GABE STRETCHED OUT on the sun-warmed surface of the rock and let his sore muscles absorb the heat. The sky was a pale, pure blue above him and the breeze dried his sweat. His fingertips ached from bracing himself in a vertical crack after a misstep, but even that was perfect. He closed his eyes and melted into the mountain.
“Water?” his climbing partner asked.
Gabe opened his hand and felt a bottle hit his palm. “Thanks.”
“You’re out of shape, man.”
“Fuck you,” Gabe said, opening one eye just so he could glare at Benton. “You try living in Cincinnati and see how rusty your climbing skills get.”
“We’ll work on it,” Benton said.
“Hell, yeah, we will,” Gabe sighed. “Sunday?”
“You got it. Are you up for climbing Exum?”
Gabe sat up and stretched his left arm. “Jesus Christ, what is that? Eight hundred feet?”
“Sure, but it’s six pitches. And I’ll lower you down if you get too tired.”
“You’re an arrogant ass, you know that?”
Benton grinned. “That’s why you love me.”
“I don’t think that’s it,” Gabe muttered. “Hell, I’m not even sure I love you.”
“Don’t tell me you’re just using me as a route leader?”
Gabe shrugged. “You come at the right price. Free.”
“Yet again, I’m just a cheap piece of ass.” Benton adjusted the tie holding back his dreadlocks and slipped on the shades that Gabe’s sister had once said made him look just like Lenny Kravitz. He tipped his head toward the cliff edge. “Ready?” he asked.
“Just give me another minute. I’m enjoying the hell out of this.” He closed his eyes again and let the silence wash over him. It wasn’t completely quiet, of course. Trees below them rustled in the breeze and Benton’s equipment clinked when he moved. But it was more profoundly quiet on the rock than it was when hiking or camping. There was no rustle of chipmunks through brush, no chorus of birds singing, no crackle of dead leaves under boots.
He stretched and pulled himself up. “I’ll see you Saturday morning, too.”
“No shit?” Benton asked. “You’re in?”
“I’m in,” Gabe answered. He’d just gotten word that his application for Technical Search and Rescue had been approved. After a couple months of training, there was a good chance he’d be out there helping with mountain rescues during the summer months.
Benton clapped him on the arm. “I never doubted it for a second.” He gestured toward the edge of the cliff. “After you.”
Gabe hooked back into the line and stood at the edge, but before he leaned out, he took the chance to look around one last time. This was his first solid climb since getting settled in Jackson a week before, and it was the perfect day. Sixty degrees and unlimited visibility. Valleys and peaks stretched out beneath him, the trees looking like stunted bushes from this height.
A hawk glided by, not shifting a feather as it rode an air current down. “Christ, I’m happy to be here,” he said quietly.
“I know. I still remember the day I decided I wasn’t leaving Jackson. It’s a great place to stay forever, even if I do have to live on a bartender’s tips and the occasional guiding gig. I’m guessing librarian doesn’t pay much more, but I guarantee you won’t find a reason to leave.”
Yeah. Unfortunately, Gabe already had a reason to leave. He couldn’t put good views and crisp air over his family, no matter how much he loved living here. He didn’t have the option to stay. Not forever. But he’d be damned if he’d waste his time here dwelling on that.
“Rappelling,” he called out, checking the anchor, the rope and the lock on his carabiner one last time.
“Rappel on, my friend,” Benton said.
Gabe turned around, stepped down and let his weight settle him into the right position. There was nothing but two hundred feet of air behind him and it felt perfect.
“Hey!” Benton called as Gabe began to descend. “You coming out with us tonight?”
“Absolutely.”
“Great. We’re heading over to a new locals’ night at Three Martini Ranch. Dear Veronica hosts it. Supposed to be a blast.”
Gabe’s hand tightened reflexively around the rope, slowing his descent. He loosened his grip and shook off his surprise.
Between moving all his belongings into a new apartment and working his ass off at the library, he’d been too busy to think much about Veronica Chandler in the past week. She was a distraction Gabe didn’t need. But she was definitely a distraction.
He had no idea what to think of her. She was pretty, a pain in the ass and absolutely not his type. She was also funny and smart as hell, if last Thursday’s performance was any guide. She’d been transformed into that warm, welcoming version of herself once she’d started speaking, but more than that, she’d been bright as a star.
He’d agreed with every one of the answers she’d had for the letter writers, and he’d been looking forward to discussing them with her after the performance. So much so that he’d realized what a bad idea it was to stay, and he’d said his goodbyes and hauled ass before she could come out to join Lauren.
He’d figured that was the end of it, but apparently, he was going to see her again tonight. Not that he had to go, but...what good was a day off if he couldn’t hang out with old friends?
Gabe slid past an overhang and kept up a steady descent until he was back on flat ground, then shouted the alert back up to Benton.
“Geronimo!” Benton yelled back. He was down in a few minutes.
“What time tonight?” Gabe asked.
“Starts at eight, but we’d better make it closer to seven. I hear it might be packed.”
That would work in Gabe’s favor. He could check out Veronica again, but he wouldn’t draw her attention. He didn’t want to date her. He just wanted one more chance to figure her out before he filed her away.
“Hey,” Benton said, nudging Gabe’s elbow as they began to pack up the gear. “Did you bring that book?”
“Sure.” Gabe dug into his hiking pack and withdrew his worn copy of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Benton’s nephew had been diagnosed with autism and Benton had read through two dozen nonfiction books about the condition. Now he was looking for fiction, too.
“If you want anything else, let me know and I’ll see if I can order it in to the library.”
Benton shot him a narrow look. “I don’t know, man. Will I have to sit in on circle time on the rug?”
“Benton, it’s a library, not a preschool.”
“Same thing, right?”
Gabe was used to this, but he still rolled his eyes. “I don’t run the kids’ section. Come on.”
Benton shrugged. “All right. Since you’re in the adult section, any sexy librarians I should be aware of?”
“Yeah,” Gabe said, slipping on his pack. “Me.”
“Tempting,” Benton countered. “But I’m gonna need you to take the lead next time so I can get a better look at that ass.”
“I’ll wear running shorts,” he promised, prompting Benton to groan.
“Now