7. Jesse

CHAPTER 7

Jesse

S ugarloaf Knob Mountain was the vacation spot I needed to be at. It gave me the calmness and tranquillity away from everyone and a place to ground myself from reality as I re-centred my body and heart. I forgot how I came to find this place and that if anyone wanted to come out here and find me, they couldn’t, even if they wanted to. I mean apart from Theo, himself! Ha! That wasn’t going to happen, though.

The off beaten track area that Theo and I always spent time in was a little calm spot which didn’t see many other visitors but gave us the perfect view of everyone else. The fact I’d finally pushed myself to actually come away and have this vacation, felt like a soothing balm to my whole mind, soul and body. I’d never been prouder of giving myself this much needed kick, I would have usually retreated back into myself and the sick bowl of the toilet after the extreme alcohol from the guy's idea of a fun night out. At least my wild imagination of strippers didn’t come true. Thank fuck for that! I knew I wouldn’t have coped with that yet.

I’d planned to spend two weeks exploring the area—just like I used to do when I came here in the past—enjoy the tranquillity and time alone without a care or thought of what was around me, using only a wilderness guide for two specific tricky climbs and mountain areas, so I had my safety covered and legal requirements met. Recently I had discovered that due to the rocky terrain and unfamiliar trails of these two areas it had been governed by officials that no one could now explore these areas anymore unless you went with a hired wilderness guide who had done all the mountain back and safety training who was required for trecherous terrain climbs like this. Otherwise, the landscape would have become a place of forgotten beauty and unseen glory if some of the panel had gotten their way and the majority hadn’t ruled the way it had. That would have been a shame for the many visitors that passed through these parts each year—and of course myself.

I decided that it was an important step whilst being out here that I had my wilderness training renewed—something that Theo had expressed that I did when we first came up to these parts and began exploring them. At first, I hadn’t understood the reasoning until I had gotten further into the climb and realized how steep and dangerous these areas were. Then I was all for it. When I think about it now, knowing exactly the full course and places you can go to from here, it had settled a part of my mind that these precautions had now been introduced, especially after an incident a few months back when someone wandered off the track and got lost. Thankfully, they were quickly found due to a scheduled tour that had happened a few hours later. I daren’t think about what could have potentially occurred especially as they weren’t prepared to be in that area. I mean, it’s one of the key things I’d remind anyone who wants to explore and hike out in the outdoors now, you’re always best to over prepare than not have something of importance—all thanks to a great teacher. I couldn’t help but gulp harshly at his image that hit my mind of that sexy grin beaming back at me when I’d mastered something right in his eyes. How things have changed so much and so quickly.

I couldn’t believe how quickly the days had passed by though as I made my way to the ranger’s station two days before leaving knowing that I had to decide my next option and path to take. A vacation was exactly what I needed a break from the strains of reality and what had been pulling me under over the last twelve months. I hadn’t realized how much baggage and pressure I’d been carrying for all this time along with pain and undue anxiety that had spiraled beyond its means. My life had changed being back out here. Now I was finally feeling more like the guy that had the start of a spark relighting. I just needed to keep it burning and letting it grow brighter and larger until I was finally true to myself again.

I knew one way of doing that involved my decision on what I did next and the path I chose over the next few days. If I steered myself wrong then the light would dull and I would immediately return to my pits of hell again—a place I really didn’t want to delve back into.

Number one rule: water is always essential. Thirst is your worst enemy so never turn down a refill opportunity. I took a large swig of water from one of my bottles and gulped it down before wiping my mouth with my sleeve. I grabbed the other bottle I always carry and made my way to the refill fountain and got in line.

The moment the guy in front of me stepped to the side, I smirked recognizing the wilderness guide instantly, giving him a grin as I started on instinct filling my bottles up ready for my own adventures. I was in the mood to burn some energy and take in some of those perfect views as I captured those perfect moments to memory. What could I say? My mind was like an encyclopaedia full of interesting information and facts I could relay off to someone. It was always the binder of photographs within the mind’s eye that would win the award for beauty and awe that I wish I could share with the world. An artist's dream that needed to come alive for sure. One day.

“Carlton, are you packing up for a hike?” I asked him out of curiosity and courtesy as I watched him walk over to the bench to the side of me and start to load his filled water bottles into his large rucksack. “Or just rehydrating after one.”

“I’m about to go out in the next thirty minutes or so. Last one for me,” Carlton answered as I suddenly furrowed my brow and froze making the water splash over the top of the bottle and onto my fingers.

“Fuck. I…” I immediately pulled the bottle out and screwed the lid onto the bottle and moved across to Carlton to face him. “What do you mean the last one? You’re the wilderness guide. If it’s your last one then…”

“Then there are no tours available on the limited paths or wilderness guides going to be here at Sugarloaf Knob Mountain,” Carlton announced as he leaned back against the bench after dropping his bag onto the floor. “I need some time away from the outdoors.” I nodded at his declaration. I understood those words more than the next person. “It’s just been hard to find someone qualified to do these paths and who knows the area enough.”

“What do you mean? Find someone…,” I asked Carlton as my ears piqued at his words. “Carlton…”

“Let me show you. Follow me,” he uttered as the two of us made our way inside the wooden cabin.

Maybe this vacation was meant to be so much more than a break away… Maybe it’s actually everything I’ve been looking for after all.

I loved being a wilderness guide. It was exactly what I needed to do with my life. If you’d asked me a year ago if I’d be living out in the great outdoors doing this—I’d have laughed and wondered if you’d hit your head. Now though I couldn’t be anywhere else.

