Chapter Seven

A fter they’d finished shooting in Colorado, Kasey and the crew flew to Machu Picchu to film him hiking the Inca Trail. This journey had the most varied and beautiful terrain of any in the world. There were bustling villages, deserted ruins, mountain passes, and lush jungles. Today, he was climbing the steps to Dead Woman’s Pass. The sight from the top should be spectacular. Yet, since it loomed so high, the weather would undoubtedly partially block the view.

A constant drizzle accompanied him as he scaled the wet steps carefully, but swiftly. Two cameramen were above him and two below. On the way down, he’d stop at different lookout points and explain the landscaping. Right now, his goal was to see how quickly he could climb to the top. A stopwatch with his time would show in the corner when the episode aired.

This part of the hike, well known as the most dangerous, had steep stone steps carved into the mountainside with a sheer damp wall of rock on his right and a straight drop into the Urubamba River on his left.

“Kasey, stop! There’s a snake five steps up,” his cameraman, Simpson, yelled from above him.

He froze. This wasn’t the first time he’d encountered a snake and undoubtedly wouldn’t be the last. They seemed to inhabit most of the places he explored.

“We’re checking if it’s venomous,” Harper said over his earpiece.

He glanced upward. The head of a snake zigzagged back and forth.

The running clock ticked in his head. He needed to get going.

“Are the spots gray or black?” Harper asked.

“Black. It’s yellow with black spots.”

“Shouldn’t be poisonous.”

He darted upward and to the right, sticking close to the rock, stepping as far away from the snake as possible.

“Shit!” Beau, a retired Hollywood stuntman they’d hired when Kasey began doing dangerous stunts, shouted. “He got your right leg.”

Kasey didn’t feel anything. He wore jeans and hiking boots. His steps never slowed. “Must’ve hit my boot.”

“Or you didn’t feel it,” Beau warned. “Stop and check.”

“Damn it.” He sat on the steps next to Simpson and lifted his pant leg. His boots came up just above his ankle. He examined his leg. “Nothing.”

“I don’t see anything either,” Simpson reported.

Kasey shot up and continued on.

“Thank goodness.” Harper’s voice echoed in his ear.

“This is why you wear protective gear.” Beau sounded relieved.

As the rain continued to fall, Kasey’s adrenaline waned and his steps slowed. The climb became grueling. It couldn’t be the danger of the ascent taking a toll on him, he’d done riskier stunts. The physicality wasn’t the problem, he wasn’t even breathing hard. So, why did this feel so taxing?

He hated to admit what he knew was happening. Disappointment of Harper’s refusal and the Star Breeze piece had placed a shadow on doing the show. Or maybe he couldn’t overcome the embarrassment of it all. If only the press would find something else to obsess about. And they would. He simply needed to be patient. Although his friends and fans had been supportive, he just wanted the attention to go away.

He proceeded to the top where a level rock crested the mountain summit. The rain had stopped minutes ago, and only a couple of patchy clouds were left in the sky. Lush foliage spread below him. The river ran this way and that. Old ruins, with grass-covered steps, were visible in the distance, and Dead Woman’s Pass was right in front of him. The mountain shape resembled the silhouette of a woman lying down in the peaks of the mountain. He could see it because he’d studied exactly where to look.

“Ready, Kasey?” Simpson asked.

What he really wanted to do was sit quietly and take in the sight. Instead, he turned toward the cameraman. “My friends, as you can see, the view is spectacular. If you look...”

~

A manda closed her computer . School ended an hour ago. She’d stayed late to meet with the parents of a student who suffered from dysgraphia, a learning disability. The student had been diagnosed in grade school when writing became a nearly impossible task. Luckily, he’d gotten an individualized education plan and thrived now. Sometimes he still asked for oral exams in place of written, but he’d practiced diligently and could write well.

She considered him one of the lucky ones. Sometimes the smartest kids did poorly in school because of unidentified learning disabilities. When she became a school counselor, she vowed to do anything in her power to help her students succeed.

Her phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw Kasey’s name on a text message. Despite the fact he’d gotten her number the night of book club, it’d been almost a week and this was her first time to hear from him. Thought about you today.

Oh, she responded.

I saw a beautiful hummingbird, and it made me think of you.

I’m not sure how I feel about that, Amanda returned. Hummingbirds are mean and flighty little things. They move in jerky motions. Am I worse at dancing than I thought?

