An Extraordinary Match (The Match Series Book 3) (14 page)

He gave a shrug. “Sorry. It must be a reflex to look for holes in your story.”

“I have two sisters,” she reiterated. “Jillian’s great. She’s getting married to a motocross racer in Phoenix. Well, he also restores vintage cars. I think he might be rich.”

“What about Dani?”

“Dani’s a little high-strung. Don’t get me wrong. I love her dearly, but she’s not exactly the person you go to for help if you get into trouble, unless you happen to feel the need for a little extra drama in your life.”

“And your parents?”

“Mom’s like Dani. Dad passed away when I was in high school.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It was a long time ago. He spent a lot of time at the office, so we weren’t as close as we might have been.” She put the half-full water bottle back in the cooler. “I can start paddling again.”

Logan lifted his chin to indicate a spot behind her. “We’re almost there.”

She turned to see the stretch of white-sand beach up close. It was narrow, butted up against a hillside, and was strewn with driftwood. Rocks and shrubs stuck up at the base of the hill where it met the shimmering sand.

“Hang on,” he warned.

The canoe jolted into the soft sand, driving partway onto the beach.

“Sit tight for a second,” he said. Then he hopped into the water, waded his way to the front of the canoe and dragged it up onto the beach.

She stepped out onto the sand and unzipped her life jacket. “This is amazing.” She shaded her eyes to look around.

He unloaded their gear and flipped the canoe over. Then he helped her out of the life jacket and stowed it beneath the canoe. “Are you hungry?”

“A little. Sure.”

“We’ll have a snack here, then we can start up the hill.”

“Up the hill?” She’d thought the beach was their destination.

“You’re going to love it,” he promised.

“You’re going to kill me.”

But she didn’t really care. She was taking this stolen day with Logan for what it was, leaving all of her worries behind. He was exciting, adventurous and totally sexy. And she’d follow him anywhere he wanted to go.

*

Logan couldn’t help
but be impressed by Jade’s persistence. They’d been hiking uphill for nearly two hours, and she was still carrying on a conversation. The narrow trail was growing steeper as they approached the ridge.

“Twenty-two cousins within nine blocks?” she asked on a note of awe.

“Some of them are second cousins.” Logan could map out the family tree if anyone was interested. But the catch-all term “cousins” was usually sufficient. “It meant somebody always had your back in a schoolyard fight. Then again, there was always somebody around who knew your secrets and could tease the crap out of you, too.”

“My dad was never close to his family. My mom and her sister bond over their dislike of my grandmother. But Aunt Maryanne had boys. And they were quite a bit older than us. Plus, they lived in Seattle.”

“Your mother doesn’t like your grandmother?” Logan couldn’t wrap his head around that.

“Grandma cheated on Grandpa. He left her and later died of a heart attack. Mom was really close to her dad, and she blames Lizbet, my grandmother, for his death.”

“One of my aunts apparently slept with her sister’s college boyfriend. And Carmella, another aunt, well, second or third cousin technically, but my parents’ generation, told my mom that my dad was a no-good loser, and she shouldn’t marry him. Then later, she said I was an ugly baby who was clearly developmentally delayed. But we all still get together for barbecues.”

“Were you an ugly baby?”

The ground was becoming steeper still, and Jade’s breathing grew labored.

He turned to make sure she was doing all right. “I kinda was, yeah.”

“Well, you grew out of it.”

“That’s very sweet of you to say. We’re almost there.”

She stopped in front of him. “Thank goodness for that. Who calls a baby ugly?”

“My Aunt Carmella has no filter. Every thought that comes into her head flows out her mouth. It’s another twenty, maybe thirty, yards to the top.”

“I can make it.” She started to walk again. “Where does Elroy fit in? You two look quite a bit alike.”

“He’s my dad’s cousin Al’s son. Dad and Uncle Al have the same grandfather.”

“So, both of you have roots in illegal liquor sales and prostitution?”

“If you go back far enough, yeah, we’re pretty much all descended from felons. Makes the ugly-baby thing seem insignificant, doesn’t it?” He smiled to himself. “You know, you might fit in here better than I thought.”

“Oh, give it a rest. I didn’t take anything.”

Logan tried to parse her statement. Was she saying she hadn’t actually gotten away with the credit card numbers, or was she still insisting she never tried?

There was no way to know for certain. And the more time he spent with her, the less he seemed to care.

“Here we are,” he announced as they crested the rise, coming up in the middle of a long ridge that followed the curve of the valley.

The lush, vast river valley spread out in front of them. A ribbon of blue water snaked through the bottom, while mountain after mountain rose up in the distance against a misting sky.

She stood next to him on the rocky ridge, shading her eyes. “That’s amazing.”

His attention shifted from the view to a worrying cluster of clouds piling up at the head of the valley. “I don’t like the look of that.”

“What?”

He pointed. “There’s definitely a storm on its way.” He squinted to take in the motion of the clouds.

“Is it going to rain on us?”

“I’d say so. But I’m more worried about the wind when we cross the lake. I thought we’d take a rest up here, maybe have a drink and something to eat. But I think we should get back down right away.”

Her expression turned to worry. “Are we in trouble?”

“No big deal. Just to be safe, we should head back across the lake as soon as we can.” He drew two water bottles out of his small pack, handing one to Jade.

As he drank, he tried to gauge the speed and direction of the storm. The clouds were towering up fast, and the breeze was already gusting down the valley. It was impossible to guess the speed of the winds aloft, but the weather system was definitely moving in their direction.

“You ready?” he asked.

She nodded, handing back the water bottle.

“Sorry we can’t stay and enjoy the view.”

She started down the trail behind him. “Is this all a plot to prove you’re tougher than me?”

