“Yes. Absolutely.”
“You’re not just saying that because of the phone thing?”
“That’s a good excuse to do it, but from the moment I first climbed onto the platform, I thought of spending the night, pretending I’m Tarzan. I’ve just been too chicken.”
He smiled. “You wouldn’t make a very good Tarzan.”
“You’d be surprised.” She took a deep breath and let out the most Tarzan-like yell he’d ever heard.
He laughed so hard he had to sit down.
“Wait, that wasn’t as good as I can do. I’ll try again.” She sucked in more air.
“No, no, you’re great!”
She looked at him. “Yeah?”
“Amazingly good. I wasn’t laughing because you were lousy at it. I was laughing at that big Tarzan yell coming out of such a blonde cutie-pie. It’s so unexpected.”
“My college friends and I taught ourselves to do it. When we backpacked through Europe, we sometimes entertained people in pubs by doing our Tarzan yells. I’m better after a couple of beers.”
“I’ll bet.” He chuckled. “I can just imagine that.” He also felt a pang of longing. Although he’d traveled with friends when he was younger, they’d all settled down with families. They still traveled, but now it involved taking spouses and kids, which was a whole other ball game. Not his deal.
He stood and surveyed the platform. “So if this is something you want to do for the adventure factor, but you’re a little scared of falling off, we’ll put your sleeping bag next to the tree and mine next to yours so I’m on the outside.”
She nodded. “I like that. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. It’ll be fun.” He knew that for sure because everything involving Naomi was fun. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed this much.
They ate cold sandwiches for dinner, watched a family of deer graze in the clearing and made love to the sound of wind in the trees. They slept spoon-fashion, with Luke on the outside. He figured if he kept a hand on her at all times, she wouldn’t get away from him and risk falling.
That thought made him restless. And then there was the issue of a potential phone call. It didn’t come until dawn, and it woke them both.
Luke scrambled to pick it up before the chime disturbed Naomi, but he was too late. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, as he put the phone to his ear.
“Luke, it’s Dad.”
Luke grimaced. “Hi, Dad.” Who else would it be at this hour of the morning? His father had probably forgotten the time difference. Travelers usually thought about that when they made phone calls. Nontravelers, not so much.
“Listen, I thought about your invitation, and it won’t work for me.”
Luke had prepared himself for that answer, but even so, disappointment sliced through him. Apparently he’d placed more importance on this than he should have. “Okay.”
“I checked flights, and it’ll cost an arm and a leg.”
“So it’s the money?”
“Well, that, and your mother has a cookout planned with the Sullivans. She has her heart set on that cookout. You remember the Sullivans, don’t you?”
“Yep.” They were neighbors whose attitude toward travel was exactly like his mother’s. They claimed everything they needed was right there, so why go anywhere else?
“Anyway, thanks for asking. Maybe next time.”
“Sure, Dad. Have a nice Fourth. Talk to you later.” Luke disconnected and laid down the phone.
“He’s not coming.”
Naomi put a hand on his shoulder. “Luke, I’m sorry. It was a great idea.”
He shrugged. “I should have known better. He’ll just keep watching documentaries about places he’ll never see.”
“His loss.”
“I think so, too, but I can’t make him get out there and see the world.” He gazed at her. “I did think it would be cool, though. I’ve never been here for Fourth of July, but the town’s really gearing up. Are you coming in or staying here?”
She smiled. “Are you inviting me to come and party with you?”
“Hell, yes! We’ll have a blast. Although maybe the fireworks will look more spectacular from this platform, come to think of it. We could—”
“Hold on. Did you say fireworks?”
“Yeah. Everyone’s all excited because Shoshone’s never had fireworks before. What’s the matter? Don’t you like fireworks?”
“That depends. Are we talking about little stuff, close to the ground? Backyard fireworks?”
“Not from what I heard. This Clifford Mason guy, the one we saw having dinner with Pam Mulholland at the Spirits and Spurs, is arranging for a huge spectacular. Tyler Keller…you know Tyler?”
“Yes, she’s Josie Chance’s sister-in-law. She plans tourist-type events for the town. So she set this up?”
“I believe that’s what Emmett said. And Pam’s underwriting it. Everybody’s happy about it except Emmett, who thinks Clifford’s romancing Pam.”
“Luke, this is a disaster. I have to stop it.”
“I don’t think it’s our place to interfere in Pam’s private life.”
“Not that. The fireworks. I know people will be disappointed and I hate that, but we can’t have fireworks.”
“Why not?”
She gestured toward the eagles’ nest. “It’s too close. The parents might become terrified and abandon the nest. The babies would die.”
“Town’s not that close.”
“I know it doesn’t seem like it, because from the ranch road it’s about ten miles. But we’re out on a far corner of Last Chance land. When I hike in from my folks’ place, it’s only about five miles straight across. That’s way too close to nesting eagles.”
He sensed a train wreck coming. “Are you sure the eagles would abandon the nest?”
“Not a hundred percent sure. You can’t ever be positive when you’re trying to predict the behavior of wild creatures. But I’m sure enough that I don’t want to take the risk.”
“Okay, but I’m afraid you’re going to have some tough sledding. Everyone in town is looking forward to this.”
“I’m sure they are. If it weren’t for the eagles, I would be looking forward to it. But we do have eagles, and fireworks are a bad idea. Tyler’s a very compassionate person. When I explain the situation, I’m sure she’ll cancel.”
He wasn’t so sure. “I don’t want to be the prophet of doom, but there could be economic repercussions. The fireworks have been paid for and the merchants are expecting to cash in on all the excitement.”
“But what about the other activities? They always have a ton of things going on. Won’t that be enough?”
“I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. I think you’ll get push back. That’s all I’m saying.”
“I know.” Her blue eyes clouded with sadness. “I really hate that, and I hate having people disappointed. But I can’t let them light up the sky only five miles from a nest of eagles.”
“No, you can’t. I can see that.” He picked up his phone