Officially, I’d had the hard conversation with my brother and surprisingly, even though I had panicked that he may have reacted badly at my decision to stay out here, he was actually really supportive of me. I soon learned though that was because he wanted a favor from me—he wanted me to take Arlo’s and Ollie’s sister, Cora and Lilia with their friends out for a celebration break for the end of year break at Lakewood Creek Private Falls Academy. How could I refuse a request from him after all he’s done for me?

It would also be nice to get some ammunition to use against the guys whilst they were out here—a win-win for me, I guess.

From the moment they arrived it was like they knew the task they had been assigned. I was fair but I would push them out here to get the most from their experience out here and they would appreciate it in the long run from me.

“Welcome all, I’m Jesse and I’m your wilderness guide for the next week, as you may have guessed finding a signal around here is going to be hard. To note you can find one normally—scarcely at the end of that road.”

I didn’t expect though on day two for everything to change and my life to be upended when I’d just thought I was beginning to feel some peace.

“I… I have a voicemail from Jed?” Cora choked out. “It sounded. I… He works at the North Avenue Live bar, near to my brother's coffee shop… doesn’t he drink there in the evenings?” I glanced up at Lilia’s tear filled eyes. “Oh my God. What has happened?” Cora sobbed out in a roar as she dropped to her knees in the mud. “I…”

“Call them.” I whispered out handing across the satellite phone to Cora as Dylan knelt down beside her and comforted her. “Or—” I turned to Dylan. “You find out what’s happening?” I passed the phone to Dylan and began to pace knowing out here until I knew the situation there was nothing I could do.

I needed facts. Then I could deal with whatever was going on.

Dylan nodded at me as Cora passed me her cell and I found the number and dialed it, waiting anxiously for the line to connect. I walked away from the group so I could hear myself think and gather my composure on the situation. I needed to be able to give whatever news was shared with me, back in a calm manner.

It didn’t matter though as, in that moment, a car beeped alerting us to their presence. I turned around to see all eyes looking at the car, knowing that in my heart the guys had put a plan in motion, but how had they found us? No one knew how to reach this path. I made sure it remained between me and… oh fuck… please no.

“Ollie’s here, Connor—” Lilia shouted as I glanced up at her and saw the group of other men surrounding her but one remained sitting in the car refusing to leave his seat.

“Cora—” Ollie knelt as the two of us pulled back. “Sweetheart, I need to talk to you. It’s your mom, darling?” He choked out as he gathered her in his arms. “Arlo, Paxton and Reed are on their way to her, but we said we’ll come and get you.”

“We?” she forced the single word out. “You didn’t need to.”

“I did,” the guy whispered as Cora forced herself to stand. “Ollie didn’t know where this place was and would get lost. I bet you didn’t find it easily even without our instructions. We couldn’t waste any time.”

“You’re Hardin and…” she pointed at the other guy with his arm wrapped around him. “You’re Anthony.”

“Bro,” I whispered, before nodding at Hardin. The two of them sheepishly averted their eyes from me. “Please tell me you didn’t…”

The girls walked over to the car and gasped when they opened the door and started talking to each other and the guy. My chest ached but the pain instantly burned and turned to anger. I thought I was free. That this was my time to live again and he couldn’t just leave it. I’d have given anything to see him months ago and warranted to know the reasons behind what happened—even craved his attention, but now I loathed to be in his presence.

He couldn’t even respect our past.

Why not reach out to the rescue teams?

He could have found another way but instead he wanted to cause me pain.

“Theo…” I whispered, walking toward him. “You came back here, you…” He sucked in a breath as I instantly reached for Dylan and he wrapped his arm around me. “You.”

“Jesse, no, I came because I had to.” Theo snapped back. “I had to help. You know that. Don’t make me out to be a bad person here.”

“Bad person?” I laughed loudly. “You are the devil incarnate. Please, don’t—” I choked out. “At this minute, you are not my concern. I need to get everyone packed up and out of Pennsylvania.” He hissed out. “Away from Sugarloaf Knob Mountain and the fuck away from you,” he shouted out. “Go and pack up and get yourself settled between the cars,” I stated before turning to face Cora. “Let’s get you to your family. If you want to travel with the others and follow us guys?—”

“Okay,” Cora whispered out. “I’ll go and get sorted.”

My heart squeezed tightly as I took in the picture before me and realized this was one photograph I never needed to capture in reality.

My brother was a grade A dick, and at this moment I hoped he could read every thought I was thinking about him. He knew what he was doing by packing the cars in such a way that space was limited and Theo had to remain here with me.

“We’ll be back in a day or so as we now know where you are.” Hardin winked at us. Fucker . “He must think I was born yesterday and couldn’t read his thoughts. That the smirk plastered across my brother's face wasn’t an instant plan they’d formulated together. It was as if the two of them knew something that I didn’t. It’s not like it mattered as I glanced to my side and saw the guy who’d hurt me so much.

Anthony knew I couldn’t leave my post, and I needed my vehicle to get around. Theo’s gaze caught mine as he grabbed his kit (the same bag I remember from our adventures all those years ago) and I told him to follow me to the post where we’d be situated for the night.

At this moment, I hated my brother and Hardin for putting me in this position.

I hated the fact even more as our arms brushed against one another, as we fell into sync. That the spark and need between the two of us was still there. That the want, need and desire had never left…

Deep down even more, I was more frustrated at the fact of knowing I was totally screwed if I didn’t keep my distance from him.