Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
With the fear of becoming a wild bear’s lunch, Sarah moves fast, and we get everything packed up and ready to go in less than thirty minutes.
On the way through the campground, Sarah points to the spot, now empty, where the pregnant girl was staying.
“I didn’t notice earlier, but she’s gone.”
“I’m just relieved that neither of us had to deliver a baby this week.”
“No kidding. I hope she’s okay, though. She was so young and so pregnant.”
When I stop at the kiosk to check out, I point to the spot on the van that’s dented. “Any idea what might have caused that? We found it after we took a little hike this morning.”
The man scowls at it, then shakes his head. “I’ve heard that there’s been a black bear hanging around,” he says. “Could have been that, trying to get into your food. It also could have been a deer, or anything, really.”
“That’s what I thought.” I nod and sign the checkout paperwork. “Probably wildlife.”
“I hope y’all enjoyed your stay.”
“We did, thanks.”
I nod and drive off, headed toward home.
“Shouldn’t they alert people that there’s been a bear about?”
“I suspect that they assume anyone who’s camping knows that they’re taking the chance that there might be any kind of wildlife around.”
“I suppose.” She bites her lip. “Oh well, we survived the attack. Wait until I tell the others.”
I stare over at her and then turn my eyes to the road again, and I laugh my ass off.
“I can’t wait to hear how you spin this.”
“So, you’re telling us that you survived a bear attack,” June says, narrowing her eyes.
“A bear likely dented the van, yes.”
“But you didn’t see the bear,” Apollo adds.
We’re sitting out on my patio, telling camping stories. Not an hour after we arrived home, friends started showing up.
Luna and Wolfe were first, followed closely by June and then Apollo.
I guess they missed us this week.
“We didn’t see the bear with our own two eyes,” Sarah concedes and reaches for one of the sandwiches that Luna brought with her. “But the ranger said that there had been one about, and what else could have left that dent in the van? It was huge. Poor Petunia was probably scared to death.”
“Aside from wild, carnivorous animals,” June cuts in. “Did you have fun?”
“So much fun. But enough about us. What’s been going on around here? I didn’t hear from anyone, so I figured everything was okay, but my phone has been screwy.”
Wolfe frowns at Sarah. “What’s wrong with your phone?”
“Who knows?” Sarah shrugs. “I’ll probably have to go down to Newport to have it checked out. But I have a shiny new car, so I can go do that whenever I want.”
“But not by yourself,” June says before I can. “Because if your phone doesn’t work and something happens, you need to be able to call for help.”
“I’m just destined never to have any alone time again,” Sarah mutters. “Anyway, what’s been going on?”
“Nothing exciting,” Luna replies, earning a scowl from June.
“Are you kidding me?” June demands. “We started on the trim inside the inn. The floors are done, at least on the first floor. And the outside is being painted. All of that isn’t just exciting, it’s”—she waves her hands about, as if she’s searching the word—“remarkable.”
“Well, yes, there’s that,” Luna clarifies as I look over to Wolfe. He’s just watching her with big ole heart eyes. I wonder if he’s told her about the charity race he wants to do yet. “But I meant that there wasn’t any gossip. That’s all. Geez, don’t get testy.”
“Let’s go get some beers,” I suggest to the guys, and the three of us leave the girls to chat and go inside. “Any word about who could be trying to get to Sarah?”
“I’ve been in touch with Cullen since you’ve been gone,” Apollo says. “So far, they don’t have much to go on. And there’s been no new activity since last week. No one tried to get into the house while you were gone, from what we can tell.”
“I tried to do some digging on the ex,” Wolfe adds, his face grim. “From everything I can find on him, and there’s plenty, he’s a ruthless asshole. Didn’t do much of anything to actually make his money. He came into it the old-fashioned way. He inherited it.”
“Sarah mentioned that he worked really hard.”
“At his golf game, maybe,” Wolfe says with a shrug. “I don’t see where he actually works a job. He doesn’t hide the fact that he sleeps around, and about a month after their divorce was final, he remarried. She’s ridiculously young.”
“He likes them young,” I mutter. “Well, thanks for checking.”
“From what I can see, he’s a prick, but he’s not the type to harass her. I don’t think he’d know how, and if he’s already remarried and focused on that, I doubt he’d come looking for Sarah.”