“I am tougher than you. But you’re plenty tough. I thought we’d have to turn back before now.”

“Wait a minute. You mean, we could have turned back?”

“Sure, if you were getting too tired.”

He felt her fist contact the center of his back. “You didn’t
tell
me that.”

“You did fine.”

“My legs feel like limp rubber.”

He felt a twinge of guilt. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“Because I didn’t know the hike was optional. You’re like a drill sergeant, you know.”

“Everything’s optional.”

He turned on the trail, and she all but barreled into his arms. He held her.

“This, for example,” he said softly. Then he brought his lips down to kiss her. “Entirely optional.”

“You’re sucking up to me now.”

“I am.”

“My legs still feel like rubber.”

“My brain turns to rubber when I kiss you.”

Her eyes softened, and she gave a little sigh. “Logan.” She stretched up for a kiss.

He kept it tender but lengthened it out. Then he drew back. “Am I forgiven?”

“For what?”

He chuckled. “You’re tougher than you let on.”

“We New Yorkers walk everywhere. Okay, not always through the forest and up steep hills.”

He took her hand, turning back down the trail. “But you’re in pretty good shape.”

“Getting in better shape by the minute.”

“That’s the spirit.”

It took over an hour to get to the beach. There, Logan wasted no time in getting them back into their life jackets and launching them onto the water. The clouds had made their way across the sky, obliterating the sun. The wind was coming in gusts, and whitecaps had formed in the middle of the lake.

“We’re going to hug the shoreline to start,” he told her, as he adjusted the canoe’s direction. “Just paddle at a speed that’s comfortable. Any momentum you can add will help.”

She turned to look at him. “Okay, now you’re scaring me.”

“Why?”

“You’re being nice, and you’re not joking around.”

He smiled at her. “Shut up and paddle.”

She gave him a nod. “That’s better. Now I know we’re not going to die.”

“We’re not going to die.” He stroked his paddle through the choppy water. “But we’re not taking any chances either.”

They battled a headwind down the shore as raindrops started to fall, lightly at first but increasing steadily as time went on. Though they were getting wet, they were in little danger, since if they capsized they could easily swim to the beach. But they were also coming to the river outlet where things would change. Before the current grew too swift and pulled them in, they had to turn and cross the open water.

Logan didn’t like the size of the waves they’d be crossing, but it wasn’t going to get any better, so he turned the canoe.

“What are you doing?” Jade called back.

“We have to avoid the current from the river. Can you see the cottage?” The blue roof was barely visible through the rain and mist.

“I can see it.”

The canoe was starting to bounce with the waves, and a cross wind was buffeting them, trying to push them to the middle of the lake. Logan’s arms were growing tired, just when he needed all of this strength.

“If we capsize,” he told her, “swim for the point. The closest one with the two evergreens. From there, you can walk the shoreline to the cottage.”

She twisted her head. “You’re scaring me again.”

“We’re not going to capsize. But if we do, you don’t want to end up on the wrong side of the river.” He paused. “Now, shut up and paddle.”

She flashed him a grateful smile. Even with her hair a stringy mess and her face dripping wet, she had to be the most beautiful, desirable woman in the world.

“Thanks.” She told him then turned to paddle.

J
ade had never
been more grateful to reach dry land. She was soaked to the skin, both from the rain pelting down on them and the waves splashing over the bow, threatening to swamp the little boat. They’d come frighteningly close to capsizing a couple of times. And when Logan turned the canoe over on shore, several gallons of water dumped out, making a rivulet in the sand.

She carried the pack, while Logan took the cooler and the paddles, and they trudged their way to the back door. The rain was blowing at an angle, and thunder began to rumble in the distance.

“Good timing,” said Logan as he pushed open the door, stepping back for her to enter.

“Perfect timing,” she deadpanned, dropping the pack on a small bench and shaking water from her fingertips.

“You don’t want to be out on the lake if there’s lightning.”

She tried to release the zipper on her saturated windbreaker, but her hand was shaking. It wasn’t from the cold, but from the fact that her arm muscles were thoroughly expended and her fingers were cramped from gripping the paddle.

Logan took over, pulling down the zipper.

He dipped down to look in her eyes. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Exhausted, but incredibly happy to be inside.”

“I can light a fire.”

“You’re tired, too.” She’d worked as hard as she could out there, but she knew Logan had provided the vast majority of the horsepower. Halfway across the stretch of open water, she’d taken a look at the fatigue and determination on his face. Then she’d worried that his arms would give out and they’d drown in the lake.

He helped her out of the windbreaker. “Go get into something dry.”

“That’s my plan.” She kicked off her runners and stripped off her soaked socks.

Logan tossed her a beach towel, and she dried her feet before making her way through the living room and upstairs. She changed into the black leggings and knit dress, again putting on the pair of fuzzy socks. Then she towel-dried her hair and combed it out.

As she made her way down the stairs, she could hear the crackle of firewood in the glass-fronted fireplace.

Logan had changed into dry jeans and a green flannel shirt. His hair was still shiny and wet. Beard stubble shadowed his square chin. But he looked tough and resilient, and oh, so sexy.

He tossed in another log and closed the glass door. “I’m boiling water for hot chocolate.”

“Sounds heavenly.”

“Orange, coffee or Irish cream liqueur?”

“Irish cream,” she answered, fighting an urge to throw herself into his arms.

“Marshmallows?”

“No, thanks.” Maybe if she moved closer, he’d spontaneously hug her.

“I’m starving, going for speed here.” He moved toward the kitchen. “Grilled ham and cheese okay for you?”

“Yes. Absolutely.” Okay, hugging would have to wait. The poor man had probably expended several thousand calories out there. He needed to eat.