Page 25 of Fake-Off with Fate
“And don’t pick up its cub.”
Touching the side of her nose, she says, “Ding, ding, ding, we’ve got a winner!”
With her cell phone in hand, she asks, “What’s your number? I’ll be in touch tomorrow after you’ve had a chance to talk to your coach.”
I give her my number before suggesting, “You might want to reach out to Troy Hart, too. He and his wife own the team.”
“I don’t really know them, but I suppose I can make a call.”
“You must have already left when he moved here.”
She smiles before telling me, “When I was a kid the arena was nowhere near the size it is now. Maple Falls is currently a thriving metropolis, compared to the town I grew up in.”
“I can’t even imagine such a thing. I mean seriously, thisplace is tiny,” I tell her as I screw up my courage and step out of the cabin. Glancing to my left, I notice the father bear is eating some leaves and seemingly minding his own business. Thank goodness.
“Says the big man from the big city,” she teases. “Give it a chance, Jamie.”
Standing a little bit taller, I tell her, “Oh, I’m giving it a chance I’m just having some culture shock is all.”
She appears to be contemplating something carefully before she says, “Why don’t you stop by Town Hall tomorrow after practice? I’ll take you on a quick walking tour of Maple Falls and give you some background info.” She’s quick to add, “This would not be a date. This is just the mayor’s daughter helping her father by performing her civic duty to make sure all the town’s citizens are happy.”
Having spent a few hours already getting to know Ashlyn, I wouldn’t mind if it was a date. She’s so different from the other women I’ve previously gone out with, that I start to wonder why I’ve never dated someone like her. I guess the answer is that professional sports players tend to be surrounded by sycophants instead of self-assured women who know their own minds. At least that’s been my experience.
“That would be nice,” I tell her. “I’m sure I’ll be able to share Dale’s thoughts about the bachelor auction by then.”
She starts her car before waving out the window. “See you tomorrow.”
As soon as she pulls away, I turn around to walk back into my cabin. That’s when I notice the father bear standing on his legs and staring at me. Knowing that I’m inches away from safety gives me courage. “I’m not interested in causing any trouble,” I tell him firmly. “I’ll stay in my lane, if you stay in yours, okay?”
I know Ashlyn said that bears don’t roar, but this guy apparently didn’t get the memo. He releases a growl so menacing andloud that I sprint inside. Talk about feeling emasculated. It’s no wonder Ashlyn assured me that getting together tomorrow wasn’t a date. She’s got to think I’m the biggest coward of all time.
CHAPTER 13
ASHLYN
I would be hard pressedto say what kind of man I’m attracted to as I don’t really have a type. Yet, there are some basic characteristics I appreciate—honesty, courtesy, hard-working, etc. Yet as far as physicality goes, I’ve dated tall guys, not-so-tall guys, ones who are super fit, and others who would not be described as athletic. There have been blond-haired, brown-haired and even one redhead. But as far as I know, none of them have been afraid of bears. Having said that, ever since leaving Maple Falls, I’ve not exactly resided in bear territory.
Driving to my parents’ house after leaving Jamie’s, I can’t help but think about what a surprisingly nice evening we had. If I were in the market to date someone who lives in Maple Falls, he might just be at the top of my list. And as funny as it is, instead of repelling me, his bear phobia makes him seem vulnerable and human. It’s cute.
I remind myself I’m not looking to settle back at home, which means I’ll just have to enjoy Jamie’s friendship. Hopefully, I’ll be able to help him with his adjustment process, too. I had a difficult transition when I left for college. Going from a town where the highway has two lanes—one in either direction—to a city where it’s common to have upwards of five lanes or more going each way, takes some adapting to.
Pulling into my parents’ driveway, I spot Clara getting out of her car. She’s carrying two large bags of groceries.
She and I really did have a nice friendship, and I would like to reconnect with her again. I call out, “Hey, Clara! Can you come over later?”
She startles like she didn’t see me. “Sorry, Ash, the kids both have plans tonight, so I’ll be playing chauffeur.” She shifts the bags for a better grip. “Soon, though, okay?”
“It’s got to be tough raising them alone,” I tell her. In addition to being divorced, Clara’s parents died when she was in college. They were in a horrible car accident that left a huge impact on Maple Falls. Obviously, it made a much greater one on their daughter.
Clara shrugs. “It’s life, right? I mean, we all have some kind of trouble.” Even though that’s true, she has a much bigger load to carry than I do.
“Mine is not finding a decent guy,” I volunteer. “At the rate I’m going, I’m not sure I’ll ever be a mother.” I’m not feeling sorry for myself so much as I’m trying to be relatable. Clara must think I have it made not having the kind of responsibilities she has.
“It has to be tough living in LA,” she says. “You know, the land where the number of inflated egos is only rivaled by the amount of people hoping to become celebrities.”
I laugh. “You got that right.” I wave to her and say, “I’ll catch you soon, okay?”
The reality of Clara’s observation leaves me wondering what I’m doing still living in Los Angeles. But the truth is, I like it there. I like the weather, the palm trees, and having access to both the mountains and the beach. There’s a lot of diversity, and a lot to do. Also, the plain truth is that I love organizing things and there are enough people in LA with enough money to keep me employed until I’m old and gray.
