Page 37 of The Roper & the Author

“No,” Clint said. “I prefer the Chevy. Walker’s the one that’s messed up.”

She gasped at that and looked at her perfect cowboy. “No way. His truck is almost as perfect as he is.”

She caught Lily and Clint giving each other a loaded look and wondered what underlying issue was happening that she was missing. Was it all related to Miles and Eva Chevron or something else?

They drove down the tree-lined drive to the ranch and out through the security gate, waving to the guard.

“Why do we have to drive to the hike?” she asked. “I can see the glorious mountains on our runs and from the lake.”

“There’s no opening in the fence,” Walker explained. “Papa only wanted one entrance to monitor.”

“Can’t you just climb over the fence?”

“No.” Clint’s voice was sharp. “That fence is electric with barbed wire on the top. Please don’t try to climb over it.”

“Oh. Ouch, huh?”

“Don’t worry, bro,” Walker said. “I stay right with Marci.”

“Good.”

“Si. Walker is theel mejor,” she sang out. “The best.”

Lily and Clint did another ‘look’. Engaged people anyway; they had so much to communicate they could do it with a glance.

They drove to the north and east up a dirt road that ended in a tree-lined trail. As they climbed out, Marci oohed and ahhed over the trail, the thick trees, the little stream. She was literally bouncing as they started the ascent. The trail was wide enough they could walk in pairs. She wished Walker would reach for her hand, but he didn’t.

“Can you spill your romantic story while we hike?” Marci asked, already slightly out of breath. The incline and the altitude might humiliate her today. She exercised every day but dealtwith neither incline nor altitude. Who cared? Soon she’d see the most glorious views in the world and right now she was in the midst of a picturesque mountain path.

“Sure.” Lily glanced over her shoulder at Walker.

He shook his head slightly. What did that mean?

“She knows you dated Miles for years, but Clint secretly loved you and pined for you,” Walker said.

“Wow,” Clint grunted. “Make me sound like a sappy wuss.”

“You are for me.” Lily bumped her shoulder against his.

“For sure.” Clint gave her a quick kiss. Then he glanced at Walker, his jaw tightened, and he picked up the pace. Marci did not want him to pick up the pace. Her legs and lungs were burning. She glanced around at the thick pine forest cascading up the mountain. She needed to enjoy the scenery more.

“I was the one who had a crush on Clint for years,” Lily began.

“But you were dating his brother, the famous Lieutenant Miles Coleville, who’s now engaged to Eva Chevron?”

“He wasn’t famous until Eva,” Walker said.

“Ah, true. Okay, but I don’t see you as a two-timer,” Marci said to Lily. Then she sucked in a breath. “Sorry, that sounded judgmental.”

“No, you’re fine.” Lily glanced at the sheriff as they hiked side by side. “I felt like a two-timer. Miles and I dated long distance for twelve years.”

“Wowza. That’s misery,” Marci said.

Walker looked at her. There was concern in his blue eyes. Oh. Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. She’d date long distance with him if he wanted, but she’d much prefer to elope and share time at each of their scenic homes.

“It was.” They walked in silence for a few beats, Marci’s heavy breathing, their footfalls, branches cracking, birds twittering, and a trickle of the stream along the trail filling up the space.“Miles and I dated our senior year of high school, but he left for the Navy shortly after graduation and long distance grew old quickly. We both should’ve broken it off years before we did.”

“I’ve written stories like that. It’s either more convenient to stay together, or you don’t want to hurt the other person, right?” She gasped for oxygen and noticed Clint thankfully slowed the pace.

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