don’t want you to use him and his troubles to sell books.”“I can tell you think highly of my profession.”Erica looked back toward the house. She knew Jack needed time to sort out his feelings. “I’m not sure he’s doing the right thing, telling everyone what happened.”“He doesn’t seem to have any doubts.”“We live a simple life in Denver, Lyle. He’s happy there, out of the limelight. I don’t know why he wants to open all this up again.” She frowned at him. “What in the devil are you grinning about?”“You said my name. I wasn’t sure you knew it.”She felt defenseless against his boyish charm. “I know your name. I’ve said it while cursing a number of times.”“I’ll bet you have.”Every time they spoke was like wading through quicksand. She needed to change the subject. “How’s the cabin coming? I haven’t seen you working on it lately.”“Have you been watching for me?”She rolled her eyes. “I haven’t heard any annoying banging coming from the other side of the river.”“It’s coming along. I’ve done almost all I can do before they run the power.”“When will that be?”“A week from Thursday.”“And then you’ll move in?” Part of her wanted him away from the conniving Olivia, but part of her knew him living within a stone’s throw was dangerous.“Not right away. I hope to be in by Thanksgiving. My brother’s coming to visit, and it would be a lot easier to catch up when I’m here instead of Lower Fork.”“Where is he visiting from?”Lyle picked up a rock and tossed it into the river. It skipped four times along the surface. “Denver. He’s a pilot for Eagle Airlines.”“A pilot and a writer?” Could she feel any more out of her league? “Your parents must be proud.”“Mom and stepdad. Yeah, I guess. My stepdad likes that I’m not under their roof anymore.”“You don’t get along?”Lyle laughed. “We get along fine. I think he and my mom are ready to have the place to themselves. They still act like a couple of newlyweds.”“Really?” Erica couldn’t imagine growing up in a family filled with love. “When did your parents divorce?”“They didn’t. My dad died in a plane crash when I was nine. We moved out here when I was eleven and Dodge—my stepdad—leased our land until he and Mom fell in love and got married. They’ve been head over heels ever since.”“That must have been wonderful growing up around all that love after losing your father.”“It was. It was hard when my dad died. I really didn’t want to move out here from Atlanta, but now I can’t imagine living anywhere else. My friend Jill just picked up and moved east with her fiancé a few months ago. As happy as I am for her, I can’t imagine living so far away from my family.”“Did you go away for college?”He sent her a sidelong glance that made the tips of her ears burn. “If you consider Westmoreland going away. I went to Warlock State. Lived in the dorms, had the full college experience, but I wasn’t far from home.”“You must be excited to see your brother again?”“I am. I wish it was just him and not his wife. Her parents live on the other side of our property, just off the six north, but she won’t go anywhere without Kevin. She’s always been clingy.”“Sounds like they’re sickeningly in love, too.”“And have been since they were thirteen.”“Thirteen? They fell in love at thirteen?”“Well, it was an on again, off again thing all through college, but she finally dragged him down the aisle,” he pursed his lips, “five, almost six years ago.”“I think that’s wonderful, falling in love with someone so deeply you can’t imagine being without them.” When she looked up, he was staring at her, and she wished she’d kept those thoughts to herself.“I suppose I should at least try to think of it like that. Shiloh’s always been spoiled rotten, so it’s hard for me to have much sympathy for her. She’s the annoying sister I never wanted.”“I always wanted a sister.”Lyle reached down and picked up another rock. He tossed it in the air a few times before asking, “I’ll bet it was hard for you after your brother left home.”Oh, no. She wouldn’t talk about her past with him just because he knew a few details. She picked up her guitar and turned toward the house. “I’d better get back. I’ll see you later.” When she reached the house and closed the door behind her, he was watching her as he fingered the rock. She had to be more careful. Talking to him had been a mistake. She couldn’t afford to make that mistake again.MoreLess
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