The bubble with three dots blinked on and off, then his message came through . You’re so suspicious. I thought of you because of the beauty of the bird. I’m not sure I’ve seen a prettier one.

A smile took over her whole body. It had been a while since anyone called her beautiful. She’d forgotten how very sweet and endearing it was for someone to think of her with such, for lack of a better word, admiration. That’s sweet.

I’m sweet .

I guess you are. How was your day?

As good as it could be working with my ex-girlfriend.

He sounded more annoyed than mad. Amanda took that as a good sign. Anger led to deep emotions while annoyance tended to be less meaningful.

And your day? he asked.

Busy. I’m still at work.

When I return to town next week, want to have a completely platonic meal with me?

A flutter flickered in her stomach, and she had no idea why. Neither of them wanted more than friendship. Right? How can a girl refuse such a benign, non-sexual invitation? Text or call me with the deets.

He sent a smiley face.

Be careful, Kasey. She’d watched enough episodes of his show to know his job proved dangerous at times.

Always, he returned.

~

A manda sat across from Kasey at Burnt Ends , a local barbeque restaurant. He’d texted for her to meet him after school. Large windows, pictures of bluebonnets, and blue and white checkerboard tablecloths lent a cheery country feel to the place. At four in the afternoon, it was mostly deserted, with only five other patrons in the whole place. When she arrived, Kasey was posing for photos with customers and workers. The waitstaff still whispered and motioned toward their table. Not to mention the shameless way their waitress flirted with Kasey. She’d even undone the top two buttons on her black shirt, to show off her ample cleavage.

The brisket Amanda ordered tasted smoky and melted in her mouth. The sides of coleslaw, baked beans, and bread complimented the meal perfectly. Glad this wasn’t any kind of date, she could eat as much garlic bread as she wanted.

He finished his plate and pushed it away from him. “Would you like to go camping?”

“Hard pass.”

A scowl darkened his expression. “You’re not even going to think about it?”

“I’ve never been camping, and I’m never going to go. Ever.”

“Come on,” Kasey insisted. “It’ll be fun.”

“No. Plus, I have a job.”

He persisted. “Surely, you can come up for the weekend.”

“Kasey, I’ve seen your show. There’s no way I’m going adventuring with you.”

“This will be nothing like my show.” He drummed on the table with his thumbs. “I have the equipment we need to enjoy the luxuries of everyday life.”

“I need a detailed list of these so-called luxuries you’d be providing, and they’d have to include a house with plumbing.”

“Well, I can’t promise that luxury.”

She wiped her hands on a napkin. “That’s a deal breaker.”

Poor guy, he looked tired and like he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days. “I have to get away and unplug.”

“Why don’t you ask one of your friends?”

“Everyone’s too busy.” He made a sad face, his hazel eyes pleading with her. “I have no one except you.”

“You’re trying to guilt me into going?”

“Is it working?”

“No.”

He crossed his arms. “Let’s say you have children one day. You’ll want them to enjoy camping, won’t you? Kids should go camping.”

“Their dad can bring them.”

“Just once, Amanda. You’ve got to try everything once.”

“No.” Her phone buzzed, and she checked the text. “Damn. I have to go. The speaker for Thursday canceled, and I have to find someone else to address the seniors.”

“Who was going to speak?”

“My principal’s husband. He’s a dean at a local college, but he’s got the flu.”

He lifted his glass and took a sip of tea. “What if I speak? I can talk about my forestry degree and answer questions.”

“They’d rather hear about how you got your own reality show.”

“I can tell that story too.”

He’d found her weakness. “Where are you going camping?”

Triumph gleamed in his eyes. “I’m not sure yet. It won’t be more than a couple of hours away.”

She took a deep breath. “If you speak to my seniors and have a Q&A session during their English classes on Thursday, I’ll drive up to your campsite on Saturday and stay for twenty-four hours.”

“Come on, take a couple of days off.”

She had days stored up, but she knew herself. Camping sounded like her version of hell. She could endure it perhaps for a day. “Twenty-four hours. Deal or no deal?”

He glowered. “Deal.”

~

T he more Amanda became acquainted with Kasey, the more she envied the way he made everything look effortless. She’d accompanied him to each English class today. Although he’d given his spiel many times now, it seemed fresh each time. And he somehow made the drab forest ranger uniform he wore look good.

