Page 24 of Just One Kiss

"It's fine. I'll dig into the information you've given me so far, and I'll let you know what I find out."

"Thank you so much, Adam," she said as she walked him to the door.

"No problem, Hannah. But talk to your mother, because I am going to need to have a conversation with her very soon."

As Adam left, Jake came down the stairs. "Brett is playing in the fort we built in your guest room with pillows and blankets," he said.

"You're a fun babysitter."

"I'm a fun everything," he said lightly.

She wasn't going to touch that comment.

"How did it go with Adam?" he asked.

"He's going to start looking for Kelly. He's happy to leave Brett with me until he gets more information."

"You must be relieved about that."

"I am. And I know that Adam is my best hope to find Kelly fast." She paused. "I do want to thank you, Jake. You've gone above and beyond."

"I'm happy to help. And I'd like to hear the update whenever it comes in. Why don't we exchange numbers?"

She hesitated as he took out his phone. The last number she wanted to have in her phone was his, but it seemed rude to refuse. She gave him her number, and he quickly sent her a text back.

"I need to take off now if you're good," he added. "One of my skiing guides just called in sick, and I have a group that wants to ski Skyhawk this afternoon."

"That's a little risky after such a big snow last night, isn't it?" Skyhawk was one of the most dangerous trails in the mountains above the lake, and there had been a couple of avalanches in the area.

"It should be fine. I know which trails to take."

Jake didn't seem at all bothered by the danger of that mountain, but it bothered her. "I hope the skiers know you can be overconfident."

He gave her a direct and pointed look. "I would never risk someone else's life, Hannah. I'm not reckless."

"I would hope not. But you do like to push the boundaries."

"So do these skiers. However, they're smart enough to know they need an expert guide to lead them down the mountain."

"It's still a risk."

"Life is all about risk."

"And sometimes that risk doesn't work out. I've patched up a lot of people who took a big risk and slid their way down the mountain and into a world of pain."

"And I've seen a lot of people face their fears and have the time of their life," he countered. "It's all about perspective."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"What are you going to do today?"

"I need to work the carnival later but before that I have to do something I really don't want to do."

"What's that?"

"Call my mother. Adam wants to talk to her, and I need to let her know what's going on. I just hope this doesn't send her off on a downward spiral. That would be the last thing I need."

"She's been good for a while, hasn't she?"

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