He stood in front of Mrs. Chamber’s class, a huge white wall used for projection behind him. The students sat in lines of desks facing him.

The kids listened intently as he spoke about how he’d been undecided on whether to go to college or trade school his senior year. Since he enjoyed being outdoors and couldn’t see himself behind a desk, he chose to get a forestry degree. While working as a park ranger at the Grand Canyon, he was interviewed on a nature show and that’s when Harper Hastings discovered him and convinced him to do the show. In the first season, he’d traveled from park to park, giving viewers tips on how and where to camp. In season two, he started to take on dangerous challenges, and that’s when the show began to have great success.

“Any questions?” he asked.

Hands went up all over the room. He pointed at a girl named Trudy.

“Hi, Kasey. My aunt is Stacy Kimble.”

He smiled. “How’s she doing?”

“Great. She always talks about how much fun she had when you and she dated in high school. She said you were involved in a holdup and were shot in the leg.”

“She’s right.”

Amanda’s heart skipped a beat.

Everyone stayed perfectly still.

“I was a senior. Believe it or not, it happened on my first day working at a hardware store. My friend had gotten me the job. The place got held up, and I took a bullet to the calf.”

“Aunt Stacy said you could’ve turned around and left, but you started talking to the robber instead.”

He shrugged. “When I saw him hit my friend in the head with the butt of the gun, I couldn’t leave. I thought if I kept the burglar talking, it might stop him from hurting anyone. I figured someone would come along and hear what was going on. Luckily, the owner did and called the police. When the cops showed up and rushed the guy, the gun in his hand discharged. The paramedics brought me to the hospital where the doctor took out the bullet, sewed me up, and I made it home that evening.”

Amanda remained as enthralled in the story as the students. What a horrible thing to happen to a teenager. And why the hell didn’t he go for help instead of putting himself in harm’s way?

“Did it hurt?” someone called.

His tone filled with tension. “It felt like a burning hot poker had been rammed into my leg. Ever since, I feel truly sorry for any animal that gets branded. They say the animal doesn’t feel it, but I can’t believe that.”

Tears pricked Amanda’s eyes.

He rubbed his hands together. “Any other questions?”

Lots of hands raised again and a voice, she couldn’t tell who, said, “Is it true your brother is dating Harper Hastings now?”

This was not the first time a student had brought up Harper today.

“You guys are up-to-date on my social life, aren’t you? I’m sure you saw Harper refuse my proposal. From what I understand, her and my brother have gone out. That’s all I know.”

The kids raised their hands again.

He called on Elyse. She sat forward. “Where’s the best place you’ve ever been?”

“Hard to say.” He tilted his head to the side. “I get a real appreciation for places while I’m shooting. We just finished up in Peru. It’s amazing. Even though a snake tried to bite me one day.”

A snake? He hadn’t mentioned a snake to her.

He motioned to Ryan, who wore a blue shirt. “Was the bear you ran into at Yellowstone real or staged?”

“Nothing’s staged on the show. The bear was a terrifying surprise. If you watch that episode again, be sure to check out how much the camera shakes from my cameraman’s trembling. We cut shooting short by two days because of that bear.”

The last bell rang.

The students continued to pepper Kasey with questions until Mrs. Chambers intervened. “Okay, everyone, bus riders are going to miss their ride if you don’t disburse now. Out you go.” Once the kids were gone, she continued, “My goodness, Mr. Kase, you did the impossible. You held their attention the whole hour.”

He smirked. “You might get them to do the same if you allowed them to ask you personal questions.”

She cackled. “You might be right. Thank you for coming today.” She nodded at Amanda. “Great speaker.”

“Yes.” Amanda beamed. She and Kasey left the room. A crowd of students waited, holding their phones up as they took pictures of Kasey. “Looks like your fans can’t get enough.”

“Seems like no one can these days, which is why I’m leaving for the lake tonight. I’ll text you the GPS coordinates when I arrive.”

“Okay,” she said, without an ounce of excitement.

“Please try to contain your enthusiasm.” He chuckled and walked with her to her office.

Once there, she turned toward him. “Thanks again for doing this today.”

“You’re welcome. A deal’s a deal.”

Camping. Ugh. “Yes, it is.”

If you do what you love, it is the best way to relax. ~ Christian Louboutin